Ingredients

• 1 small pumpkin or squash (about 800g/1lb 12oz), flesh cut into small chunks and seeds retained, cleaned and patted dry
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp paprika
• 300g/10½oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed, peeled and roughly chopped into quarters
• ½ small red cabbage, finely sliced
• ½–1 lemon, juice only, to taste (see Tip)
• 2 x 250g pouches microwavable brown and wild rice (or regular cooked brown rice)
• 100g/3½oz fresh spinach leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated, to serve (optional)
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled, stone removed and flesh roughly chopped
• 2–3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

2. Put the pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas on a large baking tray. Add the oil and paprika and toss thoroughly to coat. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the baking tray from the oven and shake it. Add the sprouts and toss in the pumpkin mixture to coat in oil. Roast everything for another 20 minutes, giving the tray another little shake halfway through.

4. Meanwhile, massage the cabbage with half of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add more lemon juice if preferred. Chill in the fridge.

5. To make the avocado sauce, blend the avocados, oil, half of the lemon juice and garlic in a food processor or with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add a small splash of water to achieve a good drizzling consistency. Season generously with salt and pepper and add more lemon juice if preferred. Set aside.

6. When ready to serve, cook the rice pouches in the microwave according to packet instructions.

7. Serve the rice in bowls and then add the spinach, red cabbage, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas and sprouts to the bowls. Drizzle over the avocado sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of the cheese, if using.