Vegan Pumpkin Spread with Turmeric

When the leaves turn orange, red and yellow and the migrating birds depart toward warmer places, then it’s time for one of my favorite veggies – pumpkin! There are amazing recipes with pumpkin from soups and stews to pies and spreads. The fabulous thing about pumpkin is that you don’t really need much for it to taste good. Sometimes a drizzle of oil and some sea salt are enough to make delicious roasted pumpkin. Pumpkin has only little calories (with Hokkaido having only 26 grams per 100 grams) and contains the antioxidant beta-carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A in our bodies. Furthermore, the bright orange vegetable is high in vital nutrients, including magnesium, folic acid, phosphorus and iron, as well as in vitamin B1, B2, B6, C and E. Mixed with turmeric, carrots, onions and garlic this vegan pumpkin spread is the perfect immune booster for the cooler season.

Ingredients for two jars:

• 300 g organic Hokkaido pumpkin (don’t peel the skin)
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 little piece of peeled tumeric
• 5 Tbs. pumpkin seed oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. red pepper powder
• 1 tsp. cumin

1. Rinse the pumpkin and the carrots under running water, making sure to rub the skin properly in case you buy conventional produce. I prefer to buy organic fruits and vegetables to decrease the risk of harmful chemicals and fertilizers on the food
2. Peel the onion and the garlic, cut all the veggies into small chunks and place them in a heatproof casserole
3. Drizzle pumpkin seed oil (alternatively olive oil) on top and combine with salt, pepper, red pepper powder and cumin
4. Place in the oven for 30 minutes at 200°C*
5. Take out the casserole and let the roasted vegetables cool down completely
6. Once they reach room temperature, add some more oil and a little bit of water before blending the vegetables with an immersion blender until the spread reaches your preferred consistency. Some of you might like it a bit chunkier, while others prefer the spread to be completely mushy
7. Place into a sterilized glass jar and store in the fridge

*Preheating the oven

When baking veggies, I never preheat the oven, since it doesn’t change the texture or taste of the food, but saves electricity costs.

Merken