wildmagpie

1 large butternut squash

4 tbsp oil

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

1 tsp nigella seeds

10g sliced almonds

10g basil leaves

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 220ºc.

Trim the top and bottom off the butternut squash and cut it in half length ways. Remove the seeds. Cut each half into wedges . Arrange the wedges in a roasting tray, standing them with the skin underneath. Brush with half the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. The wedges should be lightly browned . Leave to cool.

The sauce

1 medium aubergine

150g Greek yoghurt

2 tsp olive oil

11/2 tsp pomegranate molasses

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 garlic clove crushed

For this sauce you need to burn the aubergine to get the smoky flavour into the flesh, so it is a good idea to put some foil over the hob area and to pierce the aubergine to prevent the possibility of the aubergine exploding! Place the aubergine on a moderate flame and burn the aubergine for 12-15 minutes until the skin dries and cracks and smoky aromas are released. Turn it all around remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Make a long cut through the aubergine, using a spoon scoop out the soft flesh while avoiding the burnt skin. Drain and chop roughly.

In a mixing bowl stir together the aubergine flesh, yoghurt, oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic. Taste and season with slat and pepper. It should be sweetly sharp and highly flavoursome.

Arrange the squash wedges on a serving platter, piling on top of each other. Drizzle with the olive oil sprinkle the nuts and seeds over and garnish with the basil. Serve the sauce on the side.

As the days get darker and the weather colder, we all begin to reach for warming meals and this hearty vegetarian supper will make everyone smile. Healthy and tasty it is a suggestion from Healthy Food Magazine.

4 x 450g baby pumpkins

Cooking oil spray

100g quinoa, rinsed

1½tbsp pine nuts

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

2tbsp currants

2tbsp lemon juice

125g reduced-fat feta, crumbled

2tbsp snipped fresh chives

Radicchio leaves, to serve

Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice the tops off the pumpkins and set aside. Remove the seeds and a little of the flesh from each pumpkin. Spray the insides with oil and season with ground black pepper. Replace the tops and put on the baking tray, then roast for 30 min. Remove the tops and set aside. Turn the pumpkins over and roast for 30 min more.

Meanwhile, put the quinoa in a medium pan with 300ml boiling water and simmer, covered, for 20 min or until tender. Drain. Spray a non-stick frying pan with a little oil and put over a medium heat. Cook the pine nuts, carrot, celery, pepper and currants, stirring, for 10 min or until the veg are just tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the quinoa and lemon juice.

Add the feta and chives to the quinoa mixture. Spoon into the pumpkins, replace the tops, then bake for 15 min or until heated through. Serve with the radicchio, drizzled with balsamic vinegar.