Roasted Vegetables with Lentils

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d tell you about how I’m a little stressed out this week. I’d confess that by 9 am I already had two cups of green tea when I probably should have had chamomile. At least I started my day with a green juice, right?

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d tell you about how I’m in the middle of moving… again.  Even though we just moved a few months ago, we got this great opportunity to take over my partner’s brother’s house because he and his wife are moving out of the country. So, in the last two and a half weeks, we broke the news to our landlord and found someone to take over our apartment lease.  The only catch is that the person taking over our lease needed to move in right away so that means we are moving this week. Moving into a house where myself, my partner, her brother, and his wife will be living together for the next month and a half until they move out of the country. Let’s hope they like green smoothies and cats.

If we were sitting down for lunch together I’d take a deep breath, tell you how good it is to see you, and then serve you some roasted vegetables with lentils. After all, it's always good to see you. And I'm really excited for lunch. 

This is such a simple and easy dish to prepare that you can even make it during the week you're moving. (No joke!) Just grab any leftover produce from the fridge, chop it up, and roast it off on a sheet pan while you boil some lentils. No stress and lots of tasty nutrition!

My favorite part of this is the roasted red onions. Roasting them brings out their intense sweetness, which is a winning combination with the acorn squash. Since the skin of acorn squash is really tough, I recommend roasting the squash with the skin on, but scooping out the flesh when eating. And if you wanted to make this a heartier meal, this can be served over a bed of quinoa or made into a hearty salad over a bed of greens.

Roasted Vegetables with Lentils
Adapted from Whole Living
Serves 4

1 tablespoons coconut oil
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 small acorn squash, halved, seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup dried French green lentils, rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
Fresh herbs, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss vegetables with coconut oil and arrange on baking sheet in single layer. Roast, turning once, until vegetables are caramelized and tender, about 25 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place lentils and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Toss lentils with vinaigrette and serve over roasted vegetables. Season with freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Delicata Squash Rings with Cashews and Sweet Mustard

I really think it's time that Pinterest instituted a curfew.  If Pinterest had a curfew, I would get exactly 1.08 hours more sleep per night.  If this keeps up at its current rate, by next month, I will need to use all of the beauty tips I've been pinning to get rid of my dark eye circles...

(And if you don't know what Pinterest is, all you need to know is that it's essentially an online bulletin board. It may sound silly, but once you use it, I promise you'll be hooked.  And now you've been warned!)

Speaking of Pinterest, I have been obsessed with all of the amazing recipes people have been making with fall squash lately.  I'm a big delicata squash fan and last year I loved stuffing it with different legumes and grains. But this year? This year is all about the delicata squash rings.  Pin away...

One of my favorite parts of delicata squash is the texture.  I love its natural sweetness and for some reason I actually love the skin more than the flesh.  This recipe is pretty simple, but prepping the squash can take a little bit of time. Make sure that you have a sharp knife that can cut all the way through the squash.  A sharp knife will not only make it easier and save you time, but if you are one of those accident-prone people (like me!) a sharp knife will actually prevent injuries because it will slice more smoothly.

Delicata Squash Rings with Cashews and Sweet Mustard
Serves 4 as a side

2 medium delicata squash
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or another oil for high-heat cooking)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup cashews
Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Start by cutting the squash in half and using a spoon to scoop out the seeds.  Then slice the squash into thin rings (about 1/2" thick). Toss with the coconut oil and roast for about 25 - 35 minutes, turning at least once, until squash is tender (but not mushy).

Mix olive oil, mustard, and maple syrup together.  Toss with cashews and roasted squash and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with herbs if desired.

Pasta with Lentils and Zucchini

Have you heard the hype that bananas are soon-to-be no longer vegan?  There are reports of a new spray-on chemical derived from shrimp and crab shells to extend the life of the fruit.  It's pretty scary to me that companies are allowed to spray our food with whatever they choose and not label it - especially when you consider the millions of people with shellfish allergies.

