Pumpkin, Lentil & Quinoa Salad

Also can be stuffed in peppers!

Pumpkin, Lentil & Quinoa Salad
Adapted from Fuss Free Cooking

Ingredients:
1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled and de-seeded
7 Garlic cloves, skin on
1 Jalapeno, de-seeded and sliced
1 T. Cumin
Olive Oil
1 C. Quinoa
14 oz. canned Lentils
juice from 1/2 Lemon
Salt to taste
handful of Spinach
4 oz. Feta
4 Bell Peppers (optional, and note that you can make less but you'll just have extra quinoa salad)
Olive oil spray (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 356 degrees.

Dice squash into 1 inch cubes.  Toss them with garlic cloves, jalapeno, cumin, and olive oil until well combined and place everything on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake for 40 minutes or until the squash feels tender.

While the squash is roasting, cook your quinoa and rinse and drain the lentils. Both can be combined, when done, in bowl used to toss squash with cumin.

Bring a pot of water to boil, drop spinach leaves in to blanche, and quickly remove and drain.  Set aside.

Once your squash is cooked, add it, along with the garlic (skin-off and thinly chopped) and jalapeno to the lentil-quinoa mixture. Drizzle lemon juice over the salad and toss to mix. Salt to taste.  Gently fold in spinach and feta cheese.

If you just want the salad, celebrate because you're done and enjoy!

If you want the stuffed peppers, slice bell peppers in halves and remove the seeds and membrane. Then, use an olive oil spray to spray all over the bell peppers and place them on your parchment paper lined baking tray. Stuff as much of your salad as you can into the bell peppers and don't be afraid to sprinkle a little extra feta on top.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until there’s even charring and blistering around the bell peppers. Serve immediately.

This time two years ago:  Apple and Gorgonzola Pockets