Balsamic Butternut Squash with Sage & Thyme

Another SUPER SIMPLE,  4-ingredient, vegetable, colorful, tasty, savory and sweet, side to add to the list of Thanksgiving side dish ideas. This one is so simple it doesn't really need a recipe, and maybe you have tried this combo before, so this is just rocket science to me...BUT it deserves a recipe post of it's own! 

I love every part of this one. The easy prep, roast and serve part, but also the very fresh herb, sweet and savory part too. It checks off all the boxes for a side that many people will love and ask, what did you do?!? And then you mention to your allergy- or healthy friends and family that NO BUTTER or dairy, or sugar was involved??? WHAT!? Yes, ma'am it's true!

Don't be afraid of taking all the credit for the chopping and the roasting ;) This is a delicacy-dish! Don't reveal the secrets of how crazy simple and wonderful it is, well, until you can't help it and you love to share like I do :) You can't go wrong with squash and herbs in this season and when you are looking to add some to the feast... THIS. IS. IT!

Balsamic Butternut Squash with Fresh Sage and Thyme
{gluten, dairy, egg, seed, nut, soy and sugar-free}

1 large butternut squash peeled, and cubed into bite-sized pieces
(about 4 cups worth of cubed squash)
1/4 cup of avocado oil*
1/4 cup of NAPA VALLEY Raspberry Balsamic**
1/2 cup of FRESH finely chopped fresh herbs: sage and thyme
pinch of sea salt and sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper

*You can find the CHOSEN brand Avocado oil 32 ounce at Costco right now for under $10! A steal!

**You can use a regular balsamic as well, but Napa Valley has the BEST balsamic around and when it is infused with raspberry, fig or pomegranate it has the best results in salad dressings, or in this case, roasting butternut squash ;)

Toss all of the above together in a mixing bowl. Then spread out in a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish to bake, or use a 12x15 parchment covered baking sheet to get a more crispier results. Bake in a 375-400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. And toss with a spoon and serve warm. You can easily DOUBLE and TRIPLE this recipe if you are cooking for a crowd too!

This is a melt-in-your-mouth kinda deliciousness! Try it out and you will want to have this more in your life than just for a Thanksgiving Feast :)

I hope you give this a try and ENJOY!

Much love and happy cooking xoxo

Squash Pumpkin Apple Soup

It's that time of year again- when I start making all of the same favorites of squash salads and soups, squash pasta sauce, squash mac and cheese, squash risotto and of course, squash soup. It's all you have on the mind when you have mounds of squash, pumpkins, apples and all the savory fresh herbs coming in plenty. Which most definitely includes squash soup- with added coconut cream and a pinch or two of some spice. It's thick and creamy and a bisque without the dairy. It's almost like a cloud of creamy squash that melts in your mouth with each bite. It's at it's best this season and you cannot go through the fall season without it at least once.

This year I tried a few different flavors. I added in leeks and apples for some sweet and tart. I also diversified the flavors by adding in some pumpkin puree along with the squash. And even though, I usually LOVE roasting the squash first in the oven with some garlic, this soup was made much quicker by peeling and cubing the butternut squash and tossing it hard into the broth to cook and soften within 30 minutes. Then lastly I used the immersion blender to cream up and smooth through each boiled and cooked part to blend together to make a creamy...heavenly bowl of goodness.

Squash Pumpkin Apple Soup Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut and sugar-free}

2 TB of avocado or olive oil
1 large leek chopped (1 heaping cup of finely chopped leeks)
6-8 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 large apples peeled and finely chopped
1 heaping cup of pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
4-6 cups of broth
1 cup of coconut milk or plant milk of choice
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of ground thyme and sage
sea salt to taste
ground pepper to taste

raw or roasted pumpkin seeds to top

In a medium pot, saute the leeks and garlic, and then add in the squash and apples and saute for a few more minutes. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and let boil for 20-30 minutes until the butternut and apples get so soft and break down. Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender and blend until so soft and creamy or until your desired texture. You can also cool down and pour soup into a high powered blender and blend on high and then re-warm up for serving. Just be careful this could get dangerously hot :) I like to use the immersion blender for this reason. Serve up with a drizzle of coconut cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. 

ENJOY!

Happy soup-making! Tis' the season of fall when I make all things with squash and apples- and my kids say...."soup for dinner, again?!?" Yes!!! Yes :)

Much love and light to you, xoxo

Zucchini Mini Muffins

You can't go wrong with a good zucchini bread or muffin recipe in your back pocket. This is a egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free version. Pretty similar recipe to many of my other muffin recipes, with a good heaping cup of shredded fresh zucchini. A classic muffin recipe that turns out so moist and cakey every time and seems much more decadent. It's hard to imagine you are eating a fibrous veggie along with such a treat. 

