Whenever you cut open a pumpkin, save those seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty nutritious snack. Watch your children go through a bowl of these treats in minutes.
Ingredients
Seeds from one pumpkin
Garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Directions
When you open a pumpkin, scoop out the portions with seeds and put them into a colander. Run cool water over the seeds and the pumpkin meat/strings that cling to them. Pick out the pumpkin meat/strings until you have nothing but seeds left. It’s OK to leave a bit of orange meat/seeds behind as you will be able to weed these out when you put the seeds on a cookie sheet for baking, which is the next step. I usually cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then spread the seeds out on it. At this point you can easily remove all the rest of the meat/strings clinging to the seeds. Get the seeds as clean as possible and spread them out as much as possible. There is no need to grease the cookie sheet or parchment. Dust the seeds (evenly) with salt and garlic powder. Bake at 375˚ for 20-30 minutes, until the seeds are slightly brown and crispy. The rest is just plain YUM!
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Butternut Harvest Pie
Move over pumpkin, here comes the luscious butternut. Your children will love this one, and it’s perfect to augment your Thanksgiving dessert repertoire. You will need a pie crust for this and I have not offered the crust recipe here. I make a crust with rice flour these days so that the pie is gluten-free. Use your favorite premade crust or crust recipe.
Ingredients
2 ½ c. cooked butternut squash purée
¾ cup honey
½ cup heavy cream
3 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp. grated orange and/or tangerine peel (fresh grated is best)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ginger
1 pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made)
Directions
Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the innards (like a pumpkin). Put the halves upside down on a cookie sheet with a little water in it (up to about ¼ of an inch). Bake at 350˚ for about an hour or until the squash is clearly soft when pierced with a fork. Do not overcook as the squash will turn brown on the bottom and discolor your pie. Check frequently after 30 minutes in the oven. Once the squash has cooled, scoop out the squash meat, discard the skin, and whirl the squash in a food processor until it is smooth.
Combine the pie filling ingredients. The best way to do this is to whirl them up together in a blender or food processor until they are thoroughly blended and creamy. Pour the pie filling mixture into the pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes (or until the center is set) at 350˚.
I believe that this pie is best served cold, so let it cool down and then refrigerate it. As a cold pie it works well at Thanksgiving because you don’t have to warm it up. It’s ready when you are.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
2 ½ c. cooked butternut squash purée
¾ cup honey
½ cup heavy cream
3 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp. grated orange and/or tangerine peel (fresh grated is best)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ginger
1 pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made)
Directions
Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the innards (like a pumpkin). Put the halves upside down on a cookie sheet with a little water in it (up to about ¼ of an inch). Bake at 350˚ for about an hour or until the squash is clearly soft when pierced with a fork. Do not overcook as the squash will turn brown on the bottom and discolor your pie. Check frequently after 30 minutes in the oven. Once the squash has cooled, scoop out the squash meat, discard the skin, and whirl the squash in a food processor until it is smooth.
Combine the pie filling ingredients. The best way to do this is to whirl them up together in a blender or food processor until they are thoroughly blended and creamy. Pour the pie filling mixture into the pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes (or until the center is set) at 350˚.
I believe that this pie is best served cold, so let it cool down and then refrigerate it. As a cold pie it works well at Thanksgiving because you don’t have to warm it up. It’s ready when you are.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Cranberry Sauce Made Simple
You do have options when it comes to cranberry sauce. You can buy a can of gelatinous cranberry sauce or you can be the hit of the Thanksgiving bash by making cranberry sauce from scratch, and it’s so simple there oughta be a law. Note that this recipe should be made a day in advance for best results.
Ingredients
16 oz. cranberries (fresh or previously frozen)
1 c. honey
1 c. orange juice with pulp (water works, but orange juice tastes better)
1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
Directions
Combine the ingredients. Bring to a boil (take care not to let it boil over). Simmer for ten minutes. Cool. Refrigerate. It is a good idea to make this recipe a day in advance so that it has time to set up in the refrigerator, otherwise, you risk having runny sauce. It becomes firmer when it is completely chilled.
