Pumpkin with apricot-ginger glaze

This recipe is a tasty side dish, or can be a main dish by amping it up and adding some plant-based protein sources like seeds and/or chic peas or beans. I got the original recipe straight out of my favorite recipe book, Blissful Bites by Christy Morgan and modified it a bit. Fortunately I had the exact kind of pumpkin she recommended for the recipe, but you can use any kind of pumpkin or even butternut squash for this sweet autumn dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

About 2 cups of cubed pumpkin (Kabocha, a green winter squash that looks like a large green pumpkin is suggested, but any pumpkin or butternut squash can be used). This amount equates to a small pumpkin, you can double or triple the recipe by using a whole large one. I also left the skin on and it was soft enough once cooked to eat.

soy sauce or tamari

cilantro for garnish (optional)

1 can of drained chic peas, beans or a handful of sunflower seeds or roasted pumpkin seeds for added protein (optional)

For the glaze:
1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey
1 inch piece of chopped ginger
2 tablespoons of apricot preserves

Directions:

Cut pumpkin into cubes and steam in a large pot for about 7-10 minutes. If you don't have a steamer basket, just put pumpkin pieces in a large pot with water filled about 1 inch from the bottom, cover with a lid and turn heat on medium-high. Drizzle soy sauce over top the pumpkin cubes. Check pumpkin often to see when soft, it should be easy to stab with a fork.

Mix glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.

When pumpkin is ready, drain and serve in large bowl or dish. Sprinkle chic peas or seeds on top if you desire, and drizzle glaze on top of everything. Enjoy!