Moroccan-Spiced Vegetarian Chili

This recipe caught my eye as I perused the Williams-Sonoma recipe bank last week. It had all of the things I was looking for, spicy, warm, comforting, squash-filled and healthy! I love when a dish that is fulfilling is also healthy. The leftovers made for a delicious lunch the next day.

I made a few small changes from the original recipes, beginning with the initial steps. I don't have a blender here in Boise, so I used chili powder instead of making the chili-garlic puree. I also used golden raisins rather than prunes, personal preference, dried beans instead of canned, and quinoa as a base to soak up the spicy, tomato broth. I also topped the  chili with a dollop of green yogurt.

While I would consider this more of a stew than a chili, it was so perfectly balanced flavor-wise. Though it calls for 10 garlic cloves, it doesn't seem overpowered in the last bit, the spices are complimentary, and the sweet squash and fruit keep it from being too savory. This will definitely be a new go-to for our Sunday stews.

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetarian Chili

adapted from Williams-Sonoma

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 butternut squash, 1 1/2 lbs., peeled and cubed

2 c. cooked chickpeas

2 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2" dice

1/3 c. sliced apricots

1/3 c. golden raisins

2-3 c. vegetable stock

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add onions and sliced garlic.

Cook for 3-5 minutes, until they begin to caramelize on the edges.

Add chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriader, stir well to toast seasonings. 

Add tomatoes and squash, turn heat to low, cover and cook squash for 15 minutes.

Add chickpeas, zucchini, apricots, raisins, stir well to combine, cover and cook for another 15 minutes. 

Taste, adjust seasonings, and add stock if stew is too thick. 

Serve over rice, quinoa, cous cous, or any other starch, top with a dollop of Greek yogurt. 

Butternut Squash Gratin with Poblanos and Cream

When I first saw this recipe on Elly's blog months ago, I starred it in my Google reader. Then, when she had it listed in her Favorites from 2011 post, I decided it was about time I make it! It's an unusual combination, poblanos and butternut, but it's a match made in heaven. Coincidentally, butternut squash is one of my absolute favorite foods, and poblanos are one of my husbands. Not so surprisingly, we both absolute loved this, and it will be a staple in our "what do you want for dinner this week...?" conversations.

When it comes to poblanos, in my opinion, it's a crap shoot. Sometimes they're pretty spicy, like an overgrown jalapeno, and sometimes they're really mild and almost sweet. Just as I had hoped, JJ picked out 2 of each, so our dish was a little spicy, a little sweet, and super cheesy. I made this dish pretty much as written, but didn't have any farmer's cheese (Elly used queso fresco) so I used goat cheese. I also omitted the cream completely, so the dish actually wasn't exceptionally rich, and the vegetables really were the star of the show. 

Butternut Squash Gratin with Poblanos and Cream

adapted from Elly Says Opa and Food and Wine

4 poblano peppers

1 large butternut squash, about 2 lbs, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper

1/2 c. light sour cream

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese

Heat broiler to high. Slice poblanos in half, seed and place skin side up on a lined cookie sheet.

Broil for 5-10 minutes, until entire skin is charred and blistered. 

Remove from the broiler, turn broiler off and oven on to 400*

Place poblanos in a tupperware container and set aside. 

Place butternut squash slices on another lined cookie sheet, season with salt and pepper, roast for 25 minutes, or until edges begin to crisp.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add EVOO, onion and garlic, saute' for 5 minutes.

Peel skin off poblanos, slice and add to the onions and garlic. 

Turn heat off, season with salt and pepper. 

Add sour cream, use a spatula to fold it in the vegetable mixture.

Remove squash from the oven.

Grease a casserole dish. 

Place a layer of squash, followed by 1/2 the poblano mixture, and a sprinkle of the cheeses.

Top with another layer of squash, poblanos and cheese.

Finish with one final layer of squash and the remaining cheese.

Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and brown. 

Curried Butternut Squash

Simplicity is key these days, as are meals that sit for five minutes or two hours. Just when I am about to take a bite of food, I hear a crying baby, and dinner is set aside for who knows how long. I try to tell Violet that if I don't eat, she won't eat, but she doesn't quite grasp that concept yet! 

Well, butternut squash have finally made their presence known at the farmer's market! I grabbed three last weekend, and then had some brainstorming to do. It had cooled down a bit here, to like, the 70's! I snapped up the opportunity to make a warm bowl of something squashy, and this is what I came up with! It's really simple, but packed with flavor. The quinoa works as a hybrid protein/starch to make this a well-rounded meal. I did throw a dollop or yogurt on right before eating, which I highly recommend! 

