Quick (ish) Friday Dinner

After a long week, I came home with plans to make a curry. These plans were quickly abandoned when I realized I didn't have any canned tomatoes, and the curry I was planning would be impossible without it. So I dug out my trusty cookbooks and found a recipe that looked promising.

The recipe I used is The New Vegan Cookbook, found in the bargain books section of my local bookstore. This was the first recipe I made from the cookbook, although didn't follow the recipe step-for-step. The premise was the same: Kabocha squash stew with Moroccan spices. The original recipe called for spinach, chickpeas and dried apricots, but I had none of these ingredients on-hand, so I used red lentils and dried figs instead. And it turned out deliciously!

Kabocha Squash Stew


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 1/2 tablespoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne (depending upon desired heat)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
5 dried figs, sliced
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 kabocha squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (can also substitute another type of winter squash)

Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry onions until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add spices and mix to combine. Cook for about 30 seconds.

Transfer onions and spices into a larger pot if necessary, and add the broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then add the lentils, figs and squash and cook for about 30 minutes, or until squash is tender and lentils are cooked through.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Slow Cooked to Perfection

What to have for dinner on a cold day when you feel like poop? Something made in the slow cooker, obviously. This week an old health issue reared its ugly head. I've had trouble with swollen glands on occasion ever since I had mono in my early 20s, and this week the gland monster showed up to ruin my week. It's just one gland, but it is painful, tender and makes it really difficult to move my head. Luckily, I recently bought the most awesome of slow cookers, with a fancy timer to prevent overlooking.

I had some leftover sweet potatoes, squash and onions lying around, so I chopped them up and threw them in the crockpot for a few hours with some tomatoes and spices. I was fresh out of beans, or I would have thrown some of those in as well. This chili was yummy, comforting, and had a slightly smoky spice thanks to the chipotle chilis I added at the last minute.

I've had this for dinner two nights in a row now, and plan on eating it for lunch tomorrow too. I actually got way too excited about eating it tonight and almost forgot to take a photo, hence the half-eaten bowl and PB sandwich!

Veggie Chili

1 onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 winter squash (I used buttercup), peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 15oz can chopped tomatoes
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 package taco seasoning
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with wheat berries, brown rice or a plain old PB sammich!

Seriously Yummy Winter Soup

Is there anything more perfect and tasty than a butternut squash?

Natural beauty

I think not. In fact, I'd be so bold as to say that butternut is probably my favorite variety of squash. As you've probably gathered, I'm a huge fan of winter squash, so I'm in my element this time of the year.

Our local healthy supermarket, Earth Fare, has a soup bar featuring the delicious-sounding butternut squash and apple soup. I haven't tried it myself, but the hubby assured me it was yummy when he had it. Since I had a butternut squash on hand, I thought I'd give it a go myself.

Cooking up a storm

The smell of butternut squash sauteing in olive oil is deliciously sweet, and once I added onions, garlic and apple my mouth was watering.

Identity crisis

Once the soup was ready and pureed, I served it with my failed bread rolls, which look weird but taste yummy! We ate the soup for dinner Saturday night, lunch on Sunday, and there's still leftovers for me to take to work one or two days in the week.

After a soupy lunch today, I dug the Christmas tree out from the basement and got decorating.

Christmas tree + advent calendars = happy me!

It's probably a bit early by British standards, but we always decorate the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. Speaking of British standards, it wouldn't be a real Christmas tree without a cameo from the Union Jack.

My patriotic decoration

Among my other decorations, most of which are pretty boring and have no stories, were a few knitted decorations care of my talented mother.

Knitted glory

Now I know it will be a good week, since I'll have Christmas tree lights to look forward to every night!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 apple, cored and diced

5 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tbsp curry powder

1/2 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Throw in butternut squash and saute until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.

Add onions and garlic and saute for a further 2 minutes. Add apple and stir to combine.

Pour broth into pot and mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add salt and curry powder and mix well. Add milk and stir to combine.

Using a blender or immersion blender, puree soup until it's a smooth, creamy consistency. Serve immediately, or cool and reheat as needed.

Makes approx. 6 servings.

