Maple Roasted Squash & Soba Noodles

There are many reasons why I love fall... the colorful leaves, crisp fresh mornings, rainy days, apple cider (anything apple, really), and most importantly, the beginning of the winter squash season. There are so many different varieties of winter squash, and I love them ALL. Delicata, butternut, spaghetti, kabocha, the list goes on and on. Seriously, how could you pick between all of these beauties? Luckily, with all the different Farmers Markets here, I don't have to. I can pick up a few of my favorites each week and enjoy them all. Phew.

If you are like me, and your diet consists of 50% kale and 50% squash (ok, that may be an exaggeration), then you will love this dish. The sweet roasted delicata squash and the slightly crispy kale will delight any veggie-lover's palate. Plus the miso red-chili pepper sauce gives it just the perfect amount of kick at the end. Are you drooling yet? I am.

Here's the recipe.....

Maple-Roasted Squash & Soba Noodles

Ingredients: 

- 1 lb (delicata) squash, diced- any winter squash should do (please note: some squash you may need to peel)

- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup

- 2 Tablespoons olive oil

- Salt and pepper

- 1 bunch kale

- 1 Tablespoon olive oil

- Buckwheat soba noodles 

- Fresh basil, chopped 

- Seeds from squash, toasted 

For the Sauce:

- 3 Tablespoons olive oil

- 1 Tablespoon miso paste

- 1 Teaspoon maple syrup 

- 1 Tablespoon brown rice vinegar

- water to taste

- 1-2 Tablespoons red pepper flakes 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place diced squash onto baking sheet. Mix together oil and maple syrup and pour over squash. Add salt and pepper (a pinch of each). Toss to combine. NOTE: although the picture doesn't show, place a piece of tin foil on top of baking sheet... this will make clean up much easier!

2 options for the kale: 

- Baking: if you like crispier kale (i.e. kale chips) use the baking method and combine kale and olive oil on baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes (do this while squash is baking). Once done, place in a bowl and set aside. 

- Saute: if you want softer, more tender kale, you can heat oil in pan and saute kale for 3 minutes, until it turns bright green. Remove from heat, and set aside. 

After (or during) the kale prep, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook soba noodles per instructions. 

Using a food processor, quickly mix the sauce ingredients together (minus the red pepper flakes- add those after). 

Toss the sauce, soba noodles, squash and kale together in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the basil, seeds and extra red pepper flakes, if so desired. Serve and enjoy while warm! 

Food for thought:

- Squash can be a pain in the you-know-what to cook with. Chopping that thing open, peeling and dicing can be time-consuming. If you know you will be using squash in a few meals, do all the prep ahead of time. I like to put on some Frank Sinatra while I prep the squash.... call me crazy, but it does help. Peel and dice the whole thing ahead of time and store in a large container in your fridge. It should last a few weeks, and makes meal prep much more enjoyable, especially if you are on a  tight schedule. 

Roasted Root Vegetable & Apple Soup

Root veggies, apples and soup... oh my! The three best aspects of fall. This is one of my favorite fall soups. If you are a fan of roasted root veggies and baked apples, you will love this soup! The best part, you can get (almost) all the ingredients for this soup from your local farmers market!

Purchasing organic, local and in-season produce is one of the best investments you can make for your health, community and planet. Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides that are sprayed on crops don't just kill the unwanted bugs and weeds, these chemicals also wreak havoc as they pass through our bodies, land and water.

Let's go through a little example. Imagine taking a bite into a crisp, fresh non-organic apple. Of the 42 different pesticides found on conventionally-grown apples, 10 of these are known neurotoxins and another 7 are carcinogenic. Sound tasty? I didn't think so. Apples aren't the only pesticide-rich produce we consume. Strawberries, corn, potatoes, and spinach are also among the most potent.

Although in theory eating 100% organic would be the best, we all know that financially this can be difficult. If so, here is a list of the 12 products that you should try to always purchase organic, and another 15 that you can get away with purchasing non-organic.

