Oooh here’s a good one for you.

This one-pot pumpkin Thai curry recipe has been a huge hit and is one of the most versatile recipes I have up my sleeve. It comes from one of the ladies in the office – this time we have Sara to thank. The end-of-meeting recipe swap is becoming a perk of the job!

This is technically a vegan/plant-based recipe but there’s no reason why you couldn’t add a little chicken, fish or shrimp if you would like to. You do get a hefty dose of protein though from the chickpeas, quinoa and cashew combo – so it’s perfect for diluting the animal protein in your diet.

Plant-based diets are incredibly useful for increasing the fruit and veg in your diet. Remember that the more fruit and veg you eat, the more antioxidants and fibre you consume (and the lower your risk of bowel and colon cancer falls). But eating animal products doesn’t mean you can’t be plant-based – just let the plants dominate!

I’ve called this a one-pot curry but that’s really a bit of cheat as you’ll need to cook your quinoa separately. You can skip it if you like, as the chickpeas and cashews will give you solid protein. If you do skip, just serve the curry in a bowl with a spoon and enjoy the vibrant colours and warm goodness. It’s even better if you roast your pumpkin first, but that’s another pan and it’s not essential. And – don’t hate me! – it’s even better if you do the blending step (although you could thicken with a little corn starch instead).

Another tip on versatility: if you have some leftover steamed vegetables (especially broccoli or zucchini) then you could throw these in too for an extra pop of colour. I always cook too much rice/quinoa and veggies (usually by accident) but I find it so useful for padding out meals the next day. Re: the tip above, try and have leftover roast pumpkin from a meal earlier in the week and then use it for your base in this recipe. Think ahead!

Ok here are the details. Have fun and enjoy!

One-pot pumpkin Thai curry (gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsps coconut oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tbsps minced fresh ginger

2 tbsps minced fresh garlic

1 small serrano red pepper or chilli (stem/seeds removed, thinly sliced)

1 red pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced

3 tbsps yellow or red curry paste

4 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin

1.5 cans full fat coconut milk

1 cup vegetable stock

2 tbsps maple syrup

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 big pinch sea salt and black pepper

1 tbsp tamari soy sauce, Braggs amino acids or coconut aminos

2 tbsps lime juice (plus extra for serving)

1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed really well

1 cup frozen peas (rinse off any ice and drain)

2/3 cup roasted cashews

Fresh cilantro (or basil if you are a cilantro hater)

Quinoa – cooked, for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Heat a large heavy pan (eg Le Cruset) over a medium heat. Add coconut oil, onion, garlic, ginger and the serrano pepper (or chilli). Sauté for a few minutes until they start to soften.

2. Add the red pepper and sauté for a few more minutes.

3. Add in the curry paste and cook for two minutes.

4. Add the pumpkin. If raw, sauté for a few minutes; if roasted, move ahead.

5. Add coconut milk, veggie stock, maple syrup, turmeric, salt, pepper, tamari/Braggs/coconut aminos and lime juice. Stir.

6. Bring to the boil, then immediately simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until pumpkin is very tender.

7. Optional – scoop out half of the pumpkin, blend until creamy and then return to the pot. If you skip this step and you need to thicken your sauce, just use a little corn starch (but you may not need to).

8. Add the chickpeas and the green peas. Cook a few minutes more on low-medium until the peas are cooked and the chickpeas are hot.

9. Serve over the quinoa (optional) and scatter with the cashews and fresh herbs. Add an extra squeeze of lime for an extra pop of flavour. So good!

Catherine Burns is a qualified nutritional therapist. For more details: www.natural.bm, 505-4725, Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook and @naturalbda on Instagram