Roasted Pumpkin, Cavolo Nero & Puy Lentils with Black Garlic

Serves 2

I am a real sucker for a multi-tasker.  I adore my nail file come scissor come tweezer contraption.  And I love a beauty product that can beautify me from top to toe.  But when the multi-tasker is food based, well, that’s even better! I don’t know how exactly to classify this dish (other than down right delicious) because it is so versatile, you really can make it into whatever you want!

·      It can be enjoyed cold with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar as a hearty vegan salad that is high in both plant based protein and fibre.
·      Or it can be eaten warm as a side dish to a piece of grilled chicken or fish.
·      Or it can be my favourite of them all - a main course that is especially delicious topped with some crumbled goats cheese, that serves as a tasty meat-free dinner option.

So when I make this, I usually make a double or triple batch so that I can eat it for dinner one night, have it cold the next day for lunch and then warmed through as a side the night after.  The autumnal gift that keeps on giving!

This dish is full of fresh seasonal ingredients and packs in a ton of micronutrients thanks to its five different brightly coloured vegetables – did you know that puy lentils actually count towards your five-a-day? One portion of this veggie packed meal provides 469 calories and a massive 15g of fibre.  As adults, we should be aiming for 30g of fibre daily, but sadly most of us are only averaging 18g per day.  So this salad is a delicious way of providing half of your daily fibre requirements, not to mention a whopping 341% and 52% of the immune-boosting antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C respectively. 

NOTE: If you are looking for a lower calorie or lower fat dish, then simply remove the hazelnuts or replace with a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds instead.

INGREDIENTS

·     400g Pumpkin – peeled and chopped
·     2 Red Onions
·     100g Cavolo Nero
·     40g Blanched Hazelnut
·     100g Cherry Tomatoes
·     8 Cloves Black Garlic
·     1 tsp Oil
·     1 tsp Smoked Paprika
·     1 tsp Garlic Granules
·     250g Pre-cooked Puy Lentils (I used Merchant Gourmet)
·     A drizzle of good quality Balsamic Vinegar
·     Optional extra: 2 tbsp Crumbled Goat Cheese 

NOTE: If you can’t get hold of pumpkins, just substitute with butternut squash instead.

METHOD

·     Preheat the oven to 180 C.
·     Peel and slice the pumpkin.
·     Peel and quarter the onions.
·     Remove the woody stalks from the cavolo nero.
·     Place the pumpkin and onions on a large parchment lined roasting tray.
·     Toss with a little oil, sprinkle over the smoked paprika and garlic granules and season well with salt and pepper.
·     Roast in the oven for 20 minutes before adding the cherry tomatoes and pop back into the oven.
·     After the tomatoes have been cooking for 15 minutes, add the cavolo nero and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
·     Meanwhile, dry fry the blanched hazelnuts in a clean frying pan over a medium heat.  
·     Make sure to keep shaking the pan so they don’t burn.  Cook for 5 minutes until just starting to brown.
·     When the vegetables are ready, toss with some pre-cooked puy lentils, add the black garlic cloves and top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and goats cheese crumbles, if using. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories – 469
Fat – 16g
Protein – 23g
Carbohydrates – 57g
Fibre – 15g
Vitamin A – 341%
Vitamin C – 52%
Calcium – 30%
Iron – 9%