From The North Grove Kitchen: Pumpkin Power Bowls

Thao joined The North Grove team this spring and summer as a Dietetics Intern from Mount Saint Vincent University. She regularly wowed us with her inventive, nutritious recipes, and traditional Vietnamese delights.  

This fall she returned to The North Grove to present her final project and share a special fall recipe with us!  

These Pumpkin Power Bowls are delicious and packed with nutrients. Community members loved the dish, prepared by Community Meals Coordinator, Chris and our kitchen team. We hope you’ll give it a try at home! 

Pumpkin Power Bowl   

Makes: one bowl (multiply ingredients as needed) 

Ingredients

• 1 cup fully cooked turkey (or chicken, or tofu)  

• 1.5 cup roasted pumpkin (Cinderella, Sugar or Sugar Pie)  

• 1 red pepper  

• 2 green onions

• ½ cup quinoa (or rice) 

• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)    

• 1 tbsp sour cream (or yogurt) 

• 1 tbsp mayonnaise  

• 1 tbsp fresh sage (or 1 tsp dry)  

• 1 clove garlic  

• 2 tsp oil 

• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (or vinegar) 

• Salt and pepper to taste  

Instructions

1. The turkey: roast until you get an internal temperature of 180 F (whole bird) or 165 F (quarter bird) – cut into bite size pieces, skin on or off.  (this is a perfect dish for leftovers! )  

2. The pumpkin: peel rinse and cube – Season with one tsp of oil, plus salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 350 F until soft and you see some browning (that’s the natural sugars caramelizing!) 

3. The green onion: finely chop the green part and reserve for garnish. Chop and use the white stalky part.  

4. The veggies: season chopped red pepper, chopped white onion stalks & whole garlic cloves with 1tsp oil, salt and pepper to taste. Roast until some black char forms on the pepper.  

5. The pumpkin seeds: roast (350 F) or toast (dry pan on stovetop) husked seeds until you just see them starting to brown (no oil necessary). Season with salt to taste. 

6. The quinoa: in a small pot, boil 1 cup of water. Add the quinoa and a pinch of salt. Cook until you see the first quinoa husks begin to pop. Turn off heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.  

7. The dressing: Mix mayonnaise, sage, sour cream, lemon juice, ½ cup roast pumpkin, and the two roasted garlic cloves in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste.  

8. Serve all together (hot or cold) in a bowl with dressing, crunchy seeds, and green onions on top.  Enjoy!  

   
   
   
   

   If you want to share photos of your cooking or have any questions please feel free to get in touch with Marlee at mlacourciere@thenorthgrove.ca.