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Send Help: We Can’t Stop Eating This Hokkaido Red Lentil Spread

August 27, 2019

Send Help: We Can’t Stop Eating This Hokkaido Red Lentil Spread

served on Fit Figure Multigrain 

Put on your plaid scarf, vest, and most basic sweater, because Starbucks’ coveted fall drink aka Pumpkin Spice Latte aka PSL is making a comeback today. And that means fall is unofficially here. We’re transitioning fully into autumn over here at Smartbite Snacks with this 6 ingredient pumpkin red lentil spread!

It’s unbelievably easy to make (life is hard enough so we try to keep our recipes easy), smoky, hearty, filling, high in protein and full of flavor. I had to stop myself from eating all of it with a spoon before I even got to take the pictures! 😅 What else is inside this thing? A heaping dose of AUTUMNAL FLAVOR, that’s what!

This spread is everything and more.

It’s:

〰 Creamy
〰 Savory
〰 Smoky
〰 Spicy
〰 Insanely flavorful
〰 Perfect for fall

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 of medium Hokkaido pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup of red lentils
  • 1.25 L (5 cups) filtered water
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for approx. 3 hours, then drained*
  • 1 garlic clove (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 TSP smoked cayenne pepper, can be subbed for mild paprika
  • 1 TSP of turmeric
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pepitas and walnuts for garnish

 

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Do not worry about peeling your Hokkaido pumpkin. Give it a proper rinse and using a sharp knife, cut pumpkin in half lengthwise. Then use a sharp spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape out all of the seeds (save those for roasting) and strings. Then cut Hokkaido pumpkin into smaller pieces while leaving skin on.

3. Brush pumpkin pieces with half a TBSP of the oil and roast in the oven until tender or until a fork easily pierces the pumpkin. This will take about half an hour. Don’t let the pumpkin get overdone in the oven. You still need it to be golden but not brown. Then remove pan from the oven, let the pumpkin cool for 10 minutes, then remove the skin.

4. While your pumpkin is baking, combine lentils and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are soft and almost mushy about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

5. Then simply put pumpkin into a high-speed blender or food processor and add soaked cashews, cooked red lentils, chopped garlic, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt and pepper and blend until creamy and smooth. If it has trouble blending, add a little water. But it shouldn't need it!

6. Place in a bowl, garnish with pepitas and walnuts, grab your fave snack and enjoy!



PRO TIP: If you don’t have time to soak the cashews or if you forget, you can quick soak the raw cashews in boiling water for about 10 minutes, but the cashews will no longer be raw and it won’t necessarily break down all the enzyme inhibitors present naturally in nuts. Slow soaking also increases their digestibility. 




 


Did you make this recipe? We get crazy excited when you make our recipes and we always love to see how they turn out. 
Tag @smartbitesnacks on Instagram and hashtag it #SmartbiteSnacks



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