Orzo and Kale Stew

Recipe from Better Food Guru

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 6 servings

With only 30 minutes of cooking time, this wholesome Orzo and Kale Stew is a true winter warmer that fills your belly and nourishes your soul.  Just look how colorful it is!  This stew made the hubster VERY happy indeed.

½ pound orzo pasta (I used whole wheat orzo.)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot peeled and chopped
2 cups kabocha squash, peeled and cubed (I used one large sweet potato, peeled and diced.)
½ bunch kale chopped (I used a mixture of kale and purple Napa cabbage.)
15 oz can butter beans, drained
15 oz can chickpeas, drained (You could use another white bean, if you wish.)
½ cup green peas (I used frozen peas.)
3 tomatoes, chopped (I used 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles.)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 Crushed red pepper and black pepper to taste
Water or vegetable broth (I used 1 Tablespoon Better-Than-Bouillon No-Chicken with water.*) 
4 Tablespoon vegan Parmesan (1 cup ground cashews, ½ teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons hemp seeds)

Cook orzo according to package and set aside. (To keep it from sticking, you can spray it with a bit of olive oil and toss.  Keep it covered while you prepare the rest of the stew.) In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the onions and garlic until fragrant 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrots and kabocha. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until they begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes. Add in 10 cups water, butter beans, chickpeas, kale, green peas and spices. (*I began with 6 cups of water and 1 Tablespoon Better-Than-Bouillon No-Chicken.  I didn’t wish the stew to become too watery.  You can always begin with 6 cups and add more water as you like.) Cover and bring to a boil.  When it comes to a boil, remove the cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add orzo** when serving to avoid the pasta swelling and getting soggy. Garnish with pepper, crushed red pepper and vegan Parmesan.

Notes:
When making soup with noodles, I highly recommend cooking and storing them separately rather than adding them directly to the pot as they tend to swell, absorb all the broth and give soups an unpleasant gummy texture. Add in the noodles cold or room temperature to a steaming hot bowl of soup and it brings it to just the right temp for eating! This stew is quite versatile. If kabocha is not available, sub in whatever squash is available like butternut, pumpkin, Yukon gold potatoes or a large sweet potato, like I did.  If you have gluten sensitivity, use wild rice or gluten free noodles such as Banza or Trader Joe's Lentil Pastas. 

Nutrition: (1 of 6 servings) Calories: 316; Carbohydrates: 60g; Protein: 14g; Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1g; Sodium: 647mg; Potassium: 755mg; Fiber: 11g; Sugar: 5g; Vitamin A: 3490IU; Vitamin C: 26mg; Calcium: 92mg; Iron: 4mg

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (vegan)

Recipe from Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

As you can see, this is an stunner of a fall salad.  We loved all the pops of flavors and textures.  This is company worthy salad!

1 small to medium sugar pie pumpkin or other winter squash (no bigger than 3 pounds) 

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas (I used about 1 cup of cooked and drained black lentils since I already had them.)

1 medium fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

1 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

1 small handful fresh mint leaves, torn or minced

5 to 7 ounces arugula or watercress (I used a mixture of massaged kale and lettuces.)

2 ounces vegan feta, crumbled 

Sweet Pumpkin Crunch (Make this in advance and keep in an airtight jar on the counter.)

Creamy Blender Balsamic Vinaigrette (Make this in advance.  Keep in the fridge and use for other salads as well.)

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC and arrange a rack in the bottom of the oven and in the top third.

2. Rinse and dry the pumpkin. Microwave the whole pumpkin for 60 to 90 seconds to make it easier to slice. Slice off the top stem, then slice off any bottom nub from the pumpkin so you have a flat surface.

3. Using your sharpest large knife, carefully slice the pumpkin in half lengthwise Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and sticky pulp. (I used a butternut squash.)

4. Using a Y-shaped peeler, peel the pumpkin halves. If you don’t have a wide Y-shaped peeler, use a sharp knife to peel the pumpkin. Cut each half into wedges, ½” thick.

5. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin wedges with the maple syrup and olive oil. Season with the cinnamon, several cracks of black pepper, and kosher salt (I used 1½ tsp.) Divide pumpkin evenly across the sheet pans. Keep the bowl for the next step.

6. If adding the chickpeas, drain and rinse them. Transfer them to a dish towel and gently rub to remove water, drying well. Add them to the large bowl and drizzle with a generous 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Scatter chickpeas across empty spaces on the sheet pans. (If using black lentils, spread the lentils onto a separate sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes or so until they are somewhat crispy.)

7. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the pumpkin and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is browned in spots and fork-tender.

8. Assemble the salad. Slice the fennel, and chop the parsley/mint/fennel fronds. Add the salad greens and chopped parsley/mint/fennel fronds to a large bowl. Season with a generous pinch of salt and several cracks of pepper. Add enough Balsamic Vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens, about 1 Tablespoon per ounce of greens used (5 to 7 Tablespoons). Add the roasted pumpkin (and chickpeas/lentils), several handfuls of Sweet Pumpkin Crunch, and sliced fennel. Toss with tongs to combine. Crumble the vegan feta on top. 

Notes:

You can use any type of pumpkin or winter squash. Personally, I prefer kabocha squash, acorn squash, or butternut, as they have a bit more flavor than pie pumpkins.

If your squash is bigger than 3 pounds, don’t use more than 2 pounds of the peeled flesh because you won’t have enough space on two sheet pans.

