Tag Archives: peeling a pumpkin

Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentils

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Why hello there Friday, I missed you.

5 pm Friday night is my favorite time of the week. It’s kind of like Christmas Eve. You see, Christmas Eve is nothing short of fabulous because no matter my age, I am always excited for Christmas morning. Similarly, Fridays nights are prime time to anticipate 48 hours of freedom. Ok…studying, but I don’t have to be anywhere, and that makes me smile.

Corey , however, prefers Sunday afternoons. Being the ray of sunshine that I am, I find Sunday afternoons depressing.

So, I’ll leave it up to you:

Well this week was a long one, and tonight I was craving something warm, hearty and healthy. Enter; Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentils, courtesy of Vegetarian Times.

I was hesitant at first. I usually think of pumpkin as something sweet. In my world, the word “pumpkin” is usually followed by sticky buns, pie and bread. So the idea of spicy pumpking seemed…odd.

Well, I was wrong! Spicy pumpkin = awesomeness. (<– word of the day)

This recipe is surprisingly good and satisfying. It’s savory, spicy, in season, and 1 cup cooked pumpkin provides the following RDA; 245% of vitamin A, 19% of vitamin C, 8% of iron, and even a sneaky 4% of calcium. (source). These numbers are for the pumpkin alone!

Since I only altered the recipe slightly, I’m going to give you the link to the original recipe, a list of my additions and offer tips to make peeling a pumpkin slightly less frustrating.

Recipe for Moroccan Pumpkin & Lentils

My Additions

  • Instead of 1 tbsp paprika, I used 1/2 tbsp paprika and 1/2 tbsp smoked spanish paprika
  • Once the stew was thoroughly cooked, I turned the heat off, mixed in 2 cups of chopped spinach and let sit until wilted.

Peeling a Pumpkin
*these directions are for a small, 1-2 lb pumpkin. You may need to cut a larger pumpkin into smaller chunks to keep it manageable

Option A

  • using caution and a sharp knife, cut away the stem and bottom of the pumpkin, creating two flat surfaces
  • wash and thoroughly dry the pumpkin
  • balance your pumpkin on a flat side
  • using a paring knife (or sharp vegetable peeler), peel the skin away in long, even strokes
  • Flip the pumpkin over and repeat until you remove the entire peel

Option B

  • remove stem and bottom, as in directions above
  • cut in half
  • scoop out seeds
  • placing cut side down, microwave until tender (time will vary depending on size & microwave)
  • let cool & peel skin away