Somehow I managed to score 4 LARGE zucchini from the farmers market last weekend for only 2 dollars! We have been eating zucchini everything. Sautéed, zoodles, brownies, and muffins. Yet, last week, I did miss posting a "Tuesday-muffin-recipe"- and that's so "ME", just as I think something will stick. I miss a week. Ha! 

And since zucchini season is long gone and won't come again for many moons, I'm trying to take advantage and put some chopped and shredded in the freezer. Yes, I am making a stockpile of winter squashes too, but these green babies are one of my favorite veggies so I'm enjoying them fresh. Lots of good fiber and just look at them.... it looks like I took home four newborn babes from the market. 

Zucchini Mini Muffin Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, egg, nut, and seed-free}
1 1/2 cup of certified GF oat flour (I grind my own out of GF rolled oats)
1/2 cup of white/brown rice flour
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato starch
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt
2 ts. of baking powder (Hain brand corn-free)
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
1/2 ts. of ground ginger
2/3 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/2 cup of coconut milk beverage
6-10 drop of essential lemon oil (or lemon flavor)
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 heaping cup of fresh shredded zucchini
1/2 cup of soft or melted coconut oil

optional additions:
add1 cup of fresh/frozen blueberries
or
1 cup of mini chocolate chips (enjoy life brand)

Mix all the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and then add all the dry ingredients. Pour into 24 mini muffin tins, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 22 minutes.  Or you can make 12 large muffins. and the large will need to be baked for 25-28 minutes. The muffins need to cool for at least 10 minutes to avoid tongue burning :) 

Much love and ENJOY!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here's another Tuesday muffin recipe (last week's muffin recipe). I think this might be becoming a thing :)  This week I was desperate for some fall spirit as we say goodbye to summer "officially" today. It's still pretty warm in the 80's here, but we picked up a few pie pumpkins at the apple orchard last week, and I couldn't help myself. It may still feel like mid-summer, but the days are getting darker faster and the tips of some of the trees are turning some red and orange colors, so we know the cool down is close. And if baking some pumpkins brings in the fall air a little sooner, then so be it! This season of in-between, the changes are right at our doorstep and you can literally feel the energy of change coming. You may even sense it in your heart and minds, the energy is so strong this time of year to clean out and start settling to get ready for the comfort of wintertime.

So many of my allergy-friendly recipes have the same ingredients. I try to make recipes as simple as I can, and even versatile to use in a variety of ways. You could make this recipe into a cake, you could even try pancakes. It is intimidating to start baking GF (or allergy-friendly), but if you have a few good recipes or guides you may find that you are more willing to take the scary leap. So I hope you find some support with these recipes. Or at the least some hope that there is some great treats out therefore even you :) Enjoy and much love xoxo

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut and seed free}

1 cup of certified GF oat flour (I grind my own out of rolled oats)
1/3 cup of rice flour
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt
2 ts. of baking powder (Hain brand corn-free)
1 1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
1 1/2 ts. of ground ginger
1/2 ts. of ground cloves
1/2 ts. of ground cardamon
1/2 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup of black strap molasses (or maple syrup)
1/3 cup of coconut milk beverage
1 TB of apple cider vinegar
1 cup of fresh pumpkin puree (I baked my own in the oven)
1/3 cup of soft or melted coconut oil
add1 cup of mini chocolate chips (enjoy life brand)

Mix all the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and then add all the dry ingredients. Save the chocolate chips for last and just fold them in. Pour into 12 muffin tins, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.  These muffins need to cool for at least 15 minutes to avoid tongue burning :) 

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

So for those of you that have noticed....it's been awhile since a recipe. Six months to be exact. And because of lots of friendly nudging and bugging I decided it was about time to get back into posting recipes. A lot has happened sine I last posted. Let's see...I missed the whole summer on the blog. I passed 1,000 likes on my Hope for Healing Facebook Page. (That's just crazy to me!!!) Then, oh yeah, I had a beautiful baby girl and she is just gorgeous and perfect in every way. An angel baby. Yes, a miracle in more ways than one, and has left me enjoying every second of her new born world. I had bit of a traumatic birth and have needed the time to recover and spend no time thinking about recipes and blogging and only about healing and figuring out life as a new mommy again. I won't get into details about my birth story, but I am grateful to be alive. And I'm not being dramatic. 