This recipe serves about 8 people. Do the math to make enough for more.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
16 oz. cranberries (fresh or previously frozen)
1 c. honey
1 c. orange juice with pulp (water works, but orange juice tastes better)
1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
Directions
Combine the ingredients. Bring to a boil (take care not to let it boil over). Simmer for ten minutes. Cool. Refrigerate. It is a good idea to make this recipe a day in advance so that it has time to set up in the refrigerator, otherwise, you risk having runny sauce. It becomes firmer when it is completely chilled.
This recipe serves about 8 people. Do the math to make enough for more.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Exotic Rice Curry
Curry lovers always enjoy this dish. You can make it hot spicy or not and it provides a good foundation for experimentation (by adding other ingredients). It’s gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan. It’s delicious, satisfying, and usually a hit at a potluck. It works just fine with regular brown rice or Basmati brown rice; but it’s exceptional with the exotic rice and wild rice combination suggested in the ingredients below.
Ingredients
1 c. uncooked exotic rice (Black Japonica, Red, Mahogany, etc.)
½ c. wild rice
3 c. water
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 red pepper (chopped)
3 tbsp. chives (or 1 tsp. onion powder or ¼ c. chopped onion)
1 mango (chopped)
2 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best)
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries (or more if desired)
2-3 tsp. curry powder (see below)
Pinch of cayenne if desired
Salt to taste
Directions
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, cover tightly, and cook on a very low temperature until all the water is absorbed (about 45 minutes). The rice is best if slightly crunchy (definitely not mushy). Fluff with a fork and allow to sit for 5 minutes, covered.
Chop the red pepper and chives (or onions). Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan and stir fry the vegetables briefly over high heat, turning frequently, for 3 minutes. Cut up the mango into bite-sized pieces. Do not let the juice escape! Save it to add when the dish is assembled.
When the rice is cooked, combine all the ingredients together (including the other 2 tbsp. of olive oil listed in the ingredients) and toss lightly.
If you have a curry powder that you like, use that for seasoning. If not, the main ingredients I look for in a curry powder (or use when I throw one together) are turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper, and coriander. The cayenne will make this dish hot spicy and it’s up to you how hot you want it to be (choose the amount of cayenne carefully).
Note that this recipe also works with quinoa or red winter wheat if desired.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
1 c. uncooked exotic rice (Black Japonica, Red, Mahogany, etc.)
½ c. wild rice
3 c. water
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 red pepper (chopped)
3 tbsp. chives (or 1 tsp. onion powder or ¼ c. chopped onion)
1 mango (chopped)
2 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best)
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries (or more if desired)
2-3 tsp. curry powder (see below)
Pinch of cayenne if desired
Salt to taste
Directions
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, cover tightly, and cook on a very low temperature until all the water is absorbed (about 45 minutes). The rice is best if slightly crunchy (definitely not mushy). Fluff with a fork and allow to sit for 5 minutes, covered.
Chop the red pepper and chives (or onions). Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan and stir fry the vegetables briefly over high heat, turning frequently, for 3 minutes. Cut up the mango into bite-sized pieces. Do not let the juice escape! Save it to add when the dish is assembled.
When the rice is cooked, combine all the ingredients together (including the other 2 tbsp. of olive oil listed in the ingredients) and toss lightly.
If you have a curry powder that you like, use that for seasoning. If not, the main ingredients I look for in a curry powder (or use when I throw one together) are turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper, and coriander. The cayenne will make this dish hot spicy and it’s up to you how hot you want it to be (choose the amount of cayenne carefully).
Note that this recipe also works with quinoa or red winter wheat if desired.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Pumpkin Bread or Muffins (Gluten-free Version)
One of my favorite treats in the fall is pumpkin bread (or muffins). Pumpkin provides a terrific foundation on which to build a spice bread or muffin that is golden brown and over-the-top delicious. Spread with butter while hot out of the oven or cream cheese on a cold slice, or even just plain, this has got to be one of the tastiest ways to eat pumpkin.
