Thanksgiving Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Thanksgiving Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe Instructions

Ingredients

• 1 large Muscat pumpkin
• 2 tbsp. salted butter
• Salt and pepper
• 2 small fennel bulbs
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion diced
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 4 leeks cut in rounds
• ½ cup cooked lentils
• 1 cup cooked wild rice (or quinoa)
• ½ cup cranberries
• 1 tsp. sea salt, fine
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. Pimenton de la Vera Paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon powder
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese
• ½ tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp flat parsley leaves

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 f
2. Slice the top of the pumpkin to create a lid of sorts. Reserve the top. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and the pulp. Rub both inside of the pumpkin and the lid with butter or oil. (You can save the seeds and roast them in the oven, they’re delicious as a snack).
3. Place the pumpkin and the lid on a shallow baking tin, season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 350 F until tender.
4. Cut the fennel in wedges and pour ½ of the lemon juice over it. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook the fennel until it is quite golden. Reserve.
5. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pan and cook the onion, garlic and leeks until they are tender, 4 or 5 min. Add salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin powder and cinnamon powder, then mix with onions, garlic, leeks, lentils, wild rice and cranberries. Toss to combine.
6. Once the pumpkin is done, stuff it, then return to the oven, lidless, for 10-15 to heat.
7. Prepare a dressing by mixing the remaining lemon juice with the syrup and 3 or 4 tbsp.
8. Top with Manchego cheese, then drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pumping seeds.