So our first time family camping this past weekend… Was. Freaking. Amazing! The kids were wonderful - with the hiking, with the cooking, with the sleeping (more or less) and it had been so long, I was just so happy to be outside all day and night and to eat by the campfire. Some of my favorite moments: We really had the BEST time and I just can’t wait to go again! But on to the fun food for today. Roasted winter vegetables with balsamic vinegar get me every time. ❤️
So I made a meatless Monday meal out of them with this quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts! I added some quinoa for protein, some dried cranberries for a touch of tart sweetness and voila - you’ve got some cozy fall or winter goodness through and through! These quinoa bowls are vegetarian and vegan as is, as well as gluten-free, and they are plenty hearty, too.
But you could certainly add some Parmesan cheese on top or even some sliced roasted chicken if you want to round them out some more. Works especially well for husbands, in my experience. Plus the colors here are just gorgeous - the jewel-toned roasted squash and dried cranberries along with the the dark green Brussels sprouts… swoon! And if you think this is just some random stuff thrown in a bowl, well, you’d be partly right. But the balsamic vinegar (or you can use a balsamic vinaigrette) really tied all this goodness together and makes it a cohesive little power bowl.
Notes on making quinoa with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts:
To make this efficient, I start the butternut squash in the oven first, since it takes the longest, then I prep and add the Brussels sprouts and put them in the oven to roast too and then cook the quinoa. Everything is ready at the same time! You can substitute sweet potato for the butternut squash if you’d rather. And/or you can switch out the quinoa for farro or some brown or wild rice, if you prefer. You can omit or adjust the red pepper flakes to suit your desired level of heat. As written, it’s not spicy at all, just has a hint of background heat. As I mentioned, you can add Parmesan cheese or grilled chicken to these bowls if you don’t need them to be vegetarian or vegan. You could also top them with some slivered almonds or pine nuts. I use about a tablespoon of just balsamic vinegar for each bowl but you can adjust the amount to suit your tastes. You could also substitute a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Basically, make it your own! (I’m always saying that, aren’t I?!) But when you want a warm, cozy bowl of goodness to fill you up and not weigh you down, this is your meal! Have a wonderful week! XO, Kathryn P.S. Love a hearty vegetarian meal? Me too! Check out my southwestern vegetarian quinoa skillet, kale and butternut squash mac and cheese, and my one-pot vegetarian spaghetti.
You can substitute sweet potato for the butternut squash if you’d like. And/or you can switch out the quinoa for farro or some brown or wild rice, if you prefer. You can omit or adjust the red pepper flakes to suit your desired level of heat. As written, it’s not spicy at all, just has a hint of background heat. You can add Parmesan cheese or grilled chicken to these bowls if you don’t need them to be vegetarian or vegan. You could also top with some slivered almonds or pine nuts. I use about a tablespoon of just balsamic vinegar for each of my bowls but you can adjust the amount to suit your tastes. You could also substitute a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
