The True Joy of Christmas

I am sitting drinking my coffee and eating a red velvet crinkle cookie on this quiet Saturday morning. Tomorrow we leave for Florida so today will be filled with last minute errands, laundry, and packing. Tonight we are taking some friends to Hollidazle the annual Christmas parade in downtown Minneapolis. Christmas is a wonderful season but is often frenzied, rushed and stressful. What to bake, what to buy, parties to attend, decorating, etc, etc. Christmas has become so commercialized that the true meaning is easily forgotten. Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is not about gifts and cookies, Santa and all of the running around. It is about the miracle of Son of God coming to Earth. If you do not know Jesus then it is difficult to understand why we celebrate this, but I encourage you to take a moment to open your heart to Him and discover the true joy and meaning of Christmas this year.

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2: 4-14, NIV

Happy Thanksgiving- Pumpkin Recipes

Happy Thanksgiving! I am very thankful to be with my family in Montana for Thanksgiving. After a 12 hour care ride we are ready to relax, play games, eat and visit. Tomorrow will be a busy day of cooking and eating!

I have been making pumpkin recipes all fall as I had 3-4 small pumpkins that I roasted and pureed. I decided to share a list of some of the recipes I have been trying along with the tweeks that I did to each one. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends and lot of delicious food!

Red Lentil Pumpkin Soup
(I did not puree mine because I wanted the texture from the lentils. Otherwise, this soup was flavorful and perfect for a fall meal)

Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Pumpkin Ice Cream
(WSU where I went to college had an onsite creamery and every year I would specifically go there for pumpkin ice cream. This one is almost as good!)

Pumpkin Scones
( I used 1/2 wheat and 1/2 white flour; I also had enough of the first glaze that I just added the spice glaze ingredients to the leftovers and did not even make the second glaze batch)

Marbled Pumpkin Bread
(this calls for butternut squash, but I used pumpkin instead. I also used 1/2 wheat and 1/2 white)

Honey Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Pumpkin Waffles

Fall Kale Salad

Lately my meals have included a lot of squash. I have tried new recipes and have been experimenting which is very fun for me.  I am learning to love squash and I'm not complaining. Last week we enjoyed a butternut squash lasagna (recipe may be posted soon!) that was unlike any lasagna I have ever had, but it was flavorful and satisfying and I did not miss the meat or a tomato sauce at all. With all of the squash around here, there have not been as many greens. This week I felt like my body was needing some more green vs orange. So I bought some kale and it has been going into everything from smoothies to soups. Kale is surprisingly energizing in our morning smoothies, or at least it felt like it on the day we tried it. I was less hungry during the day and did not even think about needing another cup of coffee like I do most days. Who knew?! With this pumpkin soup, I decided to make a raw kale salad. Normally I would never think of eating kale raw, but when I was in Philadelphia a few weeks ago I had a raw kale salad at Fork that was incredible! The secret to a raw kale salad not being tough, bitter and less than palatable is a nice massage. Massaging the oil or dressing into the leaves and allowing them to sit for a little while takes away some of the bitterness and softens the leaves. This is a hands on salad that is a nice change from romaine or spinach. Enjoy!

Fall Kale Salad

Kale leaves (dinosaur or lacinato is my favorite variety), washed and torn or chopped into fork size pieces
Dried cranberries (soak in orange juice for 30 minutes or overnight for even more flavor punch)
Carrots, thinly sliced or diced
Almond slices, dry toasted
Dijon Vinaigrette

Massage vinaigrette into kale leaves for several minutes or until leaves begin to soften. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or even a few hours. Add other toppings as desired.

Squash Anyone?

As you can see I have ended up with quite a bountiful supply of squash this fall! They seem to keep coming and coming- from my weekly farm boxes and from a co-worker.

I really haven't eaten much squash in my life- the occasional experiment with an acorn or spaghetti squash and of course canned pumpkin for pies and breads. With this many however, I am going to have to get creative and try some new recipes. Squash is a very healthy vegetable full of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. A serving of winter squash is 1 cup which is twice as much as a serving of white or sweet potatoes. That means you will get full with out as many calories or carbohydrates as a potato.

So far I have already made pumpkin puree, butternut squash risotto and I tried sauteing some spaghetti squash with some garlic and other vegetables. Today I found some recipes from Trader Joe's that I can not wait to try- spaghetti squash carbonara- yes please!

Tonight for dinner I took the two smallest squash that I had (no idea what type they are). I cut into them, removed the seeds and then tried to cut away the skin. They were pretty hard and I started to question this idea to cut away the skin instead of putting them in a dish with water in the oven. Next I sliced some Brussels sprouts and turned on the oven to 450 degrees. In a cast iron skillet I browned 2 slices of center cut bacon (this is unnecessary but there was some in the fridge that needed to be used up). After removing the bacon and some of the fat, I added the squash and the sprouts to the hot pan and placed it in the oven to 10 minutes. After 10 minutes I stirred everything around and roasted for another 5 minutes. The end result was browned Brussels sprouts and very soft squash. The squash was so soft it was creamy- incredible! I added a little sprinkle of parmesan cheese with the crumbled bacon and dinner was served. The crunch of the Brussels sprouts with the creaminess of the squash was a perfect combination.

What do you like to do with squash? I would love any suggestions!

