Oh my, how delicious the pumpkin and mushroom rice is with the addition of arugula that makes it even more flavorful! I put it together this way, one ingredient after another, and the result was excellent, I assure you, especially if you, like me, love pumpkin! Yes, it all started when I found myself with some leftover brown rice. To be honest, I always prepare extra because cooking brown rice takes so long, and even when it cools or freezes, it remains nice and firm when reheated. In my case, it was a high-quality brown basmati…
Of course, I wanted to use pumpkin and also some champignon mushrooms, the brown ones that, in the end, taste the same as the white ones but give a much more porcini effect to the dish. And you know, presentation matters too. However, I didn’t want the pumpkin to become too mushy during cooking, so what to do? I tried grilling it…
I had never cooked pumpkin like this before, and I must say the flavor becomes much more intense, sweet, a spectacular thing then combined with the other ingredients. Is it clear that I loved this pumpkin and mushroom rice? A vegan dish, rich in fiber, and light… let’s prepare it!
Here are some other recipes of mine with pumpkin:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 5 oz brown rice
- 14 oz pumpkin (weighed when cleaned)
- 7 oz champignon mushrooms
- 1 shallot
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (2 measuring teaspoons)
- to taste arugula
- to taste salt
- Points per serving = 8 WW points
Tools
- Grill
- Frying Pan
- Measuring Spoons
Steps
First, boil the brown rice in salted water if you don’t have it cooked already. Meanwhile, wash the pumpkin well, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and slice it thinly without removing the skin. Heat a non-stick grill well and roast the pumpkin slices, turning them and adding a little salt at the end of cooking.
Let cool for a few minutes, and if you prefer, you can remove the skin where it’s thicker. Where it’s thinner, it can be eaten easily: in fact, like all vegetables, the skin probably contains even more nutrients. Then cut the slices into cubes, leaving a couple whole to decorate the dish.
In a large non-stick pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and sauté the shallot and thinly sliced mushrooms. When they are just browned, add the cooked and drained rice, roasted pumpkin cubes, and another teaspoon of oil. Mix well and heat everything thoroughly, then add a few handfuls of arugula: stir well to wilt it quickly.
Here is your delicious pumpkin and mushroom rice with arugula ready to serve, decorated with whole pumpkin slices!
One word: delicious! In every sense, really. Because it’s easy to prepare, it’s original, it’s nutritious, it’s vegan, it’s light… but, fundamentally, for only 8 Weight Watchers ProPoints, you’ll enjoy a delightful first course!
Here at home, even the Dutchman, who doesn’t like pumpkin, enjoyed it very much. Try it too and leave me a comment to let me know if you liked it! I’ll be waiting…
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
FAQ
What type of rice is ideal for this dish?
As I mentioned above, I used brown basmati rice, but any type of rice will do, or even, why not, some farro or barley!
How long does it keep?
If you cooked the rice fresh, you can keep the prepared dish in a container in the fridge for 4 days. If you made the rice beforehand and then stored it in the fridge or freezer, I would keep it for just one day in the fridge.
What protein can I use to make it a complete dish?
The answer is simple: cooked chickpeas! But I’ve also tried it with smoked tofu then roasted, and it turned out delicious.
