Welcome October with Pumpkin!

Forget pumpkin spice lattes, I’m talking dinner here! This meal can be assembled the night before and just popped in the oven to heat while you make a salad and set the table!  Hearty, healthy, and delicious!

Serves 4-6

• One 2-lb organic pumpkin, or other winter squash
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 small organic onion
• 1 clove minced organic garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped organic pepper — I used yellow
• 1 & 1/2 cup cooked quinoa or rice
• 1/4 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), extra reserved for garnish
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 tsp vegetable or beef seasoning
• 1 tsp dried or 1 TBSP fresh thyme, extra reserved for garnish
• 1/2 tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh sage, extra reserved for garnish
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 mashed organic avocado
• 1 TBSP olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
• Cut a lid off of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds
• Place the pumpkin in a large pan, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is slightly tender but will still keep its shape.  When done, remove from the water, drain, and cool. Place in a baking dish or pie pan
• Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the package directions
• In a medium frying pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and pepper in olive oil
• Remove from the heat
• Add the cooked quinoa to the frying pan
• Add the pepitas, raisins, vegetable/beef seasoning, and herbs
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Cool
• Mash the avocado and add to the quinoa mixture
• Spoon the quinoa mixture into the pumpkin shell, top with the lid, and brush the outside of the pumpkin with olive oil
• Bake until heated through, about 35 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the pumpkin to a platter and slice into wedges to serve.  Top with extra pepitas, chopped thyme and sage