Warm Pumpkin, Quinoa and Cabbage Salad

By Jacqueline Alwill on July 28, 2016 in Food

Pumpkin has to be one of my all time favourite vegetables for the cooler months. It’s grounding, wholesome, nourishing, beautiful in colour and rich in flavour. With this recipe I’ve teamed it with quinoa, parsley, cabbage and walnuts, and the dressing is the perfect combination of syrupy sweetness and a touch of spice to finish. Heaven.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Salad
750g pumpkin (winter squash)
140g cooked red quinoa
130g red cabbage, finely shredded
60g walnuts, toasted
A good pinch of sea salt
A small handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves

Dressing
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
A pinch of ground cinnamon

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking tray (baking sheet) with baking paper.
2. Slice the pumpkin into 8 pieces, removing the seeds but leaving the skin on.
3. Toss the pumpkin slices in the oil and salt and arrange on a baking tray so that they lay as flat as possible (this helps keep them whole for presentation). 4. Bake pumpkin in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden.
5. Once cooked, arrange the pumpkin in layers on a large serving platter with the quinoa, parsley, cabbage and walnuts.
6. Combine all of the dressing ingredients together, then drizzle over the salad.
7. Serve while warm (although this salad is also delicious served cold).

Bondi local Jacqueline Alwill is a qualified, practicing nutritionist, personal trainer, whole foods cook and, most importantly, mother to Jet. She is committed to improving the health, wellbeing and happiness of all individuals. In her first cookbook, Seasons to Share, Jacqueline has brought together a delightful collection of beautiful seasonal, wholefoods recipes for all occasions. Seasons to Share (Murdoch Books) is available now in all good bookstores and online.