Butternut squash bisque

This is one of my all time favorite soups.  It is perfect for autumn.  It has loads of good stuff in it-- butternut squash, carrots, apples and a little bit of kick from some cayenne.  I make mine without any cream, so the end result is very healthy and flavorful. Its BUTTERnut squash we are talking about here, it does not need any cream! And if you use vegetable stock, the soup is vegan.  I just roast the squash in the oven while I cut up and simmer the rest of the ingredients.  When the squash is tender, it is really easy to scoop out the flesh and just add it to the softened vegetables.  Then you just use an immersion blender and voila!   Bisque! And without the cayenne, it makes pretty kick butt baby food (I'm just saying...)

Butternut squash Bisque (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 TBSP canola oil
1 large butternut squash, seeded and roasted with the flesh scooped out
1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced into chunks
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
3-4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/8 tsp nutmeg (or more to taste)
1/8- 1/4 tsp cayenne, depending on your level of heat
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the squash in half, lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and place the squash, cut side down, on a baking pan and fill with about half an inch of water.  Roast for about 35 min or until the squash is tender.  Scoop out the flesh and set aside.

While the squash is roasting, saute the onion in the oil over medium heat until the onion is tender.  Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the squash and salt and pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until all the vegetables are tender (about 20-25 minutes ?).  When the vegetables are tender, add in the roasted squash.  Simmer for another 5 minutes or so and then puree with an immersion blender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, or more cayenne or nutmeg.  If you want, you can add cream...if you like that sort of thing.

Tilapia Tinfoil dinners

For the first time ever, I have a garden.  And not one of those fake plastic aquarium gardens... a garden that actually produces things that you can eat!  And even though I mistakenly cared for a weed for awhile because I thought it was a basil plant, the plants that I intended to grow have grown abundantly.  So yesterday I harvested my first zucchini (a big baseball bat of a thing that created a huge dinner and enough shredded stuff for zucchini muffins).  We also have some great cherry tomato plants.  And I had bought some tilapia earlier in the week.  And Richard had given me a challenge to only spend $60 on groceries that week. Naturally, I was looking for a recipe that would incorporate what I already had on hand.  I found this recipe and was really happy with the results.  So was Richard.  We had almost no leftovers.  We baked it in the oven, but this could easily be a grill or campfire dinner.  The original recipe had each tilapia filet in its own individual tinfoil packet, but I decided to bake the whole thing together and conserve foil. I served the tilapia and roasted vegetables over a simple pasta that was tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan cheese.

Tinfoil tilapia with roasted vegetables (adapted from cooksillustrated.com)

1 lb zucchini sliced crossways into 1/4 inch rounds (cut rounds into quarters if your zucchini is huge)

8 oz mushrooms, sliced and lightly sauteed (in frying pan for about 5 minutes) and set aside

8 oz of tomatoes, chopped (about a cup) (any kind will do)

2 TBSP olive oil

salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

4 TBSP dried white wine or lemon juice (I used lemon juice)

1 lb tilapia filets (I had about 5 filets in mine)

Toss zucchini with salt and place in colander for 30 minutes to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients and while the oven preheats to 450 degrees.  The zucchini will release a few TBSP of liquid-- just drain and blot dry with paper towels.

Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp of pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic together in a bowl.  Sprinkle the tilapia filets with a little additional salt and pepper.

Tear off a large sheet of aluminum foil and place on the counter, spread your zucchini slices evenly in the middle of the foil, leaving a sizeable edge of foil around the zucchini so that you have room to fold.  Drizzle the lemon juice or white wine evenly among the zucchini.  Top with the tilapia filets, the mushrooms and the tomato mixture.  Place another equally large piece of foil on the top and gently fold each side of the foil to form a large, sealed packet.  Or you can do 4 smaller packets with equal parts of each of the ingredients, layered in the same manner.

Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes for the large packet.  Remove from the oven, cut a slit in the top and let the steam escape.  Serve on its own, over pasta, or with rice or potatoes.  Its a winner no matter how you look at it.

Favorite Summer Salad: Quinoa, black bean, and avocado

Why is this my new favorite summer salad?  Simply, its a chilled salad.  And it hits the right spot on hot days where the last thing I want to do is turn on the stove or oven.  I would also consider it the superman of salads because everything you need is in one bowl:  it has quinoa, beans, tomatoes, avocados, and red peppers tossed in a lime cilantro dressing.  It is a complete protein with healthy fats and lots of veggies.  And you can make it in less than 20 minutes!! What more could you ask for (a whole watermelon...not shown because I ate it!).  I will be making this at least once a week for the duration of the hot season (anything above 80 degrees feels like Death Valley in Seattle because no one has AC).  I would pair this meal with a good popsicle!  Enjoy.

Quinoa, black bean, and avocado salad (adapted from "Womens Health")

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups halved grape tomatoes or coarsely chopped regular tomatoes
1 avocado, pitted and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cilantro leaves
1 lime, juiced
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp lime zest
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt

To make the quinoa: Just combine 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water or broth, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.  Set aside or chill until ready to use.

Combine quinoa with black beans, tomatoes, peppers, and avocado.  In a food processor, combine all the dressing ingredients: cilantro, lime, olive oil, zest, garlic, salt and pepper.  Pulse until combined.  Pour over salad ingredients, toss to combine, and chill until ready to eat.

