Cooking seasonally, with a wider variety of produce, is all about seeing what’s in the fridge and adapting it to your family's tastes and how much cooking time you have.
This week I’m making the most of the delicious pumpkin and sweet potato that Martin and the team are harvesting at Zestiny. A tasty sign that autumn is here! Roasting really brings out the flavour of these veg and is probably my favourite way to the prep them.
Roast Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Salad The weather is still warm, so this is a perfect recipe if you’re craving something light and healthy. Cut small cubes of pumpkin and sweet potato, drizzle in olive oil and roast with sage. Once it’s soft and caramelised, cool and combine with nuts, corn and kale or Cos lettuce. For a dressing add some honey, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to a jar and shake until combined. Tahini also makes a delicious dressing. We used pine nuts and walnuts, but any nuts or grains will work well. This is a great simple salad to try with beetroot too. Add some crumbled feta for extra protein and a creamy texture.
Roast Pumpkin, Sweet Potato and Corn Soup with Coconut If you think soups are only for winter I’m here to change your mind by adding a tropical twist! You can use plain old cream but coconut cream really elevates the flavour of this simple soup. Roast some garlic, pumpkin, sweet potato, onion and corn with a drizzle of olive oil. Once its cooled blend it up with a decent dash of coconut milk or cream. If you like it spicy you can add some curry powder too. Finish off with pepper and fried sage leaves. And if you have some cauliflower to use up, steam it and add it to the soup blend for extra nutrition and creaminess.
