For whatever reason, I nearly always cube my butternut squash before cooking (whether it be roasting, steaming, or pan frying). It’s rare that I cook the squash whole. I think it’s because in my mind, the whole squash takes longer to cook but in the end, it’s less preparation and really, not much more time. However, when I do cook the whole squash, I steam roasted squash (putting cut side down in a roasting pan with 1/4″ of water). It’s how I saw my mother always cook acorn squash and so it stuck with me. It leaves the squash really nice and soft, perfect for a sauce!
I love to transform my favourite recipes into something new. Often, it’s not too far of a stretch to take a solid recipe base and create something different and fresh. Maybe I’m a baking nerd, but I just love the process of calculating measurements, swapping new ingredients for others, figuring out new baking times, and streamlining the method. My goal with recipe writing is to provide as many pertinent details as I can so you feel like I’m in the kitchen with you, but I also try to simplify and condense, too. It gives me great joy to refine and improve a dish and the written recipe itself over multiple trials.
Yup, I’m definitely a baking nerd. There’s no denying it.
My Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf with Spiced Buttercream is a bit of a legend on this blog. I created the recipe for a blogging competition, Project Food Blog, five years ago (side note: my recipe writing style has clearly changed since then!). Despite being buried in the archives, this loaf has stood the test of time and remains popular during the fall and winter seasons. I’ve had requests for a muffin version – something a bit lighter and more wholesome that could pair with breakfast or an afternoon snack. (Wait a second. The original loaf with frosting doesn’t count as breakfast? I’ve been doing it all wrong.)
Joking aside, it’s a great idea. So maybe it’s a few years late, but I’m not a miracle worker! Ok, maybe I am. I made the original loaf more wholesome by using whole-grain spelt flour rather than all-purpose white flour. Despite using this heavier flour, I was astonished by how light and fluffy the muffins turned out! Spelt flour is incredibly tasty with a lightly sweet and nutty flavour that works so well in a muffin. Actually, I kept saying to Eric that these muffins taste a bit like a spiced bran muffin (in a very good way!). In just 1/4 cup of whole-grain spelt flour you’ll find 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre, too. Look for whole-grain spelt flour in the natural foods or specialty section of grocery stores or you can find it online. Keep in mind that it’s not gluten-free so it won’t work for those with gluten allergies. You’ll also find pumpkin, blackstrap molasses (a great source of iron), pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and more. It’s like a big fall hug. Get ready, because your place is going to smell like a gingerbread house. No joke.
Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins
Vegan, soy-free
Despite using whole-grain spelt flour, pumpkin puree, and molasses, these muffins rise beautifully and they are so light and fluffy! I think you’re going to love them. They are perfectly spiced (not too strong and not too light) and great for fall and winter baking. You won’t believe how incredible these muffins will make your house smell, too. Throw a batch in the oven before company comes over and your entire place will smell like a gingerbread house! This recipe is adapted from a reader favourite recipe: my Pumpkin Gingerbread loaf with Spiced Buttercream.
Yield 1 dozen
Prep Time 15 Minutes
Cook time 22 Minutes
Total Time 37 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the wet ingredients:
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 tablespoons water
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree*
1/3 cup grapeseed oil or melted coconut oil**
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
For the dry ingredients:
1 2/3 cups whole-grain spelt flour***
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (see tips below for link to recipe)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Heaping 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with large paper liners. (this is my favorite brand as they never stick!)
In a mug or small bowl, whisk together the chia seeds and water. Set aside for a few minutes to thicken.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (spelt flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth (chia mixture, pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and molasses).
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. No patches of flour should remain. Be sure not to overmix the batter as spelt is a delicate flour.
If using, stir in the chopped walnuts. You can also reserve some for garnish on top, like in the photos.
Divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin liners. They should be about 3/4 full or a bit more. Add any reserved walnuts on top and gently push down (optional).
Bake the muffins for 20-24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the muffins in the pan for 5-10 minutes, and then transfer each muffin onto a cooling rack until completely cool.
TIPS:
* If your pumpkin puree is a bit grainy, try throwing it into a food processor and processing it until smooth before making this recipe. Or you can beat it with electric beaters. This will simply prevent clumps in the dough.
