Like rays of golden sunshine in a bowl - perfect on a cool Fall day Prep & Cooking: 1 hour to roast vegetables, 20 minutes to finish the soup Serves: 6-8 Main Ingredients: 1 acorn squash – this is the dark green variety that is shaped, you guessed it…like an acorn (seen photo below) 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces 1 large orange carrot, diced into 1 inch pieces 1 medium onion, small dice 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 1-1 ½ tsp powdered garlic powder 4 tbsp olive oil 3 cups vegetable stock Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp ground turmeric ½ tsp yellow curry powder (optional) ¼ tsp cumin Additional cumin, curry or turmeric and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish (optional) Method: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the stringy flesh and seeds using a metal spoon. Score the flesh; cutting ¼ - ½ inch deep depending on the thickness of the squash. You do not want to cut all the way through. Drizzle both sides with 1 tbsp of olive oil and add salt and pepper to season. Place squash, cut side up on a prepared baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish. Cut carrot and sweet potatoes into 1 inch pieces and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Toss cut vegetables to coat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the carrots and sweet potatoes to a prepared baking sheet or shallow baking dish and spread in a single layer. If you have a large enough tray or dish you may be able to fit all of the vegetables in together. Roast carrots, sweet potatoes and squash for 45-60 minutes, stirring the carrots and potatoes and turning the squash dish or pan (not the actual squash) at the halfway mark. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the cooked flesh and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, sauté chopped onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of oil until translucent; about 5 minutes. Add squash, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and cover with 3 cups of vegetable stock. Bring contents to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to medium. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes until all vegetable are soft enough to slice easily with a fork or knife. Remove the soup from the heat and blend. You can do this using a hand-held immersion blender or using a traditional blender. Blend until smooth and no lumps remain. When the soup is blended, return to the pot and add turmeric, cumin, salt & pepper, and curry (optional). Warm through over medium heat. Garnish by sprinkling with additional cumin, curry or turmeric and toasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) This soup keeps in a sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator or for several months in the freezer.
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A herbed, hearty and simple addition to any Thanksgiving plate! Prep & Cooking: 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of your food processor) Makes: 8-10 patties or around 30 balls Pairs well with: Fall Menu Plan Main Ingredients: 1 can (540ml/19 fl oz.) lentils or 2 cups cooked lentils 1 can (540ml/19 fl oz.) white beans or 2 cups cooked beans 1 medium onion, chopped 2 ribs of celery, chopped 1 ½ cups rolled oats, divided into 1 cup and ½ cup amounts ½ cup walnuts 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp olive oil ¼ cup chopped red pepper (optional) Seasonings/Spices: 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground pepper 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp sage 1 tsp rosemary *you can also use 3-4 tsp poultry seasoning, this blend easily available and contains a number of classic thanksgiving flavours and no poultry) ½ - 1 tsp dry mustard, or 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional) 3-10 drops liquid smoke (optional) Method: In a food processor or blender, combine walnuts and 1 cup of oats. Use a pulse function if your machine has it to break down the nuts and oats until a crumbly mixture similar to bread crumbs forms. Remove this mixture from the processor, and set aside. Combine all remaining ingredients in your blender or processor, except the remaining ½ cup of oats and blend until smooth. Depending on the size and power of your blender or processor you may need to do this in batches; don’t worry about evenly distributing the ingredients while you do this as it will all be mixed together at the end. A few lumps or pieces of celery, onion, or bean may remain and that’s ok. Remove the bean and lentil mixture from your blender or processor and in a large mixing bowl add the nut and oat mixture along with the remaining ½ cup of unprocessed rolled oats. Stir to combine. Line a cutting board, plate, or baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Form lentil and bean mixture into patties in whatever shape you like; try to keep them around 1/2” thick. Alternatively, you can roll the mixture into balls, keeping them around 1- 1 ½”. Stove Top: Over medium heat in a large large skillet, warm 1 tbsp of oil and place patties or balls in pan and cook 3-5 minutes per side. Patties and balls should be crispy outside and warmed through. Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet or shallow baking dish with parchment paper. Bake for 20-30 minutes, turning once midway through. Serve these patties with your favourite Holiday side dishes. If you have any left, use these in a traditional "Thanksgiving leftovers" sandwich! Fall in a pan! Colourful, flavourful and aromatic! Prep & Cooking: 30-40 minutes Serves: 6-8 Pairs well with: Fall Menu Plan Main Ingredients: 2 ½ cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed, approximately 3 cups ½ cup pecans – whole or pieces, both work just fine ¼ cup shelled pumpkin seeds (green pepitas, see photo below) 2-3 tbsp maple syrup 3-4 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins Salt and pepper to taste Method: Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a shallow baking dish or on a prepared baking sheet, toss halved Brussels sprouts with 2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a separate shallow baking dish or prepared baking sheets, toss the cubed squash with 1 tbsp of olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Bake both dishes on the centre rack, uncovered for 20-30 minutes; stirring halfway through. Sprouts may cook a little faster depending on their size, and may need to come out 5-10 minutes earlier than the squash. Test both by piercing the largest piece with a sharp knife, when the knife slices easily through the squash, or easily pierces the sprout they are done. Remove from the oven and, while both dishes are cooling, toast the pecans and pumpkin seeds. In a dry pan over medium heat toast the pecans and pumpkin seeds. You want to toss the pan or move the nuts and seeds frequently with a wooden spoon to keep them from burning. This should take around 5 minutes or less. Your nose knows – if you smell the nuts toasting it’s time to take them off of the heat. You may hear, or even see the pumpkin seeds puff up and pop, this is ok so long as they aren’t burning. Hearty, nourishing and a great way to use dry legumes! Prep & Cooking: 1 hour 20 mins. Serves: 6-8 Main Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion chopped 3 medium carrots chopped 2 ribs of celery chopped 1/2 cup of green beans, chopped (optional) 3 cups of white potato chopped roughly into ½ inch pieces – I used a mix of tri-colour baby potatoes and quartered them, use what you have or can find easily 1 cup chopped mushrooms – I used cremini, but again use what you have or can find easily 1 540 ml (15.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with liquid 1 ½ cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and checked for pebbles 1-2 tbsp minced garlic 4 cups vegetable broth 2 cups fresh or frozen spinach, roughly chopped Seasonings/Spices: 1-2 tbsp poultry seasoning – this is a blend usually made up of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, it contains no poultry. If you don’t have this blend and want to use individual herbs, or fresh herbs, combine the four listed about to equal approximately 1-2 tablespoons. Method: In a large pot, warm oil over medium heat and add onions, sauté over medium heat until translucent (approx. 4-5 minutes), keep an eye on the onions and stir as needed to avoid burning and sticking to the pot. Add garlic and carrot and continue to sauté over medium heat for an additional 5 minutes. Carrots tend to take longer to cook than the other vegetables in this recipe so adding them early gives them a head start ensuring they are cooked through and ready to enjoy at the same time as the rest of the ingredients. Add potatoes, celery, tomatoes (with liquid), mushrooms and lentils, stir to combine and cover with 4 cups of broth. Be sure that all of the vegetables are covered with liquid, if not, add ½ cup at a time until the contents of the pot are all covered with broth. The lentils will absorb some of this liquid, so if it seems like a lot, don’t panic. Cook, covered on low heat for 1 hour, checking after 30 minutes and stirring to avoid anything sticking to the bottom of the pot. At the hour mark test your carrots and lentils by tasting them, they should be getting soft, but may still have a bit of firmness depending on how small you cut them. If they are soft enough for your liking it is time to add the spinach. If they are still too firm continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes, on medium-low and after testing for firmness again, add the spinach. After the spinach has cooked for 5-10 minutes remove the stew from the heat. Serve in large bowls and garnish with additional chopped spinach if desired. Tips & Variations:
