A bit of a mouthful, right?  Well, you’ll have a hard time keeping yourself from stuffing your mouth with this great recipe.  It has elements of some of my favorite foods on this planet and it brings them all together- butternut squash, goat cheese, quinoa, grapes.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this side dish and it is amazing each and every time.  It is also relatively simple.  It’s great for a night you’re not using the oven too much because you need it quite a bit for this one.

I based my recipe off this one.  Her pictures are much prettier than mine!

Caramelized Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Grapes

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash- peeled, seeded and cut into 1″ cubes (or buy the already cubed squash)
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups red grapes
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• handful thinly sliced basil

Directions:

• Preheat your over to 415 degrees F.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and add the butternut squash.  Place evenly so they’re not overlapping as this will cause it to cook unevenly.  Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with s&p.  Place in the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes until the edges are brown and the squash is soft.  Toss every so often.
• When the squash has 10 minutes remaining, place the grapes onto a small baking sheet and sprinkle with s&p.  Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.  Remove all and set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook your quinoa according to the package instructions, but use broth instead of water.  Once done, set aside.
• In a large bowl, add quinoa, squash, grapes, goat cheese and basil.  Mix well and serve.  Enjoy!