** If using melted coconut oil, make sure that the rest of the wet ingredients are all at room temperature (do not use refrigerated milk, pumpkin, maple syrup, etc. as they will harden the coconut oil).
***I haven't tried these muffins with any other flour yet, but I expect that regular all-purpose flour will work (like in the loaf recipe). If you try any different flours please leave a comment with what you used and how it worked out!
One of the things I enjoy most about Sacramento is the cool evenings. No matter how warm the days get, the evenings cool off and most days we’re able to open the windows (minus a the few weeks of summer when it’s just hot.) Recently, these cooler evenings have pushed me more into heartier cooking. Mac and cheese, stews, and polenta. I actually prefer polenta to most things, primarily because it’s minimal ingredients and while I do cook it for some time, it’s mainly hands-off.
| Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |
In terms of kitchen equipment, I like to err on the side of minimal. I keep a few kitchen gadgets (primarily waffle maker, food processor, and stand mixer) but for the most part, I love recipes that use a pan, maybe two, and that’s it. I think that’s why I tend towards cooking more than baking- usually less mess and less clean-up. However, one extra pan I always have on hand is a wok because a stir fry happens at least twice a week (although more and more I’m just using my seasoned steel pans for stir fry too).
For the past couple seasons, I’ve been on the hunt for pumpkin pie spice mix. And I’ve been slowly going crazy not being able to locate it in any local grocery stores. Don’t they know how many they would sell from me alone?! I longed for the day I would cross paths with it, making a mental note to buy 10 if I ever did. Only that day never came and I went about my life smiling on the outside, but secretly feeling like a piece of me was missing. Until that beloved day when a recipe just fell into my lap!
I feel like fellow bloggers and cookbook authors, Nicole Axworthy and Lisa Pitman, get me. They know that vegan staples aren’t always offered in grocery stores (yes, I just called pumpkin spice mix a “vegan staple”…let’s go with it), and sometimes we want or need to make things in our own kitchen. In their new book, DIY Vegan, you’ll find more than 100 vegan recipes showing home cooks just how easy it is to create knock-offs of common store-bought staples, only without the sometimes scary ingredient lists. For the most part, I try to limit the amount of prepared foods that I purchase due to the unpronounceable ingredients many contain. And really, these foods don’t always leave me feeling my best. Yes, more and more brands are coming out with simple, whole-foods ingredient lists (hooray), but sometimes these brands aren’t accessible or they’re just plain old expensive. So, I enjoy making my own staples when time allows; especially if I can make a huge batch and store it for several months, like with this pumpkin pie spice mix. Major kitchen win!
As Nicole and Lisa say, "Seriously, are you going to pay extra for someone else to stir your spices? We didn’t think so. Make your own in seconds, make some for your friends, start a business selling your own spice-stirring services. And then eat pie."
In DIY Vegan, you’ll find vegan recipes like Buttermilk, Cashew Coffee Creamer, Simple Sour Cream, Coconut Yogurt, Cultured Nut Cheese, Whole-Grain and Seed bread, Cheesy Crackers, Taco Seasoning, Spelt Pizza Dough, and many more. I went straight for the Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix of course, and after falling in love I made a triple batch to keep on hand. It’s just so easy and flavourful, and now I never have to go without. If you noticed that super cute jar at the top of this post, you’ll see that it also makes a fun gift for the pumpkin pie spice mix lover in your life. Just place the spices into a tiny jar (you can layer it for fun), add some baker’s twine, and loop on a homemade tag. Wouldn’t this be a cute idea for a housewarming gift or a party favour? Or maybe I’m just weird. Rest assured, if you ever brought me this I would light up like a Christmas tree.
Coming up soon, I’ll be sharing a baked good that I created using this very pumpkin pie spice mix. You don’t want to miss this one, folks. It’s the seasonal baked good I promise you’ll want to whip up all season long. So go on and make this spice mix then meet me back here for Part 2! Deal?
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, nut-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I pack it in the teaspoon)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in an airtight container or jar. Attach lid and shake to combine. Store at room temperature for up to 6 months. Shake jar before each use.
Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin Photography
A big congrats to Nicole and Lisa on this beautiful cookbook, and for allowing me to share this recipe with you today! DIY Vegan is hot off the press this Tuesday, October 27th so be sure to check it out online and in bookstores!
After both kids are put to bed, Luise and I have this evening habit of pouring ourselves a glass of yogurt or chia pudding (or both) and then diving deep into our pantry drawers for whatever nuts, seeds, nut butters, oats, honey, fruit and berries that we can find to cover the yogurt with. Some nights we even treasure a piece of dark chocolate that we chop finely and dust over. It’s a fresh and quick weeknight snack/dessert that never looks the same and quite honestly is one of the best things we know.
During the summer months, we add heaps of fresh berries but lately we have been all about apples. Usually we just add them cold, but a while back we instead tried to heat up apples, seeds and nuts in a frying pan with butter, honey, ginger and cinnamon. The soft and warm apples + crunch mixed with fresh apple pieces, cold yogurt and a drizzle of hazelnut butter in between was absolutely terrific.
We often make a double batch of chia pudding and store in the fridge as it always come handy when the kids need a quick snack. You could prepare a quinoa or oat bircher and use as base in this recipe if you can’t find chia seeds.
Even though this is a weeknight dessert in our house, it would also work really well as a lighter dessert for fancier occasions. When layered in high glasses with a drizzle of maple or honey on top it sure looks impressive enough. Not to mention, the leftovers make a pretty bad-ass breakfast!
Chia Parfait & Autumn Apple Crunch
As always, adapt this recipe with seasonal ingredients of your choice; plums, peaches, pineapple, berries or pears could be great instead of apples. It’s easily made vegan by leaving out the yogurt or using coconut yogurt.
Chia pudding 1 cup oat milk or milk of your choice 5 tbsp chia seeds zest from ½ lemon
Warm apple crunch 1-2 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil 1-2 tbsp honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup 1 large apple ¼ cup / 60 ml sunflower seeds ¼ cup / 60 ml pumpkin seeds ¼ cup / 60 ml hazelnuts 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 pinch ground ginger 1 pinch sea salt
Elements for layering 6 small glasses full-fat plain yogurt or coconut yogurt nut butter chopped fresh apples bee pollen, optional
Preparing the chia pudding: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, set aside for 15-30 minutes and stir every now and then. You can add a few teaspoons honey or maple syrup if you prefer it a little sweet.
Preparing the warm apple crunch: Chop the apples into small dices. Heat butter and honey in a skillet. Add apples, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and hazelnut and spices and cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring every now and then until the apples are golden and soft and the seeds and nuts are crispy.
Layering: Place a few spoonfuls of chia pudding in the bottom of 6 small glasses. Then add a dollop of nut butter, followed by a few spoonfuls of yogurt. Finally top with the warm apple crunch mixed with a few fresh apple slices and a sprinkle of bee pollen. Drizzle over some extra honey or maple syrup if preferred. Enjoy!
Recipe first published on January 18th, 2010. Last updated on October 22nd, 2015.
Nearly six years ago I wrote this post and since then, it’s been one of my most popular post thanks to people searching for “Landmark Spinach Bisque.” I feel like it’s only right that I’m giving this post new life as I sit in Galesburg, showing Mack my old stomping ground (and visiting nearly all the family). It’s going to be a long shot but if you’re ever traveled through Galesburg, Illinois- you might have stopped at the Landmark. It’s one of the few staple restaurants Galesburg has and if my instagram feed is any indication, a place I go every time I’m home. The food is great and the atmosphere makes you feel like you’re not in some small town in the middle of Illinois.
Recipe first published on February 17th, 2012. Last updated on October 20th, 2015.
If you follow me on instagram, you probably already know that Mack and I are currently soaking up all things fall in Illinois (M is at home working, so I promised him I’d make a pie upon return). Coming home always brings with it a bit more nostalgia, especially during fall. The feel of the crisp air, watching the leaves change, and being curled up in my youth bed (which is a three-quarters antique four-post bed that creeks amazingly loud with every move). And so I’ve let my nostalgia spill over to the blog by sharing these tacos (and another recipe on Thursday). Both are a couple of my favorite recipes from the archives that have been updated with new information and new photos.
