Homemade hummus

A few simple ingredients make this an easy recipe

While out in Sedona, I couldn’t get enough hummus. I don’t know what it was about the way it was made out there, but I needed to try to recreate it myself, from scratch. Not only was I impressed by the creamy, light Mediterranean flavor, but with the presentation as well. Not that I hadn’t seen hummus before, but on the East coast it’s generally served more as a side dish, as opposed to a main dish, like there. Anyway, here’s the recipe. Watch the amount of garlic you add. I think I over did it in my first batch, and so re-adjusted the recipe here.

• 1 can (19 oz) of Cento chickpeas or “garbanzo” beans (I prefer to use dry beans. When you do that you need to soak the beans over night in a pot of cold water. In the morning, simmer on a low boil for 3-4 hours. Drain water; cool).
• 1/4 cup Tahini paste
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
• 3-4 leaves of mint ( I have mint growing wild in my yard, so I love to use it when I can)
• Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (I originally used 4, which was a little too much). 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• exta virgin olive oil
• parsley
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• pita bread
• kalamata olives
• feta cheese

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, yogurt, mint, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt. Turn processor on for about two minutes until hummus is smooth. To serve hummus, place on center of dish, drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika. Garnish with olives, feta, sliced cucumbers, tomato wedges and warmed pita bread.

Adventures in amazing dishes

As some of you may already know, my lovely boyfriend D and I got back from a four-day vacation in Sedona, Arizona. Red rocks, warm blue vistas and spiritual healing aside, there is a fourth dimension to this soul-nourishing place: food. Here are some of our top favorite dishes…

No you can’t eat this, but you can eat a delicious meal with this as your view at Enchantment Resort in Sedona

A bowl of mixed berries at the Yavapai restaurant

You cannot leave the Southwest without at least one serving of blue corn pancakes. Add peaches and agave syrup like the one at Yavapai

Red hot chili peppers may not be my favorite snack. But they’re everywhere in the south.

Mii Amo spa doesn’t serve spa food. It serves amazing dishes like this heirloom tomato and avocado gazpacho with pineapple chunks and cilantro

Portabella mushroom quesadilla like this one went down pretty fast; Mii Amo

Are these edible? Not sure, but they were beautiful.

Yavapai’s egg white avocado omelette with mushrooms, tomotoes and spinach

This little dish was served at 5th and wine in Scottsdale. Never tasted hummus so good, and the fries were fabulous too

Hint,  hint… Mii Amo has their menu online and they do send you recipes if you’re interested.

Wild Caught Salmon Ceviche

Salmon ceviche with a pocketless pita and a margarita

Whether it factually states it’s summer on the calendar or not, doesn’t seem to matter to the temperature. With record highs over 100F last week, it’s definitely summer in Southern New Jersey. And with no AC in my little house in the woods, I wasn’t about to cook over a hot stove. So, I decided it was finally time to make ceviche (I pronounce it seh-veech-ay).

A good friend of mine and her husband, Polly and Pat, made this dish for us last summer while on vacation in Long Beach Island. Believe it or not, I had never had it. But it was one of those memorable dishes that, when paired with great friends, great conversation and a great setting sticks with you like a scene from a favorite novel.

Pat made his version with snapper, and I believe he used a recipe from Emeril Lagasse, but I could be wrong. I’ve even heard of serving it with poached shrimp in a coconut. Whatever the case, there are a million ways to make ceviche (and even pronounce it). But here’s a basic recipe I used (and tweaked) which called for fresh, FRESH, FRESH wild caught salmon.

Wild Alaskan Salmon Ceviche
Serves 6-8 as appetizer
• 1 pound skinless, boneless salmon fillets (very fresh)
• ½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)
• ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 oranges)
• Half a squeezed lemon
• ½ red onion, minced
• Ground pepper
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 2 ears of steamed, fresh Jersey sweet corn
• tiny bit (maybe a Tablespoon) of cilantro, chopped

Marinating:
Cut up the raw, uncooked salmon into bite-size pieces, chop onions, and place in a glass casserole dish (use glass or ceramic, but not metal). Sprinkle with pepper. Pour the juices over the salmon and make sure the juices are covering the ingredients (if not, simply add more juice). Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, stirring and agitating the fish periodically so that it’s completely covered in juice. Drain the juice into a small bowl and reserve.

Serving:
Toss all of the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl (don’t forget to take all the corn off the cob first!) and garnish with extra avocado. You may want to add back the marinaded juices, but this will give your ceviche a more soupy look and feel and may be a little messy when you go to spoon it onto your warmed pita.