I Heart Curry

It's been a while since I posted -- it's turned out to be a crazy busy week for me, with work, dentist trips, running and yoga. So the food I'm about to rave about was mainly cooked last Sunday. But even though it was a while ago, the yumminess is still fresh in my mind and I want to share the joy.

I managed to check off everything on my Sunday list. The bread I made was pretty disastrous since it didn't rise and I might have baked it for too long, but it was still edible and actually tasted pretty good. My first experience with making chutney and canning went well, but I have to wait two weeks to see how it turned out because that's how long it apparently takes for chutney to become uber-delicious.

For breakfast on Sunday I made a favorite -- steel-cut oats. I used pureed pumpkin instead of milk and added raisins and bananas. It was yummy, although I think the apple and cinnamon is still my favorite.

Eat me!

We had leftover soup for lunch as planned, and I rustled up a quick afternoon snack while baking bread and making chutney. Pita bread cut into triangles + olive oil spray + baking for about 7 minutes = yummy pita chips to go along with the red lentil masala dip I got last week from Trader Joe's.

Dip that chip

After all that work I felt crazy for even attempting to make dinner. But I did anyway, and I'm glad I did. It turned out amazing. I recently got an Indian cookbook and was dying to try out a recipe or two. The one I chose was for zucchini (courgette) curry, but I used kabocha squash instead (also known as Japanese pumpkin, it's green on the outside, orange in the middle, and sweeter than a regular pumpkin).

Almost too pretty to eat!

This recipe is not actually very spicy, but it has a wonderful flavor that I imagine would be equally tasty with a regular pumpkin or butternut squash. I made the whole recipe, which serves 4, and had the leftovers for lunch on Monday and Tuesday.

Kabocha Squash Curry


1 kabocha squash, pumpkin or butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (I used Colman's mustard powder instead)
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
14-oz can chopped tomatoes
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon garam masala

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and chop roughly. If using pumpkin or butternut squash, peel before chopping. If using kabocha squash, leave the skin on.

Heat oil in a large heavy pan and fry cumin and mustard seeds for 2 minutes. If using powder, skip this step.

Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.

Add cumin, mustard powder (if using), turmeric, chili powder, coriander and salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add squash and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mix tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, and water with cornstarch, and stir both into the pan. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken.

Add chopped cilantro and garam masala and mix well to coat. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Serve over brown rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Spaghetti Squash Saturday

It's Saturday, and I had big plans. Get up, go for a run, make lunch, go out to buy canning supplies, make dinner, drink wine and veg. Well, I ran 4 miles after a hearty breakfast of Lucky Charms and a banana, made potato and onion soup in the crock pot for lunch, got my canning supplies, made dinner, and now I'm sitting down with a big glass of white. Mission accomplished.

I was out for longer than I'd planned, since I had a $20 coupon for DSW and spent way too much time dithering over whether or not to buy boots I didn't need just because I had the money. I decided on no, and was about to leave when I came across the slipper section. So I am now the proud owner of some seriously comfy Dr. Scholls, complete with faux fur, for the delicious price of $5. Needless to say, once I'd done the Kroger run on the way home and unpacked my groceries, I was famished.

The only produce left from my last veggie box was a spaghetti squash. When I've had one previously, I've made "spaghetti" and meatballs, or stuffed spaghetti squash with black beans and yummy spices. This time, I wanted to try something different. I came across a recipe for Moroccan spiced spaghetti squash and thought it sounded like a winner. We served it with cous cous cooked in veggie broth, and ate the entire squash between the two of us! The recipe says it serves 4, but I figured since my squash was smaller than average and we both ran today, we deserved a large dinner. It was seriously yummy, definitely a meal to repeat.

I heart spaghetti squash

While I was waiting for the squash to bake, I used up some papaya that had been sitting in my fridge for a week by making some papaya coconut muffins.

Deliciousness

All in all, an awesome Saturday. Sunday's mission: go for a run, eat leftover soup for lunch, make bread, make chutney and can it, drink wine.

Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Squash


Recipe from Eat Drink Better

1 spaghetti squash
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons golden raisins or sultanas
Half a 15-oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the inside of the squash, then place face down in a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Heat remaining oil in a skillet, then add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add spices, salt, raisins and chickpeas, stir to coat and heat until warm, then remove from the heat.

