Butternut Squash and Spinach Quinoa

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I've been stuck in a food rut recently. How much pasta can a girl eat!? So when I saw quinoa at Trader Joe's, I was intrigued and wanted to give it a try. I threw together a bunch of stuff I had lying around. The result was surprisingly delicious.

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups of water
• 3 cups of fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
  
• 1 cup of walnuts, chopped and toasted
  
• 1/2 of a large butternut squash (about a pound), peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon of sage, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of raisins
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Cook quinoa in water over high heat until the water boils. Cover and turn down the heat so that the water simmers. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over butternut squash cubes and season with salt and pepper. Roast butternut squash pieces in 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Heat up butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan. Add sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Combine cooked quinoa and chopped walnuts, butternut squash, spinach and raisins. Drizzle sage oil over the top to welt the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.

I like quinoa. It doesn't taste like much by itself, which means it takes on flavors very well. It's not like any other grain that I've ever had. If I have to compare it to anything, I would say it's like couscous with a bite to it. I'm looking forward to using quinoa in another recipe soon.