RECIPE: Acorn Squash with Thanksgiving-style Quinoa Stuffing

I know that Halloween has yet to pass and that Thanksgiving is still a month away (although by the look of every Santa-heavy department store, you'd swear it was late December). However, my love of sage- and thyme-flavored dishes lasts year-round, and recently I had a craving for Thanksgiving stuffing. As most vegetarians know, there's no possible way to eat stuffing that's not homemade around the holidays. Even if it wasn't crammed into a turkey cavity, getting meat juices all over it, the store-bought stuff contains chicken (or even beef) broth. So, if you want real stuffing, you have to make it yourself!

This version can be served as a main vegetarian dish at any holiday event, thanks to its quinoa-rich stuffing. Quinoa is a complete protein, with many amino acids that are rarely found in plant-based proteins, so eat up!

Acorn Squash with Thanksgiving-Style Quinoa Stuffing
Serves 4, or 2 with leftover stuffing for lunch tomorrow

Ingredients
1 or 2 acorn squash (each squash yields 2 servings)
1 c. quinoa (I prefer red)
2 1/2 c. vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. butter (sub in olive oil to make vegan)
2 t. thyme
1 t. sage
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2. roasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. frozen yellow corn, thawed (optional)
2 T. parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice squash in half and remove seeds and stringy parts. Rub with olive oil and arrange, cut side up, in a baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or cover and microwave 7.5 minutes (baking yields a nicer texture, but microwaving is great to save time).
2. Heat butter on medium heat in a pan. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion becomes translucent. Add thyme, sage, salt, and almonds, and saute 1-2 minutes. Add corn, if desired, and cook until heated through.
3. Scoop a generous amount of the stuffing into the squash, sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired, and bake for 5-10 minutes until golden. Remove carefully from pan and enjoy!

RECIPE: Delia's Cheesy Lentils

My friend Delia made this delicious dish for me when I first started grad school. I owe it so much, because it began my love affair with lentils. This is my #1 comfort food... It fills you up, takes two minutes of prep time, and is warm, cheesy, and generally fabulous. Give it a try... You might fall in love, too!


Delia's Cheesy Lentils
Vegetarian, skip cheese garnish to make vegan.

Ingredients:
2 14 oz cans or 1 32 oz. package of vegetable broth (I use Imagine Food's vegan No Chicken Broth)
1/2 cup brown rice
3/4 cup brown lentils (you can use other colors, but brown gives a nice consistency)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon-ish of oregano
1 teaspoon-ish of basil
1 teaspoon garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Mix together into medium pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Stir occasionally. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer for an additional 25 to 35 minutes, adding more liquid if necessary. Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese or plain yogurt. Enjoy :)

Makes two GIANT servings or three regular servings.

Nutrition Information (for 1/2 of recipe, aka giant serving, with 1/8 cup 2% shredded cheese):
425 calories, 5g fat, 40g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 14g protein

RECIPE: Healthy Restaurant-Style Spinach and Artichoke Dip

One of my all-time, absolute favorite dishes is creamy spinach-artichoke dip from restaurants. It's my silver bullet... Tasty, creamy, cheesy, salty, and absolutely horrific for you. It's also often made with chicken stock or chicken fat for flavor, so it's one of those sneak-attack non-veg dishes.

I wanted to find a way to enjoy my favorite guilty pleasure without sacrificing my lifestyle (or the circumference of my thighs). The key was switching to low-fat dairy products, roasting the garlic to add flavor without adding more cheese, and adding a block of tofu to add creaminess and protein without noticeably changing the favor. This dish has that delicious restaurant flavor without leaving you feeling sluggish afterwards.


Sarah's Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Ingredients
4 cloves garlic
1 (10 oz) package light alfredo sauce
1 oz package fat-free cream cheese
3/4 cup 2% mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded parmesan/asiago cheese mix (just parmesan is fine)
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
14 oz (1 can) artichoke hearts, chopped
1 pound silken tofu

Directions
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place garlic cloves (in skins) in medium baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until soft.
2. Remove cloves, cool, then squeeze out of skins. Chop finely, and return to baking dish.
3. Mix garlic, alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan/asiago cheee, spinach, tofu, and artichoke hearts in the baking dish. Combine well.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until melted and golden brown on top.
5. Serve with lots of veggies, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information
12 small servings (as snack): 107 calories, 4g fat, 8g carbs, 1g fiber, 8.5g protein
4 hefty servings (as meal): 321 calories, 12.5g fat, 23g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 25g protein