Fall Soup (Vegan or Non-Vegan)

Soup is one of those cozy and comforting things— warming, grounding and flavorful, no matter what time of year. Making it from scratch is easy and so helpful to have around for times when you don’t have time or feel like cooking (which for me is often!). Making big batches and freezing containers I find extremely helpful. I also love adding different spices each time for variety, flavor and health benefits.  This soup, made with vitamin-rich butternut squash is a helpful one to have around!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons ghee or (grassfed) butter or coconut oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped

• 2 teaspoons dried sage

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

• 4 cups chicken broth, bone broth or vegetable broth

• ¼–½ cup coconut milk

• a pinch or two of nutmeg

• sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt oil or butter/ghee.

2. Add onion, apple and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.

3. Add squash and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, 15–20 minutes.

4. Transfer mixture to a blender (or use an immersion blender), working in batches if necessary, and puree until smooth. (Be careful blending hot liquids!)

5. Return to the pot, stir in coconut milk to reach desired consistency.

6. Heat through and season with a pinch or two of nutmeg, sea salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Spice-Rubbed and Roasted Turkey

Yields

12 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole fresh turkey (20-24 pounds)

• 2 navel oranges, halved

• Lemon

• Coarse Salt

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground Aleppo pepper or paprika, plus more if desired

• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup dry white wine

• Persimmons, for garnish (optional)

• Fresh Sage, for garnish (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne for a little "kick" if desired

Instructions

1. Chop the hazelnuts and spread on a cookie sheet.  Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Rinse inside and outside of turkey; pat dry with paper towels.

Transfer to a large roasting pan.  Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  Tuck wings under turkey.  Tie legs together with kitchen twine.  Squeeze 1 orange and lemon over turkey.  Season outside of turkey generously with salt and sprinkle with pepper.  Gently rub seasonings into turkey.

2. Heat juice of remaining orange, lemon, the butter, and wine in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts.  Roast turkey, basting every half hour with melted-butter mixture until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  (Halfway through, rotate pan and cover with foil)

3. Let turkey stand for 30 minutes.  Transfer to a platter; reserve pan juices in roasting pan for Aleppo pepper gravy.  Carve turkey.  Garnish with persimmons and safe if desired.

Warm Thanksgiving Kale and Squash Salad

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Yields

6 people

Ingredients

• 1 large purple turnip, washed, diced into 1/2" cubes w/ skin

• 1/2 acorn squash, washed, seeded, diced into 1/2" cubes w/ skin

• 1/2 small butternut squash, washed, seeded, diced into 1/2" cubes w/ skin

• 2 tbs. coconut or avocado oil (for baking)

• 1/2 head of kale, sliced paper thin crosswise

• 1/2 head of Lacinto Kale, sliced paper thin crosswise

• 1 tbs. each, raw pumpkin seeds, ground flax seeds, crushed pecans

• 2 tbs. dried cranberries

• 1 tbs. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

• 2 carrots, diced small, sea salt and pepper to taste. Add gomasio for flavor (optional)

• 2 tbs cold pressed EV olive oil or avocado oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the diced turnip, acorn and butternut squash in a large baking tray.

3. Cover with 1-2 tbs. of the extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, mix until coated and top with sea salt and pepper.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, checking and turning over halfway through. When the veggies are baked, place them in a large bowl and add all of the other ingredients, mix well making sure everything is coated with the fresh olive oil.

5. Add sea salt, gomasio and pepper to taste and serve warm.

Credit

Courtesy of Amanda Andruzzi

Super Easy Walnut-Seed Bread

Prep Notes

Cooking Time

45 minutes

Yields

1 medium bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hemp seeds

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

• 1/4 cup ground flax

• 1/4 cup psyllium husks

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 3/4 cups water

• pinch Himalayan salt

Directions

1. Place all dry ingredients in medium bowl. Stir to combine.

2. Add water, stir well until all water is incorporated.

3. Leave covered on counter for at least 1 hour. You can leave this over-night, also.

4. Pre-heat oven to 350.

5. Transfer to parchment-lined glass loaf pan or a silicone loaf pan.6.Bake for 45 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

6. Slice, toast and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Seed Crust

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Yields

8 people

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup almond flour, plus more for rolling the dough

• 1/3 cup hulled, raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

• 1 Tbsp. of sweetener: either pure Maple Syrup, Raw Honey, Coconut Sugar, or Monk Fruit Sweetener

• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

• 4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp. - 1 Tbsp. cold water

Filling

• 2 farm fresh eggs

• 15 - 16 ounces fresh, baked or steamed pumpkin pureed until smooth

• 1 cup farm fresh milk, or almond or rice milk

• 1/2 cup sweetener: either pure Maple Syrup, Raw Honey, Coconut Sugar, or Monk Fruit Sweetener

• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Optional: Serve with sweetened whipped cream or raw banana ice cream and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds for garnish.

