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Tag: squash

Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup
The weather is starting to cool off here, I am seeing a touch of color starting on some of the maple trees, and I am getting the comfort food cravings. So I thought I would make some warming soup last week. We had a few rainy days here, and it was just the thing to warm me up. Especially the day Eric and I decided to go for a bike ride then got rained on half way through and had to ride an hour in the cold rain. I made some butternut squash, chickpea and kale soup! One thing I am super excited about right now is squash coming into season. It is one of my favorite veggies ever!

For this I used half my butternut squash for soup and I used the other half to roast and stuff for dinner another day. I love making home made soup. I don’t think I have actually bought any soup at the store, especially canned since my Mom taught me to make soup when I was in college. The flavor is so much better, and there is just no comparison. Plus most soup is pretty cost effective to make anyhow, especially if it lasts for a few meals! This one did for us!

This is really simple to make! I used my favorite soup base, which is just celery, onions and garlic with a little thyme. If you use a flavorful broth for this, it makes it even more delicious. I used some home made broth, but you can use store bought if there is one you like! After the less tender veggies simmered, I added the squash and let it cook for the last 10 minutes or so just so it didn’t get too mushy. Lastly the beans and kale. I like to add the kale at the last minute so that it retains more nutrients. This is something I do often, add greens to my soup at the last minute to add extra goodness!

This soup turned out super delicious! I served it with some home made bread to dunk in it, and the broth was nice and flavorful. I love the sweet squash with the other savory veggies! Which fall vegetable or fruit are you most excited about? I love the squash but I am also excited for apple season!

Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Kale Soup
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 cups flavorful vegetable stock
- sea salt
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 cups fresh kale, torn into small pieces
Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
2. Add onions and celery and sauté until tender.
3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, thyme, sea salt, pepper, and filtered water.
4. Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until the veggies are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 20 minutes.
5. Add the squash to the pot, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes.
6. When the squash is tender, stir in the beans and kale until kale has just wilted.
7. Serve!
September 15, 2020
Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder
We are full swing into soup season, and in the deli I work in it is just flying out of the pots because it is the most popular thing we have right now. I mean, I don’t blame people, I go home and eat warming soup too this time of the year most nights. You would think that I would get tired of making soup at work and not want to make it at home, but that actually isn’t the case. I love warming soup! I was going through our box of recipes the other day at work and I came across a soup that I used to enjoy but can’t eat anymore because it isn’t vegan. Well, I might just have to go home and make it I thought to myself. It was a butternut squash parmesan chowder and I remember it being really delicious.

I have been there 13 years, but it was 7 years ago I went vegan so I haven’t had it since then. I do remember how it tasted though, enough to recreate it! I had some butternut squash and all of the ingredients at home already so it was the perfect thing to make! Don’t you just love when you don’t have to shop to make a recipe you are craving?! The original one was loaded with heavy cream, cheese, butter and refined flour. I wanted to make mine a bit healthier while veganizing it. I think I succeeded pretty well.

For the creamy base, I used a mixture of coconut milk, broth and a little cashew butter instead of the cream. It was just as thick and creamy as the original and I didn’t need to even add anything to thicken it, it was pretty thick on its own. To give it a cheesy flavor, I added some nutritional yeast and miso and it tasted as if I had added parmesan which is exactly what I was going for. For the veggies, it had to have butternut squash of course, but I also added in potatoes since it was a chowder, and celery and garlic for flavor. I figured it didn’t need carrots since it already had the sweet squash. Lastly, I added in some chickpeas for protein.

It smelled amazing and I couldn’t wait to try it! It was soooo good! Rich and creamy with a cheesy flavor, aromatic thyme and tender sweet squash and potatoes! I only wished I had some crusty bread to dip in it. Because I love doing that with soup! If you are in the mood for comfort food, give this a try! It is pretty quick and easy to make!

Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Chowder

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 2 cups yukon gold potatoes, cubed
- 1 15 oz can full fat or lite coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp white miso dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the onions celery, and garlic. Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, squash, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
3. Add the cashew butter and nutritional yeast, and cook until they are well blended into the soup, then add the chickpeas and cook until heated through.
4. If it is too thick, add a little more broth. Enjoy!
November 8, 2019
Butternut Squash and Cranberry Casserole
Squash is one of my favorite things ever, and I get super excited when it comes into season. There was a point in my life when I was younger when I used to eat it almost every day for pretty much the Fall and Winter seasons in different ways for dinner. My skin even started to take on a little squash like hue that my Mom called my “squash tan”. I don’t go quite to that extreme now, but I do enjoy it a couple of times a week. After all, it is not around all year (well at least not the good tasting kind that only come when in season) so it is special and deserves to be enjoyed. I love it stuffed, roasted in cubes in salads, or even mashed sometimes. I can’t believe as a little kid I thought it was gross because I had been told that it was by a family member and I didn’t want to try it. I was missing out. I started to enjoy it though, when my Mom served the roasted kind stuffed with apples. It turned me around and got me over my fear. I have mostly been roasting it cubed up this year for salads because it gets nice and crispy, but sometimes I roast it cut in half, which is what I did the other night when I happened to have a lot of extra squash. I thought I could use it for other recipes. You know, you can replace canned pumpkin in desserts with it, and it tastes even more sweet and delicious! But this time I decided to make a savory side fit for the Thanksgiving table.

Everyone makes sweet potato casserole, and that is fine, I love sweet potatoes, but I thought why not make a squash casserole? I have not seen one before (I am sure they are out there, I have just never tried one), and I thought it would be delicious. I also had a package of cranberries in my refrigerator waiting to be used in a recipes, so I decided to make this a double layer casserole with the cranberries. I cooked them into a jammy sauce. Not that nasty stuff from the can type of sauce, but the good kind that can only come from real cranberries. I like them a little chunky. Trust me, butternut squash and cranberries are a delicious combination for those that are skeptical. Plus you get two of your Thanksgiving sides in one!

Lastly, I wasn’t going to leave the casserole just like that, because in Minnesota casserole, (or really “Hot Dish” as we call it), should have some sort of crispy topping sprinkled on top that can be browned. So, I made an oat streusel. The whole thing smelled amazing while baking! Kind of like dessert, but it is definitely a savory Thanksgiving side. It was super delicious! The squash was sweet and delicious, the cranberries slightly tart, aromatic with orange and jammy, and the struesel was the perfect touch, crunchy and satisfying. If you are looking for a new dish to try this Thanksgiving, give this a go!

Butternut Squash and Cranberry Casserole
Serves 12

Ingredients:

Squash:
- 2 large butternut squash, halved
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Craberries:
- 2 7.5 oz packages fresh organic cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Topping:
- 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and oil a sheet pan, or line it with parchment.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place cut side down on the tray, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour until the squash is tender. Remove from the oven and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
3. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt, and mash the squash with them until there are not any big lumps. Spoon into an 8×8 square pan, or two smaller casserole pans (which is what I did).
4. To make the cranberries, combine them with the syrup, orange juice, and sea salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until the cranberries are tender and thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour over the squash in the pan.
5. To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix together with your hands until it is small clumps that hold together when squeezed. Scatter over the cranberries evenly.
6. Place the pan (or pans) in the oven and bake until the topping is browned about 15-20 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and serve!
November 17, 2017
Vegan Roasted Squash Garlic Nacho Cheese
There was a point in time I ate so much squash that my skin started to turn slightly orange hued. I try to vary my diet a little more now, but maybe I am still a little orange since all year round I am eating squash, sweet potatoes and carrots at least once a day. But not as much as the every day squash dinner that I used to do. I was pretty obsessed in the Fall and Winter. I mean, it is pretty delicious, and I pretty much love it any way that it is prepared. Roasted and stuffed is my favorite. But sometimes you end up with a giant squash, and you bake one side for dinner to stuff and have an extra one, so what do you do with that? Well, I like to swap it out for pumpkin in baked goods, add it to hummus, or add it to things you don’t expect it in. Like mac and cheese, or the Vegan Roasted Squash Garlic Nacho cheese I made last week. I honestly did not set out to make nacho cheese, I set out to make a roasted garlic squash dip that I decided would be good made into a nacho cheese with something rich like cashew butter added to it.

