It is my intention to trial these recipes that I share however this week I'm doing a juicing detox (actually the http://www.worldsbiggestjuicedetox.com/) so am feasting on yummy, life enhancing juices - feeding and cleansing my body at the same time. Having quit caffeine several years ago, been involved in actively reducing sugar to just about zero and largely removed wheat from my diet I've been lucky not to have been experiencing the withdrawal symptoms from these. However it's worth going through them if you've not reached that point - it rocks to get to the other side!
Today's recipe looks fantastic and is a definite on my list of ones to make once I've juiced and done my raw food challenge (more about that another time). This is from a lovely book (easy vegan; simple recipes for healthy eating) that I picked up at Salts Mill the day after my sister's wedding earlier this year. It reminds me of my number one favourite ever meal - eaten on a warm evening at a pavement table in Melbourne, Australia. Delicious pumpkin and pasta - and this looks like a great vegan, potentially wheat free alternative - win, win!
You'll need:
1 tblsp light olive oil
1 lb/450g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
14oz/400g vegan friendly tagliatelle (or spaghetti - you can make it wheat free too if you use a pasta such as corn and rice spaghetti)
finely grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
a large handful of rocket
a large handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the red pepper oil:
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
6 large chilies
1 small red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 cup/65ml olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4
Put the red pepper, chilies, onion, garlic, cumin seeds and 2 tblsps of olive oil in a roasting pan. Cook in the preheated oven for an hour, turning often. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor while still hot. Add the remaining oil and whizz until smooth. Let cool, then pour the mixture into a clean and dry screwtop jar.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet/frying pan set over high and add the pumpkin. Cook for 10 minutes, turning often, until each piece is golden brown all over. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions and drain well. Put it in a large bowl and add 2-3 tblsps of the red pepper oil. Add the cooked pumpkin, lemon peel and juice, rocket and parsley and toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper and serve immediately.
The remaining red pepper oil will keep for a week when stored in an airtight jar in the fridge. It can be used as a dip for baked potato wedges ot the enrich tomato based sauces and soups (or really whatever you'd like to eat it with!)
Let me know how you get on...
Our halloween Warlock's Wife pumpkin (probably not the most tasty type for this dish though - steer towards less stringy pumpkins or butternut squash for a yummy result)
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