Winter Squash and Goat Cheese Soup

 

Fall is soup and pumpkin time, and here’s a delicious recipe for any of those winter squash available locally. The simplest way to precook these is in a crockpot. Grease the crockpot with olive oil spray, drop the squash in whole and cook for an hour or two.

The skin softens and is easy to cut, remove pulp and seeds and scoop the flesh from the skin.

This soup features sautéed vegetables, curry seasoning and the squash flesh cooked in broth. After simmering for 30 minutes, the soup is blended with 4 ounce goat cheese and milk, then cooked just enough to heat. (Cook to 165 F.)

Adjust the milk volume in proportion to the size of the 

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Soup

(6 Cups)

Cook the squash in the crockpot or roast. To roast, quarter pumpkin, removing pulp and seeds.  Spray with oil.  Roast at 425 F. for 45 minutes.
1 pie pumpkin
Olive oil spray
Remove peel and dice roasted pumpkin.

In a large saucepan, sauté onion, fennel and celery in olive oil 3 minutes.
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoon fennel, diced
2 tablespoon celery stalks and leaves, diced
2 tablespoon olive oil

Stir in curry powder and sauté 1 minute.
1 tablespoon curry powder

Add ginger, orange juice, zest and stock.
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
Juice and zest from 1 orange
3 cups low sodium chicken stock (GMO free)
Add roasted pumpkin.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in milks, goat cheese, salt and seasoning.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Carefully add 3 cups of soup to a blender at a time.  Remove center piece of blender lid.  Cover lid and open center with a cloth and blend until smooth.  Return blended soup to saucepan and simmer until hot but not boiling.
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
4 ounce goat cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt

Tantalizing Tomatillos

 

Sometimes referred to as the "Mexican green tomato", the tomatillo has it's own distinct taste. I love the way it grows-beginning with a yellow bloom that hummingbirds love, extending into a parchment paper like packet where the fruit develops and expands to fill the covering. Here in West Virginia, they have a long growing season that extends into the cooler fall months. When picked and covering removed, they are have a sticky sweetness on the outside. Inside they are firm and acidic.

Tomatillos are often diced into salsas. Cooking softens the skin and enhances the taste. I like to combine them with other green vegetables (peppers, parsley and green onions) and saute before adding to enchiladas or casseroles. Some folks add these to guacamole. 

In this recipe, I highlighted the tomatillo uniqueness by inserting the green tomatillo sauce into the center layer of the tortilla casserole.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole with Tomatillo Sauce

(Serves 4)

Tomatillo Sauce

Combine vegetables in small saucepan on stove top. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain. 

5 ounce tomatillos, parchment covering removed and diced

1/4 cup green onions, diced

1/4 cup green pepper, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

Grease a small baking dish (mine is 9 X 6 1/2 inch) with olive oil spray.

 

Bake chicken in a 325F oven for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Dice.
9 ounce chicken breast, boneless, skinless

Rotisserie chicken is a speedy substitute! 

On stove-top, heat tomatoes and spices. 
2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
2/3 teaspoon chili powder
Dash oregano

Add corn and cooked diced or shredded chicken breast to pot. 
1/2 cup corn
Cooked, diced or shredded chicken breast 

Mix cornstarch into milk. Add milk to pot.  Heat over medium low heat until mixture begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. 
2/3 teaspoon cornstarch, non GMO

1/2 cup skim milk 

 

Cut each tortilla into quarters.  Arrange 1/3 of tortillas in bottom of baking dish, greased with olive oil spray 
 4 corn tortillas
Add 1/2 of vegetable-chicken mix. 

 

Cover with 1/3 of tortillas.  

 

Top with tomatillo sauce.

 

Add 1/2 of cheese.

3/4 cup shredded cheese (mine has parmigiana and cheddar)

 

Top with 1/3 of tortillas.

 

Add rest of vegetable-chicken mix, then remaining cheese.

Bake at 325 F for 30 minutes.

Tomatillos are rich in VitaminA and contain a good amount of Vitamin C.

Wild Berry Muesli

The wild black raspberries we pick along our hillside are seedy and tart. The goal was never one of culinary measure, but one of the fun in sharing 1/2 hour daily searching and picking berries along side my husband. 

For three weeks in the middle of summer, we pick berries as they ripen. We don’t wash them, but freeze as we pick. We keep a quart container in the freezer and add a handful or two nightly. Only when I make the muesli do I wash- just before puréing. 