And I am reminded of the birth of this blog as well...trying to spread a little more HOPE for the HEALING journey towards health and life after going gluten-free (or whatever health and healing journey you are on!) So I decided to pick up my pen and apron again... I may a bit slower to post with two little ones, and there may be less small talk and just recipes, but I'm pretty sure that's what keeps you coming back for more anyways ;)

We have been eating lots of simple meals and old favorites of late. Lots of my go-to meals and trying to get my 3 year old to eat anything fresh. We have been eating lots of fresh foods from our backyard and local farmer's market. There is no food better than the one's from your backyard. Fresh, ripe and perfectly delicious. And now here we are fully into the fall season with gorgeous squash and pumpkin to add to everything. Including a vegan mac and cheese to make it fall-licious!

Here is a simple fall favorite that I have been making at my house for a while now, but haven't posted for some weird reason. And as we have had it a few times already this fall, I thought it would be a good easy recipe to post after such a long leave of absence. And, my favorite comfort food for sure would be mac and cheese. No questions asked. It was my favorite food as a child. My quick answer to the 'favorite food' question and now as an adult it has only morphed into something creamier, more nutritious and with no actual cheese!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe

(gluten, dairy and nut-free)

1 medium yellow sweet onion

3 finely minced cloves of garlic

2-3 TB of olive oil, ghee, or even leftover bacon grease to add extra flavor

2 TB of white rice flour (or tapioca or arrowroot flour work just as well)

2 cups of non-dairy milk (I like to use So Delicious coconut milk beverage here)

1 ts. of sea salt

1/2 ts. of fresh ground black pepper

1 ts. of ground paprika

1/2 ts. of ground tumeric

1 ts. of Italian seasoning blend or just ad a dash of dried rosemary, oregano and basil

1/3 cup of nutritional yeast

optional: 1- 1 1/2 cups of Daiya shreds 'cheddar flavor' cheese

2 cups of butternut squash puree 

(make ahead of time by blending a medium baked butternut squash with a splash of water)

2-3 cups of fresh pure water

1 16 ounce package of elbow rice noodles. I only use Tinkyada brown rice elbow noodles here. 

Fresh chopped parsley to serve.

In a large pot or dutch oven (10-12 quart), saute the chopped onion and garlic until translucent and soft. Then sprinkle in the flour and make a little bit of a rue substance, then add the milk and wisk fast to blend in the flour and milk with the onions and garlic. You should get a thickened cream-looking sauce. Then add the seasonings, nutritional yeast and dairy-free cheese. Let the sauce come to a boil and then  add in the creamy butternut squash puree, water and dry pasta noodles. You are going to cook the noodles in the sauce. To do this, you need to turn the heat to medium and stir CONSTANTLY to make sure the noodles don't stick and to ensure a creamy mac and cheese. It should take 12-15 minutes until the noodles are cooked and you will notice they start to plump and add thickness to the sauce. It's a marriage of dry and wet and ends in a creamy goodness. I said to add 2-3 cups of water because depending on how thick your butternut squash puree is you may need a little more water or "wet" to get the noodles to soften properly. When the noodles have taken over the sauce. It is finished. Take off the heat completely and let sit for 10-15 minutes to soak together and cool off. Then ready to serve! Serve with a big sprinkle of fresh parsley or other favorite fresh herb blend. 

You can also pour into a 9x13 pan, top with your favorite GF bread crumbs and olive oil, and then save or freeze to bake in the oven for a later date. Serve big boy slices after warmed in the oven for 30 minutes with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Happy Fall and Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Apple Soup

Hello, perfectly fall-lovin' soup. This is probably a soup recipe that you could google and find many versions of. I whipped these ingredients together the other day because I was craving something warm and comforting as the cool autumn breeze has been blowing hard in my neck of the woods. If you ask me, a warm comforting soup simmering on the stove is one of the best way to enjoy the new found fall chill. And since it has also been raining here for the past 36 hours straight, I'd say soup is the most perfect meal any and all times of the day.

And when you combine fall pumpkins and apples. Magic happens. In a romantic kind of way. And, because I love you, I wanted to let you know that you can't miss out on this delicious and nutritious meal this fall.

Like I said, when you roast a few pie pumpkins you will have lots of puree for fall goodies. Yes, I am one of those people that loves pumpkin so don't mind over doing it this time of year. But even if you are not a pumpkin person, I bet this simple creamy fall and comforting soup will have you starting to reconsider this lovely orange bulb. It can be for more than just for pie and donuts. In fact, it's hints in savory dishes really bring out it's rich flavor qualities. And don't forget that roasting pumpkin also involves a nice batch of crunchy and addicting pumpkin seeds. Seriously. addicting.

So, settle in for a rainy fall day and make a simple batch of this delicious soup to keep you warm and snug.

