Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup quinoa, uncooked, rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups chickpeas, cooked (or one 15-oz can, drained and rinsed)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into ribbons*
- ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup green peas, frozen, thawed
- 2 cups baby spinach, lightly packed
- 1 medium avocado, ripe
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2-3 tablespoon chopped walnuts, optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss the cubed pumpkin with the maple syrup, garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper until evenly coated. Spread it out in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the pumpkin is fork-tender and caramelized at the edges.
- While the pumpkin roasts, add the rinsed quinoa and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Take the pan off the heat, leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Make the dressing: in a small bowl, mash the avocado with the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt until mostly smooth.
- Add the warm quinoa to a large bowl with the chickpeas, peas, carrot ribbons and red onion. Fold in the hot roasted pumpkin, then add the baby spinach and toss gently for about a minute, until the heat from the quinoa and pumpkin just wilts the leaves.
- Stir in the avocado dressing and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Divide between two bowls, top with the chopped walnuts and serve warm. (Or chill for an hour and serve it as a cold salad.)
Notes
*Carrot ribbons: Run a vegetable peeler down the length of a peeled carrot to make long, thin ribbons.
Pumpkin: Use a sweet, dense variety such as sugar pie pumpkin, kabocha or red kuri (red kuri doesn't need peeling). Butternut squash works too.
Meal prep: Store the bowl base (quinoa, pumpkin, chickpeas and vegetables) in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make the avocado dressing and stir in the spinach just before serving so the avocado stays green.
Warm or cold: It's best warm, straight after mixing, but it's also good cold as a salad.
Metric: Use the Metric button above the ingredients to switch to metric measurements.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 758kcalCarbohydrates: 111gProtein: 27gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 663mgPotassium: 2549mgFiber: 25gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 33428IUVitamin C: 65mgCalcium: 240mgIron: 10mg
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