Corned Tofu & Cabbage

3/25/16
Portland, OR

Classic seasoning for traditional corned beef and cabbage transforms this tofu into a simple and delicious Irish dish! Or... do what I did, and make your own Vegan Reuben Sandwich! Loaded on rye bread with some Tahini Thousand Island Dressing (recipe below).

Corned Tofu & Cabbage
gluten free, vegan, kid friendly

1 head of cabbage (or ½ a green, ½ a red), chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 12oz package of tofu, drained, cut into filets, patted dry
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground allspice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup pickle juice
1/2 cup water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp course brown mustard

In a bowl, mix together the onion powder, coriander, allspice, soy sauce, pickle juice, water, vinegar, and mustard. Mix well.  Marinate your tofu in this mixture for a few minutes.  Remove tofu and set the marinade aside.

In a pan over med heat, heat up the olive oil.  Lay the tofu filets flat on the surface of the pan and cook until each side gets golden brown.

In a pot over medium heat, pour the leftover marinade in with the onion and cabbage.  Cook until the cabbage softens, about 10 minutes.

Toss cabbage and onion with the tofu.  Serve hot

For a Reuben Sandwich, pile high on toasted rye bread with Tahini Thousand Island!

Tahini Thousand Island 
dressing, dip, gluten free, Kid Friendly, oil free, vegan

1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chopped pickles
1/8 cup pickle juice

Stir to combine, slowly adding the pickle juice, until you reach desired consistency.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Sean's Annual Enchiladas

February 24, 2016

Portland, OR

I could live on these and these alone... forever and ever.  But I can only convince Sean to make them once a year.  OK i force him to make them!  As a birthday gift to me hehe.  But seriously they are incredible and I think about them 365!  They've changed over the years little by little but what remains the same is the homemade enchilada sauce.  It is perfect and needs no changing.  It truly makes the meal! 

 

Sean's Annual Enchiladas

makes 12 enchiladas

12 corn tortillas

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup Enchilada sauce (recipe below)

½ cup veg cheese

3 cups filling (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375º.  In a casserole dish, spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce.  In a pan, heat the tortillas in the olive oil until soft.  Spoon ¼ cup of filling into each tortilla.  Roll up tortilla and place int the casserole dish.  When all are full and rolled, sprinkle with veg cheese and spoon on the enchilada sauce.  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.  Serve hot!

For the enchilada sauce:

3 Tbsp chili powder

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp cocoa powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

2 cups water

4 roma tomatoes diced small (or blended)

Combine all dry ingredients.  Slowly add water to make a thin paste.  Pour in a pot, add rest of water. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently about 10 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly.  Stir in tomatoes.  Simmer about 20 minutes.

For the filling:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup chopped walnuts

1 chile pepper, diced

1 can pinto beans (or black)

1 cup veg cheese (optional)

¾ cup of the enchilada sauce

In a pan over medium heat, sauté olive oil, onion, and garlic about 5 minutes.  Add peppers walnuts, and beans.  Cook another 5 minutes.  Add half of the cheese and spoon in the sauce.  Combine well and set aside.  

A Paleo Vegan Dinner Party in the RV

7/9/15

Tucson, AZ

Today is our last day in Tucson, Arizona!  Then it's time for a summer road trip, ending with a new place to live.   We've been here over a year and a half, working and loving life RVing here in the desert.  

I hosted a little dinner party last night to say goodbye to our Tucson friends.  I was really excited to cook for them!  Cooking, for me, is a way to express myself.  I love bright, bold flavors, and getting creative with new and surprising ways to showcase ingredients.    I know a lot of people think vegan food is boring, limited, and too restricted.  I like to cook for non-vegetarians to show that you can have a hearty, delicious meal every night, made entirely from plants, and never feel like you're missing out on anything.  They upped my dietary-restrictions ante, and asked for the meal to also be Paleo diet friendly.  I truly love a food challenge, but this really had me scrambling for ideas.  At least 50% of every meal I eat includes grains, beans, corn, and/or legumes.  All of which are not allowed in the Paleo diet.  I know I could've just popped on Pinterest and searched Paleo vegan recipes, but I really wanted to complicate my life, haha, and create my own dishes for the occasion.  I think the dinner turned out to be a success!

Buffalo Wing Dip with some veggies and chips

Appetizer:
Buffalo Wing Dip

gluten free, soy free, vegan, paleo

1 cup sunflower seeds (raw, shelled, unsalted)

½ cup hot sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

¼ cup water

1 Tbsp lemon juice

In a food processor, process the sunflower seeds into a fine powder.  Add remaining ingredients.  Process until smooth.