The ceviche is best when eaten the day it is made.

The perfect dinner

On day-two of my gluten-free diet I invited D’s sister over for dinner. She too has a few diet restrictions, so I thought she might appreciate a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free dinner. You begin to wonder what’s left to work with when so much is seemingly lacking from a meal (whole grains that are gluten-based and dairy, for example) But, I have to say, there was nothing lacking in this meal. I did not once feel that I had altered any ingredients to the point of it tasting bland, weird or funky. And I don’t think anyone else felt that way either.

I decided to make breaded chicken cutlets with a side of quinoa (pronounced, “keen-wah”) and string beans. I would have liked a side of broccoli instead, but I need to stay away from cruciferous veggies for a while as they tend to upset delicate stomachs. But the string beans ended up being a much better pairing.

Chicken Cutlets
For the chicken, I washed them, patted them dry and then dipped them in almond milk instead of egg (which I think gave them a more crunchy, lighter texture) and then I rolled them in an over-priced brand of wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free rice flour bread crumbs, which, next time, I’ll just make myself (adding oregano, parsley, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper for flavoring). Also, instead of frying them on the stovetop in olive oil, like I usually do, I popped them in the broiler on a cookie sheet. I added a little oil to the pan and put them fairly close to the heat. Four minutes on one side and only two or three on the other. Done.

Quinoa
Quinoa is something I’ve only eaten in cold salads, prepared with vinegar (and oftentimes craisins or pumpkin seeds). Also, it’s not even really a grain, even though it acts like one. It’s a seed. And so, I’ve never really felt it to be a typical staple or side dish like rice or potatoes. And yet, the way I prepared it last night, had me convinced I could eat it every night. It came out more like a couscous side dish, than the cold vinegary tasting quinoa I had had in the past.

To prepare it, I boiled 3 cups of water with a little sea salt, added 1 and 1/2 cups of cleaned quinoa (you have to rinse it off to remove the soapy film), and then covered it and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes until light and fluffy, like rice. Simultaneously, in a skillet, I heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sauteed garlic, onions and carrots. I also added about a 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of leftover red wine. When the quinoa was fully cooked, I tossed it into the sauteed mixture and then added sea salt, a generous portion of dried parsley (although next time I’d like to use fresh instead) and about a 1/2 a cup of almond slivers. This was the dish that went the quickest. My kids loved it; the adults loved it. And it’s definitely something I will be making again.

String beans
No canned string beans for me. I only buy fresh string beans, and prepare them the same as always: I wash them, cut off their heads and tails, and steam them for about 5 minutes. I like them firm. I drain the water, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice from half a squeezed lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt. Easy, crunchy, salty, lemony.

To top it all off, D’s sis brought over a bottle of Rioja called El Coto, which was a perfect red for the meal. We sat around the table, discussed Libya, Japan, golf, Florida, and food. I think I recall patting my tummy at some point last night, saying, “Diet? What diet?”

Heal-tummy Gluten-free kick

Socca, or as some call it, "skillet flatbread"

 

So, I’m on a gluten-free kick this month in the hopes of figuring out what is causing a lifetime of stomach upset, gas and bloating. Not that you want to hear that on a food blog. And yet,  it is giving me the opportunity to explore ingredients that I normally wouldn’t.

Garbanzo or chickpea flour, for example. I had it last night in possibly one of the greatest, quickest, easiest recipes on the planet. I came across David Lebovitz’s French food blog on how to make something called Socca– a “street food” found only in Nice, France.  The idea of France and seeing a photo of a pancake/crepe-looking thing hooked me instantly. I had to make it.

I ran down to my corner health food store and ended up buying Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo and Fava flour instead of the straight garbanzo. I measured a cup, plopped it in a bowl, added water, sea salt, a pinch of cumin (too much kills the taste of the flour) and olive oil, and broiled for a couple minutes on both sides. It was FABULOUS. And over way too quickly. But two things I want to caution you on, regarding his recipe:

1. He tells you to place oil in a pan and heat the pan in the oven first. I did this, putting the pan possibly a little too close to the broiler, and the oil caught on fire. I quickly pulled the burning pan away from the heat and smothered it with a lid. Crisis averted. But, I would suggest you watch your pan very closely and do not put it too close to the broiler. Either that, or do not put 2 Tbsps of olive oil, but rather a tiny drop. Whichever you choose, make sure to keep an eye on your pan.