Ingredients
2 c. puréed pumpkin meat (see below under Directions)
1 c. honey
3 eggs
¼ c. warm water
2 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 c. teff flour
1 c. brown rice flour
½ c. flax seed meal
½ c. cornmeal
2 tsp. backing soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Optional: ½ c. chopped candied ginger, ½ c. golden raisins
Directions
I always use real pumpkin. To prepare a pumpkin for use in this (and other) recipes, buy a small baking pumpkin (New England pie or other sweet variety). Cut the pumpkin in half and clean out the seeds and strings with a soup spoon. (Use my roasted pumpkin seed recipe to transform those seeds into a tasty snack.) Place the pumpkin halves face down on a cookie sheet. Put a half an inch of water in the cookie sheet. Bake for 50 minutes at 350° (or until the pumpkin is clearly soft when pierced with a fork). Allow the pumpkin to cool for 15 or 20 minutes, then remove the skin by scooping the meat out with a spoon. Whirl the pumpkin meat in a food processor until smooth. It may be necessary to add a little water to get the pumpkin to move in the food processor. Do not allow it to get too wet. Different pumpkins have different amounts of water in them. Some will be wet enough while others will need some help with added water. This recipe calls for 2 cups of pumpkin. See below about freezing pumpkin meat or try my pumpkin soup recipe with leftover puréed pumpkin.
The bread/muffins will be baked at 350° so preheat the oven when you are ready to put the ingredients together. Grease 2 bread loaf pans or 2 muffin tins. Paper cupcake cups can be used in the muffin tins if desired.
For this pumpkin bread/muffins recipe, combine the 2 cups of puréed pumpkin with the honey, beaten eggs, water, and oil/butter until smooth (if using butter, melt it before adding to the mixture). Set aside the wet ingredients.
Combine the teff flour, rice flour, cornmeal, flaxseed meal, and all other dry ingredients (including all the spices). Make sure they are well-blended. Then stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until blended. Do not over-stir. If you wish to add dried ginger, raisins (or other dried fruit) then fold that in last.
Divide the batter in half and put half into each bread loaf pan. For muffins, spoon batter into the cupcake cups or muffin pan sections. Fill each cup to approximately ¼-inch from the top with batter. Bake pumpkin bread for 1 hour at 350°. Bake muffins for 25 minutes at 350°. Bread or muffins are done when a knife inserted comes out clean.
Note that pumpkin meat can be stored for months in the freezer without losing its flavor. Put two cups into a small Ziploc and you have the exact amount needed for this recipe. Pumpkins are usually only available in the stores in October and November. Since I never use canned pumpkin, I like to put up some pumpkin meat each fall so that I can make pumpkin bread, muffins, pie, and soup all through the winter with real pumpkin.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
2 c. puréed pumpkin meat (see below under Directions)
1 c. honey
3 eggs
¼ c. warm water
2 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 c. teff flour
1 c. brown rice flour
½ c. flax seed meal
½ c. cornmeal
2 tsp. backing soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Optional: ½ c. chopped candied ginger, ½ c. golden raisins
Directions
I always use real pumpkin. To prepare a pumpkin for use in this (and other) recipes, buy a small baking pumpkin (New England pie or other sweet variety). Cut the pumpkin in half and clean out the seeds and strings with a soup spoon. (Use my roasted pumpkin seed recipe to transform those seeds into a tasty snack.) Place the pumpkin halves face down on a cookie sheet. Put a half an inch of water in the cookie sheet. Bake for 50 minutes at 350° (or until the pumpkin is clearly soft when pierced with a fork). Allow the pumpkin to cool for 15 or 20 minutes, then remove the skin by scooping the meat out with a spoon. Whirl the pumpkin meat in a food processor until smooth. It may be necessary to add a little water to get the pumpkin to move in the food processor. Do not allow it to get too wet. Different pumpkins have different amounts of water in them. Some will be wet enough while others will need some help with added water. This recipe calls for 2 cups of pumpkin. See below about freezing pumpkin meat or try my pumpkin soup recipe with leftover puréed pumpkin.