Dip everything in it.

Stuffed Peppers with Pesto Cauliflower Stuffing

Salad:
Mixed Spring Greens and Tomatoes with
Lemon Vinaigrette 
soy free, gluten free, paleo, vegan

¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼-½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Whisk to blend.  Add to salad and toss right before serving.
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Side:
Roasted Potatoes
soy free, gluten free, paleo, vegan

4 cups diced yukon gold potato (¼-½  inch cubes)
1/8 c olive oil
¾ tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425º.  In a bowl, toss all ingredients together and stir until the potatoes are coated well.  Spread potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring at 10 minutes. Stir again.  Bake another 10-15 minutes until crispy.

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Main entree:
Stuffed Peppers with Pesto Cauliflower Stuffing
soy free, gluten free, paleo, vegan
serves 5

To prepare the peppers:

5 bell peppers
Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Cut off the tops and remove all seeds.  Wrap in foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

To prepare the cauliflower:

1 large head of cauliflower, leaves removed
2 Tbsp almond meal
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp olive oil

While cauliflower is raw, chop into florets.  In food processor, pulse florets until they are the size of grains of rice or small crumbles.

In a large pan over medium high heat, heat the olive oil.  Add remaining ingredients stirring often for about 15 minutes.  Set aside.

RVegan Pesto

2 cups fresh basil
juice of half a lemon (approx 1/8 cup)
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1Tbsp nutritional yeast

Process until smooth.

Scrape the pesto into the cauliflower mixture.  Stir well to combine.  Spoon the mixture into the cooked peppers to fill.  Garnish with a slice of tomato.  Recover with foil and bake at 375ºF another 20-25 minutes.  Serve hot.

WFPB (whole food plant based) Ice Creams

It's hot.  It's peach season.  This recipe is light and refreshing, healthy, and simple to make!  It is sweetened only by the fruit.  I use somewhat under-ripe bananas because I don't want banana flavor to dominate over the peaches.

Mango Ginger Ice cream
 Kid Friendly, Raw, Soy Free, Vegan, Gluten Free

2 ripe mangos, peeeled chopped and frozen
3 bananas, still on the greenish side, peeled chopped and frozen
½-1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Blend until smooth.  Let set in the freezer about 2 hours.

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Peach Cobbler Ice Cream
 Kid Friendly, Raw, Soy Free, Vegan, Gluten Free

4 ripe peaches, pitted, chopped, and frozen
3 bananas, still on the greenish side, peeled chopped and frozen.
1/8 cup unsweetened rice milk (or any unsweetened non dairy milk)
dash cinnamon

Blend until smooth.  Let set in the freezer about 2 hours.

Eggless Quiche

Eggless Quiche
vegan, one-dish meal
serves 4

1 frozen pie crust
1 ½- 2 cups firm tofu (drained and hand crumbled)
½ cup veg cheese of choice, shredded
½ cup onion, chopped
1 potato, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup broccoli, chopped
1 jalapeno (or mild pepper of choice), sliced
1 small tomato, sliced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400º F.  In a pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil.  Cook shredded potato in a thin layer on the pan until golden brown on each side. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Layer cooked hash browns at the bottom of the pie crust.  Sprinkle some of the cheese on top.
While pan is still hot, sauté onions, garlic, & peppers.  Approx 5 minutes.
In a small bowl mix sautéed veggies, most of the cheese, broccoli, crumbled tofu, salt & pepper.  Mix well.  Scrape mixture into pie crust.  Smooth out top with back of a spoon.  Sprinkle more cheese.  Add a layer of tomato slices on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes, checking every 15 to make sure crust isn't burning.
Remove from heat and let set 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Eggplant Balls

One of my all time favorite recipes, that is ALWAYS a hit with anyone who tries them.  Makes for a great Sunday dinner!  Double the recipe for a crowd.  They go fast.

Eggplant Balls
Kid Friendly, nut free, soy free, vegan, gluten free variation
makes approximately 30 balls

1 large eggplant, peeled & diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp flax meal
1/4 cup cold water
1 ½-2 ½  cup breadcrumbs (use GF breadcrumbs or almond meal for Gluten free balls)*
1 ½  cup great northern beans (or any white bean) (1 15 oz. can), drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt & pepper

In a small cup, add flax meal and water.  Stir and let chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest.  This will be your egg replacer.

