Place quinoa, butter, and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the quinoa absorbs all the water in the pan. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to use.
Heat oven to 400°F or use an air fryer. Toss cubed butternut squash with oil and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl to coat the squash. Spread squash on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender and browned in spots. Stir once or twice while roasting. Once done, taste and add additional salt if needed.
While the quinoa and butternut squash is cooking, prep the pomegranate seeds. Remove seeds from the pomegranate by cutting it in half through the middle (not pole to pole). Fill a medium sized mixing bowl with 3 to 4-inches of warm water. Use your fingers to gently push the seeds out while holding the pomegranate under the water. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the white pith will float to the surface. Strain and viola, pomegranate arils are ready. Dry briefly on a paper towel to remove excess water before using.
Cool the quinoa and butternut, then toss together with the pomegranate seeds and torn kale pieces. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired. Separate into bowls and garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
Recipe TIPS:
Naturally coated with saponins, it is important to rinse quinoa before cooking to remove any bitterness. Though some are sold pre-washed and the package will indicate that, it is a good idea to rinse prior to cooking to remove any remaining residue.
Like potatoes, rice, and pasta, any dish you mix quinoa into needs the proper amount of salt to really taste best. If the dish tastes flat, it is because you may need to add a little more salt for the very best flavor.
Quinoa expands almost three times its size when cooked.