This is a quick and tasty way to enjoy pantry staples and seasonal ingredients! Prep & Cooking Time: 20 mins (+initial cooking time for rice) Serves: 6-8 Main Ingredients: 1 cup dry brown rice cooked and cooled (this makes around 2 ½ cups cooked) 1 small red onion 1 large bell pepper diced ½ cup (or more) frozen or fresh corn kernals 1 can of black beans drained and rinsed Seasoning: 1 tbsp (or more) chili powder 1 tsp cumin Pinch of cayenne 1 tsp onion powder 1-2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 -3 fresh garlic cloves minced) Salt and pepper to taste 1/3 cup salsa Method: In a high sided, non-stick pan over medium heat sauté red onion until soft, around 2-3 minutes. Add cold rice, using the back of a wooden spoon to break it up if clumpy. Continue by adding the bell pepper, corn and beans and stir to combine. After peppers are soft and corn is thawed add the seasoning ingredients listed above. Stir to combine. Serve on its own or use one of the suggestions below. This rice dish can be stored in the refrigerator, in an air tight container, for up to one week. Tips & Variations:
Quick, simple, and packed with greens! Prep & Cooking: 5 minutes, plus pasta cooking time Makes: approximtaely ½ cup, serves 2 Main Ingredients: 1 cup, firmly packed, fresh spinach 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp nutritional yeast – this adds a “cheesy” flavour 1½ tsp fresh chopped garlic or 1 large clove ¼ cup raw walnuts 1 tbsp lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste Method: In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. We used a mini food processor and it was large enough to make one batch. If you have a small, single serve blender or small processor and want to double the recipe, make it one batch at time in order to achieve desired creamy consistency. Toss the pesto with warm pasta and top with additional nutritional yeast if desired. The addition of vibrant veggies like tomatoes and peppers offer extra colour, flavour and texture. Choose a textured pasta; penne, fusilli and rigatoni are all good options. The textured pasta will help grab the sauce and hold on tight. As always, this is a suggestion, use what you have or what is available. This sauce keeps in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to a week, if it lasts that long! Tips & Variations:
A sweet, savoury & spicy tropically inspired treat! Prep & Cooking: 25 minutes (with cooked and cooled rice) Serves: 4-6 Main Ingredients: 3 cups brown rice cooked and cooled – if you don’t have or like brown rice, use what you have or prefer 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced – if you prefer, or for convenience you can use canned pineapple, but be sure to drain the juice ¾ cup shelled edamame (soybeans) – frozen is just fine, if edamame is not available you can substitute ¾ cup fresh or frozen peas 1 small onion, chopped 1 medium-large red bell pepper, diced 2 green onions, chopped ½ cup or more roasted, salted cashew nuts Sauce: 4 tbsp tamari or soy sauce 1 tbsp hot sauce such as sriracha – if you want to tone down the heat you can omit or decrease the amount of hot sauce 1 tbsp lime juice – lemon also works as a substitute 1 tsp fresh grated ginger root OR 1 ½ dried, ground ginger 1 ½ - 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced OR 1 tsp garlic powder Optional Garnish: 1-2 green onions chopped Chopped cilantro Method: In a large non-stick pan, over medium heat, sauté onion until soft, approximately 2-3 minutes, add a tablespoon of water if your onions begin to stick to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bell pepper and edamame, if using frozen edamame cook until beans are heated through, otherwise sauté ingredients, stirring occasionally, for approximately 5 minutes until the peppers are soft. You can make the sauce now, while the peppers and edamame are cooking, or wait until the rice portion of the dish is complete – do what you are comfortable with. To prepare the sauce, you will need either a small bowl and a whisk or fork, or a jar with a secure, tight lid. Into your container of choice pour tamari, hot sauce and lime juice and add ginger and garlic. Whisk together or shake a lidded container until all ingredients are incorporated. Add cooked and cooled rice and stir to combine with the vegetable and beans. When rice is combined add pineapple and green onion, continue to heat on medium-low for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning (especially the pineapple), until rice is heated through. Optional: In a small, dry pan over low heat toast the cashews until just browned. Remove from heat, add cashews to the rice, and pour the prepared sauce over the warm rice, stirring to coat. Top with green onion, cilantro and/or additional cashews. Tips & Variations:
