As promised, a savoury recipe this week, although I have tested a couple of really delicious sweet without refined sugar recipes so stay tuned. I was going to make the old favourite: spinach and ricotta cannelloni. Except I don’t have any ricotta. Feta it is then. Road block: when I was done preparing the spinach and pumpkin, I reached for the feta only to see it had grown some lovely green friends. D’Oh!

No feta for spinach and feta cannelloni? No problem. Allow me to introduce you to my new friend cannelloni: improvised.

So, what do you need?
Cannelloni tubes {we used 8 gluten free tubes}
A mountain of your favourite spinach, steamed down to 1 to 1½ cups {this is a personal preference, we were aiming for more green so had a little more; you can also use frozen spinach in this recipe if you have it on hand}
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup white beans {we used navy beans this time}
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 or 3 egg yolks {I used 2 but if your filling needs more binding to add another}
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder {we use Massel because it’s vegetarian}
½ grated nutmeg {or 1 teaspoon of ground if not using fresh nutmeg}
1½ to 2 cups slow roasted caramelised tomato sauce {from my super easy sides collection}  ⅔ cup finely grated cheese plus extra to sprinkle on top, how much extra is up to you!
Salt and pepper to taste {usually I wouldn’t put any salt in due to the high content of the feta but, well … you know the story}

Okay, now what do you do with it?
Pre heat your oven to 190*C {375*F}.

Steam both your pumpkin and spinach then allow to cool. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and wring out excess water. Mash your pumpkin. Reach for your here’s one I made earlier jar of your slow roasted caramelised tomato sauce out of the fridge.

With the exception of your cannelloni tubes and your tomato sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and mash together until really well combined. As mentioned above, my mixture only needed 2 egg yolks to bind it, but add in an extra if you need to.

Once fully combined, fill your cannelloni tubes with the mixture. Don’t get precious about it, use your fingers. Trust me, it’s the easiest way to do it without cracking the tubes trying to pack as much of that filling goodness in as you can.

Into a loaf tray {because how perfectly did those little babies fit?} pour a bed of your tomato sauce. Enough to cover the bottom and then some. Lay cannelloni on top of your sauce, then pour more sauce over the top. I think it’s nice to have the little cannelloni drowning in sauce, particularly if you think you might have leftovers! Sprinkle extra cheese on top.

Pop the tray in the oven and leave it for 25 to 30 minutes, until you can’t stand the smell any more and must eat them immediately. Or until your pasta is cooked through {test by skewering it and if it goes in easily then your pasta is done}. If you really love cheese, you can sprinkle a little extra on top once you’ve served it. After all, it is missing the ricotta. Or the feta.

I totally forgot to take a photo of it before I cut it up for Love Bug, so you’ll just have to imagine that part.

Oh, and with all those vegetables in it? It got the Love Bug tick of approval.

Mmmmm, camelomi is yummy for my tummy mumma!