The bread/muffins will be baked at 350° so preheat the oven when you are ready to put the ingredients together. Grease 2 bread loaf pans or 2 muffin tins. Paper cupcake cups can be used in the muffin tins if desired.
For this pumpkin bread/muffins recipe, combine the 2 cups of puréed pumpkin with the honey, beaten eggs, water, and oil/butter until smooth (if using butter, melt it before adding to the mixture). Set aside the wet ingredients.
Combine the teff flour, rice flour, cornmeal, flaxseed meal, and all other dry ingredients (including all the spices). Make sure they are well-blended. Then stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until blended. Do not over-stir. If you wish to add dried ginger, raisins (or other dried fruit) then fold that in last.
Divide the batter in half and put half into each bread loaf pan. For muffins, spoon batter into the cupcake cups or muffin pan sections. Fill each cup to approximately ¼-inch from the top with batter. Bake pumpkin bread for 1 hour at 350°. Bake muffins for 25 minutes at 350°. Bread or muffins are done when a knife inserted comes out clean.
Note that pumpkin meat can be stored for months in the freezer without losing its flavor. Put two cups into a small Ziploc and you have the exact amount needed for this recipe. Pumpkins are usually only available in the stores in October and November. Since I never use canned pumpkin, I like to put up some pumpkin meat each fall so that I can make pumpkin bread, muffins, pie, and soup all through the winter with real pumpkin.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Crustless Collard, Chard, or Artichoke Quiche
What a sensational way to eat your vegetables! This quiche recipe can be made with collards, chard, or marinated artichoke hearts. I don’t recommend using all three together as it’s just too complex and packed with too many veggies. Choose one of the three. This recipe is terrific for those who can’t eat gluten. It’s satisfying and, by-the-way, goes well with roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 2 tbsp. onion powder
1 bunch of collards or chard (approximately 2 packed cups before cooking) or 2 cups of chopped marinated artichoke hearts (1 15-oz. jar)
6-8 chopped mushrooms (optional, goes especially well with the artichoke version)
1 cup grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
1 cup milk (lactose-free milk works fine)
1 large crushed clove of garlic
4 tbsp. chopped basil (fresh or dry)
1 tbsp. chopped tarragon (fresh or dry)
1 tsp. thyme (fresh or dry)
1 tbsp. paprika
Sprinkling of flax seed meal for the top
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°.
If you are using collards or chard (greens), fill a large pot with enough water to amply cover the greens once chopped, add a teaspoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Remove the central stem from the greens. Place 4-6 leaves on top of each other and roll them up width-wise into a tight tube, then slice them into thin strips (1/8 inch wide). Follow this pattern with all the greens until they are all cut into thin shreds. When the water comes to a boil, simmer the greens, uncovered, for 8 minutes. Remove the greens, put them into a colander, drain them, and rinse them with cold water immediately. Set them aside.
If you are using marinated artichoke hearts, chop them up.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet until frying-hot then add the onion, garlic, and basil. (If you include mushrooms, chop them and fry them with the onions and garlic.) Reduce the heat and gently fry until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add more oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the cooked greens. Cook the vegetables together for 2 minutes.
Beat the eggs then add the milk, grated cheese, and herbs/spices except the paprika. Fold in the vegetables and blend well. Pour the quiche mixture into a well-greased quiche pan, pie pan, or other shallow baking dish (I recommend greasing the baking dish with butter). Sprinkle flax seed meal over the top of the quiche then dust the top with the paprika. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until the center is no longer loose. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
This recipe can be baked in a square or rectangular baking dish and cut into squares when cooled. The squares can then be placed on a plate.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 2 tbsp. onion powder
1 bunch of collards or chard (approximately 2 packed cups before cooking) or 2 cups of chopped marinated artichoke hearts (1 15-oz. jar)
6-8 chopped mushrooms (optional, goes especially well with the artichoke version)
1 cup grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
1 cup milk (lactose-free milk works fine)
1 large crushed clove of garlic
4 tbsp. chopped basil (fresh or dry)
1 tbsp. chopped tarragon (fresh or dry)
1 tsp. thyme (fresh or dry)
1 tbsp. paprika
Sprinkling of flax seed meal for the top
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°.