A refreshing "Gem" of a salad for warm Summer days! Prep & Cooking: 45-60 mins (includes cooling time) Serves: 6-8 as a side dish, 3-4 as a main Main Ingredients: ¾ cup dry quinoa (this makes approximately 3 cups when cooked) 1 ½ cups water 1 large grapefruit, peeled, segmented and diced 1 large orange, peeled, segmented and diced– be sure zest your orange prior to cutting for the dressing ½ - ¾ cup pomegranate arils (seeds) Dressing: 1/3 cup agave nectar – or light liquid sweetener of your choice 1 tbsp each of lime and orange zest 2 tbsp each lime and orange juice 2-4 tbsp chopped fresh mint Pinch of salt Optional Garnish: 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or whole mint leaves Method: Using a sieve, rinse the quinoa until water runs clear, this should take less than 1 minute. In a large pot, bring quinoa and water to a boil and reduce to low, covering and simmering for 15-20 minutes. As the photo below shows, the quinoa changes shape and expands significantly. All of the water should be absorbed and the quinoa should be soft enough to bite through with no crunch. Remove the quinoa from the pot and transfer to a shallow bowl to cool for a minimum of 20 minutes, the thinner you can spread the quinoa out, the faster it will cool. While the quinoa is cooking, zest the orange and lime. To zest a citrus fruit means to remove a thin layer of the outer skin, this layer contains fragrant and flavourful oil and can be removed with a tool called a rasp, similar to a very fine grater. If you do not have a rasp you can carefully remove a thin layer of outer skin with a box grater or sharp knife, being carefully to not include too much of the white layer beneath the coloured skin, the white layer is called the pith and can be bitter. If you are removing the skin with a knife or grater chop it finely before adding it to the dressing. Remove the skin from the grapefruit and orange, I find it easiest to cut it away rather than peel, slice the fruit and dice into small pieces. See included photo of an orange in the process of segmented. You will notice after the peel is removed that there are thin white lines between each segment of fruit, cut on the inside of these lines to avoid the tougher skin in between the segments. You will require 2 tbsp of orange juice for the dressing, these should be enough juice left in the remaining orange after segmenting for this purpose. If you are using a whole pomegranate rather than packaged arils, I suggest removing the seeds from the fruit under water, don’t worry – no snorkel required. Cut the fruit in quarters (be careful! The juice stains!) and submerge the sections into a bowl of water. As best you can attempt to turn the sections inside out or simply break the pockets of seeds away from the skin. The seeds, or arils, will be released and sink to the bottom, while any of the white membrane holding the arils inside of the pomegranate float to the top and can be easily separated. If you are able to find the arils already prepared, you can use those too. To prepare the dressing, you will need either a small bowl and a whisk or fork, or a jar with a secure, tight lid. Into your container of choice pour agave, lime juice, orange juice, zest and salt. Whisk together or shake a lidded container until all ingredients are incorporated. If the dressing seems too thick, add more fruit juice, too thin, add a touch more agave. After your dressing is the desired consistency, add the chopped fresh mint and whisk or shake to combine. In a large bowl add quinoa, pomegranate arils along with orange and grapefruit pieces and stir to combine. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to incorporate. Garnish with additional chopped mint or whole mint leaves. Tips & Variations:
Tangy and satisfying, this makes a great main dish, especially when accompanied by cool Summer salads! Prep & Cooking: 1- 1 ½ hours (depending on marinating time) Serves: 6-8 Pairs well with: Tangy Dill Potato Salad Main Ingredients: 1 block (450g) firm or extra firm tofu 1-1 ½ cup(s) of your favourite BBQ sauce Method: Drain water from the tofu package, remove tofu and gently squeeze the block applying enough pressure to release some liquid but not enough to crumble the tofu. You may want to do this over the sink in a colander. Wrap the tofu in paper or cloth towel and place on a plate large enough to catch any liquid that will drain. To speed the draining process, place a heavy object securely on top, I find a can of beans works well. This will allow excess water to drain before slicing the tofu and should be done for a minimum of 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F. If you are making your own BBQ sauce now is the time, if you are using a pre-made favourite find something enjoyable to do for about 10 minutes. Slice tofu into ½ inch slabs lengthwise, this will give you 4-5 slabs about the size of a large cell phone. Slice again, in half to create 2 squares from each slab, and slice again into triangles. In total you should have 16-20 triangles of tofu. Place sliced tofu pieces in a shallow bowl or container (a baking dish works well) and cover in bbq sauce, gently turning pieces to coat. At minimum, allow the tofu to marinate for 15 minutes, if you have time, allow the pieces to marinate for 30-60 minutes, if not, forge ahead. Line a baking sheet or shallow oven proof dish with parchment paper. Place tofu pieces on the sheet and with a brush or back of a spoon, top pieces with any remaining BBQ sauce. Bake for 20 minutes turning once at the 10 minute mark. Allow pieces to cool for a few minutes, top with additional sauce if desired. Tips & Variations:
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