ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH W/ BALSAMIC

 

ready to serve

roasted butternut squash

 

the nutritional benefits of butternut squash:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/111690-butternut-squash-nutrition/



Found this one on line and was totally surprised at how simple could be so delicious.  The already peeled and chopped squash cubes are available at Costco in a 2 lb. package.  This would be great at a holiday meal.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. butternut squash cubes (about 6 cups)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T + 1 tsp. best quality balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fine dried rosemary
sea salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the olive oil, 1 T balsamic vinegar, and rosemary, then toss squash cubes with the mixture.

 

toss with oil, vinegar and rosemary

Arrange the squash on a cookie sheet or dish large enough to hold it in a single layer.

 

roast in single layer on baking sheet

Roast 20 minutes, then turn squash and roast about 20 minutes more, or until squash is very soft and starting to get slightly caramelized.

Remove from oven and toss squash with additional 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. You can mash slightly if you want, but I keep mine rather chunky. Serve hot.

SITE OFFERS RECIPES BASED ON YOUR GROCERIES

I have just discovered a site, that provides you with recipes based on the availability of food in your frig and pantry.

Two options are offered, a Quick Find, using a very short check list or the Detailed Search, using a much longer list.

Using one of these lists, you click on the ingredients you have in your frig and / or pantry and the program selects a recipe for you.

This program has several nice features:

After registering, it allows you to save your list of available foods.
The program has a category selection that enables the user to further reduce the area of the search, ie. vegetarian, etc.
Each recipe listed tells you what ingredient you are missing as well as time, calories, carbs, fat, protein, and yield.

The only question I have centers on the quality of the recipes.  Still undetermined for me, since they are reader submitted.  I definitely think this sounds like fun and would come in handy for some last minute meals.

Check out this site, give it a try:

http://www.myfridgefood.com/

CARROT SOUP WITH HONEY AND NUTMEG

perfect time of year for this root vegetable soup

made in the crock pot

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup veggie stock

2 medium size yellow onions, chopped

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 lbs. carrots (about 15 medium-sized), peeled and chopped

2 small cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 tsp. each dried thyme and marjoram

4 to 6 cups veggie broth

2 Tbsp. honey (I use agave nectar)

3/4 tsp. nutmeg

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

all the ingredients in the crock pot before cooking

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the veggie broth in skillet and saute the onions with a bit of salt until soft.

Put the potatoes, carrots, garlic, herbs, honey, nutmeg and salt and pepper in the slow cooker.  Add the onions.  Add enough of the broth to cover everything.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.

Turn the cooker to LOW and cook for 5 to 7 hours. 

When finished, puree the vegetables right in the crock with a handheld immersion blender.  The soup will be nice and thick.

Adjust the salt and pepper.



CREAMED SPINACH

chop the steamed, drained fresh spinach

INGREDIENTS:

2 bags fresh baby spinach, steamed, drained and chopped

1 cup raw cashews

2 Tbsp. raw pine nuts

1 1/2 cup water

4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Steam 2 bags of fresh baby spinach.  Strain to remove the water.

steaming fresh spinach

2 bag yield, drain well

Meanwhile in a blender, grind cashews and pine nuts into a fine powder. Add water, lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth.

Transfer sauce to a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk as you bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes, whisking regularly. Stir in black pepper.

Place the sauce in a large serving bowl and add the chopped spinach.  Mix well.  Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

creamed spinach

lunch for me, consisted of creamed spinach

and brown Jasmine rice



SKIP AND GO NAKED/ drink

easy breezy



INGREDIENTS:

1 can frozen pink lemonade
1 can beer
1 can gin


DIRECTIONS:

Blend all together in the blender on high.  Be in a safe place.  Wear a helmet if necessary.  ENJOY!

NO OIL HOUSE DRESSING

what a good NO OIL dressing from Chef AJ

check out her site:

www.eatunprocessed.com

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup water

4 Tbsp. tahini

6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

4 Tbsp. low sodium tamari

4 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

8 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp. date syrup

date syrup

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  You may also use salt-free mustard and/or fresh lime juice.

I used my Vitamix but any blender will do.

makes enough for several days



GARDEN VEGETABLE SAUCE

tonight served on tortellini

with Vegan Parmesan

Necessity the mother of invention/creation?  YES!  Hence this sauce using my garden tomatoes, eggplant, kale, basil, green onions and oregano.

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp. veggie broth

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced

chopping eggplant

3 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced

2 jars sauce (I use one jar and 2 containers of my frozen crushed garden tomatoes)

4 sprigs of oregano, remove stems and chop

6 to 8 basil leaves, chop

1/2 cup red wine

generous pinch crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

3 cups kale, chopped



DIRECTIONS: 

Add the stock and oil to a saucepan.  Saute the onion with a bit of salt.  After a few minutes add the eggplant and garlic.  Saute till all is nice and tender.

To this mixture add the sauce, oregano, basil, wine and seasonings.  Cook about 45 minutes.

Add the kale, stir in and continue to cook, covered, for at least another 30 minutes.

sauce full of garden goodness

tip:  When using jarred sauce, always rinse out the jar with wine, shake very well, and pour this mixture into your sauce pot.  You get every bit of goodness!