Last year my dear friend Karly mentioned that she started seeing a business coach. She was struggling to find balance with her quickly growing career while juggling a busy personal life, and found some much needed support and accountability with a coach. Consider me intrigued! I admire her for taking the initiative to get outside help with running her own business, and for gently planting the seed in my own mind. As I wrote in my last post, asking for help has never been my forte, but I’m lucky to be surrounded by many self employed friends who are always eager to share their sanity-saving tips.
Life got busier than ever with our new family and work. The business coach idea fell off my radar, as I didn’t think I could add one more thing to an already full plate. Looking back, it probably would’ve helped me more than it didn’t, but recently, it was as if the universe was giving me a gentle nudge to go for it. Don’t you love when that happens? First, our friend Chris mentioned his business coach, and what a great experience he’s had over the years. Then, I saw Karly recently and she told me she’s been seeing her coach for over a year now with amazing success (and I’ve noticed the positive changes, too). Well, that was it. In the words of my girl crush Mindy Kaling, Why not me?! I decided right then and there that I would make time to give it a shot.
Our first session started with an exploratory exercise. My coach presented me with “The Wheel of Life”. It has various labels on it like “career”, “fun”, “personal growth”, “money”, “significant other”, “health”, “friends/family”, etc. Then I rated each one on a numerical scale from least to most satisfaction. The poor little wheel was so imbalanced by the time I was finished. I wasn’t the least bit surprised since I’ve felt like a wagon with 3 wheels for a while now, but this exercise helped me decide on a few areas to improve. Even though my original intent was to focus on business, I realized that personal growth, or lack thereof, impacts every single area of my life. I think it makes sense to start with this area as I’m sure it’ll have a positive impact on all the other areas too. I’m in my early thirties, but I occasionally feel like my personal growth is stuck in the last decade (or on bad days, maybe my first decade of life, hah). Is this just me, or can you relate to that feeling?
I can’t even tell you how many insights I had in our first session. We set some goals in a few categories, and I came up with some potential solutions to issues. Before we met, I decided that I wasn’t going to sugar coat things or make excuses for myself; as a result, our conversation was authentic, passionate, real, and inspiring. One thing I love is the accountability that I now have to follow though with goals. Rather than simply saying, “oh I’d love to hire a team some day…”, I’m actively moving forward with the goal! I don’t want to stand in my own way anymore. It’s amazing how much we can hold ourselves back by telling ourselves the same stories each day. The question is – what would YOU do if you got out of your own way?
This is my favourite method for cooking butternut squash - chopping it into small cubes, and roasting until it's browned and slightly caramelized. I have to exercise some serious restraint not to eat the whole pan straight from the oven! I also include an easy recipe suggestion if you'd like to create a very simple fall salad. Roasted cubes of butternut squash are layered on a base of fluffy quinoa, and topped with creamy chopped avocado, sea salt, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It's simple, but delightful. Thank you to my friend Karly for inspiring this recipe. She brought this salad to a recent get together, and I knew I had to try recreating it at home. Lastly, my biggest tip for this dish is to make sure you season it properly. Quinoa and roasted squash will fall flat without a generous seasoning of sea salt, so don't be shy. I also like to keep some Herbamare on hand when serving so others can season with additional salt if desired. Be sure to see my tips below on the many ways that you can change up this salad!
Yield 4-6 servings
Prep Time 25 Minutes
Cook time 50 Minutes
Total Time 1 Hour, 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the roasted butternut squash:
1 large butternut squash (about 3-3.5lb) peeled, seeded, and diced (1/2-inch cubes, 8-9 cups chopped)
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, or oil of choice
Fine sea salt, to taste
For the salad:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 large avocado, pitted and chopped
Fresh lemon or lime juice, to taste
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread the chopped squash onto the baking sheets and drizzle on 1 tablespoon of oil over top each. Toss to coat. Spread the squash into an even layer, being careful not to overcrowd the squash, and garnish with a few pinches of sea salt.
