George Georgievski shares his delicious ideas for last nights leftovers to pop in the kids (or your) lunchbox this week.

This Smashing Pumpkin Salad is the perfect warm salad for these cooler Autumn months. It is also super easy and tastes amazing.

Smashing Pumpkin Salad

Ingredients: 

  • 2 kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 10 cm long slices
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt flakes
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground
    black pepper
  • 80 g (1⁄2 cup) pine nuts
  • 400 g baby spinach
  • 300 g cubed goat’s cheese
  • Honey–Balsamic Dressing (see page 30 of my book)
  • Balsamic glaze, to serve (optional; see Handy Hints)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Place the pumpkin in a large bowl, add the oil, salt and pepper and give it a good mix so the pumpkin is smothered in the oil. Tip onto the prepared trays and cook for about 25 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
  3. Toast the pine nuts over medium–low heat in a small dry frying pan for 6–7 minutes, until golden brown. Keep the pan moving (if you’re like me you will be tipping the pan about and spilling a few) or stir constantly, as the pine nuts can burn very easily. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  4. Grab your fave platter, add the pumpkin, spinach and pine nuts and give it a little mix. Add the goat’s cheese, but don’t stress if it falls apart or crumbles as we can pass it off as being rustic. Drizzle the honey–balsamic dressing over the whole lot and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, if desired.