harvest quinoa crunch bowls with brown sugar spiced delicata squash & pesto tofu
Classic supper birthed from a half-empty salad bag and items needing to be prepared before they expired. Bowl dinners are perfect for the time pressed and the uninspired, and the combination expressed here channels savory and sweet autumn flavors without overpowering the palette. Much of the recipe is hands-off once the quinoa simmers away and the squash tenderizes in the oven. You can even slash the tofu in favor of your choice protein, plant-based or not, if pressing a block sounds boring to you. The most fun part is styling. A bit of salad here, a canvas of grains there, some tendrils of squash snuggled in the base, a drizzle of vinaigrette to tie loose ends. The recipe can be cut or expanded, depending on number our mouths or the appetite level of said mouths.
Numerous outlets distract me from slipping into unhappy seas. Cooking is one of them. Since I moved in with J, creating meals lends me a sense of purpose beyond what cooking meant when I lived alone. I’m not only nourishing myself, but another, and that small switch can calm lingering traces of stagnancy and lack of self-meaning. Though I do not intend to become a mother, I have a strong maternal instinct. I want to care for others and make sure they’re okay, and only then I can relax.
As many, my moods have fluctuated over the past several months and sometimes I land in a hole for no direct reason. The Saturday night I styled these bowls, I passed my day productively with activities I enjoy – open water swimming, writing, and making dinner itself – but ultimately sat down to eat with a sense of loss. Nothing happened. No one disappointed me. I just couldn’t place my finger on a fragment of joy; I found shards of emotional glass instead. I’m not overall miserable. I live with a glow of gratitude, really. Some days, though, life throws an ice blanket over the warmth. Only thing to do was sleep it off.
If I’ve learned anything in my short life, it’s that no moment is identical to the next, and the word “moment” is multifaceted. A moment can be a second, or an entire day. Within one moment, even, can be many. All of them shift eventually. I woke up Sunday with my head more tightly screwed, and the narrative of the prior day largely erased minus a small aura indicating that something wasn’t quite right but was slowly fading away. As the day progressed, the memory all but shriveled, except in the casual passerby way I write it down at present. All this is to say, however you feel now may not be the case soon. Just give it a moment.
Ingredients
brown sugar spiced delicata squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium-sized delicata squash, seeds scooped and sliced into half moons
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- salt & pepper to taste
harvest crunch salad
- 4 cups mixed cruciferous greens (i.e. broccoli, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts) * see note
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- pinch salt & pepper
pesto tofu
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 16 cubes
- 1/4 cup pesto, homemade or store bought
bowl assembly
- 3 cups cooked quinoa (from about 1 cup dried)
- 1/2 cup roasted squash and onion
- 1 cup harvest crunch salad
- 4 pieces pesto tofu
- 1 tbsp dressing
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- About 30 minutes before you intend to begin the main bulk of cooking, drain your tofu and press to remove excess moisture. I usually line a plate with 4 or 5 paper towels, place the tofu atop, another layer of towels, another plate, and then press with a cast iron skillet. You can also use a heavy block or a tofu press if you have one. Drain at least a half hour, though I like to do about an hour as time permits. Once drained, slice into 16 pieces and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't know how to cut delicata squash, several tutorials exist on the Internet machine, but I will try to describe as best I can. First, slice off the top and bottom with a sharp knife, then stand the squash upright on your cutting board with the bigger end touching the board. Slide your knife down the center of the squash to create two halves. The centers will have lots of seeds and stringy bits. These you will remove by scraping a spoon along the length and pouring the innards into the trash (you can also save the seeds to roast if you wish!) Once gutted, turn the squash so the flat side faces down and slice into rings about 1/2 inch thick.
- Spread squash pieces on baking sheet. Slice your onion fajita-style and add to the pan. Drizzle with about 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, curry powder, salt and pepper over top. Toss with your hands or a large wooden spoon until each piece is well coated. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
- While squash bakes, cook your quinoa according to package directions and set aside, covered.
- Start your tofu. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium. Salt and pepper the tofu pieces and place into pan with about 1/4 inch space between each block. Cook on every side for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. I even stand the pieces upright on the smallest ends to ensure they too get some attention. Once tofu is nice and crispy, remove from heat, add the pesto, and toss thoroughly to coat.
- The salad is simple enough – just throw the walnuts and raisins into the greens and give a few flips with tongs to combine. To make the dressing, combine vinegar, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl, then slowly whisk the oil until emulsified.
- By now, the squash and onions are likely ready to take out of the oven and all is set to plate! I add about 1/2-2/3 cup quinoa, 1 cup salad, 1/4 of the squash and onions, and 4 pieces of tofu to each bowl and drizzle everything with the dressing. Add more salt and pepper if you'd like. Leftovers keep in the fridge for about four days.