Curried Butternut Squash

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 4-5lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp. yellow curry powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1-2 c. vegetable stock

Quinoa, Rice or another grain for serving

Optional toppers:

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1 tbsp. minced cilantro

1/4 c. chopped cashews

Heat a soup pot or deep skillet over medium heat.

Add EVOO, onions and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' until onions are just golden, about 5 minutes.

Add butternut squash, curry powder and cinnamon, season with salt and pepper, stir well.

Add 1 c. vegetable stock, cover and turn to low heat.

Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and reduce liquid as desired, or add more if necessary. 

Taste and adjust all seasonings.

Serve over quinoa, top with yogurt, cilantro, cashews, etc. 

Note: For an added burst of sweetness, add 1/4 c. golden raisins just before simmering

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

There's nothing more delicious than a bowl of velvety butternut squash soup in the fall. I've seen millions of variations, paring the butternut with both sweet ingredients like apple and cranberry to savory like leeks and potatoes. Obviously I used pomegranate in this, but to balance the sweet roasted squash and sweet-tart pomegranate juice, I used a base of caramelized onions. I cooked the onions for several hours over low heat with butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. The squash was roasted and pureed with the onions, and vegetable stock, cream and pomegranate juice finished out the dish. 

For a final touch of elegance, I swirled around a dollop of creme fraiche and sprinkled toasted hazelnuts and pomegranate arils on top so my guests would know there was pomegranate in the soup. This soup would be the perfect dipper to pair with your classic day-after-Thanksgiving leftover sandwich! 

*Note: This photo is from my recipe testing for the party. At the party, I also topped each bowl with a puffed pastry crouton, which is optional as well.

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 10-12 started portions

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. EVOO

2 lbs. yellow onions, peeled and sliced thinly

Salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 3 fresh sprigs

1 large butternut squash (about 4-5 lbs.)

1 c. POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

4 c. vegetable stock

1/2 c. half and half

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

garnishes:

creme fraiche

pomegranate arils

toasted hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice squash in half, place cut side down on a lined baking sheet, place in the oven.

Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until skin has puckered and flesh is tender (pierce with a knife).

Remove from the oven and cool.

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat, add butter, olive oil, onions, a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Stir onions to coat in fat, then turn heat to low, add thyme.

Stir onions every 5-10 minutes for a few hours, until golden and not browned.

Place the onions and 1 c. vegetable stock in a blender, puree and pour back into the pot.

Place half the squash in the blender, puree with another cup of stock, pour into the pot.

Proceed with the rest of the squash, add to the pot.

Add the pomegranate juice, half and half, bay leaves and cayenne pepper to the soup.

Bring to a simmer, stir and taste.

Add additional stock, if necessary, cover and simmer over low for 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves, ladle into bowls and top with creme fraiche, arils and toasted nuts.

Roasted Squash and Wild Rice Salad

A few posts back, I admitted that I'm not a huge rice fan and don't make it very often. I usually tend to pass rice recipes by in magazines and cookbooks. However, in my last Vegetarian Times magazine, I saw an ad for Lundberg Family Rice's Roasted Squash and Wild Rice Salad. It looked so good! So I got online and googled the salad, and found not only the Lundberg version, but another recipe on 101 Cookbooks. I decided to kind of combine the two and add a few of own ideas. 

I used a large kabocha squash to make this salad, but any variety will work! I loved the idea from 101 Cookbooks using whole roasted shallots, so I added those as well. For protein, I almost fell back on my old stand-bys, garbanzo or tofu, but I decided to try something different. Since I was making a rice dish, I felt like Black-eyed Peas would be a great pairing. Though all beans taste relatively the same, these were delicious in this dish. Finally, I sprinkled the dish with cranberries and cilantro for some sweetness and a bright punch of flavor. It was a very balanced dish, and I can finally say my rice came out great! 

Roasted Kabocha and Wild Rice Salad with Black-eyed Peas 

inspired by Lundberg Family and 101 Cookbooks

2 c. prepared Wild Rice blend cooked in vegetable stock

*I used 2/3 c. rice and 2 c. stock and it came out perfectly

2 lbs. kabocha, peeled and cubed

10 small shallots, peeled

1 tbsp. EVOO

Kosher salt and pepper

2 c. black eyed peas, cooked, or 1 15 oz. can drained and rinsed

1/4 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. honey

Preheat oven to 400*

Line a baking sheet with foil, add squash and shallots, drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss well.

Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, until tender and caramelized.

While roasting squash, cook rice.

When rice is tender and fluffy, add lemon juice and honey, toss to distribute.

Add black eyed peas, gently fold in to heat through.

Scoop half of the rice into a serving dish, layer with half the kabocha, then the rest of the rice, then the kabocha and shallots.