Vegan Raspberry Truffle Brownies

These brownies are my new passion.  I have made them 3 or 4 times in the last month and I pretty much make them only for myself.  I keep them in the fridge at all times so I don't go on a godzilla like rampage through the kitchen looking for sweets.  These brownies are all I need.  And to top it all off, they are practically good for you.  And I am not saying that in a euphemistic kind of way.  These brownies are low in fat, high in dark, dark chocolate, and are made with whole wheat flour.  They are as healthy as brownies can be, but they REALLY taste like raspberry truffles.  The secret is purposefully underbaking the brownies so they maintain a kind of gooey texture and then chilling them so that it tastes rich and fudgy with very intense flavors.  Enough said. Now bake my friends. Bake!!

Raspberry Truffle Brownies (adapted from the Post Punk Kitchen)

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup fruit spread (I used my home made strawberry jam)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used half whole wheat and half all purpose flours)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup frozen raspberries (use frozen not fresh because the berries will just get smashed anyway)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the jam, sugar, and apple sauce.  Stir in the vanilla and the melted chocolate.  Mix quickly because the chocolate is going to try to clump up and harden.  It is okay if it does, because the brownie will still taste AMAZING.

Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until a stiff dough forms. Fold in the raspberries.  The batter will be thick!   Spread into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 16-18 minutes and promptly remove from the oven to cool. Don't worry about testing to see if its done, because it won't be (that is the key!).  Cool completely and then chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.  I keep these brownies in the fridge in between eating sessions to maintain their fudgy texture!  

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos

Mmm...we had these tonight.  I am excited to share them.  This was one of the first recipes I ever tried when I started transitioning to the dark side...I mean, more vegetarian food.  It is one of those meals that everyone enjoys, no matter who they are or how strongly they adhere to the "meat at every meal" concept.  It is another of those cheap, fast, easy, and nutritious meals that I like to keep in my arsenal, and is very flavorful and filling.  I vote sweet potatoes the chameleon of the vegetable/tuber family-- they can become anything you want them to be.  In this recipe I had some extra corn and sweet peppers on hand so I added them to the recipe, but feel free to adapt as needed.

Sweet Potato Black Bean burritos (adapted liberally from allrecipes.com)

1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced,
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1 cup water
2 TBSP chili powder
2 tsp cumin
3 tsp prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, to taste
2 TBSP soy sauce
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (I peel and cube sweet potatoes then simmer them in a little bit of water until they are very soft, then mash with a fork)
6-8 flour tortillas
shredded cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat oil in medium skillet and saute onion, garlic, and peppers until soft.  Add in all the spices and sauces and cook for another minute or two.  Add in the beans and then mash the beans in the skillet until about 1/4 of them are mashed.  Add in the water and corn and simmer for another 5 minutes until the mixture thickens a bit.  Remove from heat and cool for 5-10 minutes.

Divide the bean mixture and the mashed sweet potatoes evenly among your tortillas and top with cheese. Roll into a burrito.  Don't worry about closing up the ends of the burrito.  So I guess its more like a fat taquito.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until you achieve desired crispiness!

White bean spinach soup

This is the fastest, easiest soup, and it is SO DELICIOUS.  I had it tonight.  It was finished in less than 30 minutes.  If you have fresh spinach and a few cans of white beans, you have a meal.  I had it with blueberry muffins on the side.  Without the sprinkling of cheese on the top, it is completely vegan!  The creaminess of the soup comes from pureeing some of the white beans and adding them back into the soup.

Italian white bean soup with spinach  (adapted from "Good Housekeeping Vegetarian Meals")

1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans cannelini beans or other white beans
2 cups of vegetable broth
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp dried thyme
2 cups of water
10 oz baby spinach (if you use normal spinach, just chop it first)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional, but so so good!)

In large saucepan, heal oil over medium heat.  Add onion and celery and cook until tender, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Add beans, broth, pepper, thyme, and water.  Heat to boiling and then reduce heat so that the soup simmers, uncovered for 15 minutes.  With slotted spoon, remove two cups of the bean/vegetable mixture into a separate bowl.  Puree the remaining soup in the saucepan with either an immersion blender or by blending it in parts in a blender or food processor.  Return soup and reserved bean mixture back into the saucepan and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted (about another minute or two).  Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat.  Serve with Parmesan cheese if you choose.

Coconut dal

This meal is better than it looks.  Please don't judge these lentils from the poor lighting or amateur status of the photographer.  I take all my photos with my iphone.  You are lucky I even took a photo at all.  Most of the time I remember halfway through the meal and then my plate doesn't look appetizing at all.  Also, I used the "wrong" kind of lentils.  I just used plain old greenish brown lentils.  When you use yellow or red lentils the dish looks like sunshine on a plate. This coconut lentil dish is superb and simple and hearty and inexpensive-- all the things you can ask for in a meal.  And its also easy and doesn't require finesse or weird ingredients-- bonus!

Coconut dal (adapted from Yummy Supper)

1 1/2 cups of dried lentils (yellow lentils look prettiest, but if you don't mind the color, just use brown)

4 1/2 cups veggie stock or water

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2 TBS olive or vegetable oil

2 cups diced onions

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne, or a 1 small fresh chili, minced

1 cup coconut milk1

Cook lentil is water or stock with salt and 1 tsp turmeric.  When the lentils are tender, drain, but keep some of the cooking liquid.  In a separate pan, saute the onions with vegetable oil, garlic, cumin, 1 tsp of turmeric, and chilis or red pepper until the onions are golden, stirring constantly.  Add a little bit of the coconut milk to the onion mixture to get all the good bits off the bottom of the pan. 

Mix onions with cooked lentil and reheat slowly.  Then add the rest of the coconut milk.  continue heating a few minutes more.  You may add more coconut milk or some of the reserved liquid if the dal is too dry or thick.