The funny thing though is that bananas have been non-vegan in our household for quite some time. Remember my cat that likes to lick plastic bags?  Well I used to buy bananas from Costco (which come in plastic bags), and my cat, being the creep that he is, enjoyed licking the bags so much that after I removed the bananas from the bag, he became obsessed with licking bananas.  Now whenever bananas enter our house - bag or no bag - he has to lick them.  And since that kitty tongue has seen quite a bit of seafood is its time, if you have a seafood allergy, I wouldn't recommend eating bananas at my house either.

What does all this have to do with pasta, lentils, and zucchini?  Nothing.  Just be thankful none of these items were sprayed with chemicals or licked by a cat.

This has become my favorite go-to weeknight meal.  It's perfect for when you aren't feeling creative and just want something quick, but it's delicious and pretty enough to fool any dinner guest.  My favorite pasta of choice is always brown rice pasta, but whole wheat, quinoa, or corn pasta all work great.

Pasta with Lentils and Zucchini
Serves 4 - 6

1 cup french lentils
2 cups water
4 medium zucchini, diced
1 small yellow onion (or half a medium onion), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or another oil for high-heat)
1 pound pasta (whole wheat, quinoa, brown rice, etc)
Juice from 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  

Add lentils and water to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and let cook until lentils are tender and liquid is evaporated, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, toss zucchini with onions, garlic, and oil and lay flat in a single layer on sheet pan.  Roast for 15 minutes, turning at least once, until zucchini is tender and golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

While lentils and zucchini is cooking, boil water for pasta and cook according to directions. Toss lentils, zucchini, and pasta together with lemon juice.  Drizzle with olive oil and top with black pepper and salt to taste.  Serve warm.

Warm Winter Squash Salad

It's been a snowy weekend here in Seattle.  I started my weekend with a trip to the grocery store to stock up on goods in case the weather got worse.  And besides heading out to the gym a few times, we've pretty much stayed indoors.  Between Dance Central on kinect, cleaning projects, photo and writing projects, and being entranced with season 2 of Lost, I've kept myself pretty occupied.  The cats enjoyed watching the falling snow and Bilbo decided that sitting at my photography station (where I photograph all of my food photos) was the coziest place to watch the weather.  And fulfill his dream of being a kitty model.

It is usually hard for me to eat salads during the winter because cold food doesn't sound as appealing, but I happily munched on this one all weekend.  This salad starts with a bed of peppery arugula topped off with warm delicata squash and french lentils.  It's finished with sweet pomegranate seeds and a tangy lemon dressing.  This salad was just what I needed to power our kinect marathon and keep me warm during the snowstorm. 

Warm Winter Squash Salad
Serves 4
1 cup french lentils, cooked
2 cups water
2 medium delicata squash
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
6 cups of baby arugula

Add lentils and water to a pot over high heat.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut squash into equal bite-size pieces.  Toss with coconut oil and lay flat on sheet pan.  Roast for 20 minutes, until tender, turning at least once.

Divide the arugula amongst four plates.  Top with warm lentils, squash, and pomegranate seeds.

Dressing:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

juice from 1 lemon

1 Tablespoon brown mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients until combined.  Drizzle over salad and serve. 

Stuffed Delicata Squash

I'm super excited to announce the three winners of this week's Hurraw! Balm giveaway:

Winner #1 sarahlearns said...

oooh, i need a good lip balm! i've been trying out a couple brands lately to find one that keeps my lips moisturized through the cold wisconsin winter!

this week i am concentrating on finalizing my december goals and working on them! (2 of my goals are getting 100 oz every day and getting to the gym 4x this week!)

Winner #2 Melanie said...

I just got a treadmill yesterday, and I am determined to run every day! I haven't exercised in so long, so I am very excited to get back into shape! :)

Winner #3 csu said...

this is so cool! i'm going to go for a swim this weekend again.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the giveaway and shared their health goals for this week. It was really inspiring to see so many people incorporating different healthy habits into their life, from drinking more water to daily exercise to juicing. How did this week go?  How did your new habits serve the rest of your life?  Did any challenges arise along the way?



This past week my personal health goal was to adopt a gluten-free diet.  A few weeks ago my nutritionist recommended that I consider going wheat and gluten-free because of some severe knee pain that I've been struggling with for the past few years.  I personally think the pain is the result of bad genes and irritation caused by exercise, but I'm always open to making dietary changes. 

