Rice & Nut Stuffed Butternut Pumpkin with Christmas Spiced Chermoula
A healthy and delicious festive vegetarian main meal. Great to make for Christmas day if you want an alternative to the traditional ham and turkey options.
Rate this recipe!
| Prep Time | 30 mins |
| Cook Time | 120 mins |
| Servings |
|
Ingredients
- 1 large large butternut pumpkin (1500 grams)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 mls)
- 1/4 cup brown rice, uncooked (40g)
- 1 leek, finely sliced (80 grams)
- 1/2 red capsicum, sliced (50 grams)
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled (18 grams)
- 1/4 cup fresh sage, finely chopped (15 grams)
- 1 cups baby spinach (30 grams)
- 1 cup cup mixed nuts, roughly chopped (160 grams)
- 1/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or tinned (40 grams)
- 1 & 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (1.5 grams)
- 2 cups fresh parsley (120 grams)
- 2 cups fresh coriander (120 grams)
- 1/2 red onion (50 grams)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (1 grams)
- 1 tsp ground coriander (1 grams)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (0.25 grams)
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves (0.25 grams)
- 2 cup lemon juice (125 mls)
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (20 grams)
Ingredients
|
Rate this recipe!
|
Instructions
To prepare the stuffed pumpkin:
- Preheat oven to 180C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Cut the butternut pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Rub 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil over the skin and flesh of the pumpkin and place each half on a prepared tray, cut side down
- Bake for an hour or until tender.
- While pumpkin is baking, prepare the rice according to packet directions, then allow to cool.
- Remove pumpkin from the oven and allow to cool a little.
- Scoop out the cooked flesh (setting aside for use later), leaving a 2.5cm border of flesh on the skin.
- Heat another 3 teaspoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the leek and capsicum and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until tender and onion is translucent. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Crush in two cloves of garlic and add the sage and cook for a minute or two. Add the spinach and allow to wilt.
- Mash the cooked pumpkin flesh you removed from the skins and combine with the nuts, corn, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika.
- To assemble, lay the pumpkin halves side by side, cut side up.
- In both halves, layer an equal amount of the onion and capsicum mix.
- Top with an even amount of the garlic, sage and spinach mix.
- Top with an equal layer of rice.
- Finally, top the rice with an even layer of the mashed pumpkin, nut, corn and spice mix.
- Press down the fillings in both halves, and then place the two halves back together to make a whole pumpkin again. Tie with kitchen string (you can prepare to this stage the day before, and store, covered, in the fridge until ready to bake).
- Preheat oven to 200C. Place the whole stuffed pumpkin on a lined baking tray
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until hot all the way through.
To prepare the Festive Herb Sauce:
- Combine the fresh parsley, coriander, red onion, remaining garlic cloves, remaining paprika, cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, cloves, remaining olive oil and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
To serve:
- Slice the stuffed pumpkin into 6 thick slices and serve each with a drizzle of Festive Herb Sauce and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.
Recipe Notes
433 calories
Christmas doesn’t mean that all of your hard work from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge needs to fall by the wayside. We’ve got over 150 healthy festive recipes that the whole family will love – in our Christmas Recipe Book.
PLUS to help you beat the bloat after the festive season you can join the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
© 2024 The Healthy Mummy. All Rights Reserved.
Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. | Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
18,860 Reviews
7,333 Reviews