My recipe requires 1/2 bag of berries. The berries are puréed and added to a toasted oat, seed and nut mix before baking more. The result is a soft, colorful, full of nutrient muesli. I’ll enjoy it 1/3 cup at a time with a breakfast smoothie or as a mid-meal snack. I love it!

When the freezer stock runs out in winter, I’ll substitute fresh cranberries.

Fennel Muesli

12 (1/3 cup) servings

Mix pepitas, almonds, pecans and seeds (It is fine to substitute other nuts). Toss on a wide rim baking sheet.  Toast in a 350 F. oven for 7 minutes.  Reduce oven to 275F.
1/3 cup pepitas
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pecans
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Mix honey, peanut butter, oil, orange and vanilla until smooth.   
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla

Toss peanut butter sauce with nuts and seeds and oats.  Mix until completely covered. 
2 cups old fashioned oats
Spread onto parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Stir.  

Chop apricots and berries in a food processor.  Mix with partially roasted granola.  Bake in oven for another 30 minutes. 
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2-2 cups fresh berries, chopped (I used wild black raspberries picked last season and frozen) This works with as little as 1/2 cup to as much as 2 cups of berries. No difference in baking time is needed-using the higher amount will add about 6 more servings.

Taking Stock in Minimally Processed Foods

Homemade stocks are easy to make, inexpensive, flavorful and aromatic.  I can open the refrigerator and find most of the ingredients I need in the produce bin. I like that I can use tiny pieces and stalks of vegetables I may otherwise throw away. I can cut fresh herbs from my window pots that are fading away at summer's end.

*Another highlight is avoiding those artificial flavors, thickeners and additives found in store bought versions.

Just add the vegetables, herbs, a little bit of protein if you'd like. Cover with water. (Don't add salt till using the stock in the final recipe.) Simmer for 45 minutes and strain. 

Where will this stock be used? I'm making 2 bean soup for dinner by cooking the beans and eating in the broth. Also on the menu is Tahini Chicken Salad made with the chicken meat pulled off the bone.

*The "not-chicken" bouillon I brought off the shelf at the hippie store falls into the category of ultra-processed foods. All store bought stocks would count as processed or ultra-processed. This homemade stock is unprocessed. Here's the summary of a the classification system.

After years of neglecting processing of foods in the studies, evidence emerges showing an association between ultra processed foods and many non communicable diseases. The NOVA classification system, in a report from the United Nations, breaks down food into 4 classifications of processing:

1. Unprocessed and minimally processed foods, include fruits, seeds, milk, leaves, roots, eggs, whole beans and grains and meat. This allows for processes that include drying, crushing, grinding, roasting, boiling, non-alcoholic fermentation, pasteurization, freezing, placing in containers and vacuum packaging.
   
2. Processed culinary ingredients, include oils, butter, lard, salt, sugar. In isolation these are unbalanced, but rarely are eaten alone. Use these with Group I but not overuse.
3. Processed foods, include canned vegetables, fruit and fish, fresh bread and cheese, processed meats to include bacon, ham and pastrami.
4. Ultra-Processed foods include packaged snack, margarines and spreads, baby formula, ice cream, sweetened cereals, soft drinks, mass produced bread, energy drinks, fruited yogurt, stick meat and foods made with colors, flavors, thickeners, gels, emulsifiers and other sugars like fructose, fruit juice concentrates, maltodextrin, lactose and dextrose. 

Aim for mostly Group I, some Group 2, a little Group 3 and few Group 4 Foods.

 
 

A Meal Plan that Hits the Spot

I was intrigued by a book referenced by friends titled The Hungry Brain-Outsmarting the Instinct that Make Us Overeat. Stephen J. Guyenet has many good takeaways-limiting processed foods, eating whole foods, dealing with stress eating and getting restful sleep.

These are the strategies I’ll reinforce in my weekly meal plan:

Eat nutrient dense foods. These are foods that are high in nutrients but not in calories.

Get plenty of fiber from vegetables, fruits, dry beans, lentils and whole grains. Include potatoes (white or sweet), without adding the extras, like butter, cream and brown sugar.

Make the meal high protein, including fresh meats, seafood, yogurt and eggs.

Dr. Guyenet mentions oatmeal as a water rich whole grain to include. I’d add other whole grains cooked in water, like millet, Teff, rye or whole wheat berries, sorghum and barley. Corn on the cob is a good pick for this time of year. He recommends avoiding breads if you’re tempted to overeat them. I’ll enjoy my whole grain bread, usually without added fat, one or 2 servings a day.

