Golden Harmony Bowl (Pumpkin & Beans with Coconut Miso Cream)

2 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

300 g / 1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin or kuri/kabocha squash, cut into large chunks

200 g / 1 cup cooked beans (e.g., adzuki, mung, or soy)

240 ml / 1 cup water

120 ml / ½ cup coconut cream

1 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. miso paste (barley or rice)

2 Tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Method

Place pumpkin, beans, water, and coconut cream in a small pan. Warm gently over medium heat until heated through.
Remove from the heat. Stir in honey and miso paste until fully dissolved.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Notes & Variations

Replace honey with rice malt syrup or molasses for a vegan option.
Try a swirl of ginger juice for added warmth and digestive support.
Works well as a dessert or grounding snack in autumn and winter.
For a heartier effect, add 90 g / ½ cup cooked brown rice or millet.
Yin–Yang balance: Pumpkin is warming and grounding (slightly yang), beans provide substance and stabilising energy, while coconut cream adds gentle cooling and richness (yin). Honey and miso create a sweet–salty harmony, making this bowl soothing, centring, and balanced for both body and mind.

I first created this recipe from leftover pumpkin and beans, so yes, the origin might seem humble, even a little unpoetic. But sometimes the simplest beginnings lead to the most comforting endings. With a touch of natural sweetness and a bowlful of nostalgic warmth, this dish unfolds into something quietly magical.

Inspired by one of my favourite Thai desserts, Bua Loy (chewy tapioca “clouds” floating in a sweet and savoury coconut sauce), this version celebrates the same joyful balance, with pumpkin taking centre stage. Confession: I’ve never been a huge fan of pumpkin in desserts (sorry, Northern American pumpkin spice obsession, I just don’t get you). But here, gently warmed with creamy coconut, lightly sweetened with honey, and layered with the subtle savouriness of miso paste, the pumpkin transforms. Every spoonful hits multiple pleasure points: smooth, sweet, salty, and nourishing all at once.

This recipe is macrobiotic-inspired, balancing yin ingredients (creamy coconut, honey) with yang ingredients (pumpkin, adzuki or mung beans, miso paste, toasted sesame seeds). The dish is rich in complex carbohydrates, plant protein, healthy fats, fibre, minerals, and probiotics, making it deeply grounding, warming, and comforting. Perfect for autumn and winter, when cooler months invite warmth, nourishment, and a little mindful indulgence.

Nutrition Facts (approx., per serving)

Energy: 280 kcal
Protein: 11 g
Fat: 15 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g (of which sugars 10 g)
Fibre: 6 g
Rich in: plant protein, fibre, beta-carotene, magnesium, probiotics (from miso)