The holidays have come and gone, leaving behind a little pile of pine needles on the living room floor and a slew of new toys scattered…well scattered everywhere. Christmas break continues to yawn on, with restless kiddos underfoot, secretly wishing for school to begin again.
Chloe, my six year old, has decided to pass the time by giving free mani and pedis to anyone around. Brother and dad aren’t interested, which means my nails get a new color every few hours. And each new color gets a generous sprinkle of sparkles. And did I mention that coloring inside the lines is optional? It’s quite the colorful masterpiece
2 cups rainbow quinoa
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 Butternut Squash
olive oil
sea salt
ground nutmeg
1 Fennel Bulb, plus the fronds
1 Green Zucchini
1 Yellow Zucchini
1 orange bell pepper
1 red onion
1 pomegranate
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 Green Onion, minced
1 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
⅓ cup fresh mint, minced
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking pan and a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
Place the uncooked quinoa and chicken broth in a small pot and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff the quinoa.
Peel and seed the butternut squash. Cut into bite-sized cubes. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour into the prepared baking pan and roast in the oven for 20-35 minutes.
Chop the fennel bulb, along with the fronds and place in a large bowl. Chop the zucchinis and add to the bowl. Seed and chop the bell pepper, and chop the red onion and add to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread into the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Fill a medium bowl with water. Cut the pomegranate in half, place in the water, and use your fingers to remove all of the seeds from the skins. Drain the water and place the seeds in a small bowl.
Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl, mix to combine.
In a large salad bowl combine the cooked quinoa with the dressing. Add the roasted butternut squash and roasted veggies. Mix well and, if needed, season with additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Calories: 135
Fat: 4g
Carbohydrates: 21g
Sodium: 28mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 5g
Sugar: 2g