Sprinkle with cilantro and cranberries, serve warm.

FYI - Look for details coming soon about a blogger bakesale hosted on Veggie by Season. If you would like to bake something for the cause (injured, stray dog I found and will be taking to the vet Saturday), please email me at veggiebyseason@gmail.com

Three-Sisters and Four-Corners Stew

I have a soft spot in my heart for anything that has "Three Sisters" in the title. Whether it be a business, restaurant, book, or recipe, I'm going to check it out. Being the middle of three sisters, I've found that it's given me many advantages in life. While most people sign-on with the "strange/crazy middle child" notion, I believe that being the middle child has resulted in a well-rounded, well-adjusted me. 

I wasn't nearly as sheltered as my older sister, and I wasn't babied like my younger sister. I didn't have to fight to earn privileges my older sister did, like reading Teen magazine and an 11 o'clock curfew. The family car was passed down to me on my 16th birthday, unlike my older sister who had to push for it at 17. I wasn't confined to the 4-hour drive limit when choosing a college like my older sister, and I wasn't left alone with my parents for three years like my younger sister was when Kris and I were away at school. Best of both worlds, in my opinion! And while I'd like to think I'm the shining star among the sisters, I honestly believe my parents did a wonderful job raising all of us. 

Another Tale of Three-Sisters: A year has passed since JJ and I adopted Charlotte and Belle, which is so hard to believe! JJ was away with the soccer team, and I was browsing www.petfinder.com on a Saturday morning. We had talked about getting a pair because we were ready for 3 dogs, and paired dogs can be so hard to adopt out together. I saw their little photo and fell in love. Sure, I had promised JJ we'd get a lab mix, but come on, 9 month old wiener dogs! So I called the rescue and they told me they were having an adoption day at Petsmart later that day. As soon as I saw them, I fell in love. I filled out my application, and was accepted pending a home visit to meet Pumpkin. That's when the red light went off. See, Pumpkin likes other dogs, but she likes to play rough, and she's the alpha. So I set the visit for the next morning, and they told me as long as the home visit was okay, they'd leave the girls with us and they'd be ours. I sent JJ a photo text of the dogs, and he said we'd talk about it. 

That night was a little rough, JJ wasn't sure he wanted them, but I had fallen in love. We agreed that he'd meet them at the home visit, and so would Pumpkin. If they  both approved, we'd take them. So the home visit went well, they all barked at each other, sniffed, but then were indifferent. JJ said if I wanted them, we could get them, so we did! Throughout the next month or so, Pumpkin was not happy with me. She'd growl at them when they came over and licked her, and she'd bark at them when they started wrestling, but here we are, one year later. I think they've all adjusted well.

 

This dish is called three sisters at four corners because the three sisters of Indian crops were corn, soybeans and squash. The reason for the four-corners is because of the region where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet is in the southwest and where many Native Americans lived. I absolutely loved this stew. It had a spicy, flavorful broth with a little sweetness from the squash and corn, and the savory tomatoes and edamame. I've never had edamame in soup before, but it was delicious! 

Three-Sisters and Four-Corners Stew

adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health

1 tbsp. EVOO

3 c. peeled, cubed butternut squash

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and pepper

2 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 c. chopped tomatoes (I used a 15 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes)

2 c. shelled edamame

2 c. fresh corn kernels (I used 3 ears of corn kernels)

Queso fresco, for garnish

Heat a dutch oven over medium.
Add EVOO, squash, onion and garlic, red pepper and jalapeño, season with salt and pepper.
Sauté for 10 minutes, until vegetables have softened.
Add vegetable stock, cumin, thyme, tomatoes, edamame and corn.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened.
Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve with crumbled queso fresco.

Barley and Butternut Squash Risotto

For some reason I don't cook rice very often. I'm a huge risotto fan, but making fluffy brown rice pilafs just aren't my thing. I don't have a rice cooker, and find that it's nearly impossible for me to make a decent pot of rice. It's usually too gummy, too al dente, too wet, stuck to the bottom of the pot, etc. I've seen several recipes in magazines for risottos made with barley, which is marginally healthier than brown rice, and much healthier than white rice. 

This recipe came together really easily, and was perfect for a cool Autumn evening. I used some fresh Rosemary from my herb garden, but sage or thyme would compliment the dish as well. If you like your risottos especially creamy, you can add a splash of cream. This recipe can be multiplied easily, this made two dinner portions.

Barley and Butternut Squash Risotto

1 tsp. EVOO

1 tsp. butter

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1.5 lbs. butternut squash

Kosher salt and pepper

2/3 c. pearled barley

1/4 c. dry white wine

3 cups vegetable stock, warmed

2 tsp. fresh minced rosemary

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Add vegetable stock to a stockpot, heat over medium-low.

