Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with a Veggie Quinoa Medley

It seems like everyone and their brother is doing a cleanse right now. Call me crazy, but I really don’t think that lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper can serve as the foundation of optimal health and wellness. What happens when you introduce food back into your daily routine? Food. Remember food? I would imagine the second I was allowed to eat again, I would go absolutely nuts and gorge myself on pizza, cookies, and ice cream. Then most likely, I would feel the need for another cleanse, thus initiating a vicious, vicious cycle.

When I feel like my body needs a bit of a detox, I make meals filled with veggies – wonderful, wonderful veggies. I don’t starve myself, I don’t juice my meals, I don’t neglect gluten, and I certainly don’t participate in that malevolent Master Cleanse. My version of a detox consists of consuming organic, whole, and unprocessed foods. Think fruits, veggies, fish, and whole grains.

There is nothing like the goodness of veggies to take away the harmful effects of imbibing copious amounts of delicious vino. This meal, which I adapted from a delicious lunch at Clyde's in Washington, D.C., was the perfect healthy treat that I needed. You absolutely cannot beat the flavor of roasted acorn squash; and the fiber, potassium, and vitamins are nothing to frown at either. I like to switch up my quinoa medley, so for this one, I included asparagus, spinach, broccoli, kale, roasted garlic, and a touch of feta. In other variations, I mix cranberries, toasted walnuts, and goat cheese into the quinoa. Either way, I can stuff a roasted acorn squash with pretty much anything and I am a happy (not at all deprived) little detoxer.