SAVORY YOGURT WITH ROASTED PUMPKIN, BLACK QUINOA, PUMPKIN SEED PESTO, AND CHILI

Containing a decidedly Halloween-esque spectrum of colors with raven quinoa, edible jack-o-lantern, spooky green pesto paint splotches, and blood-red chili flecks, this is a meal as vibrant tasting as it is looking. And, savory yogurt is quite trendy as of this writing, so you can not only impress diners with your cutting-edge cuisine, but give them a little scare, too.

Serves 4

1 (2–3 pound) creamy-fleshed pumpkin such as red kuri, seeded, peeled, and cut into ½-inch cubes or thin wedges

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

salt, to taste

½ cup black or white quinoa

2 cups plain whole milk yogurt

½ chili, minced

¼ cup Pumpkin Seed Pesto (see page 56)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. On a large-rimmed baking sheet, toss pumpkin with oil and salt, to taste. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender. Use warm or chilled. Meanwhile, cook quinoa.

Bring quinoa and water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and use warm or chilled.

To serve, add ½ cup yogurt to each bowl, top with sections of quinoa and squash, spoon over pesto, and sprinkle with chili. Serve warm or chilled. These can even be assembled and refrigerated overnight.