My diet was already about 80% gluten-free (the main sources were occasional pieces of Dave's Killer Bread and some tamari sauce), but I found that once I told myself I officially couldn't have it, all of a sudden all I wanted was to sit down and eat a loaf of bread.  The power of the mind, huh?  Let's just say that this first week was a little rough.  I'm still trying out some different (vegan) gluten-free breads from my local natural foods market, but I'm hoping to make my own version soon.



One of the things that made this week a little easier was this stuffed delicata squash.  These adorable little squashes were simply roasted and stuffed with a mix of wild rice, black eyed peas, cranberries, and onions with a little salt and pepper.  I served them over some steamed kale for color and the kale ended up being the perfect (gluten-free!) wrap for the extra stuffing that fell out.  Bon appetite.

Stuffed Delicata Squash
Serves 4

4 medium delicata squash
2 Tablespoons oil for roasting (any oil that can tolerate high heat will work: avocado, almond, canola, grapeseed, or safflower are all great.)
1 cup wild rice + 3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup black eyed peas + 2 cups water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
4 large kale leaves (optional)
freshly-ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Slice squash open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Coat with oil.  Place on a sheet pan (with the insides facing up) and roast for about 20 - 30 minutes, until tender.  You can tell when you squash is done when it can easily be pierced through with a fork.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, add the wild rice and broth to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes (until the rice is tender). 

Add the black eyed peas and water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for about 15 - 20 minutes (until peas are tender). Drain if needed.

Add olive oil and onion to a pan over medium heat.  Saute the onion for 5 minutes, until translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Add the cranberries, cooked rice, and cooked black eyed peas.  Mix thoroughly.  

Top the squash with the rice mixture and serve over steamed kale, if using.  Top with a little salt, pepper, and extra olive oil if desired. 

Roasted Delicata Squash

Remember a few weeks back when I told you about my plan to slow down for the last few months of 2011 and get my priorities straightened out? Well, I've done some thinking, some meditating, and some soul searching and I've decided that it is time to go back to school and become certified as a holistic health coach.
 
For those of you who don't know anything about my background, I have a BA in Psychology and Women's Studies from the University of Washington and I graduated with my MA in Organizational Development from Antioch University. In my time at Antioch, I focused my studies on life and executive coaching, organizational wellness, and came to realize my intense passion for food (thus, starting this blog). The next step in my life will involve strenghtening my coaching style, starting my own practice, and diving even more into the world of nutrition, health, and wellness. If all goes as planned, I will begin working with clients later in 2012 and graduating in January 2013. Let me tell you... I couldn't be more excited!

I also couldn't be more excited to tell you about these little squash. These little delicata squash are not only tasty, but they are super adorable. The prep is incredibly simple: slice them open, scoop out the seeds, and roast. They don't need much else - just a little oil, salt, and pepper will do the trick. And, when they are roasted just right, the skins are tender and absolutely delicious. Serve these up as finger food at your next holiday gathering or add some lentils and greens and make a meal out of 'em. You won't be disappointed.

And, if you haven't already entered my Hurraw! Balm giveaway, please be sure to do before Saturday, December 3rd at 4 pm Pacific Time.

Roasted Delicata Squash

Ingredients:

Delicata squash

Oil for roasting (any oil that can tolerate high heat will work: avocado, almond, canola, grapeseed, or safflower are all great.)

Freshly-ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Slice squash open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Coat with a little oil, salt, and pepper.  Place on a sheet pan (with the insides facing up) and roast for about 20 - 40 minutes, until tender.  (Squash vary in size so the amount of cooking time will depend on how big your squash is.)  You can tell when you squash is done when it can easily be pierced through with a fork.  Serve warm from the oven.

Coconut Squash Soup

What do you do as soon as you get home from a five-day business trip in New Mexico? You make butternut squash soup.  Why? Because all you have at home when you arrive is a butternut squash and a can of coconut milk. And because the thought of another meal including rice and beans makes you shudder.  

