Whoa, there—could I really be posting a recipe? Could this actually be a food-centered post on what I tend to label as a food blog?

By golly, it is! Although this fall-inspired dish is sinfully simple, it is, in fact, a legitimate recipe.

Inspired by Gena’s roasted acorn squash with cinnamon-scented quinoa, this nutritious meal made a perfect Saturday night dinner for Mark and me.

Roasted Buttercup Squash with Cinnamon-Spiced Millet

serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium buttercup squash
• coconut oil (to coat the squash)
• 1 cup millet
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds/pulp (if you’d like, save the seeds for roasting, or toss/compost them instead).
3. Coat the squash with melted coconut oil and season with salt and pepper (to taste).
4. Place face down on a baking sheet, and bake for 35-40 minutes until fork tender.
5. Meanwhile, cook the millet according to package directions.
6. Once the millet has finished cooking, fluff with a fork and add the cranberries, toasted pine nuts, agave nectar, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
7. To serve, cut each of the squash halves in half (so you have 4 squash quarters). Fill each piece of squash with a quarter of the millet mixture.

If you prefer a sturdier, more bowl-shaped presentation, use 2 small acorn squash (that can simply be halved) as Gena did in her recipe. Also, while we thoroughly enjoyed the flavors, a pinch of cayenne would’ve added a nice, spicy dimension to this otherwise sweet dish.

To round out your meal, serve with a simple side salad of mixed greens and light vinaigrette.