Roasted Pumpkin, Lentil and Tahini Bowl, Trish's Way

This is a really simple bowl: pumpkin and red onion roasted until soft and golden, a tin of lentils, two handfuls of leafy greens, a scatter of pumpkin seeds and a tahini and lemon dressing over the top. It is full of colourful plants, fibre, protein and healthy fats, so it makes a lovely satisfying lunch or dinner. Dairy-free, vegan, and about half an hour from chopping board to table.

A word from Trish first

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is to ignore the little signs our bodies give us.

The bloating that keeps coming back. Feeling shattered in the afternoon. Waking in the night. Craving sugar when you’ve eaten well all day. We can get so used to these things that they almost become normal.

But one of the things I love most about the work I do is helping women get curious about what their body is trying to tell them. Sometimes a few simple changes make a big difference, and sometimes we need to dig a little deeper.

This bowl is one of the simple changes. It’s an easy way to nourish your gut without making healthy eating complicated.

What you need

Serves 2 as a main.

• ½ small pumpkin, chopped into cubes
• 1 tin lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 handfuls leafy greens
• ½ red onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp tahini
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Enough water to make it lovely and creamy

Method

1. Heat the oven to about 200C (390F). Toss the pumpkin and onion with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them out on a tray.
2. Roast until soft and golden, usually 25 to 30 minutes, turning once.
3. While they roast, mix the tahini with the lemon juice, then add water a spoonful at a time until the dressing is smooth and pourable.
4. Add the roasted pumpkin and onion to a bowl with the lentils and greens.
5. Sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds and finish with the tahini dressing.

Why the variety matters

What I love about this meal is the variety. The lentils, vegetables, seeds and greens all add different plant foods and fibre, while the lentils and tahini provide protein too. It’s an easy way to nourish your gut without making healthy eating complicated.

When food changes are not the whole story

Sometimes food and lifestyle changes aren’t the whole story.

Functional testing can give us more information about what may be happening inside the body. In my work with private clients, stool testing is one of the tools I can use to investigate digestive symptoms and help guide a more individual approach rather than simply guessing.

I recently recorded a video inside my Nourish and Thrive Facebook group explaining more about functional testing, what we can look at and why I use it with some clients. If you’ve wondered what functional testing actually involves, watch the video in the group.

Bloated, tired, craving sugar or awake at 3am?

These are some of the things women talk to me about every week. And while there’s rarely one single explanation, I always come back to the foundations first.

• Are you eating enough protein?
• Getting plenty of fibre and plants?
• Drinking enough water? Moving every day?
• How much alcohol are you drinking?
• Are you giving your nervous system a chance to settle before bed?

Small things, done consistently, matter.

And remember, you don’t have to figure everything out by yourself. If your body has been trying to get your attention lately, perhaps it’s time to start listening. Persistent symptoms are worth raising with your GP rather than working around.

Common questions

Which pumpkin works best?

Any eating pumpkin. Kent (Jap), butternut and Queensland blue all roast well, and butternut is the easiest to peel. Half a small one is roughly 500 to 600g, which is plenty for two bowls.

Can I use dried lentils instead of tinned?

Yes. Cook about half a cup of dried brown or green lentils until tender, then drain and use them the same way. The tin is there to keep the recipe quick, not because it works better.

What greens should I use?

Whatever is in the fridge. Baby spinach, rocket, kale or a mixed leaf all work. Sturdier greens like kale are nicer if you add them to the tray for the last few minutes so they soften slightly in the heat.

Is it vegan and gluten-free?

Yes to both, as written. There is no dairy, egg or meat in it, and none of the ingredients contain gluten. As always, check the label on the tinned lentils and the tahini if you need to be certain.

Can I make it ahead?

The roasted pumpkin, onion and lentils keep in the fridge for two or three days, and the dressing keeps in a jar for the same. Keep the greens and the dressing separate until you serve, or the leaves go limp.

What can I use instead of tahini?

A spoonful of hummus thinned with lemon and water gets you close, or a little olive oil and lemon if you want to keep it plain. Tahini is doing the creamy job here and adding some of the protein, so the bowl is a touch lighter without it.

Is this low FODMAP?

Not as written. Red onion is high FODMAP, and lentils and pumpkin both depend on the type and the serve. Anyone following a low FODMAP plan properly should check the portions and swaps with a dietitian rather than guessing.

Does it matter that the lentils are tinned?

Not for this recipe. Rinsing them well takes away most of the tin liquid, which is also the part some people find harder to digest. If lentils are new to you, start with a smaller serve and build up.

More from Trish

Trish’s gut-loving herb pesto is a good thing to have in the fridge for a bowl like this, and her soothing green smoothie takes the same short-list approach at breakfast. Her expert page collects the rest of her writing here, and the gut and digestion index has the food-by-food answers, including whether spinach can make you gassy or bloated.

About Trish

Trish Tucker-May is a Registered Nutritionist, a member of the Federation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (UK), and author of Nourish Your Gut For A Positive Menopause. She works with women over 40 on gut health and hormonal balance. Read more on her expert page, or find her at www.trishtuckermay.com.

Nutrition information on Cuisine Seeker is general in nature and is not a substitute for advice from your GP or an accredited practising dietitian.