Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa & Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 100 g quinoa
• 1 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 handful spinach
• 80 g feta (optional, see tip)
• Cumin

Method

1. Cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds, and bake for 35-40 min at 190°C.
2. Cook the quinoa.
3. Sauté the onion, garlic and spinach.
4. Mix with the quinoa and feta.
5. Stuff the squash halves and bake for a further 10 min.

TCM perspective: Butternut squash, sweet-tasting and melt-in-the-mouth, nourishes the body's fluids (Yin) and suits an autumn Dryness pattern well (dry skin, mouth or throat).

Tips & precautions: Feta is a dairy product that can encourage Dampness in sensitive constitutions (slow digestion, a feeling of heaviness, mucus) — it doesn't need to be avoided altogether, but should be eaten in moderation according to your own constitution. It's optional here: you can swap it for toasted pumpkin seeds for a lighter dish, digestively speaking, while keeping the crunch.

These are general principles of Chinese dietetics and do not replace personalised medical advice.