If you are using collards or chard (greens), fill a large pot with enough water to amply cover the greens once chopped, add a teaspoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Remove the central stem from the greens. Place 4-6 leaves on top of each other and roll them up width-wise into a tight tube, then slice them into thin strips (1/8 inch wide). Follow this pattern with all the greens until they are all cut into thin shreds. When the water comes to a boil, simmer the greens, uncovered, for 8 minutes. Remove the greens, put them into a colander, drain them, and rinse them with cold water immediately. Set them aside.
If you are using marinated artichoke hearts, chop them up.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet until frying-hot then add the onion, garlic, and basil. (If you include mushrooms, chop them and fry them with the onions and garlic.) Reduce the heat and gently fry until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add more oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the cooked greens. Cook the vegetables together for 2 minutes.
Beat the eggs then add the milk, grated cheese, and herbs/spices except the paprika. Fold in the vegetables and blend well. Pour the quiche mixture into a well-greased quiche pan, pie pan, or other shallow baking dish (I recommend greasing the baking dish with butter). Sprinkle flax seed meal over the top of the quiche then dust the top with the paprika. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until the center is no longer loose. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
This recipe can be baked in a square or rectangular baking dish and cut into squares when cooled. The squares can then be placed on a plate.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Spicy Hot Jalapeňo and Basil Pesto with Pasta
This variation on the traditional basil pesto is for you folks who love hot, spicy food. I kept finding myself spreading pesto on homemade pizza and then putting jalapenos on top. Then it occurred to me to put them right into the pesto. Yum.
Ingredients
3 cups packed fresh basil, cleaned and de-stemmed
2 cloves of garlic sliced
¼ -½ cup olive oil (see how it goes)
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
5 oz. Parmesan or Romano cheese cut into small chunks or slices
¼ cup chopped jalapeňo peppers (or to taste)
salt to taste
approximately 14 oz. pasta (rice, wheat, or whatever works for you)
Directions
Put all the ingredients (except the pasta of course) into a food processor and whirl until creamy smooth. Be careful with the olive oil, don’t add too much. Start out with about ¼ cup and add more if needed to get the consistency right. Also monitor how many jalapeňo peppers you include in the pesto. This recipe is not for wimps! But different people like different levels of spiciness.
Boil up the pasta as per the directions on the package. Toss the pasta with the pesto so that the pasta is evenly coated. A nice addition to this dish is chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped marinated artichoke hearts, and/or chopped olives.
The pesto can be frozen and tastes surprisingly fresh when defrosted months (and even a year) later.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
3 cups packed fresh basil, cleaned and de-stemmed
2 cloves of garlic sliced
¼ -½ cup olive oil (see how it goes)
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
5 oz. Parmesan or Romano cheese cut into small chunks or slices
¼ cup chopped jalapeňo peppers (or to taste)
salt to taste
approximately 14 oz. pasta (rice, wheat, or whatever works for you)
Directions
Put all the ingredients (except the pasta of course) into a food processor and whirl until creamy smooth. Be careful with the olive oil, don’t add too much. Start out with about ¼ cup and add more if needed to get the consistency right. Also monitor how many jalapeňo peppers you include in the pesto. This recipe is not for wimps! But different people like different levels of spiciness.
Boil up the pasta as per the directions on the package. Toss the pasta with the pesto so that the pasta is evenly coated. A nice addition to this dish is chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped marinated artichoke hearts, and/or chopped olives.
The pesto can be frozen and tastes surprisingly fresh when defrosted months (and even a year) later.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
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