I’ve got Pumpkin on my mind. Everywhere I look I see pumpkins, everything I read seems to be about pumpkins and now I can’t stop thinking about them So rather than fight it, I’d better embrace it.

No, in all seriousness I love pumpkins and I am very happy with the vast amount of Pumpkin recipes going around . In magazines, on tv and online. I have come up with a few myself and this is the first one. I had it for dinner tonight and it was so satisfying and delicious I couldn’t wait to share it. Usually I am not a fan of just having a salad for dinner because I get hungry after about an hour. But it has been two hours since I had my dinner and I think I am going to be ok until breakfast.

This salad does have a few steps to prepare but then again it is a dinner substitute so there is some work and cooking involved. But fun work….promise. And it is so pretty and delicious you could easily serve it for an informal dinner party with some freshly baked bread.

Serves 4

   Ingredients for the salad;

• 1 lb roast pumpkin cubes
• 2 bags of lettuce mix, about 8 oz.
• 4 oz. of canned lentils, drained
• Traditional Halloumi Cheese, 7 oz
• 14 oz. Chanterelles, gently wiped clean
• 1 large red onion, peeled cut in half and into slivers
• 1/3 C. Parsley leafs whole
• 1/4 C.  dried Organic Cranberries, soaked for at least 30 minutes
• 1/2 C. Bacon in smallish dice, (omit for vegetarians)
• 1/2 C. Maple candied All Natural Roasted Pecans (Unsalted)
• Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Roast pumpkin cubes;
• Pre heat oven to 350 ° F/ 180 ° C
• 1 lb. fresh cubed Pumpkin, peeled and seeds removed
• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin spice mix
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Toss everything together and place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Roast for 20 minutes. Toss pumpkin half way thru cooking.

Remove from oven and let sit at room temperature.

Maple candied Pecans;

1/2 C. All Natural Roasted Pecans (Unsalted)

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

Toast the pecans in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes until pecans smell toasted. Add the maple syrup and cook for two more minutes, until syrup has reduced and all is sticky and deep golden brown. Transfer the pecans to a plate covered with parchment paper. Immediately separate the pecans with two forks. Let cool completely.

Warning: Caramel of any kind gets extremely hot so do not touch with your fingers or taste it!!!

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette;

• 2 tsp. prepared Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp. Maple Syrup
• 3 tbsp. Thick Balsamic Vinegar
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper

Whisk the first three ingredients together until well blended and slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Add a salt and pepper.

Before we start with the chanterelle and Halloumi it is time to prepare the salad plates first. Or salad platter, which ever you prefer. Place like this

1  Salad leafs

2 onion slivers

3 roast pumpkin cubes

4 lentils

5 parsley leafs

Now back to the chanterelle. Heat a frying pan over high heat and add the bacon dice, cook over moderate heat until really crispy, remove from pan and set aside in a small bowl.

Remove some of the fat from the pan if necessary and put it back on the heat. Add the chanterelle and cook on high heat for about four to five minutes until golden brown. Remove to a plate and put the pan back on the heat. Add the Halloumi slices and bake in a dry pan for about 1 and a half minutes on each side until crispy and soft.

Divide  the chanterelle carefully over the salad, scatter with the bacon and add the baked Halloumi slices. Decorate with the maple candies pecans and cranberries and serve straight away with the Maple Balsamic vinaigrette.

Not quite what you were looking for? How about Endive Gratin with Baked Apples, Blue cheese and Thyme