Gluten Free Maple-Cinnamon Granola

My favorite breakfast has always been yogurt. When I wouldn't drink milk growing up, I would always eat yogurt and "bodadah" (granola). In high school when I went through a cereal hating phase, I would still eat yogurt. I eat yogurt in the morning several days per week, I usually have another one as a snack at work and I also freeze yogurt for popsicles.

I recently received a yogurt maker for a birthday gift. I can make my own yogurt anytime now and I can be sure it doesn't have any preservatives or additives. It is delicious and also fun for me to be able to make it at home!

As much as I like yogurt by itself, I also like it with a crunch element. This granola is very healthy and tasty. It is just nuts and some coconut, so it is gluten free as well. I would also be great mixed into oatmeal or even having a handful for a snack. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Maple-Cinnamon Granola

Adapted from The Metabolism Miracle

2 cups nuts of your choice (I used pecans, walnuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds would also be good)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 egg white
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used a maple-agave blend syrup from Trader Joes)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Combine nuts and coconut in a bowl. Add the egg white and stir to combine
3. In a separate bowl combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon
4. Pour cinnamon mixture over the nuts and stir to combine
5. Distribute nuts in a layer on the parchment paper
6. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until toasted and starting to brown. Stir every 10 minutes until done.
7. Allow to cool on a cooking rack. Store in an airtight container.

Farmer's Market

One of several covered aisles at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market

I am thoroughly enjoying having a CSA share (from Treasured Haven Farm) this summer and picking up a box of farm fresh produce every week at a local coffee shop. Each week is a surprise and I am learning how to be more creative with the produce I am picking up. Last week brought two large bags of tomatoes, so this week I am making salsa, panzanella salad, and a tomato tart. Even with this weekly bounty, I still can't help going to the Minneapolis Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.

The market is just outside of downtown Minneapolis

Music at the market

The market is open 7 days a week, but I always happen to go on Saturday's. In most countries, going to the market is a daily affair and probably not that exciting for the average person who lives there. In Minneapolis/USA, it is a huge cultural event that people (like me!) look forward to all week.

There are all kinds of food stalls- roasted corn, tacos, pastries, polish dogs, coffee and more

Tomatoes were everywhere this week!

People park in lots under the interstate and on streets surrounding the market. There are craft stalls, food stalls, fresh produce, local meats, eggs, wild rice, honey, and fresh flowers. Every stall seems to have an abundance to sell. There is a buzz of excitement and everyone is busy looking for the best finds of the week- this week was tomatoes. There were boxes, buckets and crates full of various types. Some vendors were giving out samples to taste.

This little girl was cute selling her family's produce

Fresh produce is so beautiful to me

All of the flowers this week reminded me of Pike's Place Market in Seattle

Every table is so tempting and I wish I could buy something from everyone- unfortunately there are at least 4 huge, covered aisles full of vendors making that idea a little over my budget! I usually try to buy at least one thing that I haven't tried preparing before so that I can do a little experimenting. Chinese spinach, Chinese broccoli, kohlrabi, garlic chives, swiss chard, and this week white eggplant have been a few of my purchases. The prices at the farmer's market are very reasonable and I love being able to support local farmers.

Afterwards, I always feel like eating some fresh and full of vegetables!

Panzanella Salad

2-6 ripe tomatoes, variety of types/sizes (I used about 4 grape and 2 medium yellow tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half
1 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces
handful of fresh basil
1 slice of crusty bread
olive oil
red wine vinegar
kosher salt
pepper

1. Toast bread and then rub with the garlic clove (use the cut sides) and cut or tear into pieces
2. Dice tomatoes and put int a salad bowl. Add cheese, bread and fresh basil
3. Drizzle with olive oil, add a splash of the vinegar and season with kosher salt and pepper

Zucchini Stacks

Are you into Pinterest? I am a little and looked there other day for zucchini ideas as I am experiencing a little zucchini glut. Zucchini's have been coming in our farm box for at least 4 weeks and I needed something new. I have already been making bread and muffins. I have made zucchini gratin 3 times because I love it so much (I combine Splendid Table with Smitten Kitchen). I have been having zucchini omelets with feta cheese, roasted zucchini, sauteed zucchini and still there is more this week.

Most of what I found on Pinterest was breads and muffins and a few fried zucchini recipes , but I did see a picture of some zucchini rounds covered in bread crumbs and baked. For some reason seeing that picture gave me the idea for stacks. I had one larger zucchini so I cut it into rounds, added some red pepper and some slices of tomato, roasted them, topped them with cheese and broiled. End result was delicious and because of the ingredients, seasoning and cheese it reminded me a little of pizza with out the crust. Perfect as an appetizer or as a side. Enjoy!

 Zucchini Stacks

6 rounds zucchini
6 slices red bell pepper
6 slices of tomato
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
fresh thyme (2 tbsp)
fresh basil (handful)
6 slices from a ball of mozzarella cheese (I'm sure other cheeses would be great too)

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes on a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme
2. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove tomato slices and flip over zucchini and peppers. Roast for another 8-10 minutes or until starting to brown. Remove from oven
3. Turn on broiler in the oven. Top each zucchini round with a slice of pepper and tomato. Top with cheese and return to oven. Allow to broil for about 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
4. Serve topped with fresh basil