This recipe is perfect if you’re planning on carving pumpkins for Halloween. Rather than waste the flesh and seeds I wanted to use them as part of a healthy and delicious meal. Plus doing them this way actually makes the pumpkin much easier to carve, so it’s definitely a win win, A hearty soup with wholesome bread plus an easy to carve pumpkin too.
Soup Ingredients
Serves 6
Flesh of one Pumpkin (Choose one that will fit into a microwave)
1 400g Jar of ChargrillEd Red Peppers 100g Red Lentils
2 Chicken or Vegetable Stock Pots
Salt and Pepper to season
500-750ml Water to preferred thickness
Method
Firstly place the pumpkin into the microwave and cook for 10 minutes turning over half way through. Carefully remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Once cooled enough to touch carefully cut off the top and leave to one side. Using a large spoon remove the seeds, rinse well and place into a bowl. Next remove the flesh, going gently around the insides, leave approx 1.5 cm from the edge, so as not to damage the outer skin.
Place the flesh into a pan with the stock pots, peppers, red lentils and water. Gently cook for 10-15 minutes or until lentils are soft, adding more water if necessary depending on preferred thickness.
Place the mix into a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of chilli flakes to serve.
Pumpkin Seed Porridge Bread
Makes 12-14 slices
Ingredients
280g Porridge Oats
280g Fat Free Greek Yogurt
1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Handful of Pumpkin Seeds
Method
Mix the porridge, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and Greek yogurt together with a large spoon. Spoon into a lined bread tin and sprinkle over some pumpkin seeds, approx 15-20g.
Cook in a preheated oven 180 Degrees, Gas Mark 4 for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn bread upside in the tin and cook for a further 10 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Slice the porridge bread and serve with the soup. Delicious.
Calories Per Portion Soup with 2 Slices Porridge Bread Approx 298 calories
Tip : You can dry any left over pumpkin seeds by placing on a tray and cooking them at 120 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Store in an airtight container and use as a snack or in cereal and biscuit.
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