Roast the squash until the bottoms are just starting to brown. For my oven, this takes about 50 minutes, but your time may vary. I recommend checking on it after 30 minutes, and then every 5-10 minutes after that. I don’t bother flipping it halfway through, but I do rotate the pans once half way through roasting as I have a hot spot in my oven. I find the squash tastes best when the bottoms are slightly browned (more than the photo shows).
For the salad: Prepare the quinoa once you have about 25 minutes left of roasting the squash. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and transfer to a medium pot. Add 1 3/4 cups water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 13-16 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender and fluffy. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and remove from heat. Season the quinoa to taste with a generous amount of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Keep the lid on until ready to use so it stays warm.
Pit and chop the avocado and have it ready to go just before assembly.
When the squash is finished cooking, spread the warm quinoa onto a platter (or you can simply combine everything in a large bowl). Top the quinoa with all of the (hot out of the oven) roasted squash, and finally the chopped avocado. Garnish with a couple more pinches of salt, and a small amount of fresh lemon juice (or lime juice) drizzled over top (or you can try lemon or lime zest for a twist). I use a light touch with lemon juice as it can quickly overwhelm the other flavors. Serve immediately.
Want to change this dish up? Here are some ideas on how you can create a new dish!
- Add some minced garlic to the cooked quinoa for a subtle garlic flavour
- Sprinkle on some garlic powder or nutritional yeast
- Add black beans, chickpeas, or any bean of choice for a boost of protein
- Try experimenting with spices like cumin + chili powder + cayenne; cinnamon + nutmeg; curry powder + coriander, etc.
- Switch it up and use lemon juice instead of lime juice, and vice versa
- Try sprinkling fresh minced herbs to finish, such as parsley or cilantro
- Switch up the grains - I think a small amount of rice would pair really well here
- Skip the avocado and sprinkle on my pecan parmesan for a nutty crunch
- Add finely shredded kale, chard, or spinach for a boost of green power
Recipe originally posted on November 23rd, 2012. Last updated on October 18th, 2015.
I am always amazed at what inspiration come from the food blog community. There are wise words of wisdom, quirky anecdotes, and most of all, tons of amazing food. Every day I check out my favorite blogs, I find myself make notes on things I wants to try or ideas I may have.
When I saw Shanna’s Thai Chicken Curry, I knew I wanted to make something spicy and fragrant. I wanted a big dish of comfort and that’s exactly what I got. I did a bunch of searching and finally settled on adapting this Tikka Masala (obviously without the tikka!)
Eating out is a grand seduction. From the moment I step into a restaurant, I am totally open and utterly surrendered to the experience. The first thing I notice when I enter is the smell – I actually like it to hit me with an assertive thwack – like someone proudly shouting a rainbow of aromas to my face that something amazing is happening in the kitchen. I love sitting down at the table, gently touching the cutlery, unfolding the napkin and placing it in my lap, the first exchange with the server, opening the menu. It’s all very weighty, very important, very ritualistic for me.
While I was on my cookbook tour, you can imagine that I ate out a lot. Mostly out of the necessity of not having a kitchen, but also because going to restaurants is a rare privilege for me and I’ll take any excuse. During my few harried days in New York City I went to dine at a new, hip joint in the west village that came highly recommended (although I’ll refrain from naming names). The place was packed with an intimidating blend of gorgeous locals and well-dressed, in-the-know tourists. The menu looked incredibly promising with Sarah B. favourites and buzz ingredients like chia seeds, cashew cheese, baby kale, and turmeric oil. I was explosive with anticipation. I immediately committed myself to the ivory lentil risotto with peas. I’d seen ivory lentils at the market before but never bought them, and had never had the revelation to try making “risotto” with them. I could feel my expectations soar and the desire pulsing between us. Hold me back!
The dish arrived, its scent wafting up from the pristine white bowl and pools of amber oil intermingling with green globes of seasonal spring perfection. I looked at my friends with great eagerness, dipped my spoon in and took the first bite.
The lentils were raw.
No, not al dente. Raw. Crunchy. Hard. Uncooked.