Now that you have an idea of where to purchase your ingredients, let's get cooking! Here is my absolute favorite fall soup recipe. I've used sweet potatoes as the main root vegetable. However if you have something else on hand (i.e. winter squash), please feel free to swap that in... just make sure to adjust the roasting time.

Roasted Root Vegetable & Apple Soup

~ Serves 4-6~ 

Time: 60 min

Ingredients:

~ 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

~ 1 large turnip, peeled and diced

~ 2 shallots, sliced thin

~ 2 apples, peeled and diced *** save peels!!

~ 1/4 cup walnut oil (or EVOO)

~ 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (I used honey... but maple syrup would work very well!)

~ 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

~ 1 teaspoon of each: cinnamon, clove, pepper

~ 2 teaspoons sea salt

~ 4 cups vegetable broth (preferably homemade)

~ 1/2 cup white wine

~ Peels from above apples

~ 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

~ (optional) coconut milk

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. Combine sweet potatoes, turnip, shallots and apples in two rimmed baking sheets. 

3. In a small bowl combine oil, honey (or maple syrup), rosemary, spices and sea salt. Mix well and pour over root veggies/apples. Toss well to make sure veggies/apples are fully coated. 

4. Bake for 35-45 minutes, tossing often, until veggies are very tender. 

5. While veggie/apple mixture bakes, heat veggie broth, wine, apple peels and rosemary in a large pot over medium-high heat. Simmer until reduced by 1/3. Should take about 25 minutes. 

6. Once reduced, cover and let sit until veggies are done. When veggies are ready, strain out rosemary and apple peels. 

7. Working in small batches, combine apple/veggie mixture and broth in high speed blender and puree until smooth. Transfer back to large pot on stove to reheat. 

8. When ready to eat, ladle soup into bowls, drizzle small amount of coconut milk on top and swirl with toothpick or chopstick. Garnish with fresh rosemary. Eat and enjoy! 

Easy Peasy Rice and Beans

There are some days when I am in the mood to make something extra fancy. This was not one of those days. Now don't get me wrong, I love cooking delicious, extravagant meals.... but sometimes you just have to keep it simple. Simple but flavorful. In my book, there is nothing worse than an overly bland meal. So I promise you. You will never, and I mean never, find a single bland recipe on my blog. That is the beauty of spices, my friend. Stick with me, and I will show you my secrets.

Now I am sure you are all secretly thinking, ok, Katherine. We've all had rice and beans. How is this so special? Honestly, this will not be much different than your typical rice and bean dish. However, what will set this apart are the spices.

Spices can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. We've all been there. Made a beautiful curry only to find out that we put way too much curry powder in it. Adding spices is like a balancing act. One step too wide, or one pinch too much, and you've fallen off the high wire. Luckily, with practice we can get better and better. And maybe one day we will even be able to walk across that high wire blindfolded.

Here are my tips and tricks for adding flavor to dishes:

1. Start small. I'm sure you've heard this over and over again.... you can always add more. Especially when you are just starting out, try not to be too overzealous. A little goes a long way in the world of spices, and the last thing you want to do is make a dish so overpowering that you can't taste the natural flavors. When in doubt, start with a pinch and go from there.

2. Get creative. Don't be afraid to experiment with combinations you would never think to put together. You never know what you may discover. Some of my best spice combinations have come from things I would have never dreamed to put together.

3. Add fresh herbs to your produce. This is something that I discovered by accident. We had received a bunch of green beans and fresh rosemary sprigs from a friend and forgot to separate them before putting in the fridge. When I went to use the green beans a few days later not only did they smell incredible, they also tasted amazing when cooked.

4. Add spices to a small batch of your meal first. This isn't possible with every meal, but always worth a try! Take a small portion of your dish (1/4 cup or less) and add the spices you are interested in using. You can adjust the ratios of spices here without worrying about ruining your entire dish. Keep a piece of paper accessible to jot down the specs. Just remember to increase the amounts when you add the spices to your entire dish!

5. Do your research. There is nothing wrong with using recipes and doing a bit of research. If you are in need of a bit of inspiration, the world wide web will be your best resource. After experimenting with different recipes and ideas you will start to get the hang of it!

