Marj’s Moroccan butternut squash and sweet potato cakes
Marj Gonzalez, 68, is a retired teacher. She has lost 3st 9lb at Debbie Guy’s Slimming World group in Walton, Liverpool
My cooking skills have flourished since joining Slimming World and being inspired by all the wonderful recipes. I make a lot of vegetarian meals and really enjoyed the dishes in Slimming World’s Va Va Vegan cookbook. So when the Free Food Festival came around, I challenged myself to come up with a vegan recipe. I added some of my favourite Moroccan spices – and my butternut squash cakes were born.
SERVES FOUR VEGAN READY IN 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES
1tsp paprika (unsmoked)
1tsp ground cumin
½ tsp each of ground coriander, chilli powder and cayenne pepper
50g plain unsweetened dairy-free soya yogurt with added calcium, plus extra to serve 1 medium butternut squash (around 800g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes Low-calorie cooking spray
1 large sweet potato (around 300g)
1 garlic clove, crushed
220g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, finely chopped
15g fresh coriander or parsley, leaves
finely chopped
Little gem lettuce and red onion salad, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve
1
Preheat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. In a large bowl, mix the spices with half the yogurt, then add the squash and toss to coat. Spray a large, non-stick baking tray with cooking spray, spread the squash on the tray and bake for 25 minutes.
2
Meanwhile, microwave the sweet potato on high for 6 minutes, or until soft. If you don’t have a microwave, you can bake it with the squash for 35-40 minutes. Halve lengthways, scoop out the flesh and transfer to a large bowl.
3
Mash the sweet potato until smooth. Add the remaining yogurt, the squash, garlic, chickpeas, onion and coriander or parsley. Mash to combine, leaving the chickpeas slightly chunky, and season. 4
When cool enough to handle, divide the mixture into 12 and shape into thick patties.
5
Place on a large baking tray lined with baking paper, then spray with cooking spray and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with the salad, extra yogurt, and lemon wedges for squeezing over. These are great to make ahead and freeze for another day. Reheat when ready to eat.