Butternut Squash-Leek Soup

Butternut squash is abundant right now, make the most of it with this recipe I found on Group Recipes. The roasted garlic and leeks make this soup shine and extra "broth" can always be added to thin, if it ends up being too thick for your tastes.


Recipe:

Butternut Squash-Leek Soup

Ingredients
1 garlic head
2 Tbs. butter or Earth Balance
3 cups chopped leeks (about 2 large)
4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 medium)
2 small organic potatoes, peeled and chopped
5-6 cups broth or water veggie bullion


1. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.

2. Heat butter or Earth Balance in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic, squash, potatoes, broth or water and bullion; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until squash and potatoes are tender. Take off heat and blend with stick blender until smooth.

Sour Cream Bran Muffins

This is a decadent muffin recipe great for a fall snack. It comes from Gourmet magazine, and is delicious as is, but rather than raisins we added frozen blueberries. Apple pieces would have been delicious too.

Recipe:

Sour Cream Bran Muffins

yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup wheat bran
1 cup frozen blueberries, or 1 chopped peeled organic apple, or 1/2 cup raisins

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter and brown sugar until mixture is light and fluffy, beat in egg, sour cream, and molasses. In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and bran; add the mixture to the sour cream mixture, and stir batter until combined. Fold in blueberries, apples, or raisins.

2. Spoon the batter into 12 well-buttered muffin tins or into tins lined with paper cups and bake muffins in a preheated oven at 400°F. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked in the middle.

The Perfect Heat-Wave Thirst Quencher

We don't drink much juice, but enduring the heat wave last week without an air conditioner was the perfect time to indulge. Santa Cruz's Organic Strawberry Lemonade was a life saver! (I know my 2-year-old thought so.) With no artificial colorings or flavorings, and a deliciously fresh taste, it was the perfect drink to cool us down and peak our spirits.

Black Lentil Salad

Perfect for an October heat wave, the colors in this lentil salad will keep you smiling, and the protein will keep you peppy. Black beluga lentils are a tinier and more dainty lentil than its brown counterpart, which makes them all the more fun. Adapted from Lorena Garcia's recipe in New Latin Classics

Recipe:

Black Lentil Salad

Ingredients
1 cup black Beluga lentils
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 organic red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 organic yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup finely chopped organic kale
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
Note: to save time I threw the bell peppers, onion, and kale in the food processor and pulsed until they were nearly diced

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add lentils and salt, return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Place a bowl of ice water by the sink. Strain lentils through a fine-mesh sieve and then plunge them (still in the sieve) into ice water to chill them. Remove, shake off extra water, and repeat if necessary until the lentils are cool to the touch. Pour cooled lentils into a large serving bowl.

2. Add bell peppers, onion, and kale, stir to combine. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir in cilantro and mint, then pour mixture over lentils. Stir to combine and serve. Salad can be served cold or at room temperature.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mmm... these banana chocolate chip cookies are cakey and addictive. When you are stocked up on over-ripe bananas you have to give this recipe a go.

Recipe:

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup Earth Balance, soften to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 med mashed, over-ripe bananas
3 Tbsp. water + 2 Tbsp. flax meal
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
soymilk, if needed
3/4 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Grease two cookie sheets. Cream Earth Balance and sugar until fluffy. Add mashed banana and water and flax meal mixture; mix until blended.

2. Sift together dry ingredients and add to wet mixture a bit at a time. Add soymilk a little at a time if needed to achieve a wet, but sticky consistency. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop the batter by heaping spoonful onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake about 12 minutes.

Eden Alphabets Pasta

Finally, a wonderfully healthy organic alphabet pasta for kids with letters, numbers, and colors to keep them entertained when they are eating. The pasta is 60% whole grain durum flour and 40% golden amber durum wheat, and the colors come from beets, spinach, carrots, and annatto.

You can order it at Eden's website, or call your local health food store to see if they carry it.

Seitan and Polenta with Greens

Polenta with seitan and greens makes a surprisingly wonderful combination. And the drizzled on balsamic vinegar adds the perfect sweet, tangy touch that makes the whole dish divine. Try this one you wont be disappointed.

Recipe:

Seitan and Polenta with Greens

4-6 Servings

Ingredients
1 18-ounce tube polenta or make your own
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. tamari
1 pkg seitan (like Westsoy), cut into bite-size strips
2 baby bok choy, chopped
6 oz. organic baby spinach
4 scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Cut the puckered ends off the polenta, then slice ½ inch thick. Cut each slice into 4 little wedges.

2. Heat a wide nonstick skillet. Add a drop of the oil and spread it around with a paper towel to create a very light coat, or use cooking oil spray. Add the polenta wedges; cook in a single layer over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the polenta to a plate.

3. Heat the oil and tamari slowly in the same skillet. Before they get too hot, add the seitan and stir well. Raise the heat to medium-high and sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in the bok choy, spinach, and scallions, then cover and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Sprinkle in vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.