butternut squash soup -- naturally gluten free, vegan, and so yummy

I thought it would be fun to make butternut squash soup. Now, squash is generally sweet and rich tasting, so I said to myself, self, what would balance that nicely? Well, these big ol' tomatoes from my mother's garden might do the trick. Yes, yes indeed. So, after oven roasting all the veggies and making stock from leek greens, the combine results were greater than the sum of their individual virtues. The colour is a little day-glo orange, but not without charm. The taste? Mellow but not staid, sweet but not cloying, peppy but not obnoxious. Definitely a keeper!

roasting veggies:
ingredients:

1 small butter nut squash -- about 6 cups cubed

1 onion diced

2 garlic cloves chopped

2 lbs tomatoes (about 4 cups cubed)



1 1/2 cups carrot sliced

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil


directions:

1. melt the coconut oil in a large casserole or cast iron dutch oven. Cube and chop the squash, carrots, onions, garlic, and carrot then toss with the coconut oil in the casserole.
2. pile on the chopped tomato
3. bake at 345 for 2 hours
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leek broth --
ingredients:

1 bunch of leek greens
10 cups water

directions:

simmer for a few hours, then strain

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soup:

directions:

1. combine the cooked vegetables and 4 cups of broth, then puree the vegetables
2. season with salt and pepper to taste
3. bring to a simmer and serve hot

I used:

3 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp marjoram



Fantastic. Stupendous. Delicious. Excellent.

Maple Pumpkin Pie! -- deep dish, vegan, gluten free

I made a very large pumpkin pie in a springform pan using roasted butternut squash. It's vegan, it's grain free, it's good for you, and it's delicious. Happy thanksgiving!

crust:

ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond meal

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp  ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

directions:

1. combine the ingredients (I used a fork). It will be crumbly looking.

2. press the mixture into a lined (I use a round of parchment) and greased springform pan -- take it up the sides (I used my hands)

3. bake at 345 for 10 minutes

pumpkin filling
ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, roasted -- 3 cups of flesh after roasting
1 can coconut milk -- 400 ml
1/2 cup water

1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground vanilla
2 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2  tsp sea salt
black pepper
4 tbsp arrowroot powder


directions for filling:

1. to roast the squash, I washed the butternut squash, and then cut it into large pieces, put them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 1 hour on 345, or until they were soft. I then peeled/cut off the outer skin.
2. I then pureed the cooked squash with 1 can of coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground vanilla, ceylon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, sea salt, black pepper, and arrowroot flour. I added 1/2 cup of water, because I found that baking the squash seemed to dehydrate it a little, and the whole mixture seemed too dry. If you roast yours in a closed dish, or if you use a wetter squash (such as a pie pumpkin, perhaps) you might not need the water
3. set aside your filling until you are ready for it.

pie:

1. taste the filling and adjust for seasoning

2. pour into par-baked crust

3. bake pie at 345 for 50 minutes

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew

Inspired by Sara and her squash and chickpea stew ...


I had three adorable if generous 'bone' squashes from my favourite chemical free farmer at the East York Civic Center, and decided that today was the day to use one of them. Squashes to keep very well, so it could be weeks before the next squash post. We'll see.


I oven roasted the individual ingredients before combining them all in my red cast iron casserole (named Nemesis after a Red Dwarf star) and cooking them all together to let the flavours do a final meld.
The individual roasting section of the preparation doesn't really add much in terms of labour because honestly it's the cutting and dicing that feels the most labour intensive. However, it does add a little in terms of time. But also adds much in terms of flavour, integrity, and over all result. If you wish to skip the pre-roasting, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you. Yummy, I'm sure. I oven roasted some cauliflower and was originally going to add it, but then decided to just serve it as a side dish. With a loaf of freshly baked bread. :)


ingredients:


1 butternut squash, gutted and cubed
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
4 cups cauliflower florets and greens, chopped
4 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (see the pizza recipe post) (or you could chop some cherry tomatoes in half and throw those in instead -- yum)


1/2 tsp chili powder
black pepper
sea salt




directions:


1. toss butternut squash with coconut oil and a touch of salt and oven roast on a large baking sheet (line with silicone or parchment
2. toss onion and garlic with coconut oil and oven roast in a small oven proof baking dish
3. toss cauliflower with coconut oil and a touch of sea salt and oven roast in a rectangular glass pan
(you'll be able to fit the squash on your bottom rack, and the other two on your upper rack, and thereby do all at once)
4. oven roast everything at 345 until each one is individually done. I really hate under cooked garlic and onion, so I probably roast these much longer than some people would.  The cauliflower should be nicely brown in spots, and kind of translucent and soft. If you've never had cauliflower this way, try it and give thanks to my sister Debbie :) The squash is nice when it's a little brown in places.
5. you can reserve the cauliflower like I did to use as a side dish, or you can use it in your 'stew'.
6. In a large casserole (cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic, or glass), combine the oven roasted vegetables and the chickpeas. Pour the coconut milk over everything, and stir gently to combine.
7. pour on the tomato sauce. You don't want to use so much that the tomato dominates, but rather just enough that it pulls the flavours together nicely, and balances out the richness of the coconut milk. I found 1 1/2 cups did the trick for me.
8. I really like chili powder (not the same as chili pepper) and decided to add 1/2 tsp to this stew. I really like the way it works with the sweetness of the roasted vegetables and the brightness of the tomato. If chili powder is not your bag, maybe just sea salt and black pepper would work.
9. put the loaded casserole into the oven, and bake for 45-60 minutes to meld the flavours fully.
10. Serve with fresh bread, by itself, sided by cauliflower, wearing only a smile, topping quinoa, or consume standing over the stove directly from the casserole whilst wearing a guilty expression.

Oven roasted cauliflower and cauliflower greens that didn't make it into the stew

Squash stew, fresh bread, and Nemesis

Well, we've eaten this for the past three days or so, and I find it to be wake-up-in-the-night-and-raid-the-refrigerator delicious. Not that I do that ;) But I do look forward to a bowl of it for dinner. Extra Yum!


Let me know what you think :)