Easy Peasy Rice & Beans

~ Serves 6~ 

Ingredients: 

~ 1/2 onion, diced

~ 1 clove garlic, minced

~ 1 tsp olive oil
~ 1 tablespoon cumin
~ 1 tablespoon turmeric
~ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
~ 1 teaspoon cardamom

~ 1 cup brown rice (I used a sprouted rice/quinoa blend)
~ 2 cups water
~ 1 cup (or can) black beans*, cooked
~ 1 cup (or can) kidney beans*, cooked
~ 1 bell pepper, diced
~ 2 cups green beans, diced

Directions:

1. Over medium heat, saute onion and garlic (in 1 tsp olive oil) until tender and translucent.
2. In a small bowl, combine turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom. You can play with the ratios until you get the fragrance/ taste you enjoy.
3. Add in the spices to the onion and garlic.
4. Saute for an additional few minutes until the flavors combine.
5. Add in the rice and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add in the water & bring to a boil.
7. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, or until rice is tender.
8. While rice is cooking, heat black and kidney beans over medium heat until warm. Add in a pinch (1 tsp) of cumin to the beans.
9. In a separate saute pan, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and green beans. Season with salt and pepper and saute until tender.
10. Once rice is cooked, add in beans and veggies. Mix until combined.
11. Serve while warm. Enjoy! 

Teriyaki Tofu with Pineapple Salsa

Craving a tropical getaway? Or wanting to bring a little more excitement to your next meal? This dinner may be just what the doctor ordered. Well, at least it was in my case. I am a big fan of tropical fruits, but almost never eat any as they do not grow anywhere near where I live. However, with a series of rainy days and fifty degree weather, I gave in. I needed something to perk up my spirits and this did just that. Once you start making fruity salsas, I promise you will never go back. They are incredible, and add so much flavor to your meal.

The recipe below involves a bit more scheduling than most of my dishes. If you know you want to make teriyaki tofu, it is vital that you start this dish in the morning. You will need to press the tofu (to drain the excess water) and let it marinate for at least a few hours. Trust me. You will want it to marinate for as long as possible. The longer it gets, the more flavorful it will be! If you have never pressed tofu before, not to worry. I will provide you with directions below. Enjoy!

Teriyaki Tofu with Pineapple Salsa

~ Serves 3-4~

Ingredients: 

For the teriyaki tofu:

~ one 14-16 oz block of extra firm tofu

~ 1/3 cup soy sauce, tamari or Bragg's liquid aminos

~ 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil

~ 2 TBSP honey

~ 1/4 cup mirin or white wine 

~ 3 TBSP rice vinegar, or honey ginger balsamic vinegar (if available)

~ 2 tsp ginger, freshly grated

~ 2 tsp garlic, freshly minced

For the pineapple salsa:

~ 1.5 cup pineapple, diced

~ 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

~ 1/4 cup scallions, diced

~ 1 cup jicama, peeled and diced

~ 1/2 a jalapeno, diced

~ 5 large mint leaves, diced

~ 1 TBSP ginger, freshly grated

~ 2 tsp garlic, minced

~ 2 TBSP orange juice

~ 2 tsp lime juice

~ (optional) 1 tsp melted coconut oil 

Directions: 

The morning of, slice the tofu in half horizontally. Line a plate with paper towels and place the two pieces of tofu on the plate. Cover the tofu with more paper towels and place another plate on top. You should have a sandwich: plate, paper towels, tofu, paper towels, plate. Next, find a heavy textbook and place on top of the plates. This weight will help squeeze as much water out of the tofu as possible. Let this sit for 30 minutes. 

While the tofu is draining, you can prepare the marinade. Place all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl and  mix until smooth. Set aside. 

Once the tofu is ready, slice it into 1/2 inch strips and place in a large square (or rectangular) container. You will want the tofu strips to be side by side in one single layer. Pour the marinade mixture over the tofu. It should almost completely cover the tofu. Place the tofu mixture in the fridge and let marinate for at least two hours, or all day. If your marinade does not completely cover the tofu, you can flip the pieces half way through the marinade time. 

