Some of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes don’t translate so well into the gluten-free world. The ubiquitous sweet potatoes dish topped with marshmallows is one that comes to mind first. Too much sugar and who knows what else?
I love sweet potatoes and this recipe for kabocha pumpkin (also called kabocha squash) is simple and delicious, and a great substitute for sweet potatoes.
The hard part is cutting up the pumpkin into chunks but since the kabocha pumpkins are usually small, 2 or 3 pounds, it is not that hard of a job with a good knife. Definitely worth the effort.
Glazed Kabocha Pumpkin
Ingredients:
1 kabocha pumpkin diced, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Salt to taste
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a roasting pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. Place kabocha pumpkin chunks in pan and toss with 2 tablespoons coconut oil and salt.
Roast for about 30 minutes until chunks are tender and can be pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, toast walnuts while pumpkin is roasting.
When pumpkin is done, toss with additional coconut oil, maple syrup and toasted walnuts. Move to serving plate and garnish with parsley if desired.
In case you haven’t seen a kabocha pumpkin I thought I’d share a picture. The inside is a wonderful orange color and it has great flavor. Be sure to ask your grocer if you aren’t sure of what you are selecting.
