Soooo, we never got around to carving our pumpkin.
But it didn’t go to waste…
Friday afternoon we were housebound while waiting for our wine delivery to come (I had to be home to sign for it since we’d missed the first two attempts).
So what did we do? Played with pumpkin guts.
P watched on as I hacked our little sugar pumpkin from Impossible Acres open and scooped out the seeds.
I roasted them – making half savory (salt & pepper) and half sweet (cinnamon & stevia). [BTW, I did not boil them first as the linked instructions did, I just poured boiling water over them in the bowl which basically got most of the gunk off.]
Delish!
I snacked on them while the pumpkin flesh finished roasting (I had started the halves 20 minutes before the seeds and they kept going awhile after the seeds were done).
Look at those beauts!
I flipped them over and watched the steam go crazy and then waited for them to cool a bit before scooping out some fresh pumpkin flesh for my little pumpkin.
He was a big fan…until he got a slightly burnt piece…then he made a horrified face and tried desperately to figure out a way to spit it out (which he couldn’t do, so it just sat on his tongue of his open mouth). It was pretty funny.
After his meal I set to work getting dinner ready for later.
I started some quinoa in the rice cooker and read stories and played with P until it was done.
Pumpkin Quinoa with Kale & Goat Cheese [vegetarian, gluten free, FODMAPs friendly]
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (uncooked) quinoa
- 1/3 cup frozen kale
- 1 packed cup roasted pumpkin flesh
- 2 oz. herbed goat cheese (I used this 3 peppercorn one) + 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Directions:
Cook quinoa. Once it’s done, stir frozen kale into the hot quinoa (it will thaw it).
Next add in the pumpkin, goat cheese, and oil. Mix them all so the pumpkin and cheese make a nice thick sauce that coats the quinoa.
Season with s & p as you want. Serve warm with chopped pecans on top.
Notes:
This could be a great cold salad too. I’d add in chopped dates or dried cranberries to a chilled version. Maybe fresh pomegranate seeds?
Any nut will work if you’re not into pecans (walnuts, hemp seeds, slivered almonds…). I almost candied the pecans for the dish, but I didn’t have time, so I just used raw ones (but I bet candied nuts would be delish).
For extra oomph try an infused olive oil – garlic or rosemary for example.
This recipe yields enough for two servings. Kyle had leftover chili, so I didn’t have to worry about keeping my portions in check. If you’re making this for a twosome, you may want to add a side dish or increase things ever so slightly. Or you may be totally fine with the amount here. I can’t be too sure what’s “normal” since I eat like a hungry hungry hippie (oh and did I mention breastfeeding makes you have an appetite like a savage?).
So I still have 3/4 of the pumpkin flesh left… What should I make next??
I’m thinking some kind of pumpkin coconut curry soup. Maybe shells stuffed with a pumpkin cashew sauce.
Other recipe suggestions are welcomed! I’m kinda looking to keep things savory with it (we have a ton of sweets in the house right now, plus I have lots of canned pumpkin on hand for baked goods).
What a good use for a pumpkin! We just painted pumpkins instead of carving them, so we’ve got a good one to roast!
Not a pumpkin recipe, but I saw this and totally thought of you 🙂
http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/hummus-mashed-potatoes-vegan-gluten-free-nut-free-soy-free
What about a pumpkin hummus??
Courtney
I purée roasted butternut squash into pasta sauce. Would pumpkin work as a sauce? I combo with garlic, thin with vegetable broth. And use my wand blender to purée.
How did Patrick do with the pumpkin? I ask because my 7 month old twins tried pumpkin dor the first time a few weeks ago and my son loved it, my daughter wasn’t as excited about it. But, the next day, they both had the craziest poops ever! Maybe they just ate too much (I didn’t think it was too much!) I’ll have to remember to give them pumpkin if they’re ever constipated!
Btw, he looked so adorable dressed up!!
Pumpkin Hummus is the best!!!!! I bought it last year around this time and had it on rye crisp crackers yum!!!!
Yum! Good idea. I’m thinking of making it creamy w cashews too.
I don’t notice any GI (or other) issues or changes from his norm after the pumpkin. This wasn’t his first time having it so I’m pretty sure he tolerates it fine. He really likes it too.
that salad looks LEGIT and so good! Goat cheese, pumpkin, and kale are some of my favorite ingredients!
Lucky you had a sugar pie pumpkin- those big regular ones are yucky to eat…!
I made this great carrot squash soup last week- i’ m sure it would be great with pumpkin and even better if you added some cashew cream and/or coconut milk in it. I added in cannelini beans to make it more of a meal.
http://www.dailybitesblog.com/2012/11/15/roasty-toasty-carrot-squash-soup/
I would love to see a pumpkin pasta recipe of some kind 🙂
Julie – just FYI, when you first start foods with a breastfed baby, it does really weird things to their poop. Doesn’t mean they have a GI problem and in fact few kiddos have well-formed BM’s when they are young, especially if they are still nursing. The orange-y foods (carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin) do really strange things, as do lots of berries.
Dreena @ plant-powered kitchen has what looks to be a yummy pumpkin hummus recipe that I’m planning to make soon…..
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