So, you chop up some squash, pop it in the oven, pet your cat, and unpack.  Then you throw the squash in a pot and purée. Before you can even adjust back to Pacific time, you will find your dinner ready for you, along with grey skies and a rainy afternoon.  It's good to be home.

Coconut Squash Soup

Serves 4 - 6

1 medium butternut squash, skin removed and chopped into 1-inch squares

3 Tablespoons coconut oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (optional)

5 cups vegetable broth (or more as needed)

1/2 can of coconut milk (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub squash with about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.  Roast for about 35 minutes, until tender (but not mushy). Check on the squash every ten minutes and flip the pieces so that the sides are evenly roasted.  Remove from oven and set aside. 

Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to a medium pot over medium heat.  Sauté the onion for 5 minutes until translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Add the roasted squash, garbanzo beans vegetable broth, and coconut milk.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  

Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).  Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a spoonful of coconut milk.  

(Gluten-Free) Quinoa Pecan Stuffing

Shhh... can you keep a secret?

This recipe is what made me fall head-over-heels in love with mushrooms.  Yes, you heard that right.  I've been putting them in soups, stir fries, and salads almost every day this week. I am now a big fungi fan. 

But, that's not the secret.



See, my partner, Ashley, hates mushrooms.  She hates mushrooms more than kale (and that's saying a lot), but she loved this stuffing. Of course, I didn't exactly advertise that there were mushrooms in it.  Can you keep this a secret? 

As she ate it I sat nervously waiting for her to discover a small mushroom that hadn't been diced fine enough, but she made it through the entire plate without saying a word.  That's a huge success. 

Now that I've been enjoying mushrooms more I'm starting to develop a taste for them.  They're not so bad after all.  Any mushroom-haters out there waiting to be converted?  This recipe just might sway you.

I know that we still have some time before the holidays hit, but I can tell you that this stuffing will definitely be one of the dishes served this year.  Whether you are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, or just love delicious food, this should make it on your list for the holidays too.  I really liked serving it in a roasted acorn squash because it had a beautiful presentation and after the stuffing was scooped out, the squash was sliced up as a side dish.  However, you can just as easily skip the squash and serve the stuffing on its own.  Either way, this is a fabulous dish that everyone (even mushroom haters) will enjoy.  

(Gluten-Free) Quinoa Pecan Stuffing

Slightly adapted from Michelle Babb

Serves 6

1 cup pecans

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 acorn squash 

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth plus 1/4 cup

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (I used shiitake)

1 small apple, cored, peeled and chopped into small chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread pecans on the baking sheet and place in the oven until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.  (I recommend watching the pecans because they can easily start to burn). Remove them from the oven and turn the heat to 375.  

While the oven heats, add the pecans to a food processor.  Coarsely chop while adding the sage and thyme.  Set aside.  

Cut squash in half, rub with a little oil, and place on sheet pan cut side down in the 375-degree oven. Roast for 30 minutes, or until insides are tender.  

Rinse quinoa and place in a large saucepan.  Add 2 cups of the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and fluff with a fork.

Heat coconut oil in a large pan.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushrooms are tender.  Add apple chunks and remaining 1/4 cup vegetable broth.  Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until apple is tender.  Add the cooked quinoa and the pecan/herb mixture to the pan and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.  

Scoop a little squash out of the acorn halves.  Fill with the quinoa stuffing and serve.  (Once the stuffing is served, the squash can be sliced and served as well.)

Acorn Squash Apple Soup

Do you ever have days where you feel your phone vibrating in your pocket... but it's totally not?  Days where you swear it's Friday, but it's actually Tuesday.  Or Wednesday.  I forget.  Days where your keys are definitely not where you left them, your schedule is jam-packed with a million little things, you have to make it to the airport by 5 pm in rush-hour traffic, and all you want to do is crawl. back. in. bed.

Did you know that acorn squash apple soup fixes these things?

Yep, it totally does.  This soup makes your phone behave, your brain get back on track, does your laundry, feeds your cat, and it even takes out the compost. 

Okay, maybe not.  But it does ease a growling stomach. Some days that's enough for me to be thankful for.

