Stuffed Sunburst Squash

Stuffed Sunburst Squash
hwcmagazine.com
serves 6
Ingredients

• 6 sunburst squash (about 3 inches or 7.5 cm in diameter)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (1 tablespoon to fry up the quinoa mixture and 1 tablespoon to drizzle over patty pan squash just before baking)
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1.5 cups quinoa cooked (we used multi-colored but you could use plain or even rice)
• 1/2 cup spinach frozen (thawed and all the liquid squeeze out) – you can also use 3 cups fresh garden spinach and stir fry or steam just until wilted and bright green.
• 4-5 Tomatoes large peeled fresh (we simply cut the tomatoes in half. Grate them flesh side to the grater and then all that is left is the skin and you pitch that- much easier than that whole boiling ice water hack for peeling tomatoes) – add 1 tomato into quinoa mixture and 3 for the tomato sauce.
• 1 tsp Basil dried
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated - optional​

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
• Prepare the Quinoa Mixture: In a medium pan add the olive oil, onion, 2 of the 4 garlics and sauté just until translucent. Add the cooked quinoa, spinach, tomato, basil and season with salt and pepper to taste and stir fry until all incorporated – 1-2 minutes. Add parmesan cheese and toss, if desired. Set aside.
• Prepare the Sunburst Squash: Wash the squash and cut off the top of  squash. With a small spoon, scoop out the seeds carefully. (Try using a little coffee stirring spoon, teaspoon measuring spoon or a scooper for this task)
• Prepare the Fresh Tomato Sauce: Spray the bottom of a medium sized baking pan 9 x 9 with a little oil or rub with a little olive oil. Place the remaining 3-4 chopped tomatoes, 2 garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix to incorporate.
• Place the prepped sunburst squash on top of the bed of fresh tomato sauce in the baking dish. Stuff each  squash with the prepared quinoa mixture press and pile high. Place the lids to the squash in the pan. Drizzle the Italian stuffed sunburst  squash with olive oil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the squash are tender.
• Enjoy Italian Stuffed Sunburst Squash with fresh tomato sauce!