Chestnuts with asparagus and pomegranate

If you're looking for delicious ideas for the upcoming festive season, here's a suggestion that will win over vegans and non-vegans alike!

Ingredients:

500 gr (16.64 oz) frozen and peeled chestnuts

600 gr (21.16 oz) peeled pumpkin

250 gr (8.82 oz) asparagus

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion

1 garlic clove

300 gr (10.58 oz) silken tofu

1 pomegranate

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp sweet chili powder

black pepper to taste

1 pinch of nutmeg

1 pinch of cinnamon powder

Instructions:

- Place the frozen chestnuts in a glass bowl and take them to the microwave for 6 minutes at full power. Reserve.

- Cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Add water to a small pot. When the water is boiling, add the pumpkin and let it cook for 15 minutes. Drain the water and reserve the pumpkin.

- Wash the asparagus well. Slice off the bottom tough parts of the stalks (the whitish part) and waste them (or use them for other recipes, like soups). Then cut tips of the asparagus and reserve them. Cut the remaining part of the asparagus into small slices.

- In a non-stick skillet, place a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the tips of the asparagus for 3 minutes. Reserve.

- Cut the pomegranate in half. Reserve the seeds of half pomegranate. Squeeze the other half of the pomegranate in a juicer and reserve the juice.

- In a tall glass, place the silken tofu (after wasting the liquid that comes in the package), the juice of half pomegranate and season with salt, cumin, sweet pepper, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Grind everything very well, until you get a creamy sauce. Reserve.

- Finely chop the onion and the garlic clove.

- In a large, non-stick pan, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the onion and the garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

- Add the asparagus slices to the pan and sauté for another 3 minutes.

- Add the chestnuts to the pan. Cover the pan with the lid and let it cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add another drizzle of olive oil.

- Add the boiled pumpkin, the seeds of half pomegranate and the tofu sauce to the pan. Mix everything up very well, gently. Let it cook for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- Serve a little on each plate and garnish with some sautéed asparagus tips.

Enjoy! :)