Quinoa Bowls with Butternut Squash and Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small butternut squash (about 450g), peeled and cut into 2cm cubes.
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cups coarsely chopped kale (about 70g or half a bunch)
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 0.5 cups dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Preparation:

1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under running water, then shake off the excess water. Transfer the quinoa to a medium saucepan, add 1 3/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Make the tahini sauce while the pumpkin is roasting:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine tahini, garlic, lemon juice, honey, 1.5 cups water, 1/2 cup salt, and black pepper to taste until smooth. Set aside.
4. Once the squash is golden and tender, add the kale to the skillet and cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.
5. Transfer the cooked quinoa and vegetables to a large bowl. Stir in the dried cranberries and pecans. Serve warm or chilled with tahini sauce.