Creamy Pumpkin Apple Soup Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, nut, and sugar-free, vegan}
1 TB of olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 cup of diced celery
3-4 medium apples, skinned, cored and diced
1 ts. of sea salt
dash- 1/2 ts. of cracked black pepper
4 cups of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh sage
1 TB of fresh rosemary chopped
1 TB of fresh thyme leaves, chopped
dash of celery seed
dash of ground cinnamon
3 cups of vegetable broth or stock
1 cup/can of full-fat coconut milk

In a large 5 quart pot, saute the chopped onion, garlic, celery and apples in the olive oil. Add in the salt and pepper to help the vegetables to sweat. Then after 5 minutes of saute, add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, and then turn down heat to a simmer. The apples may be floating a bit, but just stir in and try and keep the soup mixed well and on a constant simmer for 30 minutes. 

Then turn off the heat and let cool down. You can eat the soup like this, as a bit more "chunky" or I prefer to make it super creamy and blend it in batches in my high powered blender when it has cooled down by 50%. I wait for it to cool don to blend because I want to be careful to not get burned by the boiling liquid. Or if you own an immersion stick blender, it would work perfectly to blend this soup right in the pot. Otherwise, it took me 2-3 batched of the soup in the blender to blend it up. I then keep it warm on the stove until I want to serve. 

Serve with a drizzle of herb oil or sprinkle of roasted pumpkin seeds. Or topping with some fresh chopped parsley or thyme works too for a little extra green and flavor. This recipe will serve 6-8 people in one sitting. But it is easily doubled to make more for a larger crowd or for freezing or sharing too. 

I use a mix of tart and sweet apples to bring out an applesauce affect in the soup. The almost bitter sweet pumpkin paired with a fall mix of apples is a perfect blend for your taste buds to full enjoy and feel satisfied. Delicious fall in a bowl. Yum.

Even if you are not enjoying this lovely soup, I hope you find ways to stay warm and cozy today!

Much love to you as always!

Maple Pumpkin Pie

Well, hello darling! Don't worry I haven't forgotten you or lost contact with my blog. To be honest, my oven broke a few weeks ago and it took a week to replace and than a week to catch up on kitchen life. And then on top of all that, it has been sunny, gorgeous and so colorful this past week in Michigan. You can just smell the pumpkin deliciousness in the air and the crisp and crunchy apples have been keeping us busy too. I have been thinking about making a few pumpkin treats and I broke-in the new oven with baking off some fresh pumpkins to make some fresh pumpkin puree (a quick instruction below).

And when you bake a whole fresh pumpkin you jumpstart the fall baking inspiration juices as well. You have a whole pumpkin after all, and the smells of fall filling the air will leave you feeling a little weak in the knees. So some things in the recipe forecast... pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cinnamon raisin bread, and maybe a new fall apple cake...looking forward to experimenting and trying out a few ideas...

But for today I made a fresh pumpkin pie- one of my husband's favorite desserts. This on is only sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla goodness. Surprising, yes. But not really once you try it. The maple flavor is a perfect pair to the pumpkin and the not oh-too sweet wonderfulness to a piece of pie will have you thinking you are eating a nice serving of veggies too. So why not? Indulge in some thick, creamy and delectably sweet pumpkin pie.

Minus the dairy, the refined sugars and gluten of course. It is a bit different than my Grandma's thanksgiving pie. Or any canned pumpkin, canned condensed milk kind-of-pie for that matter. It is fresh tasting, lots of flavor, and did I mention you feel like you may be indulging in vegetables too much. Maybe, just too much.

Yes, it may be a little too soon for a Thanksgiving treat, but as I turned the calendar this morning to be greeted by the lovely month of October, I feel no remorse or shame in breaking out the fall favorites early this year. What else is a girl to do?

Fresh Maple Pumpkin Pie Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, nut and refined-sugar-free}

crust:
1/2 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour (grind buckwheat groats in a food processor or high powered blender to come up with a powdery flour mixture)
1 cup of Bob's Red Mill GF all-purpose flour blend (or a favorite GF flour mix or baking flour works)
2 TB of pure maple syrup
2 TB of apple cider vinegar
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1/3 cup of softened coconut oil

Mix the flours and salt together and then drizzle in the vinegar and maple syrup. Lastly add the oil and use a spoon or your hands to make a thick and sticky pie dough. Then roll in a ball and plop in a 9 inch pie pan. Use a 1 cup measuring cup bottom to spread evening through out the pan and basically you are using your hands to form a perfectly even pie crust. Make the edges nice with your finger or with a fork and then put in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Take out immediately and let cool completely before adding the pumpkin filling for baking round two.