So, it morphed into nacho cheese. I have corn tortilla chips on hand at all times, because they are my crunchy savory indulgence of choice with guac or salsa, so I was excited about the idea of nacho cheese. I remember back in middle school, for lunch I would buy nachos with cheese a lot. I know, totally not healthy, and I am sure it was not real cheese but that didn’t stop me and I don’t think I cared about healthy food at that point, I loved the stuff. I mean, who doesn’t love gooey nacho cheese until they find out what is actually in it?! Funny story though, one time at lunch (still in middle school), someone accidentally spilled nacho cheese on my head. It was a gooey mess, and I was not happy at the time, but now looking back in it the situation was kind of funny. It didn’t deter me from eating it though. It was a middle school lunch favorite for me. As an adult though, I don’t think I have actually eaten nacho cheese ever. Because I have tried to eat healthy since I was about 18, and the fake stuff in the usual nacho cheese was unappealing. But…the idea of a healthy nacho cheese made with squash sounded awesome! I could enjoy one of my old favorites and it would still be healthy!

So, I was excited about this nacho cheese. It is mostly squash, but the ingredient that makes it so good is the 4 heads of roasted garlic I added. Before you go thinking 4 heads??? Yes, but when roasted they mellow out and become super delicious and almost a little sweet and rich. I added cashew butter to that to make it silky and cheesy as well as some nutritional yeast and miso to give it even more of a cheesy flavor. And, nacho cheese needs a little kick so it needed chipotle powder as well. It turned out sooo good! I am not going to lie, I ate most of a batch with my chips in one sitting. If you are looking for a healthier nacho cheese alternative, give this recipe a try!

Vegan Roasted Squash Garlic Nacho Cheese
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
- 4 heads garlic
- 1 cup cooked squash
- 3/4 cup filtered water
- 1/2 cup cashew butter
- 1 Tbsp white miso
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
2. Cut just the tops off of each head of garlic to expose the cloves, then wrap them in foil.
3. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until the garlic is soft and tender. Remove from the oven and let cool.
4. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the papery skins into a blender or food processor.
5. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth.
6. Enjoy!
October 6, 2017
Vegan Roasted Squash Black Bean Tacos Recipe with GOODFOODS Guacamole
Vegans love their avocadoes. So, it comes of no surprise that we scope out the best guacamole! Because sometimes we want to just grab it and go, not sit and scoop out avocadoes and add all of the seasonings. This is why I am happy I discovered GOODFOODS guacamole! I picked some up at Super Target (in the deli area of the store) earlier this week, two different varieties, Chunky Guacamole and Pineapple Poblano Guacamole. They other varieties to try as well, which I will be picking up next time, because I love my guac! Why did I pick this brand? Well, simple, it is made with good ingredients. Nothing you can’t pronounce, no preservatives, chemicals or additives. Just avocadoes, and veggies (or fruit if you get the pineapple) which is really important to me! I want to be putting good things into my body and GOODFOODS guacamole fits the bill! This stuff is packed with nutrients to keep you feeling good, and it is always fresh, never heated because they use a special process. Not only is it made with good ingredients, but these guys care about the environment as well, they compost all of their avocado skins and pits and hope to become a zero waste to landfill facility! It is not often you hear about companies that do that.

Their guacamole is wonderful for snacking with chips, but it is also good for Holiday entertaining. Whip out a container of this for your guests with some chips and veggies, and I can guarantee they will be happy. So easy! My Grandma always used to set out tables of snacks before our Holiday meals while she prepared them, and this would have been a good and healthy addition. I always love it when snacks are healthy, guilt free, AND good. But not only is it a good snack for the Holidays, it is going to be a part of my main dish as well! So, how does guacamole fit into my Thanksgiving meal?

