Somehow on cold winter days all I want to do is just sit indoors and munch on something the whole day! I really need to have a bunch of healthy snacks around to help to cut down on unnecessary junk snacking 😀 I think that not having a lot of junk food in my kitchen helps me stay on track. Anyway, lazy winter evenings also mean that I am a little reluctant to try recipes that involve a lot of prep work!! Salads are so easy and make such a wholesome meal – but it is something that I personally associate with summer months 😀 So I wanted to try something different – a salad that had a winter/fall appeal. And what could be better than a warm roasted pumpkin and garbanzo beans salad!! This makes a perfect fall recipe. Yaay!!

Ingredients

1. 400 grams pumpkin
2. 1 can garbanzo beans (425 grams/15 ounces)
3. 2 tsp oil, divided
4. Salt to taste
5. Pinch of black pepper
6. 1 tbsp date syrup (to add a slight sweetness – you can use maple syrup or honey also)
7. 1/2 jalapeño
8. Juice from 1/2 lemon
9. 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
10. Handful of chopped cilantro (optional – you can use other herbs like parsley too)
11. Chilli flakes (for extra heat :D)

Cooking Time: 25 min

Servings: 2      

Method

1. Cut the pumpkin into medium sized pieces. Taking a mixing bowl. Add the chopped pumpkin, 1 tsp oil, salt to taste and pinch of black pepper and toss well.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Take a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread the pumpkin on the tray. Bake for 15 – 20 min till the pumpkin gets a little soft. I removed it from the oven when the pumpkin was still a little crunchy because I like it that way.
3. Chop jalapeño and cilantro finely. 
4. In the mixing bowl, add date syrup, chopped jalapeño, lime juice and 1 tsp oil oil and mix well.
5. Once the pumpkin is done, add the pumpkin, washed and drained garbanzo beans to the mixing bowl and mix well. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.
6. For the yogurt dressing, take 2 tbsp greek yogurt in a small bowl. Add chopped cilantro and whip well with a spoon.
7. To serve, add the warm salad to a serving plate or bowl and top with this yogurt dressing! I topped with some chill flakes as well to add some heat 🙂

Notes

1. I used the oven to roast the pumpkin, you can do it on the stove top too. Add a little oil in a pan. Once it is heated, add the pumpkin and sprinkle some water, salt and pepper. Cook while stirring in between till the pumpkin is done.