If you have a favorite pie crust, you can use that in place of my above recipe. I really like the above combo because it makes a nice crust that sticks together and still seems a bit flaky and crispy too. 

pumpkin filling:
2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree
1 cup of coconut milk beverage (I used So Delicious) (or canned coconut milk works too)
1 TB of pure vanilla
2/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
2 fresh farm eggs (or chia/flax egg replacement)
1 TB of pumpkin pie spice mix
1 ts. of ground ginger
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1/3 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour
2 ts. of baking powder
1/2 ts. of sea salt

If you are curious on how to get some fresh pumpkin puree, google it :) or it is pretty simple by slicing in quarters, scooping out seeds (save for roasting and eating), and then baking in the oven for 1-2 hours depending on size. Once the pumpkin is soft to slice with a butter knife, pull from the oven and let cool.  Use a spoon to scoop out the soft pumpkin into a blender or food processor and then blend until it is a thick and creamy puree. You may need to add water to the blender to get the pumpkin to start blending. I usually end up adding close to 1/2 cup of water to the pumpkin while blending to get a nice puree. 

Then in a large bowl, add the 2 cups of pumpkin along with all of the other wet ingredients, including the eggs. 

NOTE: You can use chia-eggs as a sub for the real eggs, but the pie will turn out much more gel-like and gooey, so make sure you are aware of that beforehand. 

Then whisk in quickly the melted coconut oil so that is does not get cold and clumpy. Then add in the dry ingredients and whip up well again. Let sit for 10-15 minutes for the wet and cold ingredients to gel together and it should look like a nice thick and creamy pudding mix. Then pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared and cooled pie crust. 

Then gently place the pie into a preheated 350 degree oven for 60-80 minutes depending on your oven and elevation. What you are looking for is a few cracks on the pie top and also for there to be no liquid movement in the center of the pie. You should shake the pie gently and see if there is any giggle. If there is you need to keep baking till there isn't. 

When you are done baking, let cool on the counter for 1 hour and then put in the fridge uncovered for another few hours or overnight for best results. Cover with a top or plastic wrap after a few hours to keep the pie moist. Serve chilled, or with a dollup of fresh coconut whipped topping or other favorite whipped topping. 

I usually like mine cold and with no topping. It is the best way to taste the pumpkin and maple goodness. Here is slice one that I shared with my toddler, so I may need to share another with my hubby tonight.

The pie will serve 8 even slices and will stay best in the fridge up to 3 days.

I hope this pie gets you into the fall spirit if you haven't yet.
It's never too early for pumpkin pie, if you ask me.

Much love as always!

Butternut Squash Cream Pasta Sauce (vegan)

FYI: I posted this recipe 2 years ago, but I made some changes to the post and thought I better re-post it to make it's comeback special... besides... this recipe is a must with all the butternut squash and fresh herbs you have laying around. You.Must.Make.Now!

Fall is best known by it's smells and flavors. Apple cider brewing, pots of applesauce simmering, and not to mention pumpkins and squash finding room in the baskets and random floor space in my kitchen. It must be fall. Most people I know in Michigan enjoy fall and claim it to be the best season of the year. The leaves are changing and the cool morning air smells of their falling. I do enjoy this season, but it feels like there is not enough time in the day all of a sudden. I am used to the sun setting around 9pm, and now it's just after 7pm. Which doesn't help because there is so much work this time of year to prepare for winter. I am trying to can and store mounds of apples, pears and whatever fresh and ready to be frozen vegetable I can find. Yes, it is a busy time. So busy that I haven't been doing a lot of cooking, just a lot of canning and winterizing.

Except, for squash pasta. It was time. Time to bake some butternut squash and pour it's creamy luscious flavor over some traditional gluten-free spaghetti. How I love this meal! So, this is the beginning of many more days to enjoy the great taste of sweet and hearty squash.

Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe (vegan)

4 cups of pealed, cubed and baked till soft butternut squash (or butternut squash puree works too) This is about 1 large butternut squash or 2 small.

1 can of pure coconut milk- full fat for the most flavor, nutrients and creaminess

2 cups of vegetable broth/stock

1 medium yellow onion

4 garlic cloves minced

2-3 TB of olive oil (or ghee) for sauteing

1/2 cup of fresh diced sage leaves

Fresh finely chopped thyme, parsley and oregano (about a TB of each or more if you like)

(if you must, use dried herbs work fine, just cut the amounts in half)

1 ts. freshly ground black pepper

1 ts. sea salt

***Optional additions: You can add steamed broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, or carrots to this dish. The added greens or veggies smothered with the sauce is also divine!***

First of all, you will need to cut the butternut squash in half and spoon out the inside seeds and guts. Put on a baking sheet and bake on 350 for about 60-90 minutes. Or until it is soft to slice through with a knife. Let it cool and then peal off the skin.

