Plant-Based Butternut Squash Quinoa bowls with sautéed garlic mushrooms and spinach

This weekend I took a camping trip with my friend, Katie, to the Ozark National Forrest in Arkansas. After an 8.5 mile hike and a humid night tent-camping, we were ready for a well-cooked meal. We drove up to Bentonville to visit the Crystal Bridges art museum (amazing), but before we got there we stopped downtown for a patio meal. After surveying the vegan options (it’s hard to find vegan options during Sunday brunch) we settled on a restaurant called Table Mesa and I had a, you guessed it, quinoa bowl with butternut squash, mushrooms, and spinach. 

This meal quite literally brought me back to life and tasted as good as it sounds. The portion was on the smaller side so of course, I was craving more when I finished! A couple of hours later and I am adding it to my meal plan for this week.

Now, this meal was INCREDIBLY easy to make and very cheap. So if you are looking to ball on a budget, then this is a great option. That’s another myth about vegans, everyone assumes it is expensive. Which, a lot of the processed vegan foods like cheeses and pre-made meals are more on the expensive side and can break the bank, but eating like a healthy vegan, what many people refer to as whole food plant-based, and making things from scratch is way cheaper than what my carnivorous friends pay. ​

Ingredients: 
-dash olive oil
-2 tbsp of minced garlic 
-one package of sliced mushrooms 
-two handfuls of spinach 
-¾ cup of quinoa (any kind will do but I used a tri-color blend)
-1 bag  of frozen cubed butternut squash 
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Bring a small pot of water to boil and cook the quinoa. Once boiling, add the quinoa and then turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes. Check the package for exact directions! 
2. While the quinoa is cooking, use an iron skillet and add some oil on medium heat. Add your minced garlic to the pan and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Next, add your chopped mushrooms and sautee them for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and add a handful or two of spinach, mixing every few minutes. 
3. Set the quinoa to the side as it should be done cooking. 
4. Set a small pot of water on high heat. Once boiling, add your frozen cubed butternut squash. These only take 3-4 minutes to cook but always double-check on the package directions. 
5. Time to eat! I like to add my cooked quinoa to my bowl first, then adding the garlic mushroom and spinach mixture to one side and the butternut squash to the other. Add some salt and pepper, mix all together, and enjoy! ​

This meal is great for whole-food plant-based and vegan eaters, but can be enjoyed by anyone else too! Also, it has lots of anti-inflammatory foods to heal your insides and make you feel great all day long. ​

Slightly crazy eyes from recovering from camping (and just utter excitement to eat this bowl of goodness)