Quinoa, Dates And Sage With Roasted Pumpkin

Ingredients

1 small sugar pumpkin (2 to 3 pounds), halved and sown
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to the drizzle
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups quinoa
3 cups stoned Medjool dates, julienned
1/4 cup small ointment leaves, torn

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the pumpkin into approximately 3-inch pieces and arrange on a rimmed backblech skin side down. Drizzle the pumpkin pieces with olive oil and give them a splash of salt and pepper. Fry the pumpkin until soft, about 1 hour. Once it is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin and put the roasted pumpkin meat into a bowl.

Meanwhile, place a large dry pan over medium heat and add the quinoa. Toast for 5 to 10 minutes or until the quinoa releases a nice toasty flavor. Add 3 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt; Cover and bring to a boil Reduce the heat to low and simmer the quinoa until all the water has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and lay aside, covered; The steam will stop cooking the quinoa.

Once the quinoa has cooled a bit, add it with the roasted pumpkin along with the dates, torn ointment leaves and 1/4 cup olive oil into the bowl. Toss gently combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.