This soup makes me wish it was fall every day of the year.  I love eating this with crusty rosemary bread white watching the leaves scatter outside the window.  It's a little bowl of bliss in this sometimes crazy, chaotic life that I happen to love.

Acorn Squash Apple Soup
Serves 4 - 6

1 acorn squash
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 large apple, diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups apple juice

Freshly-ground salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut squash in half, rub with a little oil, and place on sheet pan cut side down.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until insides are tender.  

Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Scoop out insides of squash and set aside. 

Add oil to a pot over medium heat.  Sauté the onion and apple for about 5 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Add garbanzo beans, squash, thyme, and sage.  Cover with vegetable broth and apple juice and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 - 20 minutes.

Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).  Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste.  

Summer Squash Fettuccine with Garlic Scape Pesto

I recently took the plunge and switched from a PC to a Mac.  It's funny how a change in operating systems can completely debilitate a gal.  

My computer finally died on me a few weeks ago and I decided it was time to grow up, empty out the savings account, and get a computer that would actually last.  So far, I have to say that I am really impressed.  And dang, this thing is pretty.  That's all you can really ask for in a computer, right?

That being said, I hope that you can forgive my recent absence as I learned how to do very important things like 1) stop accidentally deleting text 2) find my imported photos and 3) make movie trailers from home videos of my cat.  What can I say?  He's going to be a star.  

Now that we are heading into summer and all sorts of fun produce is popping up I have to ask... Have you met garlic scapes yet?  If not, allow me to introduce you.

Garlic scapes are the tops of the garlic plant and they are both edible and delicious.  Garlic scapes, please meet my readers.  In fact, the two of you should have lunch together sometime and get to know each other better.

You can chop up garlic scapes and eat them in everything from scrambles to stir fry to veggie casseroles.  One of the most popular ways to use them is for pesto.  They have a softer flavor than garlic which makes them perfect in a raw pesto spread.  This recipe only uses a bit of the pesto so you will have plenty extra to experiment with.

Summer is also such a fun time to play around with squash.  One of my favorite summer dishes is raw zucchini pasta because it doesn't involve cooking or any gluten like traditional pasta.  This recipe is a fun variation on the squash pasta theme that doesn't involve any fancy equipment - just a vegetable peeler.  If you're cooking for picky eaters, whether they are adults or children, mixing these squash noodles in with traditional pasta is a great way to add in some extra veggies while not making the vegetables a big focus in the meal.

Summer Squash Fettuccine with Garlic Scape Pesto
Serves 4 as a side, 2 as a meal

Garlic Scape Pesto (makes about 1 cup of pesto)
1 cup garlic scapes, chopped
juice from half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Add the garlic scapes to a food processor and pulse a few times until scapes are roughly mixed. Add the lemon juice, salt, and, with the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream until it is well combined and smooth.  Store in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.

Summer Squash Fettuccine: 
4 summer squash
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
basil leaves for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt (optional)

Peel the squash into long ribbons (like fettuccine) using a vegetable peeler.  (Don't use the insides with the seeds because it isn't firm enough to hold together well.)

Add 4 tablespoons of pesto (or more to taste) to a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the squash noodles and chickpeas and saute for 1 - 2 minutes, until the noodles are "al dente" and not yet mushy.  Remove from heat, toss in the tomatoes, garnish with basil, and serve.  Add freshly ground pepper as desired.

Spaghetti Squash with Creamy Tomato Sauce

How was your Thanksgiving?  Who did you spend it with?  Any family drama I should hear about?  Like, which family member had a little too much wine or who you will never talk with about politics again?

Family dynamics always intrigue me - whether it's my family or someone else's.  Part of the reason I was drawn to a degree in psychology and then organizational development is because of my curiosity about human behavior and relationships.  I'm sure Freud would say it has more to do with my own relationship with my family.  But, I guess I'll leave it to him to be the final judge on that one.

My family was never one for "traditional" holiday food.  There was definitely more than one occasion where we had spaghetti instead of turkey on Thanksgiving.  I personally think it gives our family history a little character.  And I have to say that no one ever minded because my mom's spaghetti was fabulous.