Stressed in the book is a restful 7 to 9 hour sleep pattern. He lists many strategies (you know them) emphasizing no lights in the bedroom to include phones but also night lights. 

His strategies for avoiding stress eating are good ones, including taking a bath and calling a friend.

 

Our meal tonight centered around this entree. It has 8 vegetables, fiber rich beans and lean meat. For dessert we had sliced apples, sautéed in apple juice, with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Shepherd's Pie

Serves 4

Potato-Cauliflower Topping: 
Bring water to boil in a saucepan.
Add and boil 15 minutes:
3 small potatoes, peeled and diced.

Add to potatoes:
1/4th head cauliflower, stalks removed. 
Cook 10 minutes.

Drain potatoes and cauliflower.  Beat in mixing bowl.
Add:
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Filling:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup fennel,diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
Saute 10 minutes.

Add:
6 ounce ground turkey
Brown turkey.

Add:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
1 cup kidney beans 

Place filling in bottom of baking dish greased with olive oil spray.
Top with mashed vegetables.  Spread topping with decorative spatula.
Sprinkle with:
Paprika
Fresh snipped parsley
Fresh snipped thyme

 

Bake at 375 F. for 30 minutes.

 

Ham Loaf Fit for a King

 

As we’ve aged our eating habits changed. For us, the portions are smaller with softer textures. I cook from scratch and enjoy when a recipe I make is good with little waste. Waste is a challenge as there are only so many times we’ll eat leftovers even if frozen or preserved. I appreciate diversity!

This is the ham loaf I made for Fathers Day that might just fit the bill. I froze half of it hopefully will be enjoyed later. I got inspiration from two recipes, one for the meatloaf and one for the glaze.

Ham Loaf

(8 Serving)

In bowl of food processor, grind ham.

10 ounce ham, trimmed of skin and fat

Add egg, milk, wheat germ, spices and turkey. Mix with ham.

2 Tablespoon egg, beaten 

4 ounce skim milk

3 Tablespoon 1 teaspoon wheat germ

1/3 teaspoon onion powder

3/16 teaspoon pepper

5 ounce ground turkey

On baking pan greased with olive oil spray, shape into a round loaf. Bake at 350 F. for 30 minutes. Drain drippings.

Glaze

Mix glaze ingredients. Pour 1/2 over ham loaf and bake for 20 minutes. Brush remaining glaze over loaf and continue baking for 15 minutes.

2 tablespoon 2 teaspoon brown sugar

2 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard 

1 Tablespoon water

Slice and serve. Brush any remaining glaze over cut ends. 

We also enjoy ham loaf with applesauce or honey.

Sourdough Crackers-Customize Your Flavor

Make this recipe your own, choosing the flour and seasoning. I've enjoyed adding specialty seasonings like a garden dill mix and a kelp "popcorn" blend. The college town co-op I visit put together their own everything bagel blend which was very good.

Because I like thin, crisp crackers I use my pasta roller mixer attachment to roll to the "5" position.

Make the dough in the morning and refrigerate. Roll, cut and bake in the afternoon.

There is seasoning on the inside and on top. After the dough is cut in shapes, place them on parchment paper, spray with olive oil and sprinkle on seasoning. I take my rolling pin and roll over the crackers once more, helping the seeded seasoning to stick.

While some seeds do not stick, I pour the seasoning into my cracker container and sprinkle on salad or soup.

I'm loving my whole grain crackers.

Whole Grain Sourdough Crackers

(5 Servings) 

Add flours, oil and seasoning to sourdough discard. Mix and knead together.

1/2 cup sourdough discard (mine is rye)

!/4 cup spelt flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon seasoning of choice

2 Tablespoon olive oil  

 

Pat dough into a 1 inch disc onto plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate.

 

Divide dough in half. Roll dough by hand onto floured cutting board. Starting with the widest "1" setting, roll through pasta attachment on speed 2. Flour dough, turn roller to the thinner "2" setting. Repeat flour and rolling till the crackers are at the desired thinness.

 

Seasoning for sprinkling

 

Place onto parchment paper. Spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoning. With a hand rolling pin, lightly roll over seasoned cracker top to adhere seeds.  

 

Bake at 335 F. for 12 minutes until desired darkness is achieved.