Well, although this is a wonderful time of the year, the beautiful season, getting together with friends and loved ones you haven’t seen in a while, and good meals. But it can also be kind of stressful if you are the host for Thanksgiving (or any other Holiday meal) and you have to prep and cook all of the food. I don’t know about you, but I would rather focus on the spending time with the people I love part. Which is why in past years I have simplified my Thanksgiving meal with one great main dish, maybe a side and dessert. Now, I know it is traditional to cook a meal with many different dishes, but I am a little non-traditional and creating new traditions is ok too. So, this year I am going with something a little creative, but everybody loves, tacos. I mean, who doesn’t love tacos?! You can be creative with them, fill them with all sorts of different ingredients and toppings, and even use seasonal ones! Which is what I am doing. Roasted Squash and Black Bean Tacos with GOODFOODS guacamole to top them off, which I am sharing the recipe for at the end of the post! Because in my opinion ALL good tacos contain guacamole, and I love that I can just open a container, and not have to make it myself. These tacos are pretty simple to make, and would go great with either of the GOODFOODS guacamoles that I bought, the Pineapple Poblano if you are extra feeling festive or the Chunky Guacamole if you want it more traditional. Also, I might add, this Thanksgiving meal will leave you feeling good, and not in a food coma. So you can spend quality time with your family after dinner as well!

If you are not into the whole serving tacos on Thanksgiving day thing, how about the next day if you have guests staying over that you need to feed in between shopping on black Friday? Either way get yourself some GOODFOODS guac! I encourage you to find some GOODFOODS guacamole in your area! You can locate a store near you that carries them on their website HERE. They are in many stores including Target, Costco and Walmart among others, it is not hard to get your hands on. Make this guacamole part of your Holidays! Share the Goodness with GOODFOODS!

Vegan Roasted Squash Black Bean Tacos Recipe with GOODFOODS Guacamole
Serves 6

Ingredients:

Squash:
- 2 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
- olive oil
- sea salt to taste
Beans:
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- sea salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Assembly:
- 12 organic corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 packages GOODFOODS Chunky Guacamole or GOODFOODS Pineapple Poblano Guacamole
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- fresh cilantro leaves
- hot sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
2. Toss the squash with just enough olive oil to coat then spread out on a sheet pan, and sprinkle with sea salt. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes until the squash is tender and starting to brown at the edges.
3. Meanwhile, toss the black beans together with the olive oil, spices and garlic and set aside.
4. When the squash is done roasting, to assemble the tacos, spoon some of the beans and squash onto each tortilla, then sprinkle with cranberries, top off with GOODFOODS Guacamole, sprinkle with some scallions, garnish with cilantro, and drizzle with hot sauce. Serve!
November 11, 2016
Vegan Cheesy Squash Tots with Cranberry Chipotle Ketchup
It’s funny, growing up I was never a big fan of tater tots. Whenever they were included in my school lunches, I just left them there, because for some reason they did not appeal to me. French fries however were another story. Kind of weird for a kid or teenager I know, but that is how I was. So, as an adult, I decided to make my own tater tots at home once, and see if I liked them any better. Well, I am happy to report I loved them! They were so much better than the gross frozen ones in my school lunch. I even made vegan tater tot hot dish with some! I was no longer against tater tots. But sadly, it has been last year since I made any. I consider them sort of a cool weather thing, so now is the time.

I wanted to make some yesterday, but I decided to do a variation on the ones from last year due to my lack of potatoes, and my love of all things squash right now. I made cheesy squash tots. They were made the same as the other ones, but these were even better! They had the sweetness of butternut squash, the starch of the potatoes, and I could have eaten the whole batch! I added some nutritional yeast for the cheesy flavor, and a dash of chipotle and sea salt and they were just right! I made some of my Cranberry Chipotle Ketchup to dip them in and it was perfect! I am not a big fan of most store bought ketchups because they have lots of sugar but this ketchup tastes better and is sweetened mostly with fruit. These tots are crave worthy…just sayin’ so do make yourself some when you get the chance!

Also, do you notice the pretty heathered granite napkin my tater tots are sitting on? Well, it was a gift from Kari over at the Beautiful Ingredient! She sells them over at Food 52! She actually started making the napkins for her family, and turned it into a side business! So cool! The napkin she sent me is made with organic cotton and hemp recycled fibers, so these are a product you can feel good about using! I love the idea of cloth napkins, not only for food photos, but for every day use. My family has been using them for a while, because it saves on costs and the environment of course. These are good quality napkins that I can tell will hold up well for a long time. If you would like to buy some hers for yourself, you can find them HERE. Also, Kari has been kind enough to offer a discount code on her products, so when you head over use the discount code: HOLIDAYVB1012 for 15% off of $25 orders through November. While you are over at her blog be sure to check out her recipes as well, they all sound delicious!

