PUMPKIN and SQUASH: Bang! Done! 3 Ways!

Seasonal ingredient:

PUMPKIN and SQUASH

There are countless types of pumpkin and squash. Orange, yellow, green, stripy, round, long, big or small!

I love them all but if I had to choose my favorites, I would have to say:

1. Butternut Squash

2. Japanese Pumpkin

3. The little teeny weeny baby pumpkins and squash.

They are full of flavor and rich in nutrients including Vitamin C, B1 and B6, Potassium and fiber, but they are best known for their heart disease and cancer fighting Carotenes. Not only are they good for your body but taste unbelievable!

BANG! DONE! 3 WAYS!

SWEET ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH with GREEK YOGHURT and CRUNCHY SEEDS

- This impressive dish is so EASY, HEALTHY and just all round AMAZING!

ROAST PUMPKIN and ROCKET SALAD with FETA, PECANS and HONEY DRESSING

- This is my all time FAVORITE SALAD! It's super healthy and superbly delicious!

and for Dessert...

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES! Yes! You heard me right... PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES!

- These rich chocolate brownies are SO GOOD and SO GOOD FOR YOU!!! NO BUTTER and NO SUGAR just ALL NATURAL GOODNESS!!!

SWEET ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH with GREEK YOGHURT and CRUNCHY SEEDS

Ingredie

nts:

1 w

hole Butternut Squash, washed

2 TBS Honey

1 TBS EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Salt

1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

Crunchy Seeds

Reserved seeds from Squash *see step 2

1 tsp EVOO

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

salt

To Serve

1 cup Fat Free Greek yoghurt

3 TBS Honey

2 TBS Scallions, sliced

Method:

1 ~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2 ~ Cut pumpkin in half down the centre lengthways and scoop

out the seeds and set to the side.3 ~ Trim ends off and slice 1 inch pieces, creating half moon shapes.
4 ~ In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 TBS honey, 1 TBS EVOO, salt and cayenne.
5 ~ Add squash to honey mix and toss until all pieces are coated.
6 ~ Place on a sheet pan and roast for 30-40 mins or until tender and slightly golden.
7 ~ Meanwhile clean all the flesh off the squash seeds and place in a bowl with 1 tsp of oliveoil, cinnamon and a little salt.

8 ~ Toss together and place on a sheet pan in oven and toast for 15 minutes giving the seeds a little shake every 5 minutes.
9 ~ To Serve ~ Smooth Greek yoghurt evenly over serving plate with a spatula. Pile up the butternut Squash, drizzle honey around edge of yoghurt and on top of squash and sprinklewith toasted seeds.

ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH + ROCKET SALAD with FETA, PECANS + HONEY DRESSING

Ingredients:

500 g Butternut Squash, peeled

and cut into 2 cm cubes

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Salt + Pepper

200 g Rocket (Arugula)

150 g Feta Cheese, roughly chopped into 1cm pieces

½ cup Pecan nuts

Dressing

¼cup Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup EVOO

2 TBS Honey

1 TBS Dijon mustard

Method:

1 ~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)

2 ~ Place Butternut squash on a sheet pan, drizzle with the EVOO, salt and pepper.Toss with hands until all the squash is coated in oil. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

3 ~ Place Pecan nuts on a separate sheet pan and place in the oven for 4 minutes thenremove to cool.

4 ~ Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place all ingredients in an empty jar and tighten the lid. Shake for one minute.

5 ~ Once squash is cooked, remove from oven and let cool.

6 ~ Place rocket in large bowl and pour dressing around edges of the bowl. Toss to dressleaves.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Ingredients:

250 g Pumpkin

1/2 cup Honey

100 g Dark Chocolate

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 TBS Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

2 Eggs

1/4 cup Whole Meal Flour

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 cup Ground almonds (Almond Meal/Flour)

1/3 cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Pecans or Walnuts (Optional for added protein)

Method:

1 ~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2 ~ Grease and regular 9 by 13 inch sized brownie baking pan and line bottom with baking paper.

3 ~ Peel and cut into pumpkin into 2 inch pieces. Place in bowl with 1 TBS water, cover with plastic wrap and cook in microwave for approximately 3 minutes or until completely tender. Drain and puree in food processor. Leave to cool.

4 ~ Melt chocolate in microwave for 15 seconds at a time until you have only a couple of lumps of chocolate left. This will prevent you from burning the chocolate! (It should take approximately 45 seconds in total)

5 ~ Combine the wet ingredients (pureed pumpkin, honey, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs) in a large mixing bowl, whisk until completely smooth.

6 ~ Whisk in the melted chocolate.

7 ~ In a separate medium mixing bowl sift in dry ingredients (whole meal flour, AP flour, salt, cocoa powder, almond meal and baking soda) and stir with spoon to combine.

8 ~ Add chocolate chips to dry ingredients. *If using pecans or walnuts add them now.

9 ~ Add the contents of the dry ingredient bowl to the wet ingredients. Gently fold in with a rubber spatula until the second all of the flour is incorporated.

10 ~ Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.

11 ~ Remove from oven and let cool completely.

12 ~ Once brownies are completely cool, turn out on to a wire rack, slice into squares and enjoy!