Heat a deep skillet over medium heat.

Add EVOO and butter, swirl together and melt.

Add onion, garlic and squash, season with salt and pepper, sweat for 2-3 minutes.

Add barley, toss and sauté for a minute. 

Add the white wine, reduce and stir well.

Add 1/2 c. stock, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until absorbed.

Ladle in 1/3 c. of stock, stir and cook until absorbed uncovered.

Continue to add stock 1/3 c. at a time, cooking and stirring.

When barley is plump and tender, stir in the rosemary and Parmesan.

Plate and garnish with additional rosemary. 

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

Today is a very special day for me, it's my houseiversary. Yes, one year ago JJ, Pumpkin, Charlotte, Belle and I moved into our first house. I can't believe it was one year ago that all hell broke loose, resulting in us moving in a week early due to our apartment flooding. That apartment was a nightmare, and a huge contributor to why I wasn't really impressed with life in Florida. It was the worst possible place for a food blogger to live because there was zero natural light. I was unemployed when we moved here, so I spent much of my time in the kitchen, cooking up some really great dishes. Unfortunately they either went undocumented due to poor photographs, or the photographs don't do them justice. One of them was this dish, quite possibly one of my absolute favorites.

So I'm not going to dwell on the horrible apartment, and instead celebrate a year in my first house. One of the main things I wanted to do when I had a house was plant a vegetable garden. I've had some great successes and failure, with this being a huge success. Over the weekend, I finally picked my first butternut squash! I had been babysitting this squash for weeks, waiting for it to be ready for harvest. He's was not very big, but I couldn't wait any longer. I was afraid of bugs, dogs, and any other catastrophe that could take him away from me.

After I picked him, I sat him on the counter and thought about what I could possibly make with the squash that would honor him. I realize this makes me sound crazy and/or weird, but I'm ok with that. I have so much emotional stock in my garden, I've spent so much time, energy (and money), so the crop yield is magical for me.

Finally, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was Saturday around noon, I was hungry for lunch, and had the always fun task of cleaning the house ahead of me. I needed a great lunch to power me through. I always have chickpeas on hand, and just bought a new jar of tahini (because the eggplant crop has been quite plentiful, and making baba ganoush is a great way to use them up!), so this salad was inevitable.
I preheated the oven, crossed my fingers, and sliced this guy right down the center. I had visions of rot and bugs and mushy, brown insides. But no, he was perfect!

When I cook butternut squash, I always chop off the bottom cup, seed it and roast it along with the chopped up neck, never knowing what I'll do with it. Sometimes I sprinkle in some cinnamon and a pat of butter and eat it for a snack, sometimes it's saved for a soup and gets pureed, and sometimes I stand over the stove and eat it when no one is looking. I have minimal self-control around squash.
So into the oven it went. And let me tell you, when you have cubed butternut squash on a cutting board and some people think it's cheddar cheese, it's quite funny to watch them grab a cube and pop it in their mouth...

Yes, more eggplant... always more eggplant!

After I made up the salad, I had a light bulb go off, and I spooned the salad into the squash butt cups. The dressing soaked into them, and they were absolutely delicious to scrape out at the end of the meal. I found a new way to eat my squash butts! 

This recipe had made its way around the bloggosphere for a few years, and there's a reason why. It's so delicious. Do yourself a favor, pick up a butternut squash and make this now! 

Tips and Trades:

-I like my garlic and shallots raw in the dressing, and heated up from the squash, but you can roast them right along with the squash if you prefer.

-Try making this salad with any squash variety, not just butternut.

Warn Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

seen on Orangette, from Casa Moro

salad:

2-3 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4" dice

Kosher Salt and fresh Black Pepper

15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

Salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 c. minced cilantro

Garnish:

Chopped cilantro and sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.

Add diced butternut squash, drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper, toss.

Bake for 20 minutes, until tender.

In a large serving bowl, whisk together lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper. 

Taste and adjust ingredients.

Add chick peas and cilantro, mix.

Gently fold in squash, then spoon into squash cups.

Sprinkle with extra cilantro and sesame seeds.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Mole

If you put 100 bloggers in a room together and asked them what the most difficult food item to photograph is, you'd have a few responses. I think enchiladas or other casserole type dishes would be at the top though. If you go for a shot out of the oven, you don't see in innards. If you cut it up to show the insides, you have sloppy looking sauce smears in the pan and a cut up product on the plate. Neither are going to win awards for aesthetics. 

I've found that the only benefit of taking 20 minutes to get a decent photo is the casserole has time to set up, and isn't a total disaster when you finally cut it! I can't tell you how many lasagnas slid apart pre-blogging days as a result of bypassing the "remove from the oven and rest 10 minutes to set up" instruction.