 Peel and dice eggplant.  Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Sauté garlic and eggplant.  Add about 2 Tbsp of water.  Cover and simmer until eggplant is very soft.  Drain any excess water.

Preheat oven to 400ºF

In a bowl or food processor,  mash/process the beans.  Add eggplant and mash/process as well.  Add remaining ingredients including the chilled flax meal & water.  Start by adding 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs. Add more breadcrumbs if mixture seems loose.  Mix well.  Shape into 1- 1 ½" balls.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place balls on baking sheet and lightly drizzle with some olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes at 400ºF, turning after 15 minutes.

Add to your favorite italian tomato sauce.

Chickpea Chorizo

Tucson, AZ

Chickpea Chorizo

With the right spices combined with the right textures, you can easily recreate so many dishes into much healthier, plant-based versions, without losing any of the flavor you love.   Chorizo is all about the spices!  Combined with the texture of crushed chickpeas, you can trick all of your skeptics into eating this healthier, gluten free, protein-packed version.

*note- pay close attention to the teaspoon or tablespoon measurements for an accurate spice combination

Chickpea Chorizo

gluten free, nut free, soy free, cholesterol free, vegan 

3 cups (or 2 15 oz. cans) drained chickpeas

1 onion, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

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Chorizo Seasoning 

½ cup water

¼ cup Red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 ½ Tbsp smoked paprika

1 ½ Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp oregano

½ tsp garlic powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground chipotle

½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional for heat)

1 ½ tsp sea salt

In a small bowl, add all Chorizo seasoning ingredients from water down to sea salt.  Stir well to combine into a thick paste.  Set aside.  

In another bowl, smash chick peas with a fork to break them into crumbles, or pulse in a food processor keeping them chunky, making sure not to let it get too fine.  

In a large pot or pan over med-high heat, heat the olive oil.  Add onions and smashed chickpeas.  Sauté about 10 minutes, stirring with a spatula, until the chickpeas start to get golden brown.  Add the chorizo paste and stir well to combine.  Turn heat to low and cook another 5 minutes.  

Try using this chorizo in your next chili or tofu scramble!  

Ultimate Vegan Huevos Rancheros

Corn tortillas loaded with crispy roasted potatoes, scrambled "huevos", black beans, and onion. It is smothered in fresh, homemade enchilada sauce and topped with avocado.  This is a perfect weekend breakfast or brunch.  It's also naturally gluten free!

Ultimate Vegan Huevos Rancheros

Note:  I use Whole Foods brand organic corn tortillas or Food For Life brand sprouted organic corn tortillas.  They are both organic, non GMO and have minimal ingredients and no preservatives.  If you've ever read labels on a package of corn tortillas, they are usually packed with preservatives and unfamilair ingredients.  

Ultimate Vegan Huevos Rancheros
serves 4-6
Gluten free, Vegan

For the potatoes:
4 cups diced potato (¼-½  inch cubes)
1/8 c olive oil
¾ tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp black pepper
8 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 425º.  In a bowl, toss all ingredients except tortillas together and stir until the potatoes are coated well.  Spread potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring at 10 minutes. Stir again.  Spread tortillas on baking sheet over the potatoes and bake another 10-15 minutes until crispy.

For the enchilada sauce:
3 cups diced tomato
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1tsp oregano
½ cup water
dash cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)

In a pot, cook on low, stirring occasionally. 20-30 minutes.

For the Huevos:
2 cups diced onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup firm tofu, crumbled by hand
1 can or 1 ½ cups black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp water
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ - ½ tsp sea salt
1 avocado,  sliced

In a pan, medium heat, heat oil.  Add onion, and cook about 5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add remaining ingredients except avocado, stirring to combine well.  Cook unil hot.

Assemble as a stack per person.  1 Corn tortilla on bottom, spoon on some sauce,  add a scoop of huevos mixture, another tortilla, more sauce, potatoes on top.  Garnish with avocado.

Tofu & Mushroom Piccata

Tucson, AZ

A delicious alternative to a classic Italian dish, that is also gluten free and vegan!  This dish is all about the sauce, so you can replace any veggies or meat substitutes and make a piccata with them.  I use tofu because it takes on the flavors of the lemon and white wine beautifully.  Mushrooms add a nice texture and pair well with the sauce.