I rarely, rarely send something back to the kitchen, but because I was so seduced by the idea of this dish and it completely fell flat, I just had to. The lentils had obviously been cooked, but so far from properly cooked that it baffled me – what kind of chef would send a dish out like this unless by mistake? It must have been a mistake. I could feel myself loosing trust in this impeccably designed, obviously happening restaurant, but how could all of these hipsters be wrong?
The waiter returned and said that there was nothing wrong with the dish. The chef meant it to be that way. He placed the plate of cold food back on the table in front of me, smiled, turned, and left. I was crushed. After all we’d been through.
Although it has been months since this experience, I can’t shake it – the lunch bag letdown of a genius concept failing to meet its true potential, the fact that I was served undercooked legumes, and that I paid $ 30 for them. In order to right all of these wrongs, I headed to my local Indian grocer, bought some white lentils and made a date with my stove. What manifested was not just a better meal, but a new favourite one.
It’s pretty clear that I’m into making “risotto” out of anything besides rice, such as the Miraculous Riceless Risotto and the Inspirational Sunflower Seed Risotto, but I’m digging this new recipe for a lot of reasons. First, it’s grain-free and in my rice-loving life it’s nice to have an alternative. It’s very high in protein, something that I’m always mindful of as it is so important to balanced health. It cooks quickly so it’s perfect for a weeknight, and it’s endlessly customizable to the season simply by changing up the veggies on top. It’s divinely creamy, rich and velvety and so much like risotto (by far the closest I’ve come so far!). If you are looking for me this fall, you can find me tucked into a big bowl of this stuff. It’s like eating hugs.
Yum, Yum, Molybdenum Chances are you haven’t heard of molybdenum, but I will wager that you had to sound it out a couple times (let me help you: “muh-LIB-duh-num”). Moylbdenum is an essential trace mineral and happens to be wildly abundant in our pal, the lentil. It is found first in the soil where we grow our food and water, so healthy soil and groundwater is essential for healthy plants that contain good amounts of this stuff. In our bodies it is stored in the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands bones, and skin, but it is present in some amount in all of our tissues.
Molybdenum is important because it is part of several enzyme systems, the most notable being that of xanthine oxidase. Xanthine oxidase (XO) helps the liver mobilize iron for use in the body and aid uric acid metabolism. Molybdenum also helps us digest and assimilate carbohydrates and detoxify the body from exposure to sulfites.
Besides lentils, other sources of molybdenum include dried peas and beans, oats, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, cucumber, celery and eggs.
A few notes on the recipe.
First, white lentils are available at Indian grocery stores, but I’ve also seen them at Middle Eastern markets and online. If you can’t find white lentils, it’s good to know that they are also called urad daal or urid daal. To confuse you a little, the unhulled lentils themselves are called black lentils or black gram since their skins are completely black. It should be obvious, but I’ll advise against buying the unhulled kind or you will have a very different result – a black one to be precise. Because someone will inevitably ask if they can make this with any other colour of lentil, I will say a half-hearted yes, but I wouldn’t recommend anything other than red lentils due to their properties.
Second, you can definitely make this a vegan recipe by leaving out the cheese rind, but good golly, it really makes for some delicious eating. I also like a grate a bunch of pecorino over the top right before serving, but I’m pretty wild like that. Oh baby.
Third, I got pretty fancy and bought (not foraged – the shame!) wild mushrooms for this because I just love them so, but when I originally tested the recipe I used good ol’ brown button mushrooms and portobellos. Whatever mushrooms you choose the biggest secret to cooking them is not moving them too much. Like pancakes, grilled cheese, and I would imagine, a steak, don’t stir them for crying out loud. Get the pan pretty screeching hot, melt some ghee (or coconut oil), throw in the mushrooms, toss to coat, then just back away. Sure, you can watch them sizzle, talk to them, Instagram them, but do not touch them. The secret to really great mushrooms is a caramelized crust and that only happens with high heat and no mucking about. You are allowed to check the bottom of one (one!) after 3-4 minutes, but if there is no colour yet, flip it back until you have some serious golden going on. Also, don’t crowd the pan too much – this causes the mushrooms to steam instead of fry – an important distinction.
