with thanksgiving approaching later this month (holy s#!@, is it really november already!?), i've been getting asked about what kinds of dishes i prepare for the holiday. i have to admit that thanksgiving has probably been my least favorite holiday meal. turkey was always meh. in the past, i could get down with mashed potatoes, along with biscuits and cornbread. but cranberry sauce, what-surprises-are-hiding-in-it stuffing, various casseroles, baby food looking sweet potatoes - perhaps it was all a sensory/food phobia of mine, but on thanksgiving i strictly hung out with all the carbs.
the past few thanksgivings i've been changing that situation, and have made some seriously tasty meals that could easily replace, or sit beside a thanksgiving classic. i've been working on the ultimate gluten/dairy free cornbread, which is so super major, and i've also been playing around with a stuffing salad - kind of like a stuffing panzanella (?) if such a thing exists. but today i'm sharing this super hearty za'atar squash dish, stuffed with lots of all-star ingredients: a spiced kale, shallot, and chickpea saute with quinoa, all topped off with a zesty tahini sauce with a bit of a peppery kick! i love these acorn squash for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it's a quick meal that allows you to prepare everything while the squash are baking in the oven - yes, friends, these are the things that make me happy :)
have a good one, folks! xo
*also, i'm picking a winner for the giveaway of Amy Chaplin's cookbook today! so check your internet mail to see if you're the lucky winner!
stuffed za'atar roasted acorn squash w/ pepper-lemon tahini sauce
za'atar is an herby spice blend that can be found in most supermarkerts in the herb + spice aisle. if you can't find a store that carries it, you can easily make your own. i have a recipe here for za'atar - i love making a big batch of this to have when i want to throw it into a meal.
| 6 servings |
ingredients
- 3 acorn squash, washed and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons za'atar
- 2 cups chickpeas, cooked (or a 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 3 large kale leaves, destemmed and shredded
- 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
- salt + pepper
- sesame seeds, for garnish
pepper-lemon tahini sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- sea salt
- 1/4-1/3 water
instructions
- preheat oven to 400° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. place squash cut side up, and brush with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt for each, and evenly sprinkle the za'atar spice. place in oven and bake until fork-tender; roughly 40-50 minutes. remove from oven and set aside
- while squash are cooking, heat a 8-10 inch skillet on medium, once hot, add the olive oil and shallot; saute shallot for a few minutes, until translucent and soft. add the chickpeas, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and a couple pinches of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. add the kale and cook until a bit wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. remove from heat and set aside
- in a large mixing bowl, combine the sauteed chickpeas and kale, with the quinoa. taste for seasoning and adjust if needed
- stuff each squash half with roughly a 1/2 cup quinoa mix (more or less depending on the size of your acorn squash). serve warm with a few drizzles of the tahini sauce, and sesame seeds
enjoy!
for the tahini sauce
- in a small mixing bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, pepper, garlic, a few pinches of salt, and 1/4 cup water. if consistency is too thick, add more water. taste and adjust. store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. (if the tahini sauce has thickened while refrigerated, add more water, a few teaspoons at a time, to thin it out.)