Tofu & Mushroom Piccata

Tofu & Mushroom Piccata
serves 4-6 
gluten free, nut free, vegan

1 package extra firm tofu, drained
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
½ cup cornstarch (i recommend finding a cornstarch labeled non GMO if possible)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Juice & zest of 1 lemon about ⅓ cup lemon juice
¼ dry white wine
¼ cup capers, drained
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp of margarine, or lightly salted olive oil
sea salt & black pepper to taste
fresh parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish

Preheat oven 200º F.
Cut tofu into ½ inch thick slices.  Lay slices flat on a paper towel, and another paper towel on top of them.  Press to absorb as much moisture as you can.  Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt & pepper.  Set aside 2 Tbsp of the mixture for the sauce.  Dredge the slices of tofu and mushrooms in the remainder of the mixture in the bowl.  Coat well, and set aside.

Heat oil in a nonstick pan on medium-high.  Dredge the tofu a second time in the cornstarch mixture, and add to the hot pan.  Add mushrooms.  Fry the tofu on each side 3-5 minutes, until everything is golden brown.  Remove tofu & mushrooms from pan (leaving some oil in the pan) and keep warm on a cookie sheet or piece of foil in the oven while you make the sauce.

While the pan is still hot, add the 2 Tbsp of cornstarch mixture, add the lemon juice, zest, wine and capers. Stir with a soft spatula until it thickens.  Remove from heat, and swirl in the margarine.

Drizzle sauce onto the tofu & mushrooms.  Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes.
Excellent served over rice or pasta.

Baked Ziti & Eggplant Baked Ziti

Tucson, AZ

Baked ziti is a traditional Italian-American family dish.  Basically it is a casserole of pasta, sauce, and cheese.  Most often it is served on special occasions, probably because it requires some time and some love. It is one of my first food memories,  and it reminds me of family gatherings, my mother, my grandparents,  and the comforts of home.  It was very important to me to recreate this dish keeping those nostalgic flavors intact.  Taking years to perfect, I believe this recipe can fool anyone,  (including your Italian grandmother!) into thinking they are eating the traditional dish.

Baked Ziti
Kid Friendly, Vegan
serves 4-6

1 lb Ziti Pasta (Penne or Rigatoni would make good substitutes)
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups Homemade Tomato Sauce (recipe below)
1 cup firm tofu, pressed of most liquid and crumbled by hand or with a fork
1 ½ cups Homemade "Moxarella" (recipe below)
½ Tbsp fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375º.
Cook pasta until just before al dente.  Drain and stir in olive oil immediately to keep pasta from sticking.  Add 2 ½ cups of sauce and the crumbled tofu.  Stir well to combine.
In a glass 9x13"casserole dish, ladle ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom.  Spread to coat the bottom of the dish with sauce.  Add half of the pasta/tofu/sauce mixture and spread out evenly in the casserole dish.  Spread of half of the "Moxarella" evenly across the top of the pasta.  Add the rest of the pasta mixture.  Spread the rest of the "Moxarella" across the top.  Cover the casserole dish with foil.  Bake 35-45 minutes.  Sprinkle parsley on top.  Serve hot.

You can make the cheese and sauce a day or two in advance to save time.

For the Sauce:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup fennel, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
⅓ cup red wine
½ cup water
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp fennel seed
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic powder

In a pot, over med/high heat, heat oil.  Ad onion and fennel.  Sauté for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté another 3 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.

For the "Moxarella"
This recipe is not mine, but i've made it multiple times and it is great!  

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¼ cup raw cashews (soaked in water for several hours and then drained IF you don’t have a high powered blender)
1 cup hot water
2  tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
1 small garlic clove, minced
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender or food processor until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat. After a couple of minutes the mixture will start to look like it’s curdling or separating. This is totally normal, reduce heat to medium and KEEP stirring so you don’t burn the cheese to the bottom of the pot. Keep cooking and stirring til really thick (about 2–3 more minutes) and the mixture becomes like a cohesive mass of melted dairy cheese that stretches. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.

Click the link below for the
Original "Moxarella" Recipe

If you just cannot decide whether you want Baked Ziti or Eggplant Parm:

Eggplant Baked Ziti

Eggplant Baked Ziti

I'm not gonna lie, this will take all day to make!  But of course it is so worth it.  Use recipe above, but add 2 layers of breaded eggplant before baking!

