Roasted Acorn Squash and Chickpea Bowls with Herbed Yogurt

Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Wash and dry the squash. Stabilize each on a cutting board, carefully halve it from stem toward base without forcing the knife through the hard stem, and scoop out the seeds and stringy centre. Cut each half into wedges about 2.5 cm thick, keeping the skin on.

Toss the squash wedges with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the cumin, half the smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Spread in one layer on the first sheet, leaving space between wedges. Roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain, rinse and thoroughly pat dry the ready-cooked chickpeas. Toss them and the onion wedges in the medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread on the second sheet. After the squash has roasted for 15 minutes, add the chickpea tray to the oven and rotate the squash tray. Roast both trays for another 20 to 25 minutes, stirring the chickpeas once, until a fork enters the thickest squash wedge easily and the chickpeas have some browned edges. Allow extra time for large squash; avoid burning the onion.

While the trays roast, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, parsley and garlic in a small bowl. Add up to 1 tablespoon water only if needed for spooning. Keep the yogurt chilled until serving. Wash and dry the spinach.

Divide the spinach among four bowls. Add the warm squash wedges, chickpeas and onion, then spoon over the herbed yogurt and scatter with a little extra parsley. The roasted squash skin may be eaten when tender; if it is too firm for your preference, scoop the flesh from the skin as you eat.

For leftovers, refrigerate the roasted squash, chickpeas and onion in shallow containers within 2 hours; keep the yogurt and spinach in separate covered containers. Use within 2 to 3 days. Reheat only the roasted components to 74°C (165°F), checking with a food thermometer, then add fresh spinach and chilled yogurt.