Butternut Squash Stuffed with Balsamic Quinoa

Butternut Squash Stuffed with Balsamic Quinoa

June has started off beautifully with a blue sky and warm temperatures. The weather is always unpredictable where we live; I've been going between shorts and long jeans on and off since the middle of March! It'll be super hot and sunny one week, then go back to rain for the next month, then back to summer temperatures. It's been a while since we've seen sunshine here, making me very excited for summer! I'll be sitting in class these next to weeks studying like crazy while starring out the window longing to be outside rather than inside.

On a random note, during my family's weekly visit to Costco, my mom discovered this box of amazing-ness for me. Mango. Coconut. Almond. Biscuits. -quiet scream of joy from inside of me- I've been aware of THINaddictive's cranberry almond thins (aka biscotti that has been sliced super thin) for a long time but never really took interest in those. Obviously, I have a soft spot for anything with the word 'coconut' in it, I couldn't possibly say no. There are eight grams of sugar in one packet of 3 tiny cookies, not making these the healthiest of snacks. Nevertheless, I'm very excited to taste them (with a scoop of real vanilla ice cream...:D)
 
I've been blessed with a rather carefree week with no tests and barely any homework. Even so, I usually have to wait for the weekend to roll around until I can try out those recipes I keep saving onto my computer. For lunch today, I made a radish soup. After pureeing the radish/potato mixture, it became this beautiful baby pink colour. But don't let the colour fool you, the added wasabi oil (I didn't have horseradish) gave an extra kick to the already bitter radish flavour. Looks are deceiving... I've decided not to share the recipe as I didn't think it was very good. Not a soup I'd bother making again. Roast your radishes or eat them raw instead. Maybe later tonight I'll attempt a Lemon Coconut Loaf... 

This recipe is what I had for dinner today. I know, butternut squash is totally an autumn produce, but my mom loves it so much she seems to buy one every week. Not that I'm complaining, because it's simply delicious! It's the weekend, so I have the time to experiment and cook my own meals. To season my quinoa, I used my Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing. I left out the extra olive oil today, as there is already oil used to cook the veggies. However, feel free to leave it in for some extra flavour. All the vegetables I used can be substituted for anything you have lying in your fridge; that's what I always use. This is totally a healthy recipe, filled with vegetables, low in fat, good source of fibre and protein... but not in anyway lacking flavour and texture! The rest of my family jealously watched me eat this adorable dish at the dinner table. They wish they had one too!

 

Butternut Squash Stuffed with Balsamic Quinoa

By Coconut Crumpet

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

• The bottom of one butternut squash, seeds and stringy bits scooped out
• 3 tbsp uncooked quinoa
• 6 tbsp chicken stock
• Oil, for frying
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 2 white button mushrooms, diced
• ½ celery stalk, diced
• ¾ cup broccoli florets
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp corn niblets
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt & pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place butternut squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet (rimmed because juices may flow out near the end). Once oven is ready, bake squash for 35 minutes, or until tender.
2. In a small pot, cook quinoa in stock covered over high heat until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to minimum and continue to cook covered for 15 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
3. Heat a frying pan. When hot, add oil, garlic, and celery until fragrant. 
4. When celery becomes translucent, add mushrooms, broccoli, and water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat when boiled and steam vegetables for a few minutes. Add corn.
5. In a small microwaveable bowl, combine balsamic vinegar and honey. Microwave for 10 seconds until honey is melted. 
6. Fluff cooked quinoa and add to frying pan. Add vinegar mixture and season with salt and pepper. Stir fry until quinoa is dry.
7. Stuff cooked butternut squash with quinoa mixture. (There may be extra depending on the size of the hole that contained the seeds) Place back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes. 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Meyer Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Salad with Meyer Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette

The smell of meyer lemons are intoxicating. I can't help but stick my nose by these lemons every time I pass them at the supermarket. They're the 'sweet and tart' descendant of normal lemons. If you want to make the best out of lemon recipes, meyer lemons are the way to go.

Meyer Lemons

To start off my rainy long weekend, I brought home two bags of meyer lemons. Springtime is the season for these babies, so I feel so festive using them in recipes now. They are super cheap, only $1 for both bags! But that was because they were old stock and were getting squishy and soft. Not going to stop Coconut Crumpet from experimenting with their flavours! I've been itching to cook with meyer lemons for the longest time, due to my obsession with their smell. 

The fastest way to deal with these over-ripe lemons was to start juicing them! There is a large box of mixed greens sitting my fridge still waiting to be cleared, so salad it is! This dressing is similar to my basic honey balsamic vinaigrette, but fresher, lighter, and tangy-er. Even more suitable for the warm season ahead. I can't wait for summer~

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

A quick post today to share one of my favourite salad dressings. I have used this dressing on so many salads as it is a crowd pleaser and can be made in such a short period of time. 

For mother's day brunch earlier today, I made a simple mixed greens side salad involving this Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing. To add some colour, I threw in some sliced strawberries and chopped sweet yellow bell pepper. I actually let the strawberries and peppers sit in the dressing while I attended church and poured it over the greens when it was time to plate. That way, the greens don't get soggy by the time you serve the salad.

Since this is a thin and runny dressing, a little bit goes a long way. Just remember the ratio of balsamic vinegar to honey to olive oil of 2:2:1 so you can use any utensil laying around to measure.

A common combination for this sweet balsamic dressing is with spinach, strawberries, and goat cheese. Maybe throw in a few toasted nuts and dried fruit for more texture. Yum!

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Yield: Enough for 8 handfuls of greens

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, add all ingredients and whisk until well combined.
2. If the honey is too solid, microwave for a few seconds to melt and whisk again.
3. Can be stored in the fridge until ready to add to veggies.

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡ 

Beet Quinoa with Beet Greens

Beet Quinoa with Beet Greens

I have recently developed an extreme fascination for the vibrant fushia colour of beet juice. After purchasing a bunch of beets from Superstore, I have included them in two of my recipes this past weekend.