So I tried with this. I tried really hard, because I want this recipe to look as amazing as it tastes! This mole is spicy, sweet, smoky, the butternut tones down the sauce and it is a winning combination. I decided that a few dollops of sour cream would add to the aesthetics, as well as a sprinkle of cilantro. I almost put the sour cream in a squirt bottle to make nice zig-zag pattern and really class it up, but like I said, I can only wait so long to eat.

I guess you'll just have to take my word for it, and Joanne's, whose blog this recipe comes from, that it tastes far better than it looks. And it is a great way to incorporate the flavors of fall into a Tex-Mex dish.

While Mole can be intimidating because of the laundry list of ingredients, they are probably things you already have on hand. And honestly, you can make adjustments to use what you have rather than go buy ingredients. I made a few changes, substitutions, and additions, which I reflected in my recipe below. You can check Joanne's blog to see what she used.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

from Eats Well with Others, Originally from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs.)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. milk, cream, sour cream, etc. 

4 dried ancho chilies

2 dried chipotle chilies

1/4 c. silvered almonds

1 tbsp. tahini

1 heaping tbsp. dark cocoa powder

1 heaping tsp. ground cinnamon

1 small yellow onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, smashed

4 whole plum tomatoes, seeded (canned works fine)

1/4 c. raisins

2 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground allspice

Salt and black pepper

6 flour tortillas

1/2 c. fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice squash in half, scoop out seeds and discard.

Place cut side up in a casserole dish, fill with 1/4" water.

Sprinkle squash with 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, cover with foil and roast for 30-45 minutes, until tender.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, lower oven temperature to 350.

While squash cooks, prepare Mole. 

Place the chilies in 1 c. boiling water to reconstitute for 10 minutes, drain and chop chilies.

Place chilies, almonds, tahini, chocolate, onion, garlic, tomatoes and raisins in a blender, add enough vegetable stock to achieve a puree. 

Heat EVOO in a large pot over medium heat, add the puree, bay leaf, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper. 

Sauté for about 5 minutes, constantly stirring. 

Add vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, turn to low and reduce for an hour or so. 

Scoop squash from the skins and place in a bowl.

Mash with a potato masher, adding milk/cream as necessary.

Ladle Mole into a casserole dish to coat the bottom.

Fill tortillas with 1/6 of the squash mixture, a sprinkle of cheese, and roll. 

Place in the casserole dish seam side down and repeat. 

Cover all enchiladas with remaining Mole (I had about 1 c. extra, which I froze).

Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Summer meets Fall Pasta Salad: Butternut, Tomato and Chickpea Pasta Salad

I've been suffering from Fall-weather envy the past few weeks. Watching Ohio State football games has been torture, the fans are in hoodies! The weather finally dipped into the 70's here, a temperature I haven't seen since May. My first complete summer as a Floridian has ended, and it was a rough one, record-setting over 3 months of consecutive days above 90*. 

Ok, I'm done complaining.

So I was all ready to give summer a big farewell and dive into fall and all of it's flavors until I saw this little butt staring up at me. Summer's last ditch effort. How could I possibly say goodbye to the season that has brought me so much delicious produce, plump tomatoes, sweet corn, juicy peaches, and Lord knows how many zucchini! 

I picked up the lovely Heirloom tomato, and felt inspired. I had big plans for this guy, I just didn't know what. Yet.

I left Whole Foods, got in my car and pondered the changing weather. It was cooler, crisper, but the humidity was still there, and a warm breeze mingled with a cool wind. 

Perhaps Fall isn't my favorite season. Maybe I can create a new season... Sum-all? Fal-ummer? Late summer, early fall, the last of the tomatoes, early squash. 

I saw in the World Market circular that their Fall goods were stocked, so I ventured over. I was met by these little darlings.

Then it hit me. Summery pasta salad meets fall flavors.

I did a little searching and found Ina Garten's Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette. It was the perfect starting point for this meal. Her fall-inspired salad had squash, maple, cranberries, and apple. My mind injected summery tomatoes, pasta salad, and chick peas. The mixture of sweet cranberries and savory vinegar-laced pasta, crunchy walnuts and creamy squash, and juicy, bright tomato... it was epic.
I think I have a new favorite season.

Tips and Trades:
-As with any pasta salad, the pasta is interchangeable. Some fun shapes can be found here: http://www.pastashoppe.com/
-Substitute any bean variety, such as kidney beans for more color and antioxidants.
-Can't find shallots? Use red onion instead.

Summer meets Fall Pasta Salad: Butternut, Tomato and Chickpea Pasta Salad

inspired by Ina Garten

2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. EVOO, divided

Kosher salt and pepper

6 oz. pasta, any short cut

1 shallot, minced (about 2 tbsp.)

