Roasted Pumpkin Stuffed with Millet and Nuts

🎃 Stuffed Pumpkin: An Autumn Nutritional Hug

Stuffing vegetables is a fantastic technique to create very complete unique dishes. In this recipe, the caramelized sweetness of roasted pumpkin serves as a natural vessel for a filling based on millet, an ancient gluten-free grain that provides a fluffy texture and perfectly absorbs the aromas of spices and nuts.

🌰 Why it is exceptionally healthy

• Alkalizing Grain: Millet is one of the few grains that has an alkalizing effect on the body, facilitating very light digestion.
• Beta-carotenes Galore: Pumpkin is a mine of provitamin A, essential for eye health and skin regeneration.
• Quality Energy: Walnuts and almonds provide Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, excellent antioxidants.

📝 Step-by-Step Preparation

1. Pumpkin Preparation: Cut 2 small butternut squashes (approx. 1.1 lbs / 500g each) in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Make shallow cuts in the flesh, drizzle with 2 tsp (10ml) of EVOO, salt, and pepper.
2. The Roast: Bake the pumpkin halves at 400°F (200°C) for about 40-45 minutes, until the flesh is very tender and the edges are golden.
3. Millet Cooking: Wash 5.3 oz (150g) of millet well under water to remove bitterness. Toast it for a minute in a pot without oil and then add 13.5 fl oz (400ml) of boiling vegetable broth. Cook covered over very low heat for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
4. The Filling Sofrito: In a skillet, soften 3.5 oz (100g) of chopped leek. Add 1.8 oz (50g) of raisins (previously hydrated in warm water) and 1.4 oz (40g) of chopped walnuts and almonds. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
5. Master Mix: When the pumpkin is roasted, extract some of its flesh, being careful not to break the skin. Mix this flesh with the cooked millet and the nut sofrito.
6. Stuffing and Broiling: Fill the pumpkin boats with this generous mixture. Put back in the oven for 10 minutes so the surface becomes slightly crispy.