MEAL #1
ENTRÉE (Main Course)
Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup
This hearty and flavorful soup, filled with squash, beans, and chickpeas, was made for warming up chilly fall evenings.
CAL/SERV:433
YIELDS:4
PREP TIME:0 hours 20 mins
TOTAL TIME:3 hours 20 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 piece fresh ginger
kosher salt
Pepper
1 small onion
1 small Butternut Squash
2 clove garlic
6 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 c. couscous
1/4 c. dried apricots
1/4 c. roasted pistachios
1 scallion
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 can cannellini beans
1 can chickpeas
DIRECTIONS
In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the coriander, ginger, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the onion, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook, covered, until the squash is tender, 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.
Twenty minutes before serving, place the couscous in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups hot tap water, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and fold in the apricots, pistachios, scallion, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, mash half the cannellini beans with a fork until fairly smooth. If the slow cooker is on low, turn it to high and stir in the mashed beans, then add the remaining beans and chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the couscous mixture.
Tips & Techniques
Make Ahead: Freeze the soup (without the couscous) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat, covered, in a saucepan over medium heat and prepare the couscous as directed.
Side #1
Garlic Roasted Sweet Potato & Arugula Salad with Turmeric Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing
PREP TIME10 MINUTES
COOK TIME25 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME35 MINUTES
SERVES2
Roasted sweet potato arugula salad is a perfect lunch or appetizer. Topped with a light honey mustard yogurt dressing with a hint of gorgeous turmeric color.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing:
1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
For the topping:
2-3 cups fresh arugula
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
1. Preheat 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add sweet potato wedges to the pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add minced garlic, salt and pepper and toss well to combine. Bake wedges for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender and golden.
2. While the potatoes are roasting, you can make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together yogurt, dijon, honey and turmeric. Thin the dressing out with a few teaspoons of water so that you are able to drizzle it over the salad. Place in fridge until ready to use.
3. Once the sweet potato wedges are done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Add fresh arugula on top, along with cherries and almonds, then drizzle with dressing and serve immediately. Serves 2 and makes a wonderful lunch or appetizer. Also great when served cold!
Side #2
Broiled Summer Squash With Radish
Ingredients
yields 4 servings
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup chopped red onion
1 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then into 1/4-inch slices
1 large yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 radishes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Directions
Step 1 Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
Step 2 Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, dill, salt, and pepper together in a mixing bowl until evenly blended. Add the onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and radishes; toss until evenly coated. Spoon into an 8x8-inch baking dish, and cover with aluminum foil.
Step 3 Broil in the preheated oven 10 minutes, then remove the foil, and continue broiling until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned on top, about 10 minutes more.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
169 calories; protein 1.9g; carbohydrates 9.6g; fat 14.3g; sodium 162.9mg.
Dessert
Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread
Healthy chocolate banana bread made with almond flour and sweetened only with bananas and a touch of pure maple syrup. This paleo, dairy free and gluten free chocolate banana bread tastes like a delicious brownie and will be your new favorite to bake when you have extra bananas.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 258 kcal
Ingredients
3 very ripe medium bananas (ones with LOTS of brown spots), mashed (1 ¼ cups mashed banana)
3 eggs
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups packed fine blanched almond flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips (dairy free if desired), plus 2 tablespoons extra chocolate chips for sprinkling on top
Fancy sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract until well combined. Add in the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top. Bake for 50 minutes-65 minutes or until the tester comes out almost clean in the middle of the bread. Cool bread for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Once cool, cut into 12 slices. The bread is best the next day (as are all banana breads!) Top with your favorite nut butter or butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Feel free to add in ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for additional healthy fats.
Bread should be kept well-covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, then I recommend transferring to the fridge or freezer.
This bread freezes well, simply wrap in plastic, then tightly in foil and finally place in a reusable bag or freezer friendly bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature once you are ready to eat. You can also feel free to freeze individual slices for a quick on the go treat.
Nutrition Facts
Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 258Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 3.9g24%
Carbohydrates 25.7g9%
Fiber 5.3g22%
Sugar 14.9g17%
Protein 7.5g15%
MEAL #2
ENTRÉE (Main Course)
Apple, Sweet Potato, and Rosemary Flatbread
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. pizza dough, thawed if frozen
Cornmeal and flour for dusting
4 oz. Gruyère or extra sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1½ cups)
1 large Honeycrisp or other crisp reddish apple
1 small sweet potato (about 7 oz), peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper
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DIRECTIONS
Let thawed pizza dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 425°F. Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal. On a lightly floured surface, shape pizza dough into a large rectangle (at least 14 in. long); place on the prepared sheet and sprinkle with half the cheese (about ¾ cup).
Thinly slice apple into rounds, discarding any seeds. In a large bowl, toss sweet potato and onion with oil, rosemary, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Add apple and remaining cheese, toss, then scatter over prepared dough.
Bake until potatoes are tender and crust is golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes.
PER SERVING 340 CALORIES, 13 G FAT (4 G SATURATED), 10 G PROTEIN, 805 MG SODIUM, 44 G CARB, 3 G FIBER
Side #1
Silky Mushroom Congee With Roasted Radishes
Ingredients
Congee
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sunflower
1 cup medium grain rice rinsed well
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbs grated young ginger
8 cups chicken-style vegan or vegetable stock
1 pinch salt
6 mushrooms washed and sliced
3 spring green onions, sliced finely
1 teaspoon tamari
FOR THE ROASTED RADISHES
▢1 bunch fresh radish washed, leaves removed
▢1 teaspoon sesame oil
▢1 teaspoon sunflower
▢1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
▢a pinch of sea salt
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CONGEE
To make the congee, heat the sunflower and sesame oil slightly in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the garlic, ginger, rice and stock and bring to a soft boil.
