This is undoubtedly one of my most frequent go-to meals after a hard day of training when I’m craving a hearty but nourishing meal.

So often I stumble into the kitchen exhausted, too tired to even think about cooking but still wanting to prioritise and refuel correctly. Bursting with vitamin A goodness thanks to the vibrant butternut pumpkin and a noteworthy source of plant based protein from chickpeas, it has become one of my favourite dishes that I schedule on a Sunday afternoon to quickly prepare and freeze in small batches for the busy week ahead.

Serve with a dollop of high protein greek yoghurt and heartwarming, fluffy naan bread.

Creamy Vegetarian Coconut, Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium brown onion (150g), sliced thinly
1 medium butternut pumpkin, diced into chunks
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (300g)
1 can italian tomatoes (300g)
500ml chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
3 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic

Method:
Step 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook onion over low heat until onions are lightly caramelised.
Step 2. Add garlic and paprika, stirring for 1 minute or until mixture is fragrant.
Step 3. Add pumpkin, tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.
Step 4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
Step 5. Add chickpeas and coconut milk, simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Step 6. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve with steamed basmati rice or naan bread.

Tips:
- Broccoli, cauliflower and green beans not only act as great additions to the dish but also sneakily increase vegetable intake in a disguised and delicious way. Add immediately after step 3.
- Avoid stirring the curry too frequently once the pumpkin begins to soften to avoid it disintegrating. A simple tip I learnt during a visit to Sri Lanka to prevent the curry from burning is to insert a wooden spoon into various spots in the pan, gently vibrating back and forth to help stir the sauce whilst keeping the pumpkin pieces intact..