Martha Stewart's got nothin' on me!

I found a recipe on http://www.epicurious.com/ tonite and had most everything on hand. I did make a few modifications to it though...just because I felt like it!

Wild Rice and Squash Pilaf (original recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot

• 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger

• 1 tablespoon curry powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash

• 1 cup wild rice

• 1 cup long-grain brown rice

• 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, diced

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 3/4 cups water

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Method: Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder, cumin, and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in squash and next 4 ingredients. Add 3 3/4 cups water and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cranberries. Cover; let stand until cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; rewarm in microwave.)

My modifications:

• replace curry powder with red curry paste (because it’s what I had on hand)

• leave out cumin (I was out)

• replace 1 cup wild rice with 1 cup red quinoa

• used 1 cup already cooked (leftover) brown rice

• reduce water to 3 cups

• use dried cinnamon (again, it’s what I had on hand)

• left out cranberries (hubby doesn’t care for them)

I still think it was a little sweet, the next time I make it I will reduce the cinnamon drastically and probably the onion by half. I will be sure to add the cumin, I think that will make a difference. By substituting quinoa for wild rice you actually get 18 additional grams of protein! You can find quinoa in the health foods or organic section at most grocery stores. (quinoa pronounced keen-wa) All in all though, it was good, vegan and gluten free! (bonus!)