Turn the heat down to very low and cook for 1 hour or until soft and silky, stirring every 10 minutes. I cooked mine to a loose, soupy consistency but you can cook longer for a firmer version. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
TO MAKE THE ROASTED RADISH
To make the radishes, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
In a small roasting pan toss together the sesame and sunflower oil, the radishes and sea salt.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
Toss through the soy sauce and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with a small handful of the sliced spring onions and set aside.
Mushrooms
In a small sauté pan, heat a dash of sunflower oil and sauté the mushrooms with a pinch of salt until cooked.
To serve, spoon a ladle of congee into a bowl. Top with the fried mushrooms and a good pinch of sliced onions.
Slice the roasted radishes in half and place on top. Drizzle with a tiny amount of tamari and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2061mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 2.7mg
Side #2
Sauteed Yellow Squash
Level: Easy Total: 24 min Prep: 10 min
Cook: 14 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 small to medium yellow squash, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped chives or 2 scallions, optional
Directions
Preheat skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, then butter. When butter melts, add red peppers and squash. Saute 12 to 14 minutes until squash is tender. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Add chives or scallions if you would like a layer of light onion flavor on the dish as well.
Dessert
Bottom of Form
Sweet Potato Pie Cookies with Orange Glaze
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 43 min
Prep: 25 min
Inactive: 1 hr
Cook: 18 min
Yield: 24 to 36 cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweet potato puree
1 cup chopped pecans
Orange Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and adjust racks to the middle position. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
Using a hand held mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar and the brown sugar until light and fluffy and the volume has increased. Add the egg and the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Stir in the sweet potato puree and blend until smooth. Beat in the dry ingredients in increments and combine well. Stir in the pecans.
Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges and they spring back from the touch, about 18 minutes. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets before glazing.
For the glaze:
Combine the confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and vanilla in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies and let harden for 1 hour before serving.
Cook's Note: If you need to thin the glaze, add more orange juice. If you need to thicken it, add more confectioners' sugar.
Meal # 3
ENTRÉE (Main Course)
Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
1 bunch Kale
¾ lb Elicoidali Pasta ( elicoidali is a tubular pasta but the ridges are curved around the tube rather than straight and the pasta is narrower than rigatoni)
Instructions
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Pick the rosemary off the stems; discard the stems. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash; using a knife, peel the squash. Separate the neck and bulb; halve the bulb lengthwise, then scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds. Small dice the squash. Peel and mince the garlic. Remove and discard the kale stems; roughly chop the leaves.
In a large, high-sided pan (or pot), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of rosemary sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the rosemary in a single layer. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until crispy and fragrant. Using a slotted spatula, carefully transfer the fried rosemary to a paper towel-lined plate. Carefully discard the oil.
In the same pan, heat the butter on medium-high until melted. Cook, stirring frequently and swirling the pan, 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and nuttily fragrant. (Be careful not to overcook, as the butter can burn easily.) Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the pan.
In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
While the vegetables cook, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 9 to 11 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly.
To the pan of vegetables, add the cooked pasta, browned butter, half the reserved cooking water and the juice of the lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. (If dry, gradually add the remaining cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Set aside in a warm place.
Garnish the finished pasta with the cheese and fried rosemary. Serve with a salad on the side.
Side #1
Romaine & Apple Salad
Core and thinly slice the apple; top with the juice of 1/2 lemon in a small bowl, combine the vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined; season with salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, combine the romaine and apple. Season with salt and pepper. Add enough of the vinaigrette to coat the salad (you may have extra vinaigrette). Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Side #2
Garlic Mushrooms
buttery garlic mushrooms with a flavour twist! the herb garlic butter sauce is so good, you’ll be serving these mushrooms with everything!
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 an onion chopped (optional)
1 pound (500 g) Cremini or button mushrooms
2 tablespoons dry white wine* (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the butter and oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté the onion until softened (about 3 minutes).
Add the mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges.
Pour in the wine and cook for 2 minutes, to reduce slightly.
Stir through thyme, 1 tablespoon of parsley and garlic. Cook for a further 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Season generously with salt and pepper (to your taste).
Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve warm.
NOTES
*Use a good quality dry white wine, such as Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, or a Sauv Blanc.
Dessert
Larra's Baked Spiced Apples and Oranges
I had oranges and apples in the house and couldn't find a recipe that used them both so I created this one. This is a great side-dish for a holiday gathering or would even be good as a dessert over French vanilla ice cream -- or even better if you cook this the night before and heat it up before serving. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Original recipe yields 15 servings
5 apples - peeled, cored and diced
4 oranges, peeled and diced
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
¾ cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup coarsely crushed buttery round crackers
½ cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup liquid non-dairy creamer
Directions
Step 1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Step 2 In a large bowl, toss together the apples, oranges, brown sugar, Cheddar cheese, and walnuts. Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle crushed crackers evenly over the fruit.
Step 3 Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder. Drizzle over the crackers, then drizzle the creamer over the casserole. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
Step 4 Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and uncover. Stir gently to fold in the crust.