Warm Squash — Quinoa Salad — The Color of Autumn in a Bowl

Fall arrives and the wedding countdown begins in earnest. Nine months. Everything is in motion: venue booked, dress found, cake ordered (three tiers, three flavors, buttercream that Carol the baker and I agreed on after extensive discussion), DJ hired, flowers being planned, and the pierogi production timeline mapped out on a whiteboard in Tom and Linda's kitchen that Linda guards like a military general.

The Packers are back. Tom and I watch every game. But this fall feels different — I'm engaged, Linda is healthy, the brewery is thriving, and the sour program is getting national attention. A craft beer magazine reached out for an interview. An interview. About my sours. The nineteen-year-old who started loading kegs is being interviewed by a magazine about the beer he makes. I told Tom. He said, "Don't let it go to your head." I said, "Too late." He almost smiled. Almost.

Megan settled into the new school year. Twenty-four kids this time. There's a girl named Ayla who writes poetry at her desk when she finishes assignments early, and a boy named Diego who brings Megan a different rock every Monday. She has a collection of rocks on her desk now. Eleven rocks and counting. She talks about these kids the way I talk about beer — with specificity and wonder and the inability to shut up about them.

Made a butternut squash soup — roasted squash, onion, garlic, chicken stock, cream, a pinch of cinnamon. Blended smooth. It's the color of autumn and it tastes like a sweater feels. I brought a batch to Linda because she's doing the annual fall canning and she's tired and soup is easier than a conversation about how she should slow down, because Linda does not slow down. Linda accelerates.

The soup I brought to Linda was its own kind of language — easier than words, warmer than advice — and it got me thinking about all the ways squash carries autumn better than almost anything else in the kitchen. This Warm Squash ’n’ Quinoa Salad is the next step from that bowl: the same roasted, golden sweetness, but built into something you can sit down with, share at the table, and feel like you’ve done something good for yourself in the middle of a season that doesn’t slow down for anyone. When everything is in motion — the wedding, the brewery, the whiteboard in Tom and Linda’s kitchen — you need a recipe that asks almost nothing of you and gives back everything.

Warm Squash & Quinoa Salad

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cubed into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 cups baby spinach or arugula
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 2 ounces crumbled feta or goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Toss cubed squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, cinnamon, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
2. Roast the squash. Spread squash in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
3. Cook the quinoa. While squash roasts, combine rinsed quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
4. Make the dressing. Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Assemble the salad. In a large serving bowl, combine warm quinoa and spinach, tossing gently so the greens wilt slightly from the heat. Add roasted squash, cranberries, and pepitas.
6. Dress and finish. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Top with crumbled feta or goat cheese. Serve warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 380 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 55g | Fiber: 7g | Sodium: 420mg