THE FOOD MEDIC’S QUINOA STUFFED SQUASH

WE SAY: Created by social media star Dr Hazel Wallace, this fibre- and protein-packed dish makes a great veggie alternative to roast turkey and stuffing.

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, gas mark 4)

Halve one butternut squash, score the flesh, wrap in foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until the flesh becomes tender. As the squash cooks, bring 350ml vegetable stock to the boil and add 75g uncooked, rinsed quinoa.

Once at the boil, reduce the heat, place lid on and allow to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until quinoa has a wet, porridge-like consistency.

In a frying pan, gently heat 1 tbsp walnut oil, a diced small white onion, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 tsp rosemary and a pinch of salt.

Combine this with the quinoa in a large bowl, adding 80g cooked chestnuts (roughly chopped), 1 tbsp dried cranberries, 1 tbsp dried apricots (roughly chopped), 1 tbsp walnuts (chopped), 2 tbsp orange juice and 1 tbsp parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove squash from oven. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out a 1in groove along the length of each half. Pack in the stuffing mixture, sandwich the two sides together and fasten them with twine around the middle and at each end. Wrap in foil and bake for a further 25 minutes. Carve into 2in slices to serve.

The Food Medic, by Hazel Wallace, published by Hodder & Stoughton.