After a long week of travel, the thing I love most (besides coming home to the hubs and my pups) is getting back into my kitchen. This past week I was gone pretty much the whole week, traveling to northwest Wisconsin and then out to Baltimore. As many of you can imagine, with work travel comes lots of restaurant meals. I have to admit this week of work travel was actually pretty low key, and I was very successful in eating lighter and healthier than normal. Thankfully I was in Baltimore for most of the week, which means I was able to feast on lots of clean, fresh seafood! Crab, scallops, shrimp - my favorites!
When I came home Friday night, I had big plans for dinner - none of which happened. I found myself sitting at the kitchen table going through what I had in the pantry and fridge: pumpkin, brussel sprouts, pasta - BAM!
Now, I will say that this "dinner" would actually make a better side dish, but after a week of restaurant food I was craving a lighter meal. The flavor is a bit more fall-ish, but it honestly would be perfect with a beautiful, clean piece of whitefish in any season.
While I would normally roast my own pumpkin (and I had intended to until I realized that the pumpkin that had been sitting on my counter since fall was dehydrated), this time I used canned pumpkin. If you are going to use canned pumpkin, please, please, please make sure it's 100% pumpkin (meaning, that is the only ingredient you should see on the list). I love Libby's, but if you find another brand, go for it!
When I came home Friday night, I had big plans for dinner - none of which happened. I found myself sitting at the kitchen table going through what I had in the pantry and fridge: pumpkin, brussel sprouts, pasta - BAM!
Now, I will say that this "dinner" would actually make a better side dish, but after a week of restaurant food I was craving a lighter meal. The flavor is a bit more fall-ish, but it honestly would be perfect with a beautiful, clean piece of whitefish in any season.
While I would normally roast my own pumpkin (and I had intended to until I realized that the pumpkin that had been sitting on my counter since fall was dehydrated), this time I used canned pumpkin. If you are going to use canned pumpkin, please, please, please make sure it's 100% pumpkin (meaning, that is the only ingredient you should see on the list). I love Libby's, but if you find another brand, go for it!
I started making the sauce by slicing 2 cloves of garlic and a half of an onion - saute in olive oil until the onion is tender.
Then add 1/4 c white wine, saute until the alcohol burns off (about 2 min). Add 2 cups of freshly roasted pumpkin or one can of pure pumpkin. To that, add 1 c of vegetable or chicken broth, 1 t cinnamon, 1/2 t ground ginger and 1/2 t of nutmeg, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t ground pepper. Whisk until incorporated. After it seems like a creamy mixture, add 2 T pure maple syrup. Transfer all to a high speed blender so that you can puree it into an even creamier sauce.
Meanwhile, take about 6 or 7 brussel spouts (halve them first) and slice really thin.
In the same saucepan you had the pumpkin mixture (clean it out first), melt about a tablespoon of butter and add your brussel sprouts. You really just want enough butter to coat the veggies so that they can soften. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to them and let them soften over medium low heat.
Start cooking your pasta, I used quinoa noodles (because they are my favorite!), which takes about 10 minutes or so. When the noodles are done, toss with the pumpkin sauce and top with the brussel sprouts.
I mean you really can't go wrong with this dish. It is clean, fresh, light and delicous. As I mentioned before, eat as a light meal or as a compliment to a lovely piece of whitefish or salmon.
Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole
XoXo,
Nicole
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