When you are ready to bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or if you are out... like me... you can heavily grease your baking sheet). Remove the tofu from the marinade and place on baking sheet. Again, side by side in a single layer. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, then flip each piece over, lower the temp to 350 F and continue baking for 15-20 minutes.  

The tofu will be done when it is golden brown and crispy on the outside.

While the tofu is baking, you can prepare the salsa:

 Place the first 6 ingredients in a serving bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, lime juice, OJ, and (optional) coconut oil. Pour the dressing over the pineapple salsa and mix until combined. 

TO SERVE:

~ Serve on a bed of coconut rice or quinoa. You can find the recipe here. 

~ Place a scoop of the salsa over each serving and garnish with extra mint. 

Enjoy! 

Raw(lectable) Pad Thai

This is one of my favorite dishes to make on a hot summer day. It's cool, light and very refreshing. It also keeps you full for quite a long time. With the hot and humid weather recently, I have rarely wanted to use my stove or oven, and this is a perfect meal to avoid doing so.

When I was first introduced to the idea of raw noodles, I was very skeptical. Raw zucchini? Yuck. I have always been a big fan of zucchini, but always, always, cooked. Never raw. This was a big leap for me, so the first time I decided to try it, I heated the zucchini noodles up. This definitely helped with the transition, although I wouldn't recommend it if you like raw zucchini already.... especially for this dish. Now I actually enjoy the noodles raw. The colder, the better. That way they have a nice crisp crunch. A raw Pad Thai is just one of the ways to use zucchini noodles. You can also do a raw spaghetti marinara, creamy butternut squash pasta or even a raw pesto pasta. The options are endless! The recipe I will be sharing with you today is very versatile. Feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand to add to the zucchini. Soy beans, bean sprouts, carrots and bell peppers are some of my favorites! 

Raw(lectable) Pad Thai

~ Serves 2-3~

Ingredients: 

For the Pad Thai:

~ 3 medium zucchinis

~ 3 carrots

~ 1 red bell pepper, diced

~ 1 cup soybeans 

~ 1/2 cup bean sprouts 

~ 1/2 cup jicama, pealed and diced 

~ 1/4 cup green onion, diced  

For the sauce: 

~ 1/4 cup tamari or Bragg's liquid aminos 

~ 2-3 Tbsp rice vinegar (or, if available, honey ginger balsamic vinegar)

~ 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

~ 1 Tbsp sesame oil

~ 1 clove garlic, minced

~ 2 tsp ginger, minced 

For garnish: 

~ 1/4 cup sesame seeds 

~ 3 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
~ lime juice

There are a few ways to create zucchini noodles. The first is to use a spiralizer. This fancy machine will easily spiral your veggies, giving you nice veggie noodles. If you don't have one of these, not to worry! You can also use a vegetable peeler, and it will work just as well. The last option, and my favorite, is to use a julienne peeler. This is my favorite.

After you have peeled your zucchini and carrots, add in the rest of the Pad Thai ingredients. To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and pour over the Pad Thai. Top with sesame seeds, cilantro and fresh lime juice.... and enjoy!

Kale Chips w/ vegan cheese & garlic

I have recently been doing quite a bit of reading about raw foods. Although I can never imagine eating purely raw foods, I have learned a lot about the benefits of a plant-based, raw diet. Prior to conducting my research, I had always thought that a diet consisting of only raw foods entailed eating raw broccoli by the head, having a salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that you could never eat desserts. The horror! Ok, well maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration... but you get my point. Like most of us, I was completely and utterly uneducated about the world of raw foods. Luckily, with the help of a few brilliant raw food chefs/ambassadors I am slowly learning the wonders of a raw foods diet.

At the end of this post I will provide you with a list of benefits of eating raw foods. But for now, I will turn your attention to a sinfully, delectable snack.... kale chips. If you are a salty-food person then you will love these. They are crunchy and cheesy with just the right amount of saltiness. And the best part, they are super healthy! When you cook vegetables below 115 degrees, they retain many, if not all, of their nutrients. Similarly, by slowly heating/dehydrating vegetables (and fruits) you are not stripping them of their natural enzymes, making them easier to digest.