Remove squash from oven when done, and rake a fork over the flesh, separating the strands as you go. Toss the squash with the olive oil mixture and serve over cous cous.

Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 hungry hippos.

Papaya Coconut Muffins


Adapted from Skinny Taste

1 cup papaya puree
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup pumpkin puree (or 1 large egg, beaten)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted vegan spread (can use butter or marg)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Toss papaya in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a small amount of water, if necessary to get the papaya moving.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and coconut.

Combine egg or pumpkin, melted butter or spread, vanilla and papaya puree in a medium bowl. Add to the dry mixture and stir until just blended.

Using a teaspoon, divide batter between 12 muffin liners. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Comfort Food

I've been a bit lax in cooking this week. Ben's away all week, and I often find myself making uninspired meals when he's gone. Cooking for yourself just isn't the same as cooking for other people. I actually did attempt something earlier in the week, but it was a huge disaster so I'd prefer to forget about it!

Tonight, I wanted something comforting and yummy. It was a cold day and we had the first snow flurries of the season, so a nice, hot meal was an absolute must.

I had a delicata squash leftover from last week's veggie box, so I decided to attempt to make "fries" from it. A delicata squash is pretty small, so one is perfect for one person. I peeled, deseeded and sliced the squash, then seasoned and baked the slices. 

Pre-baked "fries"

The squash fries turned out really well, and there was the perfect amount for one person. I ate my fries with a homemade pumpkin veggie burger from my freezer stash, and some quinoa cooked in veggie broth. Yummy, satisfying and a perfect use of a leftover squash!

Not your typical burger and fries

Delicata Squash Fries

1 delicata squash

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit.

Peel squash and cut it in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds using a spoon, then cut the squash halves into long, thin, fry-shaped pieces.

Put squash slices in a Tupperware container. Add the olive oil and season to taste with garlic powder and chili powder. Place the lid on the container and shake it well to coat each squash slice. Arrange slices on a baking sheet.

Bake squash slices for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, throw the fries under the grill/broiler for a few minutes to crisp up, turning every minute or so. Watch the fries closely to prevent burning, and serve immediately once they're done.

Turban Squash Experiment

Today was all about experimenting. We're planning a trip to King's Island tomorrow and I wanted to make something healthy that we could sneak in so we don't have to eat the nasty food they have at the park. So I attempted granola bars... they're still cooling so we'll see if they stay together once cut!

The second food I experimented with today was turban squash. If you're wondering, "what on earth is turban squash?!" then I was right there with you until I saw my first one a few months ago. They look a little something like this:

Weird, no? I was intrigued by this odd-looking squash, so I bought my first one this week. I searched online for recipes to no avail, so I decided to wing it. I started by cutting the squash in half and deseeding it.

Like a little mushroom!

Then, I peeled the skin off using a potato peeler and cut it into small pieces. I laid the pieces in a baking dish and sprayed them with olive oil cooking spray, then sprinkled some garlic powder on top, then I baked the squash until they were just starting to brown.

Meanwhile, I heated some olive oil in a skillet and added some minced garlic, dehydrated chopped onion and sundried tomato oil seasoning, and cooked some whole-wheat linguini in a medium saucepan. Once the pasta was done, I mixed everything together and topped it with feta because, let's face it, feta makes everything better.

The end result was pretty good for an experiment, although next time I'll probably use butternut squash -- the turban squash was such an odd shape that it took about 30 minutes to peel the thing!

Yumminess!

Roasted Squash Pasta

1 winter squash (butternut, acorn, turban etc), deseeded and chopped into small cubes

Cooking spray

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp dehydrated onion

2 tsp sundried tomato seasoning, or any other Italian-style seasoning

3 oz whole wheat linguini

Roast squash in a baking dish at 350 Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

When squash has 10 minutes left, bring a pot of water to boil and add whole wheat linguini. At the same time, add 1 tbsp olive oil to a skillet on a medium-low heat. Add garlic, onions and seasoning and mix well.

Add roasted squash to the olive oil and stir thoroughly to coat. Drain pasta and mix it in with the squash mixture, adding 1 tbsp olive oil to coat the pasta. Serve immediately and sprinkle with feta. Yum!

Makes 2 servings.