Monday 31 December 2012

How to Roast Squash

Here's a little How To for anybody interested in roasting their own squash.  Squash are cheap, healthy, and taste delicious. They are very versatile, and can be added to many different types of dishes.


How to Roast Squash

Any type of squash or pumpkin works for this technique.
For this demonstration I used Buttercup Squash.


-Pre-heat oven to 350f. Cut squash in half and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Brush the insides with oil, optional, but I like to. Turn squash skin side up in an oven safe dish lined with parchment paper. 



-Roast at 350F for about 30-45 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the size of the squash. The skin will be slightly darker and you should be able to poke a fork quite easily through (see image below.)




The flesh should be very easy to separate from the skin now. Gently scooped it out with a spoon and transfere to a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Puree'd squash can be added to tons of dishes, some of my favourites: chilli, soups, dips, and burritos.



Wednesday 26 December 2012

Wake Up Juice

Having a cold glass of freshly made juice in the morning is like drinking pure energy. It makes you feel great and it tastes better then any store bought juice I've ever tried. Juicing can get expensive if you're not smart about it. I have an abundance of produce right now, and this was the perfect way to consume a large amount before it went bad. 

Produce before being turned into delicious juice.

Ingredients:
- 1 apple
- about 2 medium carrots
- 2 pieces of celery
- 3 clementines
- a few slices of red pepper 


Yum!



Fig watching the sparrows at the bird feeder.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

I'm a huge fan of pureed soup. They're so comforting this time of year. Whenever I make soup I usually throw whatever I can find into a pot and cook it. This soup was no different. I looked at what I had on hand, and worked from there. The out come was delicious.

Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup 

5 medium carrots
1 sweet potato
1/2 an onion (or 1 small onion)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 cup coconut milk
6-7 cups veggie stock
1 tsp sriracha (This might be a lot for some people, I like mine spicy. Regular hot sauce will do)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp curry power
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ginger
pinch of cinnamon

Optional additional vegetables to roast: squash, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, parsnips

Optional seasonings: red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili powder, ground nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, natural peanut butter


Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 400F

1. Peel and cut the carrots and sweet potato into equal size pieces (no bigger then 1.5")
Place in oven safe dish and drizzle with approx. 2 tbsp of canola oil.
Sprinkle with whatever spices you like (I used sea salt and cumin)
Roast in the oven for about 30-40 mins, or until veggies are fork tender, browned, and beginning to caramelize.

2. While the veggies are roasting in the oven, you can begin the soup.
Add some oil and the chopped onion and garlic to your stock pot. Saute about 5 minutes.
Add the spices, veg stock, coconut milk, chickpeas, apple cider vinegar and siriracha
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 mins.

3. When the soup has simmered for the 30 mins, add the roasted vegetables and simmer for another 10 mins.
I usually let my soup rest for 20 mins or so before I blend it. Make sure you blend in small batches, and don't let to much steam build up in the blender. If the soup is to thick, add more water or stock. If the soup is to spicy, add more coconut milk.


I garnished with plain yogurt, hot sauce, paprika and hemp seeds

Enjoy!

Saturday 15 December 2012

Apple, Guacamole, Tofu Sandwich

I'm a HUGE fan of sandwiches and wraps. Almost everything tastes good in a sandwich, and there are endless possibilities.

If I'm adding tofu to a sandwich, I like to slice it thin (no thicker then half an inch), marinade it for at least an hour, then pan fry it until it's crispy with some canola or coconut oil.

Recipe:
Serves one

2 tbsp guacamole (I made my own, any guacamole recipe will do)
1 tsp mustard
Thinly sliced apple
Handful of spinach
Pan fried tofu slices (I marinaded mine in liquid smoke and maple syrup)

Assemble and enjoy!

Thursday 13 December 2012

Green Breakfast


For my first post I thought I'd introduce myself with a green smoothie. They're my favorite way to start my day and taste AMAZING!

Recipe:
Serves 2

1 pre-chopped, frozen banana
3/4 cup frozen, cubed mango
1/2 an avocado
Handful of baby spinach
1 cup almond milk
1 cup water (or juice)
2 tbsp greek yogurt (I sometimes use soy yogurt and it works just as well)
splash of vanilla

Blend and Enjoy!