Quinoa Stuffed Pumpkins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Clean the pumpkins by running them under warm water and scrubbing well with a clean sponge. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut out the tops of the pumpkins and scoop out the insides. Arrange the pumpkins on an oven tray (with the tops on the side), drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and soft to the touch.
In the meantime, prepare the stuffing. Soak the cranberries in boiling hot water for 10-15 minutes, drain and set aside.
Heat up the remaining olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the onions for 4-6 minutes until just soft and translucent. Add celery, mushrooms and crushed garlic and cook for a further 8-10 minutes over medium heat until the mushrooms are starting to crisp up a little. Add the quinoa, rosemary, thyme, sage, soaked (and drained) cranberries, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and pour in vegetable stock. Cover with a lid and cook over medium to low heat for 7-10 minutes until the vegetable stock has been absorbed. Taste the seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
Spoon the stuffing into the pumpkins and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, rotating the roasting tray halfway through cooking to ensure the pumpkins don’t burn.
Garnish with feta cheese (or scrambled tofu) and pomegranate seeds just before serving. If you aren’t a fan of any, use our second alternative of chopped fresh cilantro.