Quinoa-Stuffed Squash

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 0.5 cup carrots finely chopped
• 2 cups quinoa cooked
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 4 pound golden nugget squashes 
• 8 ounce turkey sausage italian hot
• 0.3 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 3 ounces monterrey jack cheese shredded 2% divided reduced-fat
• 0.5 cup onion finely chopped
• 0.5 cup water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• broiler
• microwave
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Cut the top quarter off each squash; reserve tops. Discard seeds. Arrange squashes, cut sides down, in 2 (11 x 7-inch) baking dishes. Fill each dish with 1-inch of water; microwave 1 dish at HIGH 15 minutes.
2. Remove dish; repeat with remaining dish. Cool.
3. Preheat oven to 35
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
5. Add sausage; saut 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
6. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon.
7. Add carrot, onion, and garlic to drippings in pan; saut 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 minutes or until carrot is tender.
8. Combine sausage, carrot mixture, quinoa, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Stuff about 1 cup quinoa mixture in each squash, and top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese. Arrange stuffed squashes in a broiler-safe baking dish, and place tops in dish.
9. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
10. Remove from oven.
11. Preheat broiler to high.
12. Broil squashes 4 minutes or until cheese is golden.