For the eggplant:

1 eggplant (w/dark purple skin and as few bruises as possible)

sea salt

½ cup vegan breadcrumbs

½ cup corn starch

½ cup egg replacer ( i use ground flax seed and water)

olive oil

Peel eggplant and cut into thin slices.  Layer slices in a large bowl.  After every couple layers, sprinkle with salt.  When you have it all layered, cover it with a dish or saucer that fits inside the top of the bowl.  Every half hour or so, drain any liquid from the eggplant by pushing down on the saucer &inverting the bowl.  This really makes the eggplant less bitter.  I let it sit and drain it for at least 2 hours.  

While in the draining process, chill the egg replacer in the refrigerator.  In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and cornstarch.  If the breadcrumbs are plain, I add some salt, oregano, and dried parsley to the mix.  

Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Dip each slice in the egg replacer, and then into the breading mix.  

Fry the breaded eggplant until golden brown on each side.  You may have to do this in a few batches, so that they fit in a single layer in the pan.  

Add the fried eggplant in layers to your ziti.  Bake according to the ziti recipe.

Chili Dog Cheese Fries

Tucson, AZ

Aside from all things pumpkin and pie related (I seriously have a problem with all the pumpkin pie I've been eating!) , October is a very inspiring month for cooking.  I joke that it feels like fall here in Tucson, but after the hottest summer I've ever experienced, like over 100º every day since friggin' May! The upper 80ºs are truly refreshing.  Like a crisp autumn day, haha.

One of the first things I start to think about in the fall is a big pot of  chili.  My chili recipe has changed many many times in the past few years.  This one is my newest recipe.  It is kind of a comfort food extravaganza, and is straying a little from my usual food rules, as it is not completely from scratch.  BUT what if I used (veg) hotdogs as the "meat" in my chili?  Answer: Chili dog chili.  So now, what if I want to take it a couple of gluttonous steps further, and put it on fries?  With cheese?  Boom.  Chili Dog Cheese Fries.

Chili Dog Cheese Fries

These homemade, oven-roasted, fries are delicious on their own, so be sure to give them a try!

For the Fries:
Kid Friendly, Vegan, Gluten free (the fries only, not the chili)
serves 4

6 yukon gold potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ -1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425º.  Peel and cut potatoes into shoestring fry shape. In a bowl or plastic bag, coat fries with oil and all seasonings.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  ( For an RV oven, half the recipe, or bake each sheet separately.)  Spread fries in a single layer on the parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake 30 minutes, turning fries every 10 minutes.

For the Chili Dog Chili:
Kid Friendly, Vegan
serves 4

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional)
4 vegan hotdogs*, chopped small
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp liquid smoke
1 can kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
2 plum tomatoes, diced
½ tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
1 cup Daiya** cheddar

*Vegan hotdogs can be easily found in most grocery stores, usually in the refrigerated part of the produce section.

**Daiya is a brand of vegan cheese.  You can sub with any vegan cheese of choice.  I like Daiya because it is non GMO, it melts, and tastes better than most store bought vegan cheeses.

In a large nonstick pan, heat oil over med high heat.  Sauté onion for 5 minutes.  Add peppers, hotdogs, chili powder, and liquid smoke.  Sauté another 5 minutes.  Add beans, tomatoes, salt, paprika, and garlic powder.  Sauté another 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the cheese until it melts.

Spoon chili over fries, and garnish with cilantro and more cheese if you like.

Acorn Squash Boats

with Gluten Free Apple Pecan Stuffing

Happy fall!  This is one of my favorite seasonal dishes.  Guilt free and packed with plant-based protein in the form of quinoa stuffing.  So tasty!

Acorn Squash Boats

ACORN SQUASH BOATS
serves 4
gluten free, vegan

Cut 2 small acorn squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds.  Cook halves in boiling salted water for 5 minutes.  Place squash cut side down in a shallow baking dish.  Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.  

For the stuffing: 

Gluten Free Apple Pecan Stuffing

serves 4-6
gluten free, kid friendly, vegan, easy

¾ cup quinoa, rinsed with cold water
¼ white rice  (I used basmati) *can substitute brown rice, but add 15-20 minutes to cook time
1 ¾ cup water
1/8 cup tamari (can sub soy sauce though not gluten free)
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, chopped
⅓ cup pecans
1 apple, peeled, core removed, and chopped
¼ c raisins or dried cranberries
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/8 tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp thyme
¼ tsp celery seed (or 1-2 stalks of celery, chopped)

In a large pot, bring water, tamari, and olive oil to a boil.  Lower heat and stir in all other ingredients.  Cover and simmer on low, 40 minutes.  Make sure rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Turn squash cut side up.  Spoon in stuffing.  Bake at 350º about 20 minutes more.