White Lentil Risotto Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups / 325g white lentils, soaked for 8-12 hours if possible
2 Tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
2 medium / 200g onions, finely diced
½ tsp. fine grain sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 rind Pecorino Romano, optional but delicious (a parmesan rind also works)
a generous grating of Pecorino Romano to garnish (optional but delicious)
4-5 cups / 1-1 ¼ liters vegetable broth
1lb. / 500g mixed mushrooms, cleaned of all dirt and debris, and roughly chopped (I chose golden and trumpet chanterelles, and oyster mushrooms, but any type work)
a few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed, plus a few for garnish
2-3 Tbsp. ghee, butter, or coconut oil
a couple pinches sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, optional
Directions:
1. Wash lentils well, drain and rinse until water runs clear. Set aside.
2. Melt ghee in a large stock pot. Add onions, salt and stir to coat. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the onions are softened and just starting to caramelize – don’t brown them too much or they will colour the dish! Add garlic, the lentils, 3 cups / 700ml vegetable broth and the cheese rind, if using. Stir well and make sure that the broth is covering the lentils by at least a few centimeters / half an inch. If not, add more. Bring to a simmer, stir and cover.
3. Over the next 30 minutes or so (cook time depends on whether or not you soaked the lentils), stir the pot every few minutes (this helps release the starch and add creaminess) and check the broth level, adding more as needed to just cover the lentils.
4. After about 20 minutes, start to prepare the mushrooms. Melt the ghee in a large skillet and add the mushrooms. Stir to coat and let them cook over high heat without touching them (!!!) for at least three or four minutes. Flip and repeat until golden on all sides. Add a touch more ghee, garlic, thyme leaves and to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, season with salt and pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar, if desired.
5. The lentils are done when they are tender but not mushy. The consistency of the dish should be very much like a classic risotto: creamy but a little loose, so make sure that there is enough stock in the pot. You’re looking for something more solid than a soup, but a tad thinner than a stew. Divide between plates, garnish with cheese and black pepper, place mushrooms on top and garnish with a sprig of thyme and more black pepper.
Show me your risotto on Instagram! #MNRwhitelentilrisotto
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Hey Danes!
I’m doing three events this month and I would love to see you there.
First, I will be the guest chef at the organic and hyper-local food restaurant Mad Mad Mad Bodega cooking and serving a total pumpkin orgy, giving a talk and signing books as well. Click the flyer for a link to learn more.
Secondly, I am giving two lectures on Nutrition Fundamentals (way more rad than it sounds!) with a Q&A at Books & Company. You can come to one of the talks or both. Click the flyer for a link to learn more.
I think one the hardest things to do when you have a baby is to tune out everyone else. There is advice, stories, and everything in between. It’s easy to get your hopes up or your fears churning, just by talking to one person. I was good at tuning most of it out but of course, I still had my hopes. For one, I hoped the baby weight would magically fall off of me (because that’s what I heard). The weight did drop but by week three, I had stalled and I was some distance away from my pre-baby self and I stayed that way for a few months.
To say I was disheartened is an understatement because I had heard this fact to be true from numerous sources. Given my past struggles with weight, I found it really easy to beat myself up over the slow weight loss. Eventually, after the dust settled down from the first few months, I’ve found a rhythm and my old relationship with food:a lot of vegetables, not so much sugar, and a good breakfast. I’ve shed a few more pounds and already am starting to feel like my healthy self again.
I only feel slightly bad that it’s only the middle of October and I’ve already shared a handful of sweet potato recipes. I’ve embraced fall full force even though Northern California is downright hot right now. This is an updated version of an older recipe on the site but it’s one that sees a regular rotation in our house. I’ll actually bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time, usually on Sunday. That way you only have to cook the vegetables and assemble everything on the weeknight.
To follow up from the delicata squash tacos I posted on Saturday, I wanted to share another (different) squash recipe. I think it’s easy to get blinded by the shear amount of butternut squash and pumpkin recipes out there when really, there’s a wide scope of delicious squash. Red kuri squash may look like a pumpkin but it’s nutty, pronounced flavor makes it perfect for standing on it’s own. Like the delicata, you can also eat the shell if you want. The nice thing about this recipe is you can choose to eat or not eat the skin (but still not have to peel!)