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. pure Maple Syrup

1 tsp. fresh minced rosemary

2 c. cooked garbanzo beans (or 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed)

1/4 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. chopped walnuts

1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and diced (about 1 c.)

4 c. mixed greens

Parmesan wedge

Preheat oven to 400*

Toss squash, cinnamon, 1 tbsp. EVOO, salt and pepper on a baking sheet.

Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until squash is caramelized and tender.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, drop in pasta and cook to al dente.

In a small dish, whisk together shallot, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, rosemary and 1 tbsp. EVOO.

Drain pasta, do not rinse, pour into a mixing bowl.

Add beans, cranberries, walnuts and tomato to the pasta.

Add half of the vinaigrette, toss well. 

Place the mixed greens in a serving dish, drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and toss.

Remove squash from the oven, cool for a minute to allow it to firm up.

Add to pasta, toss very gently.

Pour pasta mixture over mixed greens.

Top with shaved parmesan and serve warmed.

Note: This can be served chilled, but do not dress greens, and keep pasta/squash mixture separate from greens until serving.

Barley, Lentils and Roasted Root Vegetables

When I saw this recipe pop up in my google reader last week, I was immediately drawn to it. I love roasted vegetables, and I also had half a bag of barley on hand. I love making salads like this, the kind that can be served hot or cold, and can have interchangable ingredients depending on what's on hand. The only addition I really made to this recipe was lentils for protein.

I was on the fence about parsnips in the past, but this recipe changed my mind about them, and I now can say I enjoy parsnips!

Barley, Lentils and Roasted Root Vegetables

adapted from Cate, based on a recipe by David Lebovitz

1 cup pearled barley
1 cup lentils
5 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 lbs mixed root vegetables, cut into 1/2″ dice
(I used 1 medium butternut squash, 4 parsnips, 4 carrots, 1 large turnip, 1 medium rhutabega)
1 red onion, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
A few sprigs fresh thyme
Zest and juice from a grapefruit (or orange, lemon, etc.)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dried cranberries


Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Bring water to a boil in a stock pot, add the salt, bay leaf, barley and lentils.
Simmer, until the barley and lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
Toss the vegetables, onion, 1 tbsp. olive oil, thyme, a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and spread on a sheet pan (I used 2 sheet pans).
Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, rotating pans from top to bottom, if using two.
Drain the barley and lentils, if there is residual water, remove bay leaf.
Whisk together the zest, juice, vinegar and another tbsp. of olive oil.
Add the barley, lentils, cranberries and vegetables.
Toss gently to mix.
Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Serve at room temperature, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

*Cate's recipe also called for walnuts, which would have been a delicious addition, but I did not have any on hand, next time I would add them for a bit of crunch and texture.

Butternut Squash Duxelles Casserole

Even though I'm not an exclusive Vegetarian anymore, I still prefer to eat vegetarian meals more often than not. I try to be a creative vegetarian because so many meals are centered around meat. I have many great resources to help me out, including the Moosewood Cookbooks and my subscription to Vegetarian Times magazine. As I was flipping through last month's issue, this recipe jumped out at me. It combined 3 of my favorite ingredients, squash, mushrooms and gruyere cheese. One thing that makes being a vegetarian easier is the lack of calories and fat from meat can be made up by using a lot of cheese!

This recipe was fantastic! I wish I had more squash, I doubled the duxelles (just because I had 16 oz. mushrooms), but not the squash. The contrast of flavors were great, but they married well. Overall, this was a great dish that I plan to make again!

Butternut Squash Duxelles Casserole

From February, 2010 Vegetarian Times Magazine

8 oz. buttom mushrooms

2 shallots
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch slices

Pulse mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl.
Plus shallots in food processor until finely chopped. Add to bowl with the mushrooms.
Melt butter in skillet and cook mushroom mixture about 10 minutes -- until mushrooms have released their liquid and most has evaporated and the shallots are starting to brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 9" deep-dish pie pan or gratin dish.
Bring milk, flour, and garlic to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly.
Whisk in 1/2 c cheese and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread 1/3 of squash slices on bottom of pan. Top with 1/3 cheese mixture and 1/2 of mushroom mixture.
Repeat layers, ending with cheese sauce.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake 45 minutes or until squash is tender and top is browned.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Tex-Mex Squash and Bean Bowl

For dinner tonight, I was once again faced with my remaining 3 lbs. of butternut squash. I decided to make a big bowl of comfort, using some pantry items, and combining some new flavors. Organic canned beans were on sale at Whole Foods, so I really stocked up. I thought black beans seemed to pair the best with Butternut. I also had an avocado and queso fresco, so Tex-Mex seemed to be the way to go! This dish was so filling (I assume this is because the squash and beans are so high in fiber), but it was also full of flavor, and very healthy.

