Autumn Quinoa

Recipe courtesy Debbie Wong

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup  uncooked quinoa (about 3 cups cooked)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  acorns or 1 1⁄2 cups  butternut squash, cut into 1 . 5 inch pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (purple carrots if you can find them!!)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2  tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• 6  unpeeled garlic cloves
• 2  tablespoons  neutral  oil (grapeseed or sunflower)
• 9  sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1⁄2 cup feta
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•  salt and black pepper for  seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, toss together squash, carrots, maple syrup, sherry vinegar, unpeeled garlic cloves, neutral oil, thyme and a sprinkle of salt.
3. Transfer veggies to a baking sheet, reserving any excess liquid in a bowl, and roast in the oven for approximately 35 minutes, or until the veggies are golden around the edges.
4. Meanwhile, cook quinoa. After draining, cover the pot with tin foil to keep warm.
5. Remove veg from oven, and pick out garlic cloves.
6. Squeeze the cloves— the roasted garlic should come out easily.
7. Mash the cloves to form a puree and mix into reserved vinegar mixture. Add extra virgin olive oil if needed. Taste dressing and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Add veggies into quinoa and toss everything with reserved dressing.
9. Top with feta and chopped parsley and serve with a final swirl of extra virgin olive oil.