If you prefer a milder, more neutral salad base, use greens like mesclun, mixed spring greens, baby kale, or even a mix of those with chopped romaine.

Thai Kabocha Squash Curry (Vegan)

Here you see Thai Kabocha Squash Curry served with brown rice. 
Also pictured is a bowl of fresh plums with
Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt and Lemon Poppy Seed Granola. 

Recipe from Rainbow Plant Life (Nisha Vora)

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 6

Kabocha squashes are turning up at the grocery stores and I couldn’t help myself, even though it’s still summery outdoors.  But what a treat this was!  Good enough for company, as I like to say.  This was full of flavor and definitely comforting, so perfect for autumn/winter time.  And, it freezes well.  Rainbow Plant Life comes through again.  All of the recipes I’ve tried from Nisha’s YouTube channel/blog have been excellent.

Ingredients

1 medium kabocha squash

½ -1 cup water (or vegetable broth)

1-1½ Tablespoons coconut oil* (or oil of choice)

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

Kosher salt or sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

2- inch piece ginger, grated or finely minced

1-2 Thai bird’s eye chili peppers, thinly sliced* (optional)

¼ cup red curry paste (use less to make it less spicy) (I used 1/8 cup.)

1 (13.5 ounce) can “lite” or reduced-fat coconut milk (I used full fat coconut milk because that’s what I had on hand.)

1 Tablespoon maple syrup, agave nectar, or coconut sugar

1 Tablespoon reduced sodium tamari** (gluten-free soy sauce)

1 Tablespoon white or yellow miso paste*** (optional but recommended)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas (rinsed and drained) or about 3 cups cooked chickpeas

1-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For serving: white or brown rice or grains of choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Use a large, sharp knife to slice the kabocha squash in half. Once sliced in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush each squash half with a bit of oil (coconut oil or avocado oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the squash halves, flesh side down, on the sheet pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the flesh is very tender. If your squash is large, bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Once it’s cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin, and discard the skin. Place the kabocha squash flesh in a blender and add ½ cup water (or vegetable broth) and puree until very smooth. You should end up with approximately 3 cups of liquid. (I added 1 cup of veggie broth to make it less thick.)

While the kabocha squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and chile peppers, and measure out the spices and other ingredients.

Heat a Dutch oven or a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and once it’s shimmering, add the onions and carrots along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for 7-8 min, or until they are very tender and lightly browned.

Add the garlic, ginger, chile peppers (if using) and the red curry paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the aromatics. If you aren’t using a nonstick skillet, you may need to add a tablespoon of water to prevent the mixture from drying out and burning.

Pour the pureed kabocha squash sauce into the pan, then add the lite coconut milk, tamari, miso paste (if using), maple syrup, and turmeric, and black pepper to taste. Stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add the canned chickpeas and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the curry has become thick and creamy, and the veggies are fully softened.

When ready to serve, stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Serve with white rice or grains of choice.

Notes

*If you are sensitive to spicy food, omit the chile peppers. Alternatively, you can use a less spicy pepper, such as a jalapeño pepper.

**Tamari is gluten-free but soy sauce is not, so if you use soy sauce, just keep in mind that the recipe won’t be gluten-free.

***The miso paste adds a deep, complex umami flavor. If you don’t have any, you’ll want to add a bit of salt at this stage.

****331 Calories per serving

Winter Squash or Pumpkin Pie

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes One 9-Inch Single Crust Pie

I was inspired to make this pie after tasting it at a pie contest.  I thought it was just downright scrumptious.  I bought a huge squash at our community-owned co-op, Lost RiverMarket & Deli that had been grown at the local community garden.  I roasted it and had enough pulp to make about ten pies!  Make this for your next holiday meal with family and friends and you all will be very happy!

2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin or winter squash

1 ½ cups rich cream

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

Unbaked Pie Shell (Perfect Pie Dough), well chilled

Preheat oven to 425F.  Mix all the pie ingredients well together in a bowl and pour into the unbaked pie shell.  Bake for 15 minutes at 425F.  Then reduce the heat to 350F.  Bake another 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

How to Prepare a Winter Squash or Pumpkin

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Arrange the rack(s) in the oven to accommodate the pumpkin/winter squash. Preheat the oven to 325F. Wash the pumpkin/winter squash and cut in half.  (Because the winter squash I was preparing (North Georgia Candy Roaster) was especially large, I had to make some adjustments.  First, I removed the all the oven racks but one.  I also had to put the rack in the lower third of the oven. I had to cut it into four large pieces and then roast two pieces at a time.)

Using a large spoon, scrape out the seeds and strings. (You can either discard the seeds, put them in your compost pile, clean and then roast them for snacking, or plant them in your garden.)

Drizzle or spray the inside of the pumpkin/winter squash with a bit of oil.  Place in on a roasting pan, shell side up, and bake it for about 1 hour or more, depending on the size. 

When the pumpkin/winter squash is fork tender and begins to fall apart, it is done.

Scrape the pulp from the shell and put it through a ricer, strainer, blender or food processor and process until smooth.

You can now use the pulp fresh to make pies, soups, vegetable dishes, puddings, smoothies, baby food, or breads, OR you can freeze the pulp in 2-cup portions for later.  You can even put a dollop in your oatmeal to add even more fiber and nutrition.