I am sharing a new recipe I created this weekend while I was in Florida and cooking for my husband John and our dear Community & Project Manager Katelyn! This dish is super simple to make and just requires minimal prep work. A lot of the work is going to be done for you as you throw the squash in the oven and cook up the quinoa. It is also very filling and will provide you with a meal that is not only satisfying but perfectly combined, as always!
It was so amazing how the squash melted into the quinoa to create a rich and creamy texture, which paired nicely with the crunch of the onion and zucchini! It can easily feed the whole family, but also keeps well, allowing you to eat it over the course of a few days.
Let’s highlight some of the amazing Beauty foods included in this dish:
Quinoa
Quinoa is an ancient beauty food that the Inca Empire refereed to as ” the mother of all grains.” There are three kinds of quinoa black, white and red. I love this tricolored blend that is a mixture of all three. It looks super pretty! Quinoa is high in fiber and is non-GMO, gluten-free and usually grown organically. Even though not technically a grain (it is in the seed family), it still counts as a “whole grain” food. Try to remember to always soak your quinoa overnight. Just toss it in a bowl with water! This helps you digest it better and absorb more nutrients.
Garlic
I love using garlic in my recipes as it has so many health benefits. Garlic contains manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium and fiber. On top of being packed with nutrition, compounds in garlic also can help boost the function of immune system and aid the body when recovering from an illness. Garlic is especially great this time of the year.
Zucchini
Zucchini is extremely versatile as you can enjoy it raw or cooked! The possibilities seem endless when you think of all the ways you can prepare zucchini (remember our good ole Beauty Detox Classic, Raw Zucchini Hummus?). In this recipe I love subtle crunch it adds against the softness of the quinoa and squash mix, plus a little pop of green. Zucchini is abundant in potassium and “living water” which makes it excellent for hydration. You’ll also get antioxidants such as carotenes, lutein and zea-xanthin, which help the body dissolve fluids and protects your cells from free radicals.
Raw apple cider vinegar
Raw apple cider vinegar has endless options in use and how it can benefit your health. I really enjoy adding it to my recipes as it it contains raw enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria that promote healing and detoxify. Taste can be deceiving when using raw apple cider vinegar, as it provides a brightening, acidic balance to the recipe, but the truth is actually promotes alkalinity in the body. It is vital that we keep our bodies in an alkaline state, for optimal beauty!
Sea salt
Sea salt is a great way to enhance the flavor of your food while taking in so many beauty benefits! Do not confuse sea salt with table salt, as table salt is iodized can not be compared to a true sea salt like Himalayan Salt or a Celtic Sea Salt. A few top reasons to start adding sea salt into your diet are the trace minerals which help you stay hydrated, provide electrolytes and act as digestive enzyme enhancers, which help your body absorb more nutrients from the foods that you eat. A little goes a long way.
Mixed, Tri-Color Quinoa Squash…ready to enjoy!
Mixed Tricolored Quinoa 'n Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium acorn squash butternut is okay also
- 2 cups tri colored preferred quinoa, soaked overnight and rinsed well
- 4 cups of water
- 1 Tbs. coconut oil
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¾ cup zucchini sliced and halved (half moon shape)
- 1 Tbs. raw apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbs. tamari
- Sea salt to taste (optional)
- Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a couple slits into the squash and bake whole. Bake the squash on baking dish for 1 hour or until very soft. Yup that’s right you’re going to bake it whole! (SO much easier. Save your arms for yoga).
- Meanwhile rinse the quinoa very well. Heat the 4 cups of water in the pot and cook the quinoa, for about 14 minutes or until cooked through. Fluff with a fork and move into a mixing bowl. When squash is finished, deseed, skin and cut into squares (this should be easy as it will be very soft).
- In a pot (you can use the same one) heat coconut oil over medium heat.
- Start to cook the onion for a few moments till translucent. Add garlic and cook for another moment. Next add zucchini and cook for two more minutes. Add the quinoa, squash, raw apple cider vinegar and tamari into the pot and mix well. Keep mixing until squash “melts” into the quinoa because it is so soft. Season with salt and cayenne to taste. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
Kimberly I am so incredibly grateful for your blog and community! This recipe looks delish and Ill be making it for dinner tomorrow night! I’m wondering how many servings is it?? Thanks in advance :)
Hey Kimberly! I am so grateful I found you and this blog! Im wondering how many servings this recipe is??
Hi Kimberly! Is there any difference to using Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt to Mediterranean Sea Salt for cooking? I mean is it considered table salt as well – this confuses me a bit?
I found that the latter is a cheaper alternatively. Budget-wise, would you think that it’s okay to use Mediterranean Sea Salt as an alternative to the former?