Second, in a large blender or food processor blend 4 cups of baked butternut squash (or butternut puree) with the coconut milk and broth. Blend until smooth and you may have to do this in 2 batches if you have a small blender.

Then in a large soup pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil or ghee for a few minutes. Then add the blended squash and coconut milk mixture with the broth and the rest of the fresh herbs. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the color of the sauce has taken a bright orange-yellow color (depending on the color of your original squash). You do not have to cook too long, basically just getting it hot enough to eat and letting the herbs blend well.

Then to serve, pour over a bed of your favorite gluten-free pasta (mine of course is Tinkyada) top with some pine nuts or roasted pumpkin seeds, freshly cut herbs, or even diced apple if you really want to add some more fall flavor. It is so great and creamy you will think you will be eating dairy cream, but no... just the delicious flavor of the squash. If you are one of those people that cannot stand veggies, or you can't imagine how squash sauce would even taste good on pasta... I dare you to try it.

It is so good I share it with friends and they always ask...."What is this?!?" and I tell them, and they are surprised because they never knew they could like squash so much.

And because I love squash so much, just look HERE for more squash recipes. I have more than I thought. Chili, quinoa salad, and more. All favorites this time of year!

So enjoy friends and happy eating to you!

Pumpkin Pudding Bars (gluten-free, vegan)

You may be thinking this post is a few months too late because it is MARCH today, not November. But in all honestly, it is meant for today. I was doing a little spring cleaning in my fridge and freezer (yes, I clean my fridge and freezer :) I found some frozen pumpkin puree from last fall, and I knew I had to make something with it. You can't just let that pumpkin freeze till next November, there will be fresh laying around then. So, why not enjoy some pumpkin today. It is delicious! And, such a creamy dairy-free gluten-free dessert. I would even say that I prefer this treat over ice cream. I know, that's serious!

Yet, I understand your dilemma in trying this recipe.

You don't have any fresh pumpkins left, and do you want to wait till October to try this one?

Maybe you are like me and you still have that frozen pumpkin in your freezer just waiting to use it for something tasty. Perhaps this will make you go through the freezer space and see what you have in there anyways. Or, maybe you have pumpkin canned in your basement.

Then there is always the store bought option. Canned pumpkin from the store. Hm, good, but not always REAL good. So, that is understandably the dilemma at hand.

My dilemma was whether or not to share this fabulous recipe with you now or later. I was tempted to just save it for later...but then I took another bite of this pumpkin goodness, and thought, I had to share now. I justified the thought with thinking that you too have just cleaned out your freezer and noticed you have to use up some pumpkin puree as well. You have been waiting for this post for a few days now and now that it is here, it all makes sense.

Honestly, I don't think pumpkin has to be narrowed to a few months a year. If you like to freeze seasonal veggies like me then you can also enjoy these flavors more than just for holidays. Besides, as I am sitting planning my garden this week, buying seeds and plotting out the land (in my head), I think to myself, "Need to plant pumpkin!" This is a brilliant thought. Of course I need to plant some pumpkin! This recipe of creaminess divine...it must be repeated again. Perhaps this fall with my very own planted pumpkin.

Until then,

let's just

enjoy pumpkin even if it is March and spring is in 21 days.

Pumpkin Pudding Bar Recipe

Crust:

1 1/4 cup of brown rice flour

1/4 cup of buckwheat flour

1/4 cup of tapioca flour

1/2 cup of millet flour

1 ts. of sea salt

1/2 cup of warmed coconut oil 

2-3 TB of pure water

2 TB of pure maple syrup

Mix all of the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet ingredients and make a pie crust kinda crumble substance. Start with the 2 TB of water, and if it is still a tad too dry then add another TB. Mix with mixer, or hands until you get the pea-sized bits of dough. Then crumble across a 9x13 glass pan that has been greased with organic palm oil shortening or coconut oil. Spread the crust mix all over the bottom of the pan and then press down with your fingers and hands first, then press down with a large flat-bottomed spoon or 1 cup-er. It doesn't have to be pretty, the pumpkin will cover it soon. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown.

