Have you ever had sweet pumpkin? If not, I am very sorry to tell you that you have been missing out. I myself have been missing out for a very long time but really, it is so absolutely delicious. And so easy to make. Definitely not your average dessert!
What is special about this dish?
Sweet Pumpkin. This already is very special. Instead of putting it into soup, pasta, curry, whatever, we are preparing it in a non-savoury way. It is roasted with cinnamon, maple and spices and served with an incredibly delicious, homemade granola.
The granola is the next special part. It is not the kind you need to roast in the oven for ages but the one you throw into a pan, and it is done in like 10 minutes. Pretty good right? A sweet version of pumpkin definitely is worth a try!
Is this dish healthy?
Yesso. Pumpkin is pretty healthy. Super high in vitamins and also in fibre. If you want to read more about why it is such a great vegetable, you can read about it in my November Top 5 blog post! Having a vegetable in your dessert ist pretty amazing because it makes you have a delicious meal but still getting your vitamins in.
The rest is also pretty healthy. Sure, there is sugar in this recipe, but no refined sugar. And the granola is also pretty good. The walnuts add a healthy amount of unsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fats, and nutrients. The oats are high in fibre and carbs too and are pretty healthy! So all in all, definitely healthy!
How to make this dish:
This is fairly simple, as almost all of my recipes. First, you need to brush the pumpkin with the oil-spice mixture. Now it needs to be baked in the oven. This does take a while but in the meantime you can prepare the granola. For this just heat up some oil and honey or other liquid sweetener in a pan and add the crushed walnuts as well as the oats, spices and cinnamon. Let everything crisp up and then let cool a bit. Once the pumpkin is done, serve it with some (plant based) yoghurt or ice cream and the granola.
When and how to best have it:
You can literally have this as breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. You have your veggies and carbs, so I think it is suitable for every meal of the day. I love to have it as a dessert or even as a breakfast! As already mentioned above, it is best served with yoghurt or ice cream and granola!
Substitutes:
Butternut squash – any other pumpkin, sweet potato
Walnuts – pecans, almonds, hazelnuts
Oats – leave them out
Maple syrup – honey, agave
Cranberries – raisins
Maple Cinnamon Baked Pumpkin with Super Crispy Walnut Cranberry Granola
A sweet version of the fall classic. Soft, sweet and warm, served with a delicious, crispy granola. Next level pumpkin.
What you will need
For the Pumpkin:
- 3 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- a pinch salt
- 1 butternut squash (about 900g)
For the granola:
- 60 g rolled oats
- 30 g walnuts
- 30 g cranberries
To serve:
- yoghurt, ice cream,..
- some maple syrup
- extra cinnamon
How to
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Start by slicing the pumpkin into about 3cm thick slices. Remove the seeds from the slices that contain some. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lay the pumpkin on a baking tray with parchment paper. Combine the oil, maple and spices and brush both sides of the slices with it (there will be some oil mixture left). Bake for 45 minutes. Turn the heat up to 200°C an bake for another 5 minutes.
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In the meantime add the oats and walnuts to a non-stick pan and toast on high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Once golden brown, add the remaining oil-maple mixture that's left after brushing the pumpkin. Turn heat down and stir it it. Add the chopped up cranberries and also stir in. Take off the heat and let cool a bit.
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When the pumpkin is done, serve with some (plant based) yoghurt, granola, extra maple and cinnamon. Enjoy!
