This salad is light and healthy and contains the smallest amount of fat. The salad  is so flavorful that not much salt was needed either. I used spices from Turkey to the Mid-East and down to Morocco. I really like these spices with butternut squash. Some of the spices or ingredients are difficult to find but you can be creative and adapt. The salad might sound spicy with the different peppers and jalapeños but it isn’t because none of the ingredients are very spicy they are just very flavorful. The barberries are very intense and add another level. I do warn you to be careful with the barberries because with the just right amount they add sparkle to food but too many barberries are unwanted bitterness. Most people will like it. It came out delicious!

Ingredients for about 4 servings

1 small butternut squash – peeled, seeds and membrane removed – cubed – small

1 teaspoon urfa pepper

1 teaspoon zahtar

1/4 teaspoon piment port (Moroccan Pepper) (just leave out if you don’t have..this one is very hard to find)

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 + 1/3 green garlic sliced very thin on a diagonal (don’t use the top thirds because they are tough but save the tips to flavor things with)

1 orange bell pepper – core and stem removed – chopped

2 red jalapeño peppers – seeds and stem removed chopped fine

1/4 sweet onion – chopped

2 garlic cloves – grated

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 cups quinoa – (already prepared)

1/2 cup fresh parsley – chopped

1/2 cup toasted pinenuts (300 degrees F for about 10 minutes)

2 Tablespoons barberries

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium mixing bowl combine the butternut squash, 1 Tablespoon of oil, urfa pepper, zahtar, piment port. Mix well and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cook in the oven till fork tender. (about 45 minutes)

In a fry pan add a Tablespoon of oil. As soon as it’s warm add the green garlic, bell pepper, jalapeños, onion on medium high heat till the peppers are soft and the onions are clear. Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic, salt and black pepper.

Around now the butternut squash will be done.

When the butternut squash is done get a big bowl and add the squash and fry pan mixture.

Turn down the oven to 300 degrees F and toast the pinenuts. Be careful because they can burn. They only need about ten minutes and then add them to the bowl.

Stir in the quinoa, parsley and barberries.

Tasty isn’t it!