Vegan Cheesy Squash Tots with Cranberry Chipotle Ketchup
Serves 2-4 (two if you are me)

Ingredients:
- 3 russett potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
- filtered water
- sea salt to taste
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil (optional)
- Cranberry Chipotle Ketchup
Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 425F degrees. To make the tater tots, place the potatoes and squash in a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove, and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes and squash are just tender but not too mushy, and drain. Let cool until able to handle the potatoes, and grate them into a bowl. Add sea salt to taste, nutritional yeast, chipotle pepper, and mix together. Shape the potatoes into tater tots (they will be a little sticky, but no worries, they will crisp up when baked). Place on an oiled sheet pan, and drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil, tossing them around in it gently to coat them. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until lightly browned and crisp on the outside. Serve with chipotle cranberry ketchup, or your favorite ketchup.
November 4, 2016
Savory Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash
I have always had a thing for squash. It is the vegetable that I always used to get the most excited about, and when Fall rolled around, I had to have some in my kitchen at all times. There was a point when I ate it almost every day, and my skin turned slightly orange. My Mom called it my squash tan. I try to branch out a little more now and eat a variety of things, but I still devour a couple of squash per week. My favorite thing to do with them is to stuff them. With things like soup, or savory rice or quinoa stuffings. I was in the mood for a really hearty dinner a few nights back, because it was a chilly day and I was super hungry from a big workout and working, so I made a lentil and wild rice stuffed squash.

Lentils and wild rice are used often in my kitchen lately, because to me they are perfect for comfort foods like creamy wild rice soup, or lentil walnut meatloaf. Combining them together is awesome because they have this beautiful earthy savory flavor that is perfect for this time of the year. I kept this stuffing pretty simple, adding some mushrooms and garlic for flavor, celery for texture and saltiness, and a little thyme because it is my favorite Fall and Winter spice. For the squash, I used buttercup, because it is my all time favorite squash, the perfect balance of sweet and starchy.

There was a time in my life when I had squash roasting in the oven almost every night, and it is always comforting to smell it roasting in the oven and warming up the house. This recipe takes a little time to cook, but it is not difficult to make or hands on time consuming. It is sooo worth the time though! I made extra and served it for dinner the next night! It is deliciously savory, like warm you up, satisfy your comfort food craving but still feel good after meal. I think I might just be making this often this year!

Savory Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash
Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup wild rice
- 2/3 cup French lentils
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 stalks celery
- ¾ cup sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Sea salt to taste
- 2 medium buttercup or kabocha squash, cut in half and seeds removed
Directions:
1. Place the wild rice in a pot with just enough water to cover by 3 inches, then bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 hour until the rice is tender and starting to bloom. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, do the same with the lentils as you did with the rice, and cook for about 40 minutes until tender. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, while the rice and lentils are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
4. Place the squash in the oven, cut side down on an oiled baking tray. Bake for about 1 hour until tender.
  While the squash is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the celery and mushrooms. Sautee for about 10 minutes over medium heat until tender, then add the garlic, thyme, the cooked lentils and wild rice. Season to taste with salt, then stir all together.
5. Once the squash have finished cooking spoon the lentil and wild rice mixture into them. Serve!
October 15, 2016
Vegan Roasted Squash and Chevre Tart

I used to eat so much squash when I was younger, that I got what my Mother called a squash tan. I had it every day. A whole squash of some sort, almost every single night. I was addicted to it because it was so good. Especially kabocha or butternut. My favorite dish was a sort of French onion soup with roasted squash with toasted bread and cheese broiled on top. So good. After a while I branched out and ate other things, and I can’t say that I eat squash every day now, but I still love it. Mostly just roasted with a little sea salt. It gets so sweet it is like candy. I am kind of on a pie and tart making kick right now, so I decided to make a squash tart a few nights back.

