Posts filed under ‘Recipes’
What’s Cooking in Dr. Emily’s Kitchen
The fall vegetables are the most inspiring to me when it comes to culinary creativity. I am not sure why, but a butternut squash calls out to me in such a different way then a zucchini or summer squash. In the last few weeks I have become more eager to explore the bounty at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings. My kitchen experiments have ranged from the simple roasting of beets with olive oil and dried rosemary to a rather unsuccessful attempt at a loaf of gluten-free, vegan pumpkin bread. A familiar and forgiving old stand-by for me is any variation on the recipe for butternut squash soup described below. Please note that the estimates for measurements of the spices are a rough guess. I recommend starting with less and you can always add more.
Butternut Squash and Apple Curry Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 diced Honey Crisp apple
- 2 cups of roasted & mashed butternut squash
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups organic & low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
- salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in large pot on medium heat and stir in onions and garlic. Cook onions until soft. Add in chopped apple and spices and cook for 5 min. Stir in butternut squash and mix ingredients until heated thoroughly. Pour in stock and let simmer for 15 to 20 min on low heat. Remove from heat and let cool for 15- 20 min. Blend soup in blender or food processor and serve warm. Add additional stock to adjust consistency as needed.
HINT: Prepare the butternut squash ahead of time by roasting over the weekend and storing mashed squash in the freezer to use throughout the season.
Fall Pudding Recipe
With the change of season comes a change in our “seasonal menus.” Welcome the crisp days of autumn with this delicious fall pudding that highlights hearty winter squash, natural sweeteners, and warming aromatic spices. (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free) I just disovered this recipe in my new favorite cookbook listed below – wonderful for anyone who loves Whole Foods cooking!
Source: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup small pearl tapioca
1 cup raw cashews
2 cups water
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
2 cups baked sugar pumpkin or butternut squash
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1. Place 1 1/2 cups water and tapioca pearls in a 4-quart pot and let soak for 1 hour.
2. Place cashews, water & maple syrup in a blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes till creamy. Add squash, lemon juice, vanilla, sea salt & spices. Blend for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add blended mixture to the pot of soaked tapioca and whisk together. Bring to a boil while stirring. Turn off heat to low and simmer. Stir frequently for approx 15 minutes or until tapioca pearls are translucent.
4. Pour into small serving bowls & chill in fridge. Enjoy!
When Life Gives You Lemons…Just Add Stevia!
Beat the Baltimore heat this summer with a refreshing treat that will help balance your blood sugar level and curb your craving for sweets. Stevia-sweetened lemonade is my favorite new beverage for quenching thirst after digging around in the garden. The sour taste from the lemons balances strong sweet-tooth cravings and the plant stevia ,which grows easily in most gardens, is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Fortunately, the sweet taste of stevia does not come with the calorie count or blood sugar spiking effects of the sugar cane plant. In fact, stevia is safe for use in diabetics since it actually helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. The key to using stevia is knowing that a little goes a LONG way. A small pinch is enough to sweeten a cup of tea and when baking with powdered stevia preparations, 1/4 cup of stevia can often replace 1 cup of sugar. Using too much stevia can shift the experience on your palate from sweet to bitter. Stevia is available at most health-food stores and through Dr. Emily’s dispensary.
Stevia-Sweetened Lemonade Recipe:
- Juice 3 lemons and add to 10 cups of filtered water
- Dissolve 4 tsp of powdered stevia into a small amount of warm/hot water
- Add dissolved stevia to water and lemon mix. Stir and chill.
Entire mixture contains approximately 36 calories
(source: Omnivite Nutrition, Inc.)
