Emily says: “These nachos are loaded with black beans and given a pumpkin twist – they make a great sharing dinner or snack.”

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• 1kg (2¼lb) pumpkin (unpeeled)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds (see below)
• 1 tsp Tajin seasoning
• 200g (7oz) tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• handful of coriander (cilantro), leaves picked and stems finely chopped
• grated zest and fresh juice of 1 lime
• 4 tbsp soured cream
• 20g (¾oz) pickled jalapeños
• 400g (14-oz) can or 325g (11-oz) jar black beans, drained
• 100g (3½oz) cheddar, grated
• salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7).

Cut the pumpkin into 1cm (½-inch) ‘chips’ (fries) and spread out on a large baking tray or two. Drizzle with most of the oil, season well and scatter over the cumin and paprika.

Roast for 35 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and golden.

On a small tray, toss the seeds in the remaining oil and the Tajin seasoning. Roast for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the toppings. Stir together the tomatoes, onion, coriander stems and lime zest and juice, then season and set aside. In a small blender, whizz together the soured cream and jalapeños, then season and set aside.

Once the pumpkin chips are ready, pour the black beans over the top and cover with the grated cheese. Return to the oven for 5 minutes until melted and bubbling.

Dollop over the salsa and jalapeño soured cream. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and the Tajin-spiced pumpkin seeds.

Roasted pumpkin seeds

Ingredients

• seeds from 1 pumpkin

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4).

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, dropping them straight into a bowl of water. Once you’ve got all of them, use your fingertips to rinse them well and remove any attached pulp. Put them in a small pan of water, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, then pat dry with a clean tea towel.

Spread the seeds out on a baking tray and dry roast them for 10–12 minutes until crisp. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for 2 months.

Emily says: “A tangy pomegranate molasses dressing brings together sweet pumpkin, bitter chicory (witlof) leaves, fragrant dill, salty capers and creamy burrata in this heart grain salad.”

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 600g (1lb 5oz) pumpkin (unpeeled), cut into 3-cm (1¼-inch) chunks or wedges
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30g (1oz) pistachios, roughly chopped
• 150g (5oz) pearl barley or freekeh
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tsp capers
• 20g (¾oz) dill, fronds chopped
• 2 chicory (witlof) heads, leaves separated
• 1 ball burrata
• ½ tsp pul biber or chilli flakes
• Salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7). Spread the pumpkin out on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and season. Roast for 30–35 minutes until tender or lightly caramelised.

Toast the nuts on a separate tray for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the grain of your choice according to the pack instructions. In a jug, whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar and molasses, then season. Add the warm grains, capers and dill to a bowl, then toss through most of the dressing, followed by the chicory. Transfer the salad to a serving platter, scatter over the pumpkin and the nuts, then add the burrata on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and scatter over the pul biber.

Swap the pearl barley out for any grain you have. The recipe works well with wild rice or lentils too.

Emily says: “If you like carrot cake, you’re going to love this pumpkin spice cake. Rich with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, dotted with pecans and drizzled with maple syrup, it’s a crowd-pleaser.”

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 220g (8oz) sunflower oil
• 4 free-range eggs
• 200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar
• 50g (1¾oz) maple syrup
• 275g (9¾oz) pumpkin (unpeeled), grated
• 300g (10oz) self-raising flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 75g (2¾oz) pecans, chopped, plus extra to decorate
• salt
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Cream cheese frosting:

• 120g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 240g (8½oz) full-fat cream cheese, chilled
• 550g (1¼lb) icing (confectioners’) sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 2 x 20-cm (8-inch) cake tins, lined

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4).

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, eggs, sugar, maple syrup and grated pumpkin. Add the flour, spices, pecans and a pinch of salt, and fold through.

Divide the mixture between the lined cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes until springy to touch. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, beat the butter with a hand-held electric whisk until soft and fluffy. Mix in the cream cheese until there are no lumps (don’t overmix as it will become runny). Beat in the icing sugar and spices on a slow speed until just combined, then cover and chill until ready to use.

Use the icing to fill the cake and ice the top, then decorate with the extra pecans and drizzle the maple syrup over the top.