Serves 2 

Homemade pesto 

Blend ½ basil bunch with 2 cloves garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of walnuts, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/3 teaspoon of sea salt +

“Cheese” options: Can use freshly grated parmesan or for a Vegan/healthier option, I used 2 tablespoons of Pimp My Salad Cashew Parmesan OR 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.

Cauliflower rice 

In a food processor, Blend 1/2 cauliflower into small enough pieces so that it looks like rice.

1/8 Pumpkin – A small piece. Less is more 🙂

12 pieces of dried porcini mushroom slices.

Olive oil 

1 clove of Italian garlic

Optional: Truffle oil, fresh oregano, fresh thyme. 

How to do it: 

Step 1: Roast the pumpkin first for extra flavor. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and Cut 1/8 (this would be ¼ of ¼) of a pumpkin into small chunks and remove the skin.  On an oven tray in some baking paper spread the pumpkin pieces out. 

Step 2: Garnish with some sea salt, dried parsley spice and a splash of olive oil.

Step 3: Once the pumpkin is browning at the edges turn off the oven. 

Step 4: In a fry pan sautee 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 small onion (or ¼ of a large onion – you really don’t need much) and 1 clove of garlic. Once heated, Add the dried porcini mushrooms to hydrate them.

Step 4: Add your cauliflower rice to the butter, ensuring that there is enough juice from the pan to coat the rice. If you need more, add a little extra olive oil to avoid the cauliflower rice sticking to the pan. 

Step 5: Mix the cauliflower rice with the butter / onion/ garlic base for 1 minute. 

Step 6: Add the pesto. Enough so that the rice turns a light green. Taste it, if it needs more – add more. It’s up to you how intense you like the pesto flavour. I used 3 tablespoons of pesto.  

Step 7: Add the pumpkin and gently mix to keep the pumpkin pieces whole. 

Step 8: Optional herbs for extra flavor: If you have herbs at hand, Conservatively add a few leaves of thyme and a few leaves of oregano. Making sure not to use too many as to overpower the basil pesto. 

Step 8: If you have some truffle oil at home, serve with a drizzle of truffle oil. Otherwise olive oil.  

Enjoy this hearty meal, it’s full of soul and love xx

©reemasaabnaturopathy2020