Savor the Tastes of Fall: Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pilaf

Roasted pumpkin and sweet potato pilaf presents the perfect opportunity to mix warm, cozy and delicious fall flavors with healthy ingredients. Pilaf is a form of grain that gets its flavorful taste from cooking in broth. With fiber-rich brown rice and vitamin-packed vegetables like pumpkin and sweet potato, this tasty side dish adds important nutrients to your meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled fresh pumpkin (about 12 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled sweet potato (about 1 medium)
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion (1 small)
• 1/3 cup diced celery (about 1 rib)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup brown rice (not instant)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Arrange pumpkin and sweet potato in an even layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes, stir and return to oven for another 17 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and begin to brown.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add broth and remaining ingredients to onion mixture, stirring to combine; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes or until rice is done and liquid is mostly absorbed. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Add pumpkin mixture; stir gently to combine.

Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving

• Calories: 200
• Calories from fat: 11 percent
• Fat: 2.5g
• Saturated fat: 0.4g
• Monounsaturated fat: 1.4g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5g
• Protein: 5.9g
• Carbohydrate: 38.8g
• Fiber: 3g
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg
• Iron: 1.3mg
• Sodium: 428mg
• Calcium: 45mg

The recipe makes 6 servings. Serving size is about ¾ cup.

This recipe is courtesy of Jaime Harder, MA, RD, Cooking Light (October 2007).