Keep It Clean: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Spiced Quinoa

After all the tooth-achingly sweet, deliciously cheesy, and glutenous recipes that I have been posting lately, I feel like I need to tell you that I haven't completely fallen off the clean food wagon.

More often than not, you will find me happily enjoying healthy options {and usually posting them on my Instagram}, though -- if it isn't obvious -- I really like sharing all the naughty things. They're just a lot more fun to take pictures of for some reason.

Though I've definitely indulged in some enticing goodies lately, I've continued to try to "keep it clean" for the majority of the time, especially since my surgery is right around the corner. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will all go smoothly and that recovery will be quick so I can get into the full swing of cooking as the holidays approach.

Fall is such a foodie season with all the scrumptious and creative treats that come with Halloween, Thanksgiving and all the other holidays that take place during the last few months of the year. But, you don't have to eat poorly in order to celebrate the flavors of fall.

In fact, this dish is packed with both nutritious ingredients and the essence of autumn.

Quinoa remains one of my go-to dishes for any time I need something healthy, versatile and tasty. I can't even tell you how many different quinoa combinations I've come up with since I discovered it a few years ago. Every time I make it, I'm pleasantly pleased with the result.

This Acorn Squash Stuffed with Spiced Quinoa was no different. Maple-basted acorn squash serves as a charming vessel for this lightly cinnamon-spiced quinoa. If you've never tried cinnamon in a savory dish, I urge you to try it out... it lends an amazing warmth and subtle sweetness that works so well in dishes where you might not expect it. The crunchy toasted almonds and sweet, chewy cranberries complete the flavor party.

I love that these make elegant individual servings that would work as an appetizer or side dish for a dinner party. {Sort of like these... don't forget to enter to win your own set!}

What are some of your favorite healthy and festive fall recipes? I'd love to give some of them a try!

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Spiced Quinoa
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup dried cranberries {preferably unsweetened}
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed
Olive oil
Maple syrup
Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with foil.

2. Brush inside halves of acorn squash with a drizzle of olive oil and a drizzle of maple syrup. Sprinkle with salt.

3. Place on prepared baking sheet, cut side down, and bake for 25-30 minutes {depending on size of squash} or until the squash is tender enough to be pierced with the tip of a knife easily.

For Quinoa:

1. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring quinoa, cinnamon stick and bay leaf to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the water is almost fully absorbed. {Keep an eye on it as you don't want the quinoa to burn and stick to the bottom of the pot.}

2. Once almost all the water has been absorbed, reduce heat to low and let steam for another 5-7 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf.

3. In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, toasted almonds and cranberries.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, cider vinegar, maple syrup and salt. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.

5. Scoop quinoa into cooked acorn squash halves.

6. Return to oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the top starts to become toasty.

Keep It Clean: Orange Glazed Cauliflower

You know that phrase, "When it rains, it pours"?

I've found that it's definitely the case in my own life.

Oftentimes, what starts out as a few little drops turns into a torrential downpour. {And it's always when you've forgotten your umbrella.}

Last week I shared some info about my upcoming surgery and I'm not going to lie -- I was very bummed. My computer also died, Farley ate one of my last remaining pairs of sandals, and my grandma was in the hospital for a few days. It was not good.

But guess what? I'm a Floridian. And it takes more than a downpour and some gusty winds to make me run for cover. ;)

I started thinking about all the great things that are happening in my life. All the amazing people I've met {a few, in particular, who I know have had their own challenges recently and have managed to handle life's curveballs with true grace}. All the cool experiences I've had lately {most of which I haven't even had time to share, but it's on the list, I promise!}.

And suddenly, things started looking a little brighter.

It probably also helped to spend most of the weekend at a beautiful resort with this as my view:

{More on that later!}

So, as true as I've found the aforementioned adage to be, I've also found that there is always something to be thankful for.

Some might feel discouraged after attempting to achieve something and not quite getting the result they were hoping for. I was a little sad when my "Coming Clean" project didn't really change anything.

But even though I didn't get the result I wanted, I still gained a lot from the experience. I felt like many of you showed interest in learning how to make simple changes to your diets. A few of you may have even tried a new thing or two. Lots of you enjoyed getting tips for turning iffy dishes into healthy meals with just a few substitutions.

That makes it all worthwhile to me. It's always much more fun to have someone to learn with!

So, while the "Coming Clean" series is over, I think we should consider starting a new series: Keep It Clean.

It's been such a fun challenge to come up with creative ways to enjoy healthier eating. Again, that doesn't mean I won't ever share an indulgent treat or two around here again... we'll just make sure to keep with the theme of moderation.

What do you think?

I think we should still eat our veggies. And maybe try to turn them into exciting dishes like this spicy Orange Glazed Cauliflower.

This idea just popped into my head one day, so I decided to try to bring it to life. Steve and I both enjoyed the twist on roasted cauliflower {which we like as is, but agree that it can use some jazzing up}.

The spicy orange glaze is reminiscent of something you'd find in a white, fold-up takeout box... without the questionable additives. Using cauliflower as the main ingredient makes it a nice vegetarian-friendly option, but you could also use the glaze on chicken breasts or maybe even shrimp.

I just want to thank all of you who have sent kind words to me, encouraged me, and even just sent positive thoughts my way. It means more to me than you'll ever know! And for any of you who are going through hard times, too... chin up! You can share my umbrella. ;)

Orange Glazed Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, rinsed & broken into pieces
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice {preferably fresh squeezed}
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon low sodium tamari {or soy sauce}
1 tablespoon cornstarch*, mixed with 1-2 tablespoons orange juice or water
1 bunch scallions, sliced on a sharp angle

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan by lining with foil and set aside.

2. Place cauliflower pieces on prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes until dark brown in spots.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, red pepper, and ginger and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Stir in orange zest.

4. Pour orange juice, sesame oil, tamari, and cornstarch slurry into saucepan, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking often, until the sauce is slightly thickened.

5. Pour sauce into a large heatproof bowl. Add cooked cauliflower, and fold carefully to completely coat with sauce.

6. Transfer to a serving dish, if desired, and top with sliced scallions.

*If you feel uncomfortable with the addition of cornstarch, which I'm still investigating myself, feel free to play around with other natural thickeners... and share your discoveries if you find something that works well!