Quinoa stuffed mini-pumpkins

How cute are these mini pumpkins?? I love their bright orange colour and the sweet flavour. Stuffed with a quinoa-vegetable mixture they make a perfect little starter for a dinner party or just a lovely a lovely little lunch! You could add any seasonal vegetables in the mix as well as any seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, hemp, for example) or nuts (soaked or toasted almonds, toasted walnuts, etc.).

 Quinoa stuffed mini-pumpkins

(4 portions)

4 small pumpkins

1 tablespoon olive oil

100g cooked quinoa

1 carrot, grated

1 green shallot, finely sliced

1/2 lime (or lemon), juiced

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper

seeds, nuts (optional)

1. Cut the tops off the pumpkins and carve out the seeds. You can dry and roast these seeds and add them into the stuffing, if you like. 

2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the pumpkins (with their tops on) on a baking tray and drizzle with some olive oil.

3. Bake for about 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the pumpkins) or until tender. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

4. Combine quinoa, carrot, green shallot and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the pumpkins. Serve warm.