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Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl 

Everyone needs a fall staple grain bowl, and that’s where our Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl comes in! This quintessential fall meal is quick to make which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal. 

Butternut squash is a popular fall squash and can be found easily in your local grocery store or farmers market! This Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl is high in calories, vegan, and high in protein. If you are looking to gain or maintain weight, this is a great meal option!

High Calorie Vegan Meals 

Following a vegan diet doesn’t mean that you cannot gain or maintain your weight. There are many high calorie vegan ingredients that can be used to make delicious high calorie recipes! 

If you want to learn more about high calorie vegan recipes that are also high in protein, check out our sister website The Geriatric Dietitian here!

There are many reasons why someone might want or need to gain weight including; unintended weight loss, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing or chewing, difficulty maintaining weight, or disease or illness. Choosing high calorie meals and ingredients can help reach your calorie goals. 

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for our overall health! If we do not consume enough calories throughout the day then we may also not be getting enough nutrients in as well, which can lead to deficiencies. 

Getting enough calories in is also important for our daily energy. Without enough food, we can get fatigued faster and have a harder time concentrating. Food is fuel! 

If you would like to try another high calorie vegan recipe, check out our Breakfast Chia Pudding Parfait! 

Ingredients in Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl 

Filled with good for you, cozy ingredients, our Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl will be a favorite this fall season! 

• Olive Oil 
• Vinegar 
• Garlic Powder 
• Black Pepper
• Dried Parsley 
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Butternut Squash
• Ground Sage
• Cumin
• Romaine Lettuce
• Quinoa 
• Avocado 

Butternut Squash Nutrition 

Butternut squash is a winter squash and is actually a fruit, not a vegetable! It is packed with essential vitamins and nutrients and has a delicious nutty flavor perfect for soups and roasting!

The fall season is the perfect time to start looking for butternut squash in your local stores! Farmers markets and neighborhood vegetable stands are also great places to find butternut squash.

It contains well over the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, and is also packed with vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, magnesium and potassium. 

Vitamin A is essential for your eye and bone health, immune function, and fetal development! Vitamin C helps your immune system, wound healing, and tissue repair, vitamin E is an antioxidant, and folate is important for red blood cell formation.

Magnesium is an essential mineral for healthy muscles and bones. Making sure to get enough magnesium in your diet is important to avoid a higher risk of health problems like heart attack, diabetes, and osteoporosis. 

Last but not least, potassium is important for the functioning of our cells and helps to maintain fluid levels in our cells. 

Incorporating butternut squash into your diet is a great way to support your overall health! It can be roasted like in this Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl, made into a soup, stuffed with sausage and a grain, or even made into a curry.  

Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl Ingredient Nutrition

Our delicious Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl is filled with good-for-you, high calorie ingredients! 

Olive Oil: Olive oil can help lower inflammation and can help lower LDL cholesterol.

Onions: Onions are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, B vitamins and potassium.

Mushrooms: Rich in antioxidants, especially selenium, which can help prevent free radicals and boost your immune system. They are also rich in B vitamins which are essential for heart health. They are also high in potassium which is important for heart, muscle, and nerve function. 

Quinoa: A gluten free grain that is a good source of folate, magnesium, zinc, and iron! It is also high in fiber and relatively high in protein making it a great option for vegetarians. Quinoa also contains anti-inflammatory properties called flavonoids, that also act as antioxidants in the body.

Avocado: Great source of fiber and healthy fats, and many other important nutrients including; potassium, B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate. Avocado’s are thought to be a part of the fruit family, but they are actually part of the berry family!

How to Make Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Add the butternut squash, onions, mushrooms, olive oil, and seasonings to a medium size baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes and then set aside to cool. 

Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, and dried parsley to a dinner bowl and stir them together. Add the romaine to the bowl and toss. Scoop ¼ cup of the butternut squash mixture into the bowl. Add ½ cup of quinoa into the bowl.

Top with avocado and enjoy!

Let’s Check Out the Recipe!