It was really quite simple to make, just requiring time to roast the squash and bake the pie shell since I already had the chevre to top if off with on hand. I included spinach as well, since I include greens in at least one meal every day. It had really good flavor, not needing much to accent the squash but a little sea salt, garlic and red pepper. The chevre was a nice addition to it, giving it a nice richness. Being able to have delicious squash in the fall and winter makes up for the fact that I miss things like berries and tomatoes from the summer.

Vegan Roasted Squash and Chevre Tart

Makes 16

Chevre:

2 cups raw macadamia nuts (or cashews), soaked in water for 4 hours and drained

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp cider vinegar

1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

2-3 Tbsp filtered water

Crust:

2 cups all purpose gluten free flour

1/2 cup ground walnuts

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup coconut oil in its solid state

about 6-7 Tbsp cold water

Filling:

1 large butternut squash, cut into cubes

olive oil

1 large handful spinach

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

To make the chevre, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, and blend until smooth adding a Tbsp or two of water as needed to create a chevre like consistency (do not add too much or it will be too thin). Place in 2 layers of cheesecloth, wrap up, and place in the refrigerator overnight to firm up.

To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a rectangle using floured parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Roll into a 10 inch circle. Oil a 9 inch tart pan well with coconut oil and fit the circle into it. Shape to fit the pan, don’t worry if it tears, just press the dough back together. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375F degrees, then place the tart crust in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To make the filling, toss the squash with just enough olive oil to coat it, then spread out on a sheet pan, and place in the oven. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until starting to brown and tender.

Meanwhile, heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet with the spinach and garlic, and cook just until the spinach has wilted and the garlic is fragrant.

Place the cooked squash and spinach in a bowl, and toss together with the red pepper flakes and sea salt to taste. Spread out in the prepared crust, then sprinkle the top with some of the chevre. Serve at room temperature.

January 17, 2016
Roasted Squash Grain Free “Rice” Pilaf

I used to make celeriac rice all the time a year ago, and I realized this week that I haven’t made it in a long time. I saw some celeriac at the store, and I went for it, knowing I could whip up some delicious rice dish that I was now craving. I had some butternut squash on hand as well, and I wanted to incorporate that. So, this was going to be a combination cooked/raw dish, well balanced for a cool winter day. I flavored the celeriac rice with garlic, thyme, and a bit of walnut butter for richness and it was delicious as it was, but even better once I added the squash and spinach!

I roasted the butternut squash in chunks, as is my favorite way to cook it. I love it so much that I could eat a big bowl of just that alone. Once the dish was all together, it was sooo good! Crave worthy savory deliciousness! Celeriac is also a great detoxing vegetable, so if you are going for that after all of the Holiday over-indulging, it will be much better on your system than real rice.

Roasted Squash Grain Free “Rice” Pilaf

Serves 1-2

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
olive oil

1 head celeriac (3 cups diced)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp walnut butter or pecan butter, whisked together with 2 Tbsp filtered water
sea salt to taste
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
2 Tbsp shelled hemp seeds
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Toss the squash with just enough olive oil to coat it, then spread out on a sheet pan, and place in the oven. Roast for about 30-45 minutes until tender and starting to brown at the edges. Season with sea salt to taste.

Meanwhile, to make the rice, pulse the celeriac in a food processor until you have small pieces like rice. Combine with all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. Serve at room temperature.

January 8, 2016
Vegan Squash Cornbread Stuffing

I have made lots of traditional Thanksgiving foods in the past, but oddly enough, I have never actually made stuffing. Which is kind of weird since I did love my Grandmother’s stuffing, and it was one of my favorite things at Thanksgiving. So, this year I decided to make some. I am really not a big bread person, but when I do eat bread 99% of the time it is home made. I wanted a gluten free bread for this, and I decided on cornbread since it is a quick-bread and fast to make. My favorite cornbread recipe is actually a squash cornbread. It is lower in fat than most, and it makes a perfect partner for chili. So I used that recipe for this.