I've been playing around with spaghetti squash this season and this is my favorite recipe that I've come up with so far.  The sauce is creamy and rich and brings out the flavors in the squash beautifully.  The spaghetti squash is also wonderful mixed with angel hair pasta or some gluten-free pasta of your choice.  I don't expect you to be serving this up at your next holiday meal, but I won't tell anyone if you do.

Serves 4-6.

4 spaghetti squash
1 1/4 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours (then drained)
1/2 cups water
6 oz tomato paste
1 medium tomato
2 small yellow onions (or 1 medium), chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Italian seasonings

Spaghetti Squash:
Cut your squash in half and remove the seeds. Bake rind-side-up in a 375 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Separate the strands by running a fork through the inside of the squash from the top to the bottom. The strands should easily come apart.

Creamy Tomato Sauce:
Add your olive oil and onions to a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Saute for about 10 minutes until the onions become transparent. Add your garlic and saute for an additional two minutes.

Blend your cashews, water, tomato paste, and tomato.  As long as you soaked your cashews for about 4 hours or longer, you should need about 1/2 cup of water.  If you did not soak them or soaked them for less time, start with 1/2 cup of water, adding a little more water as necessary for blending. (I tried a batch with unsoaked cashews and ended up using about 1 1/2 cups of water.)  You want the consistency to be thick, but it should be able to easily run through a blender.

Add this sauce mixture into the pan with your onions and garlic. Add your seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Pour over your spaghetti squash and serve.

Braised Pears with Qunioa and Butternut Squash

A couple of weeks ago the nonprofit that I work for held a fundraiser to raise money for our grants towards economic justice for women and girls.  Our guest speaker was a distinguished author who has done a lot of work with other women's funds.  At the end of her speech, she was talking about why it is so important for everyone to be donating their time, money, and efforts towards social justice.  I believe her words were along the lines of "because no one else is going to do it... There is not going to be anyone to come in and do the job for us."  For the past two weeks, these words have been ringing in my ears.

No one else is going to do it.  No one else is going to come and solve all of the economic, social, racial, etc. etc. injustice there is in our community.  It is up to us.  No one else is going to speak up when others are being exploited.  It is up to us.  I don't know how that makes you feel, but it makes me feel like I'm not doing enough right now.

The life coach in me immediately turned those words inward and made me want to push myself harder.  No one else is going to tell me that I could be doing more in my life-- whether that's donating more, volunteering more, or being a more present community member.  No one else is going to come challenge me and tell me that they know I could be giving 110%.  It's up to me. It's up to us.  I'm not quite sure where I'm going to be taking this newfound passion and energy, but I know that I will be doing more. 

Until then, braised pears and quinoa will have to do. I love the contrast of red quinoa against the squash so I highly recommend it.  Red qunioa also has a different texture and slightly nuttier taste that is a great balance for the sweetness of the pears.  If you're in a time crunch, you could easily leave out the butternut squash or serve the pears over plain quinoa.  But, if possible, I think you should make the extra effort.  Giving more is important when it comes to cooking too.

Serves 4.

Ingredients for quinoa and squash:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups broth (or water)
1/4 cup golden raisins
handful of slivered almonds
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and diced
2 Tbsp olive oil 

Ingredients for braised pears:  
2 Tbsp Earth Balance
4 Tbsp agave nectar 
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger root
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 firm but ripe Bosc pears, peeled, halved lengthwise and cored
2 Tbs unseasoned rice vinegar

Butternut squash:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine squash and two tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and scatter evenly on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, turning 2-3 times with a spatula.

Quinoa:
Rinse your quinoa; then drain, transfer to a pot and add the broth.  Add the cumin, diced onion, and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and cover with a tight-fitting lid, then turn the heat down to a simmer.  Cook for about 15 minutes and remove quinoa from heat.  Allow to sit five minutes with the lid on then fluff the quinoa gently with a fork.  Mix the raisins and almonds in just before serving.

