Baked Pumpkin, Chickpea and Brown Rice Salad with Crispy Pumpkin Seeds recipe

Preheat your oven to 200°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Slice pumpkin into half-moons and place on baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pumpkin is cooked.

While pumpkin roasts, prepare the rice. Place rice and vegetable stock into a large microwave safe bowl. Place in microwave (uncovered) and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Remove and stir. Reduce microwave power to medium (50%) and cook for a further 20 minutes stirring halfway through. Once cooked, cover top with a tea towel and set aside until required.

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Cook sliced onion and garlic cloves until onion becomes translucent. Add cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Stir until spices coat onion and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add drained chickpeas and stir to incorporate, then add rice and carefully stir until everything is mixed well. Remove from heat, place into a large bowl and stir through baby kale leaves.

Place pumpkin seeds into frying pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or they start to crisp and brown. Remove and set aside until required.

Make the dressing by placing all ingredients into a small bowl and whisking well.

Assemble the salad. Spoon rice mixture onto a large platter and top with slices of roasted pumpkin. Pour dressing over and then top with crisped pumpkin seeds.