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Saturday 29 September 2012

Will Run For Buttercup Squash Fries


Warning: may induce an unnatural love of squash!

I feel like I might have promised an end to the squash recipes.  If I did, I'm sorry.  I obviously lied.  If I didn't promise, I probably should have because here is yet another squash recipe.

I thought that squash fries would be the next best thing to potato fries.  I was wrong.  I'll take squash fries over a regular potato french fry any day (yes, there might be something seriously wrong with me).

Buttercup Squash Fries

(serves 1-2)

1 small to medium buttercup* squash washed & cut into thin slices.

1 T melted coconut oil

Desired seasonings ( dried dill, ground almonds/almond flour, dried cinnamon and/or cloves, sea salt)

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Place baking stone in the oven along with wire baking rack (no flipping fries and they turn out amazingly crispy).

Coat squash with melted coconut oil.  Top with desired seasonings.  I divided the recipe into thirds and used 1 tsp dill, 1/4 tsp of a cinnamon/clove mix & 1 T of ground almonds.

Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy on both sides.

Try not to eat an entire squash all by yourself.

Unrelated to buttercup squash fries but equally fabulous was my hike to Killarney's "the crack".  The view was amazing!  It was definately worth the uphill climb. 

* buttercup squash is dry, stringless and sweet if you substitute ensure that you use a similar type of squash.



view from the top of "the crack"

a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

"the crack"


one of my favourite things about fall

guess who was in charge of snacks


I can't be the only person who thinks that this sign is kind of funny

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Will Run For Pumpkin French Toast


good morning, good morning

Surprise another pumpkin recipe!  You didn't see that coming did you?

  It's farmer's birthday today and she's all about the pumpkin.  She did request pumpkin cupcakes filled with cream cheese frosting  (thanks for nothing pinterest) but after having an upside down cake debacle I thought that maybe french toast was the way to go. 

 Note to self: why would you want to add the bowl of dry ingredients to your cake batter before you put it in the pan when you could spend your time trying to scrape the batter (but not the peaches or caramelized sugar) out of the cake pan?

This recipe is quick enough to make in the morning before heading out to work (at least if you regularly get up ridiculously early).

Pumpkin French Toast

2 medium ripe bananas
1/2 C hubbard or pumpkin puree
2 T maple syrup (not table syrup)
1/2-1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp grated fresh nutmeg
1/8 tsp dried ginger
2/3 cup milk (unsweetened soy, almond, coconut, dairy)
6 slices of wholewheat bread

In a high speed blender combine bananas, pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg,ginger and milk.  Blend until smooth.  Place puree in a shallow rectangular dish and quickly dip bread.

1, 2, 3 blend without waking anyone up


 Wipe off excess batter with a knife, spoon, etc.  Do not let the bread become soggy.  Place bread in a oiled frying pan over medium heat.  Cook until first side has browned (3 minutes or so) and then flip and cook until second side is browned. 

It's time to rise and shine


Serve with apple butter, maple sugar, maple syrup, etc.

Happy birthday Farmer!  Maybe we need to start celebrating 1/4 and 1/2 birthdays too.


Saturday 22 September 2012

Will Run For Hubbard Coconut Latte

happiness in a cup

What isn't there to love about a hubbard latte on a rainy Saturday afternoon when you're supposed to be pretending that you are the cleaning fairy or canning the bushel of tomatoes that's calling your name or, or, or...  Did I mention that I have over 40 squash in my basement? 

Since the ingredients of the day were squash and coconut milk a latte seemed like a good idea (and I've been a little freaked out by the ingredients in my soy and almond milk lately so it was time for a change) .

Hubbard Coconut Latte
(serves 1)

3/4 C medium/dark roast coffee (I'm in love with Ship & Anchor)
1/4 C full fat coconut milk
1/8 C roasted hubbard squash
pinch cinnamon, allspice, freshly grated nutmeg
*1-2 T coconut whipped cream 
1 T sweetener such as maple syrup, agave nectar, etc. (optional)

Combine coffee, coconut milk & hubbard squash in blender and blend until thoroughly combined (it's worth taking out the blender unless you are into squash chunks in your coffee....gag!).  Heat in small pot or in the microwave.  Top with spices.  Stir.  Top with 1-2 T coconut whipped cream.

* You can make coconut whipped creme by placing a can of full fat coconut milk (it has to be full fat) in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.  When you open the can scoop the coconut creme of the top.  You can whip it with vanilla bean paste and maple syrup to make it even more delicious or if you're not feeling that ambitious you can just spoon it out of the can.  I've heard that flipping the can upside down so that the liquid is on the top is a good idea (I of course have never tried this).

Carrot Hubbard Puree (with apples and coconut milk)


I don't know about you but I think that fall is one of my favourite seasons.  My kitchen is full of kale, spaghetti, acorn, hubbard and buttercup squash (so is my basement...if you come to the back door or the basement window I will gladly send some your way while farmer isn't looking), and tomatoes that were grown minutes from my house.  I realize that I may not be so happy about all of these vegetables after I've been eating them for weeks but for now it's a squash, kale, tomato party over here.

Carrot Hubbard Puree
(serves 6-8 hungry people)

2 C roasted hubbard squash (I roast in the oven for 40 minutes at 450 F after brushing it with olive oil)
*6 C of vegetable stock (we made our own with lots of rosemary, garlic scapes, and onions)
1 T coconut oil (you could replace with olive oil)
3 large carrots
1 large gala apple diced (I used organic and left the skin on) 
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C coconut milk 

* you may want to add an large onion, 1-2 T dried rosemary, and 2-3 garlic cloves if you are using a commercial soup stock.

In a large pot heat coconut oil until melted.  Add carrots and apple.  Stir occasionally until carrots and apple are tender.  Add hubbard squash, vegetable stock, and salt.  Simmer for approximately 20 minutes (and drink a hubbard latte).  Add coconut milk.  Using a hand held blender blend until desired consistency is reached.  Top with roasted pumpkin seeds if you are so inclined.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Will Run For Roasted Squash


It's hard to believe that we have been back in school for close to two weeks.  I say that but no one has eaten the feathers and beads off of my talking stick, come out of the bathroom soaking wet because they decided to sit on the urinal or peed on me or my stuff (I can't say that I miss teaching kindergarten).

I am always amazed at how exhausted I feel at the beginning of September.  To make life a little easier I've been making an effort to cook something on Sunday that can be eaten throughout the week.

On Sunday Farmer and I harvested a hundred pounds or more of squash (now is definately the time to get your own farmer): spaghetti squash, hubbard squash, acorn, & buttercup.  So squash it is!

one of many wheelbarrows of glorious squash

Roasted & Stuffed Squash
(serves 2 to 4 hungry people)

For the original recipe check out TriStyle's nutrition page

ingredients

1 medium to large winter squash (I used buttercup & acorn)
3 T buckwheat honey
1 C diced mushrooms
2 apples, chopped (preferably from your mother's apple tree)
1/4 C walnuts (or raw sunflower seeds)
3 T olive oil
1/3 C dried cranberries
6 T almond flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.    Slice your squash in half without losing a digit.   Scoop out the seeds and lightly brush with olive oil.  Place face down on baking stone and roast for 40-50 minutes.

 In a large frying pan melt olive oil & honey together.   Add mushrooms, apples, walnuts and cranberries and saute for approximately 10 minutes.  Add almond flour stirring occasionally until everything is well combined.  Stuff and serve.   It perfectly acceptable to eat the filling directly out of the bowl.   


This recipe is very forgiving so use any combination of your favourite nuts & seeds, mushrooms, dried fruit, etc.