2. His recipe does not call for flipping the cake over. Make sure you spread out the mix as thin as possible, but if it comes out a little thick and you don’t flip it, one side comes out nice and crusty, but the other comes out a little “soggy.” So, I suggest you broil both sides. Again, the recipe can be found here.

Then, this morning, I decided to forego my normal old fashioned, slow-cooked  oatmeal (which is also gluten-free for most people- though some still have a problem with oats), in exchange for Bob’s Red Mill “Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal,” which is basically a mix of several whole grains: whole grain brown rice, corn, sweet white sorghum,and  buckwheat. Because of its rather bland taste, I added unsweetened applesauce and raisins and also a pinch of organic Coconut sugar, which has a low glycemic index of 35. It wasn’t bad! In fact, if you’re anything like me, you kinda like the taste and texture of mush, because that’s exactly what it is. It’s a mix between pablum, cream of wheat and grits. Trouble is, despite the fact that these whole grains still retain their bran and germ, they are not nearly as nutritious as plain ‘ol oatmeal (not the kind in packets!), which has more fiber and is less processed. Giving up oatmeal for mush, therefore, is not really a benefit. I also added a tablespoon of Res-Q Land ‘n’ Sea Fiber to my OJ, which I plan to do every morning! I actually like this brand better than Metamucil, simply because Metamucil adds a fake orangey flavor to the fiber, which tastes too sugary to me. I actually prefer a more grainy, natural tasting fiber supplement.

One of the last things I did yesterday, during my heal-tummy, avoid-gluten kick off was make myself a papaya and banana smoothie. According to Johnny Bowden, PhD and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, “papaya–along with pineapple– is one of the best sources of digestive enzymes” because it contains something called “papain,” which helps digest protein. I had it with the socca and it was pure fruity-licious!

So, after all these changes yesterday do I sense a difference? Slightly. But the truth is, it’s going to take a few days. I have to keep with it, and I have to be patient. More than anything, I have to get rid of the coffee, which is the final frontier. But so far, I certainly don’t feel like I’ve denied myself! In fact, I feel like I am embarking on a fun food journey that will hopefully have great benefits for my digestive system.

Nature’s Shield…coming soon.

Nature’s Shield is expanding its website, which means it’s getting a new blog…this one! That’s great news for us. The more connections the better. So what is Nature’s Shield?

Nature’s Shield is an earthy crunchy, environmentally friendly vitamin supplement shop. Their products are all fortified with nutrient-rich vitamins and minerals, so everything you put on your body or in it is strengthening your cells, repairing environmental damage, and creating a stronger you.

Since the shop is online, shopping is available 24/7. They offer the following products:

• Anti-microbial Sanitizing Lotion• Weight Control & Appetite Supressant • GlycoMarine Joint Relief • Red Yeast Rice• Frankie Avalon’s Zero Pain• Superfood Complex• Calcium with Vitamin D, K2• Circulation and Vein Support• Advanced Eye Support (coming soon).

Chicken & pistachio stir fry

I almost ordered a meatball parm from the pizza place this afternoon for lunch, until I came to my senses. I had brown rice and grilled chicken left over from last night, so I tossed a few more things in to make this great stir fry for lunch. This dish, though, is probably best served as a dinner.

1 cup brown rice
1 lb cooked chicken breast, cut up into bite size pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup broccoli
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup celery
1 cup fresh, sliced mushrooms
1 cup fresh spinach leaf
1/2 cup raw or roasted pistachio nuts

Sauce:
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sweet & sour sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp-1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (to taste)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (approx 2 Tbsp)
sprinkle of garlic powder
1/4 cup water

Bake, roast, grill or cook chicken stove top. Set aside.

Cook rice; set aside.

Mix all sauce ingredients, stir vigorously. Set aside.

In large skillet, medium heat, pour olive oil. Toss in hard veggies (broccoli, carrots, celery); saute about 5 minutes. You want your veggies to stay firm; try not to over cook them. Add chicken and rice; stir. Add spinach, pistachios and mushrooms and sauce ingredients; stir and cover for another five minutes on low heat. Serve!

Earthy crunchy rice and fresh spinach

Here’s a quick and healthy recipe that only takes about 30 minutes. It has a sweet, nutty taste that makes it not only a great side dish, but a main course as well. Add a Clementine  for dessert!

1 cup cooked brown rice (I’m using sweet brown rice)
2 cups fresh spinach leaf, chopped
1/4 fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped Pecans
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper
grated Locatelli cheese

Cook the rice as per the directions. Usually 1 cup of uncooked rice simmers for 25 minutes in 1 1/4 cup water.

