- Prep Time: 20m
- Cook Time: 1h 30m
- Total Time: 1h 30m
- Serves: 2
- Yield: 2 stuffed pumpkins
Ingredients
- 2 miniature pumpkins, uncooked
- 2 c chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 c uncooked quinoa
- Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 of a medium onion, roughly diced
- 1 medium apple, roughly diced
- 1 1/2 c kale, chopped with stems removed
- 1/2 tbsp. dried Rosemary
- 1/2 c dried fruit (craisins, raisins, cherries, diced apricot, or a mixture)
- 1/2 c chopped, shelled pistachios
- 1/2 c freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F.
- While the oven is preheating, you're going to steam your pumpkins. This will make it easier to cut them and clean the insides out. Add 2-3 inches of water to a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Bring the water to rolling boil over high heat. Sit your pumpkins down in the steamer basket and cover the pot with a lid. Steam with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, adding water to the pot as necessary. Remove the pumpkins and let cool on the counter.
- While the pumpkins are steaming, cook the quinoa. Start by rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. This will remove any bitterness. Add the quinoa, the chicken or vegetable stock, and several dashes of salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Put the lid on the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the quinoa can be fluffed with a fork.
- Once the pumpkins have cooled, cut the tops off and scoop out the seeds. You can save the seeds for roasting, if you like. Rub the insides of the pumpkins lightly with olive oil, and salt and pepper the insides. They are now ready for stuffing.
- To complete the quinoa stuffing mixture, heat 2 T olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sautée until lightly browned and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add diced onion and apple and sautée 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add in chopped kale and stir until wilted. Stir in 2 cups of the cooked quinoa, 1-2 T more olive oil, and the rosemary. Salt and pepper liberally. Add in the dried fruit of your choice (I used a combination of golden raisins and craisins), as well as pistachios and parmesan cheese.
- Scoop the quinoa mixture into the hollowed out pumpkins, packing it down as you add. Pile the quinoa stuffing high -- the more it's overflowing, the prettier it will look! Place the top of the pumpkin atop the stuffing, and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.
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