I love the colors of Fall and especially all of the scrumptious squash that's now in season. This evening I stuffed acorn squash with quinoa, collards, shiitakes, tomatoes, onions and garlic and it was heavenly. Here's my recipe...a delicious Sunday evening meal perfect for one, two, or an entire family! Also a great vegan option for Thanksgiving!

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Collards and Shiitakes

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 Acorn Squash, sliced in half and seeds removed

½ C red quinoa, rinsed

2 C Collard Greens, sliced

½ C Shiitake mushrooms, sliced.

½ C sweet onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of a mandarin orange or clementine

¼ tsp cumin

1 tsp yacon syrup or pure maple syrup

2 TBSP raw coconut oil

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring 1 C of water to a boil. While waiting for water to boil, rinse quinoa. Once water starts boiling, add the quinoa, cover and place on low until all water is absorbed – approximately 15 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Rub coconut oil inside each half of the acorn squash and season with salt and pepper. Place skin side up on baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until a knife goes through the skin of the squash easily.

4. While squash is baking and quinoa is cooking, heat a pan with the olive oil and sauté the onions until they become translucent. Add in garlic and cumin and mushrooms and continue to sauté. After five minutes, slice up collards and throw them in the pan with some diced tomatoes.

5. Once quinoa is finished, fluff with a fork and mix in to the sauté pan. Add in yacon or maple syrup and the juice of one mandarin orange.

6. Cover and let continue to cook on low for a few more minutes.

7. Take out squash from oven, turn over and place each on a plate and spoon out quinoa mixture in to each.

Enjoy! Serve with a side salad, if you wish or it is a meal all on its own!