In separate pan add a couple teaspoons of olive oil and saute onions. Once onions are brown, add pecans, cooked rice, spinach, parsley, cheese and lemon juice. Stir to heat, but do not heat too long or the spinach will become too soft; add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

Raw peach cobbler

Ani Phyo is one of my favorite raw food chefs. I have simplified this recipe by adding “optional” next to some of the more creative steps to this dish. As you can see, the peaches, dates and pistachios are really what do it for me. For the longest time, this was the only thing I ate for breakfast. Sometimes I’d substitute apples or pears for peaches. Whatever you choose to do, this recipe is great anytime.

CRUST
3 cups pistachios, dry
1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 Tablespoon alcohol-free extract (optional)
¾ teaspoon sea salt (optional)
¾ cup pitted dates

SYRUP (optional)
¾ cup pitted dates
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
½ vanilla bean, or ½ Tablespoon alcohol-free extract
⅔ cup filtered water, as needed

FILLING
3 to 4 ripe mangoes, peaches, apples or pears (or a combination!) peeled, seeded, sliced, about 6 cups

To make crust, process pecans, vanilla bean, and salt into powder in your food processor. Add ¾ cup pitted dates and process until mixed well. Sprinkle half of the crust onto bottom of pie dish, and set aside. Don’t bother rinsing out your food processor after making the crust; the leftover crumbs will add in with the syrup ingredients.

To make syrup, process ¾ cup dates, oil, vanilla bean, and water as needed to make a thick syrup. Set aside.

To make filling, place sliced mango into a large mixing bowl. Toss with the syrup. Spoon onto cobbler crust. To serve, top with remaining half of the crust. Will keep for two days in the fridge.

Makes one cobbler.

Recipe courtesy of Ani Phyo

Grilled corn and avocado salsa

3 medium corn on the cob (if not in season, used canned or frozen corn) grilled and cooled to room temperature.
1/2 cup scallions
1 small garlic clove
1 medium jalapeno (cored, seeded and minced) (optional)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 medium avocado, ripe, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice from 1 medium lime
2 Tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro

In a small pan, sauté scallions and garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until slightly brown. Remove from heat, drain oil, set aside.

Break each ear of corn in half and slice kernels off cob with knife into large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, EXCEPT avocado, lime and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

When ready to serve, stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro. Serve with a side of tortilla chips.

This recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers. (8 servings; 2 points per serving)

Heart healthy hummus & cucumber pita

Only have a few minutes to prepare lunch today? Here’s an idea:

1 toasted whole wheat or multi-grain pita, cut in half.
4 Tbsps of hummus
1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 shredded cheese (asiago, cheddar or a variety of your preference)

Stuff hummus, cucs, tomatoes and cheese evenly in each side pocket. Serve with a side of Spanish olives, or honey dew.

Roasted garlic and sweet potato soup

Nothing beats a bowl of hot, homemade soup on a cold night. Enjoy this one by the fireside with a chunk of crusty multigrain.

2 medium baking potatoes (peeled and cut into one-inch pieces)
2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into one-inch pieces)
2-3 stalks of celery (cleaned and chopped)
2-3 carrots (cleaned and sliced)
2 stalks of Jersey sweet corn (shucked and de-corned) or 1 can of yellow or white corn
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp black pepper
6 cloves garlic, broken or crushed (use flat of knife, rolling pin, or bottom of strong glass)
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 cups veggie or chicken broth
1-2 cups water (depending on how thick you want your soup)
1 cup milk or almond milk
Salt (only to taste; this recipe usually needs no salt)
4 oz Colby, cheddar or desired cheese (shredded)

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Place potatoes, celery, carrots and corn into shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with pepper. Stir to coat. Bake uncovered 25 minutes. Turn veggies with metal spatula. Toss in garlic cloves. Bake about 20 minutes or until veggies (potatoes) are browned.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan heat remaining oil. Cook and stir onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add 3 cups of veggie or chicken broth and 1-cup of water to onion mixture in pot. Then add roasted veggies and garlic. Bring just to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes and veggies are very tender. Stir in milk. Heat through. Serve with a ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with cheese. Add a side of crusty bread to make the meal more complete.

Approx. 266 calories per serving.

Smoked trout pate

 

This is a great, quick-to-make appetizer for guests. Every time I make it people beg me for the recipe, so…here it is.

Prepare and serve in under 10 minutes!

