Each squash half is going to feed 1 person. I roasted two cut-side up and two cut-side down. Why? Not sure. In hindsight, I would have roasted them all cut-side down, to decrease cook-time. Should of had hindsight...



I like this rainbow quinoa because it is beautiful and colorful and interesting (like me) and it looks great in the finished product, but any kind of quinoa will work fine. 1 cup of dry quinoa makes about 4 cups of cooked quinoa, and I'm making 4 portions. So do all that math according to who you're feeding and then measure your quinoa.
This is the part where I got lazy and forgot to take more pictures.
I remembered while I was toasting almonds, so I took a pic of that so you guys wouldn't get mad.


About an hour after I started, I emerged from the kitchen all festive and housewivey with these two beautiful plates!


That pomegranate molasses drizzle really tasted great with everything and I think made it extra "holiday tasting" but you could totally use balsamic vinegar or just leave it off if you can't find it, don't have any, or just don't feel like roaming isles in Whole Foods.




When I make a totally elegant meal I get real fancy, plop it down on the table with a beer and marathon Twin Peaks. Doesn't everyone do that?


I would have at least served this with red wine if it were in fact Thanksgiving. But it isn't and I have a surplus of beer and well, we just can't have that..


Happy Thanksgiving to all the Vegans out there!! May your tables be filled with tofurkys, tempeh bacon and thanks.

Quinoa & Seitan Stuffed Acorn Squash:

2 acorn squash
1 red bell pepper
2 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 1/2 cups seitan, chopped small
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups veggie broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
1 pound spinach, washed
1/3 cup white wine
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup chopped almonds

pomegranate molasses, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Slice the acorn squash into halves. Place cut-side down on a baking tray. Slice the red bell pepper in half and place each half cut-side down on the tray next to the squash. Peel and cube the butternut squash and roast either alongside or in a separate baking dish. Put both trays/baking dishes in the preheated oven and roast for about 35 minutes or until squash is tender.
While the squash roasts, make the stuffing. First, rinse the quinoa and add it to a 2-quart saucepan. Add the veggie broth, salt, paprika, thyme, dried basil, sage, and fennel seeds. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until there is no remaining broth. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, heat up a cast-iron or heavy pan with a little oil and add the seitan. Cook until browned and remove from pan. Set aside. In the same pan, add the sliced red onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes over medium heat until nicely softened. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside. Add the spinach and white wine. Cook for 1 minute or until wilted. Add the juice of half the lemon and turn off the heat. Add half the cooked red onion to the spinach.
Combine the quinoa in a large bowl with the seitan, the remaining half of the red onion and the remaining half of lemon's juice. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Peel the skin off the peppers and remove the seeds. Slice into strips and then slice those strips into thirds. Add them to the quinoa with the cubed butternut squash and the chopped fresh basil. Stir and taste for seasonings, adding more salt as needed.
Now take a big scoop of the filling and mound it into the cup of each squash. The filling should be packed in and over-filling the cup of the squash. Place the stuffed squashes back into the oven for ten minutes. Meanwhile, toast up your almonds in a dry sauté pan for about 5 minutes or until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from heat.
Once the squash are done, remove from oven. Spoon some of the spinach and onion mixture onto each plate. On top of the spinach, place a stuffed squash. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Carefully drizzle the pomegranate molasses over each plate. Serve!