Recipe: Quinoa with Spaghetti Squash with Dill Pesto and Feta

I love this recipe, primarily because of the dill-almond pesto and feta. People have told me they microwave spaghetti squash with great success. If time is a concern. I found a website that gives advantages and disadvantages for various ways of cooking this entertaining gourd.

Squash Roast Time: 1 hour
Active Time: 30 minutes
Number of servings (yield): 4-6 main course servings

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
•  1/2 cups quinoa; black, red or white
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup packed finely chopped fresh dill
• 1/3 cups sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup chopped feta

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prick the whole squash in several places, about 12 times, with a skewer or other sharp pointed object. Place whole squash on a baking sheet on middle rack of oven; roast 1 hour.
3. While squash is roasting, in a medium-sized saucepan, bring stock and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, 15-30 minutes. Toss cooked quinoa with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season to taste with kosher salt, if desired, and freshly ground pepper.
4. Meanwhile, make a pesto by combining garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill and feta. When squash is baked and cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scoop the seeds and fibrous strings from the center of the squash and discard.
5. Scrape the prongs of a kitchen fork over the squash flesh to shred the pulp into spaghetti-like strands. (You should have 3-4 cups.)
6. In 4-6 serving bowls or dishes, divide quinoa, then top with shredded squash and center a spoonful of pesto on top of the squash.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Jan. 2, 2012.