I added in the usual suspects, celery, onions, and garlic, and mushrooms to give it an earthy flavor. Thyme, rosemary, and sage of course had to be present, and I used my own flavorful home made veggie stock. When I make my stock, it has lots of onions and garlic, and a bit of celery…so good. I work in a deli so I have lots of veggie trimmings to use in stock. Anyways, once this stuffing was all baked into delicious goodness I could not wait to try it. It smelled amazing. I like the contrast of the crisp bits on top with the soft stuffing beneath. Crave worthy. I think this would have passed Grandma’s taste test. It was delicious!

Vegan Squash Cornbread Stuffing

Serves 6-8

1 loaf squash cornbread (recipe follows), diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 stalks celery, sliced

1 onion, diced

1 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried sage

1 1/2 cups flavorful veggie stock (or as needed)

sea salt to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees. Spread the bread cubes out on a sheet pan, and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until a little dry. Remove from the oven and set aside in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil, and add the celery, onions, and mushrooms. Sautee until tender, about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and herbs and sautee a minute more. Add 1 cup of the stock to deglaze and scrape up any brown bits. Pour this mixture over the bread in the bowl, and toss gently to mix together. Pour into an 8 inch square oiled baking dish. Drizzle the top with a little olive oil (optional, if you are toasting the top). Place in the oven, cover, and bake for about 30 minutes until heated through, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes if you want to brown the top and get it crispy. Serve warm.

Vegan Squash Cornbread

1 loaf

1 cup medium grind cornmeal

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup squash or pumpkin puree

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil an 8×4 inch pan with coconut oil. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt. Whisk in coconut milk, squash, coconut oil, and maple syrup until well combined. Whisk in cider vinegar quickly until just combined, then pour into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool a few minutes before turning out from pans.

November 22, 2015
Sweet and Spicy Double Squash Salad

I can never get enough of squash when it comes into season. It is so good roasted especially, and butternut and buttercup are so sweet that they almost taste like dessert to me. So I eat it about as much as I can while I can get the local varieties. It is kind of addictive. One year, when I was younger, my Mom said I had a squash tan, because I ate so much it tinted my skin a little orange. I did not mind though. I try to be a little more balanced with my veggies now, getting a variety of different ones, but if I had to pick one veggie this time of the year, it would be squash. The other night, I decided I wanted to enjoy a simple squash salad for dinner, and it turned out so tasty that I decided I needed to share the recipe with you all.

I actually had butternut squash and zucchini, so it ended up being a double squash salad! I roasted them both to deliciousness, then tossed them with cranberries, a sweet and spicy dressing with jalapeno, maple syrup, citrus and toasted cumin. lastly, I made some spiced pumpkin seeds to sprinkle over it all. Was it ever delicious! I served it with grilled tempeh on the side, and it made the perfect autumn dinner!

Serves 2-3

1 large (or 2 smaller) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

4 medium zucchini, cut into thick half moons

olive oil

sea salt

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds:

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 Tbsp maple syrup

sea salt to taste

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground chipotle peppers

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

Dressing:

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp toasted whole cumin seeds

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced

sea salt to taste

1/2 cup cranberries

To prepare the squash, heat the oven to 400F degrees, and oil 2 sheet pans. Toss the butternut squash with just enough olive oil to coat, and spread out on one of the sheet pans. Do the same with the zucchini. Place both in the oven and roast until the squash is tender. About 20-30 minutes for the zucchini, and about 40-50 minutes for the squash (rotate the pans half way through). Once they are done, let cool until just warm.

Meanwhile, to make the pumpkin seeds, add all ingredients but the sugar to a pan, and cook over medium heat until the seeds are toasted and the syrup starts to evaporate. Add the coconut sugar and stir to coat. Remove from heat.

Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the squash, the cranberries, and the pumpkin seeds, and toss together until well coated. Serve!

November 14, 2015
Vegan Roasted Squash and Black Bean Pot Pies

I got my last CSA box of the season and it had some really good stuff in it. Most of all, the butternut squash, black beans, and tomatillos. Those 3 ingredients were just begging to be used in some sort of delicious Mexican inspired dish for dinner. Mondays are my day off, so that was the day I decided to make this dish. It changed a few times…what I was making, and I finally decided on pot pies. Eric has been saying I should make pot pie for a while and I finally decided to give in. This past weekend was so perfect, it was 80 degrees and sunny and the colors are beautiful outside this time of the year, so we went on a hike and enjoyed the day on Sunday. But then when we woke up Monday it was chilly, drizzling outside and super windy. So the perfect day for pot pies.