Directions

Crust

1. Put the flour, pumpkin seeds, and salt into food processor with fitted metal blade. Process until pumpkin seeds are finely ground.

2. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Add sweetener of choice, vinegar, & cold water and pulse until mixture clumps.

4. Roll into ball and flatten on parchment paper pressing into a large flat circle and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 400°.

6. On lightly floured board, roll dough into a 12" circle and transfer to 10" pie plate pressing into bottom and up sides. Finish edges. Prick with fork in several places. Line with parchment paper or foil and weight with dried beans or rice. Place in oven for about 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Lift parchment or foil and weights and remove them from baked shell. Set aside.

7. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Filling

1. In mixing bowl, place egg, pumpkin, milk, sweetener of choice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and vanilla.

2. Whisk until smooth.

3. Pour into baked pie shell.

4. Bake until filling doesn't jiggle. About 35 - 45 minutes. Set pie on rack.

5. Serve room temperature or chilled with whipped cream and whole pumpkin seeds if desired.

Notes

Variation for Crust: Use unsalted sunflower seeds or walnuts in place of the pumpkin seeds. 

Variation for Filling: Use canned pumpkin. 

Credit

Courtesy of Amie Guyette Hall

Bread-Free Holiday Stuffing Recipe

Prep Notes

Enjoy this Holiday essential without the bread! 

Cooking Time

40 min.

Yields

6 hearty servings

Ingredients

• 4 Tbs. ghee or bacon grease

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

• 2 - 3 cups diced butternut squash

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 8 oz chopped mushrooms of choice (I've used chanterelles, baby bellas, or shitakes)

• 1 granny smith apple, diced

• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

• Sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 and line two baking sheets/glass baking dishes with unbleached parchment paper. Put the cauliflower on one sheet, and the squash on the other. Toss the cauliflower and squash each with 1 Tbs. of melted cooking fat.

2. Roast until the cauliflower is tender and has golden brown edges, about 30 minutes. Stir halfway through. Roast the squash until golden and tender, stirring halfway through, about 40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt the last 2 Tbs. cooking fat in a heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, over medium head until soft and almost caramelized.

4. Add the garlic, cook for a minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add the diced apple and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened but still firm. If necessary, add another tablespoon of fat.

5. Finely chop the herbs. In a large serving dish, toss together all the components: the squash, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Season with the herbs, salt and pepper.

Baked Parsnip and Apple Latkes

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Yields

6-8 latkes

Ingredients

• 1 cup parsnip, shredded (or try using a sweet potato!)

• ½ cup apple (skin peeled though I often leave mine on), shredded

• ¼ cup yellow onion, shredded

• 1 teaspoon salt (kosher salt works well)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 egg

• Coconut or olive oil spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Shred the parsnip, apple, and onion. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the shredded ingredients and place them in a large bowl. Add egg, salt and pepper, and mix well.

3. Form the mixture into six balls, and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper, then flatten them out. Spray or brush them with coconut oil.

4. Place the tray in the oven on the top shelf for about 30 minutes.

5. Top with the usual applesauce and/or sour cream or some Greek yogurt!

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies: A Delish Gluten Free Holiday Treat

Prep Notes

Be sure to have parchment paper!

Yields

23 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour

• 1/4 tsp sea salt (unrefined is best if you can)

• 1 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

• 5 tbs honey (*OR 3 tbs molasses +1tbs honey if you are adding 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of clove and 1/4 tsp ground ginger!)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, ( OR ghee or coconut oil), (organic from grass-fed cows if possible) Melted.

• 1 tbs vanilla extract (one other variation is to make them chocolatey add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and 1/4 tsp or 1/2 tsp cinnamon)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, sea salt, and toasted, chopped almonds (add any other spice and/or cocoa if you opt for that).

3. In a smaller bowl, mix together the honey, melted butter and vanilla.

4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry.

5. Tear off a large piece of parchment paper. Set it on the counter and place the cookie dough in the center. Form the dough into a large log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

6. Wrap the log with the parchment paper and place in the freezer for one hour, or until firm.

7. Remove from the freezer and unwrap. Cut into 1/8 inch thick slices.

8. Line a cookie sheet with another sheet of parchment paper (or use a Silpat). Place the cookie slices on the cookie sheet with space between them.

9. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the oven or until lightly golden.

10. Cool before enjoying. Store cookies in an airtight container.