A huge thank you to our friends down the road at Social Manna - @Social.Manna - for this warming, Autumn recipe.

This recipe is from Social Manna's talented Head Chef, Tristan. It is a delicious plant-based meal (great for vegetarians, vegans and people wanting to lighten their dietary impact on the Earth) and is perfect for this pumpkin-harvesting time of year. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

• 800g butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 2cm pieces
• 750mL (3 cups) water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable stock powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 250g arborio rice
• 160mL (2/3 cup) white wine
• 75g baby spinach leaves
• 45g (1/4 cup) pine nuts, toasted
• (Optional) 50g reduced-fat feta, crumbed

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pumpkin on a lined baking tray. Spray/drizzle with olive oil. Season with pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, place water and stock powder in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Hold at a gentle simmer.
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the garlic and chopped sage for 1 minute or until aromatic. Stir in rice for 1 minute, or until grains appear slightly glassy. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half.
4. Add 125ml (1/2 cup) of simmering stock to the rice mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed. Add stock, 125ml (1/2 cup) at a time, stirring constantly and allowing liquid to be absorbed before adding more stock. Continue for 20 minutes or until rice is tender yet firm to the bite and the risotto is creamy.
5. Add pumpkin. Cover and stand for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, pine nuts and feta (optional).

 Thank You To Tristan From Social Manna For This Recipe