I decided that I wanted to make a tangy sauce from the tomatillos so I roasted them, then combined them with cilantro, garlic, jalapeno and lime juice. The sauce was so delicious it would have made the perfect salsa but I had better plans for it. I roasted the butternut squash, then combined it with that delicious sauce, some black beans, and a few other veggies for flavor.

I topped it all off with a cornmeal crust that turned out nice and flaky just how a pot pie should be. The filling was super flavorful, and definitely crave worthy with that crust. This is the perfect dish to enjoy on a dreary day, it is bright in flavor, but warm and comforting. I hope you all are enjoying your Autumn as much as I am enjoying mine. I love this time of the year when I can make warm comfort foods on my day off!

Vegan Roasted Squash and Black Bean Pot Pies

Makes 3 pies

1 medium butternut squash, diced (about 4 cups)

olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 small bell pepper, diced

2 cups cooked black beans

Sauce:

4 cups tomatillos, halved

olive oil

1/2 cup filtered water

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded (or not if you want it spicy)

1 garlic clove

juice of one large lime

sea salt to taste

1/4 cup cilantro

Crust:

3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 Tbsp coconut oil in its solid form

2-3 Tbsp cold water or to taste

To make the squash, pre-heat the oven to 400F. Toss the squash with just enough olive oil to coat, and spread out on a sheet pan. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a bowl.

Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and add the onion and pepper. Sautee until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the bowl with the squash, and the black beans as well. Set aside.

To make the tomatillo sauce, toss the tomatillos with olive oil, and spread out on a sheet pan. Roast for about 20-25 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and place in a blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth and pour over the veggies and beans in the bowl.

Spoon the mixture into 3 oiled 4 wide inch deep dish pie dishes.

To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Divide into 3 balls.

Roll each out into about a 4 1/2 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Use the parchment to assist putting it on top of the filling, and fit to the edges (no need to be perfect, it is ok if it looks rustic). Pierce the top crust a few times with a knife to make vents. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes until hot and bubbling the top is starting to brown lightly.

October 14, 2015
Summer Lentil Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Pattypan or sunburst squash as they are also called, have to be one of the most adorable things ever! I remember the first time I saw some at the store I had to buy them just because they were so cute, not knowing for sure how to prepare them. Little did I know they can be used like zucchini. They are sweet and delicious when sliced up and roasted in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt. Which is how I make them most of the time now. But I decided to get a little fancy last week and stuff some.

I wanted a protein rich filling, so I used French lentils along with sautéed veggies. It was pretty simple, but so good, and I could have eaten a bowl of that filling by itself. I am obsessed with lentils lately though. Nothing beats lentils as far as being cost effective and delicious when prepared properly. They are a staple in this girl’s vegan diet! Anyways, they made the perfect filling for the squash, and when it was roasted up all soft, sweet and delicious with the lentils inside…even better! I had to share some with Eric and he enjoyed them too. Sometimes I really wish I was able to have a garden and grow beautiful veggies like these!

Summer Lentil Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Makes 4

1/2 cup French lentils

4 pattypan or sunburst squash

4 scallions, sliced

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, rehydrated and cut julienne

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp olive oil

sea salt to taste

Place the French lentils in a pot and cover with filtered water by a few inches. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer an cook for about 30 minutes until tender but not mushy. Rinse and drain.

Meanwhile, to prepare the squash, slice the tops off, then scoop out the centers leaving 1/2 inch from the outside so you have a hollow cavity. Set the shells aside, and chop the insides you have scooped out. Add them to a pan, along with the scallions, carrot, tomatoes, garlic and thyme. Add a few tsp olive oil and saute until they are all tender. Once the lentils have finished cooking, stir them in as well and season to taste with sea salt.

Spoon the filling into the hollowed out squash shells, place on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cover with a piece of foil so they do not dry out, and cook at 400F degrees for about 45 minutes or until the squash is tender and heated through.

August 11, 2015