Pumpkin Pudding Mix:

3 cups of pureed fresh pumpkin (or thawed frozen pumpkin) (or canned works too)

3 cups of So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage (or other non dairy milk, like hemp or almond)

1 ts. of pure vanilla

1/4 cup of melted coconut oil

1/2 cup of buckwheat flour

2 TB of tapioca flour

1/8 cup of chia seed meal (or flaxmeal is substitute)

1 cup of coconut palm sugar

1 TB of baking powder

1/2 ts. of sea salt

2 ts. of pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon

1 ts. of ground ginger

1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg

In a blender or food processor, blend the pumpkin and coconut milk along with the coconut oil and vanilla, basically all of the wet ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then mix the wet and dry together well with a spatula until it is smooth and creamy like pudding. This recipe could have an egg added, but then it would bake up more stiff and cake like too. I omitted the egg for personal reasons. Pour the batter on the COOLED crust from above. Smooth out the top of the batter so that it is even and pretty. Put in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 1 hour. Bake until it is stiff and golden brown. It may still be gooey or pudding-like looking when you pull from oven, but the more you let it cool, the more it will stiffen. Also, I think this dish should be served COOL, so after cooling on the stove top, put in the fridge and cool for a few hours before you serve. Pudding should be cold, don't you think...so make sure it has cooled and stiffens up before serving. Then use a knife to cut your pieces and serve on up. It is much like pumpkin pie really, but this version has no egg and is a bit more creamy and that is why I have called this pudding bars. :)

Just look at that creamy goodness! Hmmm, so yummy! And, I always justify this dessert with lots of compliments because it is made with a vegetable, so lots of nutrients, fiber and good stuff for you! Enjoy with delight!

Hope you have a good start to your March, and clean up your freezer and find that frozen pumpkin puree you must eat before it's spring :)

Much love to you today!

Stephanie

p.s: Update on the $1000 dollar Institute of Integrative Nutrition Scholarship- both have been used by some lovely readers. They are about to start a very exciting journey learning about health, nutrition and counseling! Very happy and excited for them. If you are interested in the school I went to become a Holistic Health Counselor.... email me at stephanielaidlaw@gmail.com or check out my website...www.stephanielaidlaw.com. Contact me and then we can chat more about the program. And of course, I will let you know of any other scholarships or giveaways if I hear of them. Much Love!

Coconut Squash Curry (vegan)

I recently remembered a curry recipe my mom used to cook when I was a kid. I loved it for some reason, and she only made it every now and then because I don't think anyone else really liked it. It's funny how you all of a sudden remember a memory from when you were younger... I wonder if it is prompted by a smell, or taste, or an all-of-a-sudden need for comfort and the feeling of home. Whatever it is, I felt that I needed some comfort food for this cold January day. Comfort food doesn't have to be made with lots of butter, cheese and gluten, no...it can be made with coconut milk, warm spices and made with lots of love. This recipe is what my heart, and stomach were asking for and they didn't even know it. Delicious, and fulfilling.

The dish my mom made was a chicken curry dish with green beans, and rice...I think it probably had canned cream-of-something soup, mayo and maybe bread crumbs as a topping?! So, I couldn't reproduce that now and feel good about it, or have my body feeling good either. So, I came up with a better option for the gluten-free, dairy-free life... and it was fabulous. So good.

It was a perfect match to a cold snowy day. I had some winter squash frozen in the fridge, along with some frozen fresh organic green beans, so this was a simple put together meal... you just need a few minutes, and some curry powder. Also, a very budget friendly meal with a good serving of veggies and whole grains. If you want to cook some chicken or garbanzo beans to go along side of this meal to add a bit more protein, then go for it.

Coconut Squash Curry Recipe

1/2 cup of chopped yellow onion

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 TB of olive oil

Saute the onion, garlic and oil in a medium to large pot, after 2-3 minutes of sauteing, then add the rest of the blended ingredients...

In a blender or food processor add the following ingredients and blend well...

2 cups of cooked and pureed winter squash (butternut or buttercup are best)

1- 1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock (this depends on how watery/creamy you want the sauce)

1 cup of canned coconut milk (or So Delicious Coconut Beverage would work, just much thinner and less fat and creaminess from the full fat canned coconut milk)

1 TB of Italian Herb Blend (or 1 ts. of each: oregano, basil and marjoram)

1 ts. of poultry seasoning

1 ts. of lemon black pepper (or just black pepper works too)

1/2 ts. of sea salt

1 TB of curry powder

After you blend all of the above ingredients, pour into the pot where the onion and garlic have been cooking. Work the sauce up to a bowl, and then simmer on low... this is when you can add the green beans...

1-2 cups of lightly steamed green beans (either fresh or frozen works here)

If you want to add different or more veggies to this dish, then go for it... no one is stopping you :)

All the while of cooking the sauce, you can be boiling some brown rice pasta... this sauce will feed about 2-4 people, so if you are making a meal for 4 or more I suggest you double the sauce recipe above and make enough noodles for all servings.

