Updated: May 5, 2019
As I was perusing the fruit and vegetable isles in the supermarket my eyes fell upon something a little different. Of course it’s October and certain vegetables are ripe and ready to be picked and munched upon. There upon the shelf was your usual pumpkin, you know, the kind that you carve and create spooky faces illuminated by a flickering candle. Then, sat just to the right were mini pumpkins!!! My mind started whirling and I let out a little giggle of excitement. I selected one and this is what I did…..
Serves: 2
Time to prepare: 15 minutes
Time in the oven: 10 + 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 mini pumpkin
1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 can chopped tomatoes (organic)
4 large sun-dried tomatoes
1 tsp tahini (I used Meridan organic)
1/4 can/carton red kidney beans (I used Sainsbury’s organic)
1 tsp turmeric (organic)
A handful of organic spinach
How to create …
Firstly, warm up your oven by turning it on to 180′ gas mark 5.
Carefully, using a sharp knife slice around the top of the pumpkin to create a removable lid. Then scoop out the insides (you could save the seeds and plant them).
The, pop it in the oven on a tray/dish to start cooking while you prepare the stuffable mixture.
Pour the 1/4 cup of quinoa with 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy and the water has been absorbed.
Next, add the remaining ingredients and mix together, incorporating the spinach last.
The pumpkin will have been in for around 10 minutes now, remove it from the oven and stuff with the quinoa mixture. There will be some left over to either save for another dish or to add to the tray/dish in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Cook for another 30 minutes (40 minutes in total) or until the pumpkin is soft when you test with a fork. The skin was deceiving at first but the flesh was fluffy inside.
I served mine with a little salad but enjoy it however you like.
Happy creating,
Emmy x
This recipe is plant based, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan and is full of wholesome goodness. All the ingredients I use I try to use organic, local and fair trade where possible and necessary but it’s up to you to choose what you want to use.
Did you know?
Pumpkins are technically a fruit!!!! These orange beasts are jam packed full of vital anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre. I didn’t realise how brilliant they are and a little research has certainly opened my eyes (1)(2)(3)(4).