I like to call these tasty treats "nature's cheez-its". Yum. The first time I made these I had to restrain myself from eating the entire batch in one sitting. Yes, they are that good.

The best way to make kale chips is in a dehydrator. However, if you do not have one, you can also use the lowest setting of your oven (mine is 150) and it will work just as well (although they won't technically be 'raw').

Kale Chips w/ vegan cheese & garlic

~Active time: 30 minutes~

~Total time: 7 hrs~

Ingredients:

~1 bunch of kale, de-vined and ripped into small, bite-sized pieces 

~1 cup sunflower seeds

~3/4 cup cashews

~1/2 red bell pepper, diced

~1 clove of garlic

~1 Tbsp soy sauce (I like to use Bragg's liquid aminos)

~2 Tbsp red miso, unpasteurized

~1 lemon, juiced w/ insides scraped out

~1 tsp sea salt

Pour enough water over the sunflower seeds and cashews to allow them to float. Let soak 30 - 60 minutes. 

Chop the red bell pepper and garlic into small pieces. Depending on how powerful your blender/food processor is, you may need to mince the garlic and/or chop the pepper into smaller chunks. 

Place all the ingredients (minus the kale) in the blender and mix until smooth. The consistency should be thick, but not chunky. It should also look very creamy. If it is too thick, add a little water. If it is too liquidy, add a few more cashews. 

Pour 2/3 of a cup of the vegan cheese mixture into a large mixing bowl. With a spatula, coat the inside of the bowl with a thick layer of the vegan cheese. This will make it a lot easier to evenly coat the kale. Next, add a handful of the kale pieces to the bowl and mix until evenly coated. If you are using an oven, place the coated kale pieces onto a rimmed baking sheet. If you are using a dehydrator, place the kale on either the parchment paper or thin mesh layer that came with the machine. Continue the process (add cheese, spread, add kale, coat) until all the kale is evenly coated. 

If you are using an oven: bake the kale chips at your oven's lowest baking temperature (me: 150) for 4-5 hours. About halfway through (2 hrs) flip the chips. You will know that they are done when the kale is crispy and the vegan cheese is crunchy (not soft!). 

If you are using a dehydrator: bake the chips at 115 degrees for 7-8 hrs, or until crunchy (see description above). 

How to store your kale chips: 

• Maintaining that delicious crunch of a kale chip can be challenging. Many sources say to store kale chips in an air tight container. I have tried this, and was not pleased at how fast my chips lost their crunch. Recently, I have also heard that the best way to store kale chips is in a brown paper bag. I will definitely be trying this method next time.... let me know if you make these and have luck with either method! 

Food for Thought: 

~ Kale is one of the healthiest foods available. It is loaded with many different vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C and K. Its high amounts of carotenoids and flavonoids (two different types of antioxidants) are also of extreme importance, as they aid in reducing our risk of developing cancer and heart disease. 

~ Adding a bit of lemon to your kale (as in this recipe) will also help to increase its phytonutrient benefits. In other words, it will up its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

~ When foods are heated above ~ 115 degrees, their digestive enzymes are destroyed. These enzymes are very important in utilizing all of the phytonutrients discussed above. If we destroy these enzymes, we are unable to fully digest the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in our foods, and thus lose a large proportion of the nutritional value. 

~ Eating raw foods can help to improve our immune system (vitamins A & C), facilitate better digestion (fiber) and increase our energy. Raw foods also aid in weight loss, as they contain high amounts of the enzymes lipase and protease.... both help with fat distribution, metabolism and eliminating toxins. 

To learn more:

~ Here are two of my favorite raw food enthusiasts: 

   ~Kriss Carr  of the Crazy Sexy Wellness Revolution 

   ~ Ani Phyo 

Sources: 

~ Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

~ The World's Healthiest Foods: www.whfoods.org