I wanted to make a tasty fall stir fry… full of fall veggies!   Well here it is and it turned out better than I imagined! So tasty and full of beautiful color! I think I even impressed my husband! The man loves every meal I make! So…. he might be a little bias. No but really I swear this is SO GOOD! I was inspired by a dish that is served at a restaurant that I worked at many years ago. Plus, it will also be a delicious way to use those carrots, herbs and broccoli from the garden this late fall.Broccoli is one of my FAVORITE fall crops!

If you’ve never had acorn squash you have to try this! It is a sweet and nutty  squash, a perfect Autumn ingredient! It was a nice change from our standard veggies we eat! Maybe, I should start growing them in the garden!

Ingredients 

4 chicken breast

2 acorn squash

2 cups of broccoli florets

1 red pepper

5-6 carrots

1 cup of unsalted cashews

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 cup of quinoa

2 tbsp fresh parsley

1 tbsp fresh thyme

Ingredients for Sauce

1-2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup of sweet and sour sauce

2 tbsp of ketchup

1/4 cup of soy sauce

two pinches of crushed red peppers

1/2 cup of orange juice

1/4 cup of honey

pepper to taste

Start by toasting your quinoa. Heat up skillet over medium to high heat with quinoa in the pan. No oil or salt. Just the heat and the seed. Once your quinoa starts to toast it will almost start sounding like your popping popcorn! Make sure you are frequently stirring your quinoa so it doesn’t burn. This process typically takes 2-3 minutes and a good indication that it is done toasting is the nutty smell the quinoa releases.

Toasting your quinoa really enhances the flavors or the seed! Then prepare according to package. If you didn’t buy prewashed quinoa make sure to wash the seeds. There is a bitter coating on the seeds that needs to be washed off before cooking or your quinoa is going to taste bitter and soapy! YUCK!While your quinoa is cooking you can prepare your veggies and chicken. Skin carrots and chop. Chop broccoli, red peppers and set aside with carrots. Cut acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds with spoon and discard the seeds. Then drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over the top of squash and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees or until tender. Then chop chicken into cubes and set a side. Add other tbsp of olive oil to skillet over medium high heat, add veggies and chicken. Continue stirring until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked completely. Add cashews to veggies and meat mixture stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a sauce pan add garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, orange juice, sweet and sour, pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic and honey over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes. Then remove from heat.
Combined sauce with chicken and veggie mixture. Stir until veggies are nicely coated in sauce. Then chop parsley and thyme and add to quinoa. Roughly add 2 tbsp of sauce to herb and quinoa mixture. Stir until incorporated. Put one half of acorn squash on a plate and fill with meat and veggie mixture. Spoon quinoa onto plate and add additional meat and veggies. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley if you would like. You know I did!

This is a superb fall dish! This recipe yields about 3-4 servings and is full of healthy fall veggies and flavors! I know y’all are really going to LOVE this recipe!

Grow it. Pick it. Cook it. Eat it.

Chantelle