Tex-Mex Squash and Bean Bowl

3 cups diced butternut squash

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. light brown sugar

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. chili powder or adobo sauce

1 15 oz. can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1 Avocado, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco (or Monterey Jack, Goat Cheese, anything you have on hand!)

Tobasco sauce

Chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Add squash, oil, sugar, salt, pepper and chili powder. Toss to coat.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until squash is caramelized.

Add beans to a soup pot with 1/2 cup water or stock.

Season with cumin and salt.

Bring to a simmer over low heat.

When squash is cooked, remove from the oven and plate.

Squeeze lime juice into beans, then spoon over squash.

Top with avocado, cheese, cilantro and hot sauce.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

Lately my posts have been few and far between. I'm not sure that I've really announced much on this blog since it's directed towards cooking, so I'll go ahead and spill the beans... First, I got a new job, second, we bought a house, and third, I am going to be a food blogger and foodie dining club host for Folio Weekly, a magazine here in Jacksonville.
Because I've taken on a job and a half and have been going through the home buying process, I've had little to no time in the kitchen. When I do, I'm not in a creative mood, I just cook my favorite, go-to meals. We'll be closing on the house between October 15 and 23, it just depends on when we get the word from our mortgage company (the sellers of the house would like it sooner, we don't care too much). So in addition to the jobs, I'll be moving....again! Luckily this time it's 2 miles away, not 1000.
The kitchen is not my dream kitchen, but it's great nonetheless because it's MINE! The house is everything JJ and I dreamed out first home would be. It's open and bright, great for entertaining, a lovely yard and a pond that's half ours with ducks! We're both so excited, and so fortunate that the home buying process this far as been so easy and drama-free!
Now about the Folio Weekly job... essentially I will be blogging about 3 times per week on anything and everything food/wine related in Jacksonville. I'll be doing restaurant profiles, going to farmer's markets, tastings, food and wine events, and many other things! The real focus of the blog is to be a central place for members of the Bite Club to chat. You can read all about what the Bite Club is here on the Bite Club Blog. If you're in Jacksonville, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have ideas for the blog!


Now for dinner... I have been meaning to make this recipe for such a long time. I never seemed to remember it when I had tahini on hand though, and at $10 a jar, I didn't want to buy it just for this. Now that I've had it, I will. I could eat this every day and every night. The only problem I had with it was sometimes I love raw red onion, and sometimes I pick one out that's just too strong. Tonight I had one that was too strong. In the future, I'll probably roast my onion in with the squash and garlic. This salad is definitely on my rotation! It's so creative and features one of my favorite fall flavors, butternut squash!
I first saw this recipe on Molly's blog, Orangette, years ago, and was reminded of it by Erin of Dinner and Dessert last week.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

adapted from Molly of Orangette

salad:

3 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" pieces

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Salt

15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained

1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.

Add squash, garlic, salt, and onions, if preferred.

Drizzle with EVOO, toss.

Bake for 20 minutes, remove and cool.

Whisk together dressing ingredients, add chick peas, cilantro and red onion, mix.

When squash cools, add to the salad and gently fold in.

Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Moroccan Spiced Vegetables with Sundried Tomato Cous Cous

As I said in my last post, my sister recently went to Morocco and picked up some spices for me! She had been studying abroad in Geneva for the year, and while on break in Spain, she took a ferry to Morocco. She wanted to say she'd been to Africa!
In addition to the Moroccan mixed spices she got cumin and saffron for me. Everyone knows how expensive saffron is, so when Becky got a gram for me in Morocco and my friend Jen sent me a gram from her trip to the Caribbean, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world!
I finally unpacked my spices and have been really excited to start using them (Becks also got me some Herbs de Provence - she took a special side trip to France to get it for me! What a sister!)


So for dinner tonight, I decided to make a big tray of roasted vegetables with the Moroccan house spice mix (cumin, corriander, cinnamon, anise, cardamom, paprika, turmeric, etc.) with garbanzo beans over some cous cous. The meal was very hearty and filling, and full of delicious vegetables!


I realize that not everyone has the Moroccan Spice Blend, so I will try to write a recipe for it soon when I run out and mix more. I find that it seems to be 4 parts cumin and corriander to 1 part all of the other spices listed above, but again, I'm going to try to mix it up soon!

Roasted Moroccan Spiced Vegetables

with Sundried Tomato Cous Cous

Vegetables:

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

1 large zucchini, diced

1/2 lb. Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. Moroccan spice blend

salt and pepper

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add all vegetables and beans to the baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO, spices, salt and pepper.

