Roasted Pumpkin Buddha Bowls

Tis’ the season for roasting vegetables, squash, and pumpkin! The weather is cooling down A LOT so we’re using the oven more often.

Ever consider turning that cute pumpkin sitting in your kitchen into part of a savory meal (instead of sweet pie)? Well hopefully you’ll find some inspiration here to branch out (vine out ) and try something new this Autumn

These bowls are plant-based and extremely hearty, satisfying, and really darn tasty thanks to a fabulous homemade dressing.

Of course, if you’re like me and require more protein, you can add some cooked chicken or shrimp to your finished bowls.

If you don’t have a fresh pumpkin on hand, then butternut squash, yams, or sweet potatoes will work just as well for this recipe.

Are you a pumpkin fan?

I’m not just a fan. I’m completely obsessed. COMPLETELY.

There are SO MANY reasons to add pumpkin to your diet – it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that are good for you.

PLUS … it’s low in calories and tastes great.

Here are just a few of pumpkin’s benefits: it’s good for your vision and immune health, and it may even help reduce your risk of cancer!

Pumpkin also protects your heart, lungs, and kidneys, helps battle high blood pressure and it’s good for your skin.

Eating pumpkin can keep us looking young thanks to beta-carotene that helps protect us from the sun’s wrinkle-causing UV rays = younger-looking skin.

REFERENCES:

• WebMD

Which Pumpkins are Edible?

Can we eat just *any* Pumpkin?

Yes! We can. Every pumpkin is totally edible…but some pumpkins are better than others.

Every part of the pumpkin is edible: young stems, leaves, shoots, and tendrils of pumpkin plants. If you are harvesting your own pumpkin stems, be sure to only use the young bright green shoots. We’re NOT talking about the thick dried-up stem (that would be like eating a tree branch – I’m only guessing here, lol). So try the leaves, shoots, and stems when they are young and still tender enough to eat.

You can try adding them to soups, stir-fries, and skillet meals. I even remember my grandmother stuffing pumpkin blossoms for a special harvest meal once when I was young.

You can eat the pumpkin plant leaves, the pumpkin blossoms, the entire pumpkin itself, and the seeds inside any pumpkin.

BUT – just because every pumpkin is edible doesn’t mean they will all equally taste good.

Some pumpkin varieties are truly best for carving or decorating, and then there are others that taste best for eating.

Have fun experimenting with different types of pumpkins if you have a few different ones you want to try cooking with! Hit up those local farm stands for the best variety.

Best Pumpkins for Eating

The VERY BEST tasting pumpkins for roasting and cooking (like this recipe below, soups, and treats) are those labeled as “sugar” or “pie” pumpkins which are smaller and sweeter pumpkins.

There are a few larger pumpkin varieties such as cinderella pumpkins, fairytale pumpkins, and jarrahdale pumpkins that are also pretty good to cook up and use in your recipes!

The pumpkins typically used to make Jack O’ Lanterns are still fine to eat but they are pretty bland. Save the seeds because they are great for roasting though!

One other thing to note: Butternut squash can be substituted for pumpkin in pretty much any pumpkin recipe, which is great because some years pumpkins are more difficult to find.

Also, try our Butternut Squash Bowls.

4 servings

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Pumpkin:

• 1-1/2 lbs pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

For the Roasted Veggies:

• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 fresh zucchini, cut into half moons
• 1-pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
• 2 tsps Italian seasoning
• sea salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

• 4 Tbsps tahini or sesame paste
• 2 Tbsps sesame oil
• 2 Tbsps maple syrup or raw honey
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

For the Buddha Bowls:

• 1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa
• 1 cup cooked edamame
• 1 English cucumber, cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• freshly chopped cilantro
• sesame seeds

Instructions:

To make the roasted pumpkin:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees f. and line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper.

Place the pumpkin cubes in a large bowl. Add in garlic, sea salt, pepper, and oil. Toss well to evenly coat, then transfer to

one of the prepared baking trays. Arrange in a single layer, then roast in your preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden and tender.

To make the roasted veggies:

Meanwhile, using the second prepared baking tray, layer the carrots, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with oil then sprinkle Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper to taste. Toss to coat everything well, then roast for about 15 minutes in your preheated oven.

To make the dressing:

Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined.

To assemble your Buddha Bowls:

Divide the rice or quinoa evenly among 4 serving bowls.

Arrange roasted pumpkin and veggies as desired nicely around the bowls as shown in the photos, to be able to see a bit of each.

Fill the empty spaces with edamame and cucumber ribbons.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

To serve the bowls:

Drizzle with dressing as desired then dig in and enjoy!

Rachel

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