6 oz smoked trout fillets
3 Tbsp yogurt
Grated rind and juice of ½ lemon (I use one whole lemon)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
3 Tbsp safflower oil
1/4 cup capers
toasted challah bread, to serve

1. Place all the pate ingredients except the safflower oil in a food processor, and beat until the mixture is smooth.
2. With the machine running, add the oil slowly in a fine stream until the mixture has the consistency of thick whipped cream.
3. Garnish with capers for extra saltyness. Serve with some lightly dressed salad greens and slices of toasted challah bread.

Mama’s homemade chicken noodle soup

My mother is a great Italian chef. It’s only fair that I give her the limelight here and there. One of my favorite scratch recipes of hers in her chicken noodle soup…

Take a whole chicken and cut it up, place it in a large pot with enough water to cover all pieces (about 8-10 cups) (you can substitute 2 cups of store bought liquid chiken broth here for 2 of the cups of water) Or, if you don’t have the the store bought, add 2 chicken boullion cubes to the 8 – 10 cups of water. 4 bay leaves1 tsp pepper (or to choice)I also add an optional tbl of soy sauce for depthAdd 1 onion (roughly chopped)2 stalks of celery (roughly chopped)2 carrots (roughly chopped)Once the soup boils, lower the gas to medium and cook for about 2 hours (or until you see the chicken start to fall off the bone.)

Remove the carrots and chop into small pieces to add back into soup later.

You can strain everything, and reseve the broth back into the pot. As soon as you can handle the hot pieces, discard the onions, celery, bones, and fat, bay leaves, etc…everything except for chicken pieces and carrots. (some people process the onions and celery and throw it back in the soup, but I cut up another onion, and celery into diced pieces and add to soup along with another couple of carrots diced. and the alreadly cooked carrots.

Cook another 30 minutes until the added veggies are done. Test for flavor…you might need salt, pepper,

I cook a half pound of noodles separately and add them to a bowl and add the soup on top.

When the soup is cooled, then I add the noodles (If you add the hot noodles to the hot soup…the noodles keep cooking and they get all mushy, but if you add them after they both have cooled, it’s a much nicer soup.

This recipe courtesy of Rose Shields

Natalie’s harvest risotto

Last night Natalie came over because her electricity was out, so we sat around the kitchen table with tea and her homemade biscotti. She stayed well into dinner and decided to make some risotto for me with the stuff I had in what I previously thought was my not-so-well stocked kitchen. This is what she came up with and I cannot say enough how delicious this was. It took a while; Doug and I didn’t eat until around 7pm. But it was so worth it!

Prep time 10 minutes/Cook time 1 hour.
1 cup brown sweet rice
5 cups water/5 bullion OR 5 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock!)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 oinion
1 sweet potato
3/4 cup roasted butternut squash
1 can (4-6 oz) mushrooms drained OR 1 cup fresh or dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup pistachios, roasted
1/4 cup grated Manchego or Locatelli cheese

In small sauce pan heat 5 cups of broth (water and bullion or chicken stock) to near boil.

In larger pot add oil and butter to medium heat. Chop onions and sweet potato and sautee until lightly softened (about 5 mins). Add rice to mixture and coat, stirring. Slowly add one cup of stock to mixture; stir continuously until mixture thickens. Repeat with all five cups (depending on what type of rice you use, this process could take up to an hour for rice to soften). Add mushrooms, squash, parsley, salt, pepper, wine and thyme. Let mixture thicken. When rice is tender and the stock has turned creamy, add pistachios and grated cheese as garnish.

Note: if rice is taking too long to soften, add a little extra water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Then, remove lid and stir continuously until mixture thickens.

This recipe courtesy of Natalie Stone

Couscous Salad

I’m obsessed with couscous. Especially because it takes 5 minutes to make. We have it for dinner as a side, and then I toss the leftovers in a garden salad the next day for lunch. The olive oil and lemon flavor from the couscous mixes nicely with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

1 cup chopped Romaine
1 cup chopped Arugula
A few leaves of Dandelion
1/2 Jersey tomato chopped
1/2 Cucumber sliced
1/4 cup cooked Couscous (any variety will do but I usually prefer Near East Couscous with toasted pine nuts)
2 Tablespoons Feta (optional)
2 ounces chopped up grilled chicken
A few craisins, sprinkled

Toss all ingredients together in a big mixing bowl. Serve with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a side of warm pita bread.

Whole wheat butternut squash bread

What I love about this bread recipe is the use of honey or agave instead of sugar and the addition of butternut squash instead of too much oil. It was taken from the Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking recipe book. It’s one of my favorite cookbooks for bread recipes and this one in particular is no exception. Butternut squash is one of those intimidating fall squashes that I never knew what to do with. But don’t be intimidated! Just hacked one open and followed a recipe.