Toss to coat, roast for 30 minutes.

Serve with cous cous.

Cous Cous:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

1 c. vegetable stock
2/3 c. whole wheat cous cous
10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped


Add EVOO, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a small stock pot over medium heat.
Saute' for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add stock, bring to a boil, add cous cous and tomatoes, stir.
Turn heat off, cover and let cous cous sit for 5-8 minutes.
Toss with a fork, plate with vegetables.

Becky's photos:

1. The market in Tangier

2. Becky and her classmates at a Casbah (Becks is on the right)

3. The ferry she took from Spain to Tangier

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot

Last Friday, I went out to lunch with the accounting department at work for my birthday. I got to choose where we went, and I picked FARM bloomington, which describes itself as Real Food, uses local ingredients, organic products, and is clean and simple food, but truly delicious. I ordered a Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot, which was outstanding. I've been craving it ever since! I remembered I just got a new bottle of curry, so I decided to make a giant pot of vegetables. The curry powder I used had corriander, turmeric, fenugreek, anise, fennel, and cayenne, but I added a few more spices to get the flavor I wanted. This makes a ton of food, and contains so many veggies that you can definitely delete some from the list and it will still make a delicious curry.
I'm so excited to go there again, this time with JJ. One of my co-workers got the BLT and loved it, and their brunch menu looks delicious as well! www.farmbloomington.com

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot

Makes 4-6 servings

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

1 russet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped in 1" rounds

1 eggplant, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 small butternut squash, diced (about 2 c.)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 15 oz. cans light coconut milk

salt and pepper

4 tbsp. curry powder, or any combination of corriander, turmeric, fenugreek, anise, fennel, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin and ginger

1 block extra firm tofu, diced

4 c. prepared brown basmati rice

1/2 c. slivered almonds

Heat 2 tbsp. EVOO in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients (except tofu, rice and almonds).

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, vegetables should give off liquid to almost cover.

Taste and season, pierce potato or carrots to see if they're cooked thru.

When vegetables are ready, add tofu, gently mix through.

Plate rice in a shallow bowl, ladle in vegetables, top with almonds.

A Year Ago: Asian Salad with Ginger Carrot Dressing and Chicken Potstickers

Butternut Squash and Purne Khoresh with Lentils

As I browsed through New Food of Life, I found that it's broken down into categories of cooking methods and not really chicken, beef, vegetables, pasta, etc., like most other cookbooks. I decided to try to make a dish from each category in the cookbook.

First up is a Khoresh. There are about 15 varities in the book, and I settled on the Butternut and Prune because I love butternut squash. The recipe calls for lamb, but I decided to sub in lentils because I don't eat lamb, and I wanted a combo protein/starch.

So what is a Khoresh? Here's the definition from New Food of Life: "Khoresh is a delicate and refined stew. It is a combination of either meats (lamb, beef, or veal), poultry, or fish with vegetables; fresh or dried fruits; and beans, grains, and sometimes nuts. It is seasoned subtly with fresh herbs and spices, then simmered for a long time over low heat. To achieve the slow fusing of flavors that characterizes khoresh, it is best to cook it in a heavy pot, cast iron if possible. I recommend a classic Dutch oven, but any heavy stew pot will do."

This dish was delicious! It's very hearty and warm. The author says to serve this with saffron rice.

Butternut Squash and Prune Khoresh

Najmieh Batmanglij

2 onions, peeled and sliced

1 lb. lamb stew meat (I used 1 c. dry lentils soaked in water for 4 hours)

1/3 c. oil

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 lbs. fresh butternut squash

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 tsp. saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp. hot water

2 c. pitted prunes

1. In a dutch oven, brown onions and meat in 3 tbsp. EVOO. Add salt, pepper and cinnamon. Pout in 2 c. water, cover and simmer for an hour.

2. Peel squash, cut into cubes. Brown squash in a skillet with remaining oil, 15 minutes or so.

3.When meat is tender, add sugar, lime juice, saffron water, prunes and butternut squash. Cover and simmer for an hour over low.

4. Check seasonings and adjust.

Note: I omitted step 1, cooked squash and onions in the dutch oven, then added the lentils with other ingredients and cooked for an hour)

This was the ONLY organic butternut squash they had at Kroger! It was giant and long - I only used the neck. I'm going to hollow out the end, then bake it for an hour with a little cinnamon and brown sugar in the 'bowl' (my mom's way) and eat it for lunch today!
There's also a photo of the saffron, it's from Trader joes. You get 1g for about $6. I need lots of saffron this week, so I bought a new bottle last time I was there.

A Year Ago: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese and TWD - Almost Fudge Gateau