Tis the season for all things pumpkin to hit the shelves, the stores, the coffee shops, and my plate. It started with pumpkin pancakes, a surprisingly simple breakfast sure to put you in the mood to love Fall. Once I had mine, I had to get my next fix.
But as I looked through my options for ways to indulge my obvious pumpkin addiction (at what point is it officially a problem? I hope my friends know when to stage an intervention…), I noticed there was little I wouldn’t feel guilty about after.
Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, pumpkin pecan pie, the list of desserts goes on and on and on! I wanted a way out of the cycle of carbs, so I found a way to sub pumpkin into an unexpected place. I call it
THE MOST DELICIOUS SALAD I HAVE EVER PUT IN MY MOUTH
What makes it so great? It basically contains all fall foods, but with out the butter crust. Try this for your next potluck or dinner party. I’ve already informed my family I’m in charge of the salad for Thanksgiving. I did all of this the first time just for myself, and I’ll say it’s a bit more work than I’m generally willing to
Part One: The pumpkin
Start with a sugar pumpkin, which is sweeter and smaller than the gigantic ones they sell for carving. If you don’t see any where you shop, you can sub a butternut squash really easily (honestly, no one will know, and I won’t tell). Preheat the oven to 450F. Slice your pumpkin in half to make it easy to peel. Peel completely, and cut out the seed-filled portions of the flesh. Don’t forget you can save the seeds and toast them as a nice snack! Cube the flesh into large chunks, then toss in a mixing bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil, coarse salt and pepper, and paprika (or red pepper flakes). Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Through 3-6 cloves of garlic on the pan to roast for the dressing (see below). When the timer runs out, remove the garlic cloves, then lightly drizzle the pumpkin with maple syrup, tossing to coat. Return to the oven for about 5-8 minutes, then let your maple-glazed pumpkin cool. It should be soft and lightly browned.
Part Two: The greens
While your pumpkin is roasting happily away and filling your home with the to-die-for scent of Fall, prep your greens. The easy route is to wash some salad greens and call it a day, but you can do one better with just a bit more work. Brussels sprouts, normally eaten cooked, are an amazing raw salad ingredient — so long as you thinly slice them. The texture and taste is really unique and brings any salad to life, so I recommend using it here and just all the time. If I haven’t convinced you yet, extra motivation might be found in remembering these sprouts are high in immune-boosting vitamin A, a crucial change-of-weather-cold preventer.
Part Three: The dressing, the Toppings, and the Eating
The dressing starts with a base of roasted garlic. To do this, pull 3-6 cloves of garlic off the head, and throw them in the oven with your pumpkin. Do NOT peel, crush, or attempt to mince the garlic before doing so. It really is as easy as it seems. Once out of the oven, peel the skin off (use your fingers or just trim the edges with a blade). Mash the softened cloves together with a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, adding a few tablespoons of lime juice and a teaspoon of syrup. Whisk in salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of oil until your dressing is uniform in consistency.
And you’re ready to go! Toss your Brussels with the dressing, add pumpkin, and top it all off with lightly toasted crushed pecans and dried cranberries for Full Fall Flavor. Or, toast your pumpkin seeds and combine in place of the pecans. Grab some forks people.
Tagged: brussel sprouts, brussels sprouts, Eating LIght, Eating LIte, fall food, flavor of fall, food, Gluten Free, healthy eating, healthy pumpkin recipe, nutritious food, pumpkin, salad, Vegan, Vegetarian
