Sunday, November 28, 2010

Fall Flavors

Hello Everyone.

I want to apologize ahead of time for the length of this post.  I had been planning on posting more throughout this last week, but I just never got to my computer.  

These are my latest fall favorites.  Warm, filling and flavorful.

Eet smaakelijk!


Sweet and Spicy Roasted Squash

I really enjoy this dish.  I bought a kabocha squash a few weeks ago and had no idea what to do with it.  I scoured the internet and found this lovely recipe.

1 small kabocha squash
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar (I used sucanat)
1/2 Teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon tamari

Oil for drizzling-pumpkin or toasted sesame oil.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

De-seed and cut squash into slices, about 1/4 inch thick.  Keep the skins on!  

Combine all the dry ingredients.  Toss the squash slices until they are all coated.  Add the tamari and toss again.

Spread the slices in one layer on the baking sheets.  Drizzle with oil and bake for 15 minutes on each side.  Feel free to add more oil and sugar after turning over.  

Serve hot or room temperature.



Juice Pulp Crackers

I have a lovely friend at work who occasionally juices.  She brought me in a huge bottle of fresh juice and all the pulp!  I knew that I had seen recipes for juice pulp crackers before but I just didn't know how to make them.  Once again, I took to the internet and found a few recipes and took a little of each to make these great crackers. 

2 Cups juice pulp (I had beet, kale, celery, cucumber, carrot, apple and ginger)
1/2 Cup flaxseed meal
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon tamari
1 Tablespoon water (more or less, depending on consistency)

Combine all ingredients and and stir until you have a thick batter, like a thick cookie dough.

Spread batter on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.  Try to make the batter as this as possible, 1/4 inch thick.  Place in an oven at the lowest temperature.

Bake for an hour and then carefully flip and cook for another hour.  After two hours remove and cut into 1-2 inch squares and spread out on the pan.  Bake for one more hour.  Remove and place into an airtight container once they have cooled.


Yeast-Free Pumpkin-seed Teff Flour Sandwich Bread

Oh how I love the internet.  I don't know how I came across this recipe, I think I was looking for teff flour recipes, but boy am I glad I found it.  It is delicious and soft and had a crunchy crust.  It is the closest to real bread that I have had in a very long time.  The pumpkin seeds and teff flour make it full of fiber and protein.  Feel free to add other nuts or seeds to it as well, I added sesame and hemp seeds.

1 Cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 Cup + 2 1/2 Tablespoons Teff flour
1/2 Cup arrowroot starch
1/2 Cup tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon coconut flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 Teaspoons xanthan gum or guar gum
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons finely ground flax seeds
1 1/2 Cups water
2 Tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Generously grease a 9x5 inch bread pan.  Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and place in oven and let bake while the oven heats.  Remove from oven and let cool a little.

In a small bowl whisk together flax, water and apple cider vinegar.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Then whisk in oil.

While flax absorbes water, place pumpkin seeds in a blender, food processor or coffee grinder, and grind until you have a find powder, like flour.  Place in a bowl and mix together with teff, arrowroot, tapioca, salt, coconut flour and baking soda.  Create a well in the center and add flax-water mixture, stir until mixed.  

Place in oiled loaf pan and press into a loaf shape with a spatula.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and slightly press them into the loaf.  Place into oven and bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then turn out on a rack and finish cooling.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing, best if cooled all the way.




Apple Squash Soup
Courtesy: "Clean Food"

I can't get enough of Terry Walters and her amazing recipes.  This was another very pleasant surprise - it is sweet and creamy and filling and really fast.

1 Large butternut squash
1 Large yellow onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
4 Large apples, peeled, cored and quartered
4 Cups vegetable stock
1 Cup rice milk (or another milk alternative, I used hemp)
1/4 Cup coconut milk
1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sea salt

Peel squash, cut in half and remove seeds.  Cut into 2-inch pieces.

In large pot over medium heat, saute onion in oil until soft (about 5 minutes).  Add squash, apples, stock, rice milk, coconut milk and nutmeg.  Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until squash is soft.  Puree with handheld blender and remove from heat to cool slightly.  Season to taste with salt and serve.


Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Courtesy: "Clean Start"

I LOVE these muffins.  You feel great after eating them.  They are full of high protein flours and have no refined sugars!  They have just the right amount of spice and pumpkin flavor and aren't too sweet.  They go great for breakfast with a bowl of my apple/cranberry sauce.

WET INGREDIENTS
1 Cup pitted dates
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 Cups cooked pumpkin puree
1/2 Cup maple syrup
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 Cup almond butter
2/3 Cup grated apple or apple sauce

DRY INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup brown teff flour
1/2 Cup almond meal
1/2 Cup chickpea flour
1/4 Cup potato starch
1/4 Teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare mini-muffin tins with oil or paper muffin tins.

Place dates in a food processor and mince.  Add remaining wet ingredients and process until combined.  Place all dry ingredients in separate bowl, and whisk to combine.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix briefly to combine.  Immediately scoop batter by the tablespoon into muffin tins.  Distribute batter evenly.  Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and set on rack to cool completely before removing from tins.  


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