Pumpkin Dinner

Have I ever mentioned that I love everything about fall. The leaves. How the heat finally backs off and I can be outside in the middle of the day without melting. Soup season. And most importantly, pumpkin. Pumpkin everything. I love pumpkin SO much. I wish they were around for more of the year. But sadly, they are not.

Check out these awesome leaves before we get into the food. My 2 year-old insisted on going hiking in his jammies...

(photos never do it justice)

Anyway, when I was in college, a roommate made a version of this meal for us and I have been working to perfect my version ever since. And guys, I've got it. It is so good. Why because once the rice and lentils are cooked you cook it IN the pumpkin so when you scoop it out you get GIANT hunks of delicious pumpkin in your rice and it is SO GOOD. Don't believe me? Check out the recipe and see for yourself. Oh, did I mention that obviously it is vegan but it is gluten free too?

Ingredients

1 small/medium pie pumpkin, seeds removed

olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, minced

ground sage

rosemary

salt

pepper

1 c rice

1/2 red onion, diced

6 dates, pitted and diced

1/2 c walnuts, roughly chopped

1 block seitan, crumbled

1/4 c fresh parsley, roughly chopped (for color)

1/2 c dried cranberries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rice with 2 c water in rice cooker or Instant Pot (I just got mine and it is AMAZING) and cook until soft.

2. Cut off top of pumpkin and remove seeds. Rub olive oil into the inside flesh of the pumpkin.

3. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and rub into flesh of pumpkin.

4. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp sage, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Rub into the flesh of the pumpkin.

5. Place in the oven and bake while you prep everything else.

6. Dice onion and saute in olive oil until started to get soft. Meanwhile, chop remaining garlic and dates. Add to the onion along with 1 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp sage, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and saute until soft. (Add more spices if needed)

7. When rice is done, combine rice with onion mix, walnuts, and seitan, parsley, and dried cranberries (if using) and stir to combine. Taste test and add additional spices as needed.

8. Remove pumpkin from the oven and spoon rice mix into the pumpkin. Return to oven and bake 20 more minutes (or longer if pumpkin isn't soft).

9. ENJOY

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