Also, when you add butternut squash to anything it gives it a rich, buttery, pumpkin/sweet potato flavor. The first part of this recipe, therefore, is how to prepare your butternut squash, and the second part is the actual bread recipe.

Cooking butternut squash
First, cut the squash open lengthwise and remove all the seeds. Many people suggest you cook it with the skins on in shallow water, but I don’t mind cutting the skins off with a sharp knife. Once you’ve peeled the squash, cut it into 1/4 inch pieces and toss in a roasting dish with a little olive oil to coat. Cook in the oven at 400F-425F for 45 minutes or until soft. Remove one cup, mashed and set aside for baking. Whatever is left over can be refrigerated and added to a green salad for later, or frozen and saved for when you’re ready to make soup.

Butternut squash bread recipe
2 packages or 5 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1/2 cup warm (105F-115F degrees; hotter than this will kill the yeast)
1 1/4 cups skim milk
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup of raw honey or Agave
1 cup cooked, mashed butternut squash
1 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites
3 cups Stone Ground Whole Grain Whole Wheat Graham Flour
2 cups Best for Bread Flour (or any “bread” flour)
1 cup unbleached naturally white flour

Sprinkle yeast over water in large bowl and set aside to proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Combine milk, butter and honey (or agave) in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Puree mashed squash and hot liquid in blender.

Whisk puree into yeast mixture. Beat in salt, egg whites, and graham flour by hand or with electric mixer. Beat in enough of remaining flours to make a soft dough (I found that because I use fresh squash, I need a little extra dough. If this is the case, add white or Best for Bread flour).

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny. 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes by electric mixer or food processor fitted with dough hook.

Place dough in oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with damp towel and let rise until dough rises to double its size (about 1 hour)

Punch down dough and turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide in half and let rest 10 minutes.

Grease two 9x5x3 loaf pans (I actually make round loafs, so I use two 9 inch round pans. Shape dough into loaves and put into pans seam side down. Cover with a damp towel and let rise again (1 hour).

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake 30-35 minutes or until instant reader thermometer inserted in center registers at least 190F. Remove bread immediately and let cool on racks.

Yields two 1-pound loaves.

This recipe courtesy of Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking recipe book

Easiest pumpkin soup

I always thought soups were supposed to cook for hours on the stovetop. Not so with this yummy, quick pumpkin soup recipe.

4 cups fresh roasted pumpkin
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion
1 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
1 large onion chopped
6 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks finely chopped celery
1/2 cup almond milk or regular, organic milk (optional)
1 teaspoon thyme
4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

For this recipe I used a cheese pumpkin (pictured). I chopped it open, cleaned out the seeds, cut it in fours and cooked it (skin side down) in a shallow roasting pan with a little water added for 45 minutes at 425F. When I took it out of the oven, I scooped the cooked pumpkin out of its shells and placed it in a bowl. A large pumpkin will give you any where from 4-6 cups of cooked pumpkin. WHatever you don’t need for this recipe, freeze for pumpkin bread later!

Set aside 4 cups of mashed, cooked pumpkin.

In a large pot over medium heat put butter and oil, onions, garlic, carrots and celery; saute until tender (about 10 minutes). Add remaining ingredients except milk and simmer. Serve plain or stir in milk to make a more creamy soup.

This recipe is courtesy of pickyourown.org

Sweet pumpkin bread with real pumpkin

Pumpkin bread had never been one of my favorites. When it’s made with pumpkin from a can (especially those with additives like sugar, flavor and color) it has a rather synthetic taste to it. But I was convinced that if I made pumpkin bread with real pumpkin, the taste would be hugely more appealing. I was right! By using real pumpkin, the flavor is more earthy and naturally sweet. And the texture, depending on whether you add nuts or raisins is moisture and light.

2 cups fresh cooked pumpkin (how to)
3 1/2 cups All Purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking soda
3 cups raw sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil (I usually use a light olive oil or Canola)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup water if you’re using the fresh cooked pumpkin

Makes 2 loaves

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.

Add the eggs, water, oil and pumpkin. Mix until blended. If desired add the raisins and nuts. Mix well.

Pour into slightly greased and floured 9×5 loaf pans.

Bake approximately 1 hour. Check for doneness with a clean, dry knife. Let cool for 10 minutes; then remove from pan and set on baking rack.

This recipe is courtesy of pickyourown.org