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Festive Stuffed Butternut Pumpkin Recipe

written by Christie Connelly

Nutrition Recipes

Butternut Pumpkin

Butternut Pumpkin

I’m quite proud of the homegrown nasturtium flowers in this photo. I’m still very new to gardening, so any success is greatly appreciated. Nasturtium leaves and flowers are extremely nutritious, full of vitamin C and iron, and are a beautiful addition to this festive dish.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Method

  • 2 small butternut pumpkins
  • 2 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
  • Salt & pepper

  • Stuffing
  • ½ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 400g tin chickpeas, drained
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
  • Zest & juice ½ lemon
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 spring onions, green part finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
  • 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
  • 2 tbsp chopped pecans
  • Dressing
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp warm water
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  1. Heat oven to 200°C. Scrub pumpkins clean, then slice in half lengthways. Rub with olive oil and place, skin side down, on lined baking tray. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 45 mins until flesh is soft and skin is browned and blistering.
  2. Meanwhile, wash quinoa grains in fine colander under cold running water. Place in saucepan with 1 cup of cold water and bring to boil over high heat. Turn heat down to lowest setting and put lid on. Leave to cook for 15 mins until all water has been absorbed.
  3. Transfer quinoa to large mixing bowl and add chickpeas, cranberries, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and allow to cool slightly. Then mix in spring onion, thyme, parsley, mint and pecans. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Mix together dressing ingredients and set aside.
  5. To serve, arrange pumpkin halves on platter and spoon over quinoa mix. Drizzle with dressing and scatter with pomegranate and flowers. Enjoy.




  

Christie Connelly

Christie publishes the popular Australian food blog Fig & Cherry featuring healthy, family-friendly meals and sweet treats with mouth-watering photography to match. Christie draws recipe inspiration from her Hungarian and Lebanese heritages, her travel adventures and, of course, the amazing fertile soil of the Northern Rivers with its abundance of local organic fruits, vegetables, delicious native produce and healthy free-range-reared animals. Her passion is educating parents, grandparents and carers how to shop for, prepare and cook healthy, nutritious food and to encourage children to enjoy it as well.

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