So, this dish is my new favorite comfort food recipe! I just finished a plate for lunch, and now I can't wait till I can eat the leftovers for dinner or lunch tomorrow. It is so yummy and perfectly warming for a cold day. I hope you try this simple, healthy recipe out and enjoy the comfort of staying warm in your own kitchen.

Much love to you today!

Stephanie

This recipe is posted on the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Mung Dahl Perfect Protein Soup

Have you ever read the book, The 3-Season Diet, by John Douillard? Well, if you haven't you should check it out. It is based on one of the most healing nutritional theories in the world, the Ayurvedic approach. Which this approach originally comes from India, and is really more a way of life, than an approach. But for the sake of the western mind, we have labeled it to be more of "a nutritional approach" than a way of life so we can add it to the rest of the fad diets we consume. In his book, I think John Douillard tries to bring the concepts of helpful Ayurvedic theories down into our American culture, and helps us find ways to really make it intertwine into our daily lives. Ever since I have learned more about it, I have been asking myself how I can eat more seasonally, with the cycles of life and more for my body type or imbalances.

In his book, The 3-Season Diet, John Douillard speaks of how the American diet that has gone through the assortment of fad diets has not helped America get healthy, but instead has put our bodies, along with the help of the speedy culture, into a form of panic mode. When our bodies are in that place of panic, with our stress, asking what foods to eat, wanting to loose weight...we start to spiral downward without seeing any positive results with out health and weight. It's confusing though. How can we try and eat healthy, stay consistent, and have positive results with so many diet theories out there? I truly do recommend reading this book or looking more into the Ayurvedic approach. Instead of trying the latest and greatest diet, try changing some areas of your lifestyle that will change how you even look at food and how you gather and prepare food. You need to deal with why you need coffee to start your day, or a sugar bust mid-afternoon to make it home, or why you are so forgetful tired and depressed all the time. It may be related to what you are putting in your body and how rapidly you are living your day. Fast, cheap and easy doesn't have to be the big yellow arches or any other fast food joint for that matter. It can be done in the comfort of your own home and with full nutritional values. That is what I love about this book. It is a solution to living in our day of age, to be more aware, centered and ultimately a wholly healthy person. So buy the book, find it at the library, or read up on it online.

But why am I talking about this book anyways? Well, the recipe today is based off a recipe from the book. On page 72 of the book, John shares his recipe for a "perfect protein soup". It doesn't contain anything abnormal to make it perfect. It is just a good combination of vegan proteins along with helpful spices that will feed the mind, body and soul. So...perfect. It says this soup is best for those in a weakened state, so after a sickness, during a detox, or maybe for the younger or older with a weakened immune system. It is a thick and warming soup also for this time of year, but is said that it can be eaten at any time of the year. I have made this soup quite a bit and I have viewed it more as a medicinal soup. Sometimes you have to think of food as medicine. Something you need to feed your body to restore balance and health. Food is not really about commercials, popularity, or packages. It is the basis of life in how we sustain and fulfill the basic needs of our life to be filled, healthy and striving. So that is why I share this recipe with you, as it was shared with me.

Perfect Protein Soup Recipe

1 cup of split yellow mung dahl beans

2 cups of white basmati rice

1 inch, fresh gingerroot sliced

2 TB. of ghee (clarified butter)(lactose free)

1 ts. of ground tumeric

1 ts. of ground coriander

1 ts. of cumin powder

1 ts. of whole cumin seeds

1 ts. of mustard seeds

1 ts. of kosher sea salt

1 pinch hing (asafoetida) (spice mixture)

12 cups of pure water

***Bragg Liquid Aminos can be added after cooking for flavor or to replace salt

1 small handful of washed and diced cilantro leaves

Some of the added spices I like to add: a few dashes of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
Wash the beans and rice together until the water runs clear. In a large 8.5 quart pot on medium heat mix the ghee, and all the spices for a few minutes. The seeds will pop a bit after a few minutes, and then add the rice and beans into the spice mixture and stir again together. Add the water and the salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and then turn the heat to low and cover pot. Continue to cook until rice and beans become soft (about 30-40 minutes). Add more water towards the end if it is thickening up more than you would like. Add the cilantro leaves before serving, and add some more salt or Brraags if need be. It isn't the most aesthetically pleasing soup, but it will be very filling.

So that is the recipe for the perfect protein soup from 3-Season Diet. It is something worth trying. The recipe makes a ton, so if you are eating for one or two you may want to cut the recipe in half, or make the whole thing and freeze half of it for a later date. It freezes well, and is convenient if you are sick and need to pull something from the freezer to warm up. I hope you try this, read up on Ayurvedic Medicine, and find peace and rest today.

Much love to you!