Braised pears:
Melt Earth Balance in a pan and saute over medium heat.  Add soy sauce, ginger, agave, and cayenne pepper. Stir well until ingredients are combined then reduce heat to medium-low.  Add pears, cut side down.  Simmer 8-10 minutes, basting frequently until tender.  Transfer pears to a serving dish, leaving the liquid in the pan.  Bring liquid to a slow boil and add vinegar.  Simmer until thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes.  This is what you will pour over your final dish.

Preparation:
Mix squash and quinoa, then plate.  Top with two pear halves and drizzle your sauce over the top.  

Carrot & Butternut Squash Soup

I have been dreaming about this soup for awhile.  Light, yet hearty. Creamy and sweet, but not over the top.  This is the kind of soup that goes perfectly with these sunny, chilly days we've been having in Seattle.  And, I don't want to toot my own horn too much, but this is freakin delicious.  You certainly won't  miss the dairy and chicken stock found in other butternut squash versions. 

One of my biggest pet peeves is soups that leave you hungry.  When I sit down to eat, I want it to mean something.  This one delivers.  The cannellini beans are the perfect way to add that extra heartiness and depth that typical butternut squash soups lack.  I also love the combination of flavors from the squash and carrots.  You can serve this with some warm bread, pita chips, of if you're looking for something different and fun, try it with a side of homemade Jo Jo potatoes. 

Serves 6-8

1 butternut squash
2 onions, diced
5 carrots, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans
stock (about 5-6 cups) 
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Coat a baking sheet with a little olive oil or nonstick spray and place squash cut side down.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until squash is tender (but not mushy). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Then remove the peel from the squash and cut into chunks. 

In large pot over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, carrots and ginger in oil for 5 minutes.  Add enough stock to cover the carrots and give you a little room (I used about 5 1/2 cups).  Add the beans, squash, and orange juice.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer until carrots are soft (about 20 minutes).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off heat and puree in a blender (it took about two batches for me to do this in my Vita-Mix).

Garnish with a swirl of olive oil (or chili oil if you have it!) and freshly grated pepper.

Roasted Summer Squash

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

What is your favorite memory from this summer? A few days ago I was at the gym and realized that the first day of fall was quickly approaching. It made me reflect on this summer and all of the goals I had made for myself: going to the beach more often, visiting with friends, and picking berries. I never made it to the lavender farm or out hiking, but hopefully there's always next year.

What made this summer amazing for me (besides the delicious produce!) was all of the little things that happened that I didn't plan for or anticipate. I didn't expect that my favorite memory of this summer would be riding my bike. I love challenging myself and pushing myself to do things that scare me. I decided that this summer would be the perfect time to start riding my bike to work. And riding a bike through downtown Seattle by myself? Terrifying. (Okay, there are a few bike lanes here and there, but it's still scary!) I never in a million years would have thought that I would have the physical endurance or ability to do it. But, I love proving myself wrong.

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

I've had the most amazing rides in the last couple of days. The other day on my way home, I got caught in the rain. It was one of those gloomy Seattle rains too -- the kind where the entire sky turns grey and just when I thought it couldn't possibly rain anymore, the rain came down harder. Then harder.

At first, I wanted to give up. I had never ridden in rain like this and I wasn't sure if I could make it home. My shoes were gushing as I petaled and the sleeves of my jacket were filling up with water. I decided to take a piece of advice from Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt and keep going. Not only did I make it home in record time, but I proved to myself that, once again, I am capable of much more than I give myself credit for.

I rode across the Eastlake bridge this morning on my way to work and watched the sunrise. Leaves were falling along the sidewalk. The cool breeze flew past me. It was the most beautiful ride of the season. Bring it on, fall. I'm ready now.

The only thing better than that ride was coming home and making some of this delicious squash. It's super easy to make and I promise that you already have the ingredients. It's great as a side dish or served over some quinoa.

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 onion
4 medium summer squash (any variety of your choice)
salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Trim the ends off of your squash and slice them about 1/4-inch thick. Lay on a cookie sheet (it's best if they are in a single layer) and drizzle with olive oil.

Next, trim the ends off of your onion and peel it. Then slice it up into thin wedges and toss over the squash. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Bake it for about 15 minutes, then flip it over and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake the other side for another 15 minutes. It should be lightly browned. Pull from the oven and serve.