Roasted Buttercup Squash with Herbed Chestnut, Mushroom, and Quinoa Dressing
+ Orange Cranberry Sauce on the side!
FOR THE SQUASH:
Any winter squash will do. I like the taste of this variety.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the squash of your choice into wedges.
Lightly coat with ghee or avocado oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place on a baking sheet and roast until easily pierced with a knife and lightly golden brown
HERBED CHESTNUT, MUSHROOM & QUINOA DRESSING:
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 tablespoon ghee
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1 small onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
12 chestnuts roasted
Cut an X in the top of each chestnut, place them on a baking sheet, and roast until the X opens and you can see the nut inside. Let cool, and peel the outer shell off. Chop the inside of the nuts into quarters.
4 small trumpet mushrooms cubed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2-1 cup vegetable broth
Cook the quinoa and set aside. Make sure to rinse the quinoa well. Use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of quinoa. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed into the quinoa. Fluff with a fork and set aside
Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, mushrooms, chestnuts, and sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Next, add the celery, carrots, and fresh herbs. Stir to coat, making sure everything is blended well. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth, then add the cooked quinoa. If the dressing seems dry, add more broth a little at a time.
ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE:
12 ounces of Cranberries
2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup- this will depend on how astringent the cranberries are.
the juice of one orange
1 tangerine sliced
2- 3 inch cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise
6 green cardamom pods
4 allspice
5 clove
a pinch of salt
Place everything in a saucepan and cook on low heat until the cranberries fall apart—about 2 hours of cooking time. Remove the spices before serving.