– Sugar pie pumpkin – Extra virgin olive oil – Ground cinnamon – Kosher salt – Black pepper – Chickpeas – Sweet Pumpkin Crunch – Blender Balsamic Vinaigrette – Fennel bulb – Parsley leaves – Fresh mint leaves – Arugula or watercress – Vegan feta
If you’re using the chickpeas, toss them with oil, salt, and pepper before scattering them in open spaces on the sheet pans. Roast the pumpkin and chickpeas for 15 minutes, then flip the pumpkin wedges. Continue roasting until the pumpkin is browned in spots and fork-tender.
Make the Sweet Pumpkin Crunch. Add the olive oil and pepitas to a frying pan and toast over medium heat for a few minutes. Then add in the spice blend and maple syrup and stir very frequently for 2 minutes, until pepitas are well coated. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined plate to cool for 5 minutes until sticky and crunchy.
Meanwhile, make the Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette. Simply add all the ingredients except for the olive oil to a food processor or small-capacity blender. Blend, then with the motor running, stream in the olive oil, and blend until creamy.
To assemble the salad, add the greens and chopped herbs/fennel fronds to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle some balsamic vinaigrette on top to coat the greens. Once the cake is slightly cooled, you can drizzle the orange Icing on top.
Add the roasted pumpkin and chickpeas, handfuls of the pumpkin crunch, and fennel to the bowl. Toss to combine, then add the optional vegan feta and more balsamic vinaigrette on top. Enjoy!