date citrus flatbreads

adapted from A Decade of Cooking the Costco Way
This is a perfect appetizer for holiday parties

makes 8 generous servings
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 naan (or other flatbread, can also use 2 medium-large premade pizza crusts)
2 tangelos, navels, or clementine mandarins (these are the easiest), peeled, segmented and cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup pitted and chopped Mejool dates
1 tsp dried (or 2 tsp fresh) rosemary
2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
(if you are a Green Barn shopper then look no further for all your ingredients)

1. Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle salt over the onions, and cook 20 minutes, until the onions are a rich brown color (and smell really good!)

2. Preheat the oven broiler to low.

3. Sprinkle mozzarella over flatbreads. Place under broiler until cheese starts to melt, about 2 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and top with caramelized onions, citrus pieces, dates and rosemary. Sprinkle with feta.

5. Place under broiler for another minute or until toppings are hot and the bread browns slightly. Cut into pieces and serve.

roasted brussels sprouts

Last week I had said to stay tuned for more Thanksgiving recipes. Unfortunately, in the meantime, my camera memory card was misplaced (or it may have been taken out of one slot in the computer and jammed into the disk drive by some little person. At least that is what we have deducted so far with our sluething skills). Without that I can't take pictures! This has been a little frustrating because I have had a few recipes to post but no picture. My mom came to the rescue and let me borrow her camera which isn't quite the same but will definitely work in a pinch.

adapted from Food and Wine. The honey-caraway-lime dressing adds and Asian flare to a traditional dish

4-6 servings

2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
1/4 cup shredded carrot
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 425. In a large bowl, toss the halved brussels sprouts with the olive oil and season them with salt. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are tender and crisp on the edges. 

2. Meanwhile, in small skillet, toast the caraway and fennel seeds until they are fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a grinder (I used a very well rinsed out coffee bean grinder but if you happen to have a spice grinder have at it). Let cool before grinding to a fine powder.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the carrot with the lime juice, honey, garlic, and spice powder. In a large bowl, toss the hot brussels sprouts with the dressing, green onions, mint and cilantro. Season with additional salt if desired.

roasted acorn squash and beet salad

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
This is a great make-ahead salad. The beets, squash, and dressing can all be prepped ahead and refrigerated overnight

makes 6-8 servings
1 lb small beets
1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-in slices
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil

3 cups mixed greens
1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400. Tightly wrap beets in foil. Place on middle oven shelf. Roast 45-60 minutes, or until tender when tested with a sharp knife. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Peel and set aside.
2. Place squash slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Place on middle oven shelf and roast 15 minutes. Drizzle 1/3 cup maple syrup over squash, and roast another 10 minutes, or until tender; cool.
3. To make dressing, in a small bowl whisk the mustard, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup maple syrup together. Add 1/3 cup olive oil and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. To assemble, place salad greens in the middle of a large plate. Arrange beats and squash on top. Pour half the dressing over salad. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Pass remaining dressing.

maple mascarpone mashed yams

This recipe came about as a result of me not being satisfied with another yam recipe I tried; it just wasn't quite it.  This combination grew in my mind and I must say it is really tasty (and simple).

makes about 6 servings

5 small yams or one ginormous one  (yes I know that's not really a word) or however many you need to serve the number of people you are feeding

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (more or less to taste, available at the Green Barn in the dairy section. It is the most delicious sweet cream cheese)

1/4 cup maple syrup (more or less to taste)

sage leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Bake yam(s) directly on oven rack (with a pan underneath to collect any drippings) until soft (my huge one took about 2 hours). Let cool slightly. Peel off skin and mash.

2. Add mascarpone and maple syrup to taste.

3. Reheat in oven or on stovetop.

4. If you want a little garnish, heat some olive oil in a small skillet and fry sage leaves for a few minutes, until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

kale and apple soup

adapted from thekitchn.com

This soup provides a healthy dose of greens with a little indulgence in the form of bacon and crème frîache (if you so desire). Even the kids loved it.

serves 4
1/4 cup cubed bacon
1 large bunch kale
4 cups chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
1/4 cup crème frîache, mascarpone cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt (The Green Barn has them all!)
freshly ground black pepper

1. Wash kale and remove bottom 1" of stem. Chop roughly into 1" pieces.

2. In a stock pot over medium heat, sautée the bacon for 1 minute. Add the kale and stir to coat with rendered fat. Add a bit of olive oil if kale sticks to pan. Cook, stirring, until kale begins to wilt. Add 2 cups chicken stock, lower heat to medium-low and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer mixture to blender. Let cool slightly then puree. (I am always nervous about having liquids explode out due to one past experience, but if you hold down the lid with a kitchen towel it should be fine). If blender is more than half full you will need to reserve some to make room for the next step.

4. In the same skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and cook onions with salt until just barely showing color. Add chopped apples and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until apples soften and onions are translucent. Transfer mixture to blender.

5. If working in two batches (if you doubled the recipe or if you have a small blender), add half the remaining chicken stock (1 cup), cover and puree until smooth. If working in one batch, add all the remaining stock and puree until smooth. 

If soup seems too thick, add more stock or water until it reaches the desired consistency.

Garnish with a dollop of crème frîache, mascarpone cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt and a few grinds of black pepper.

quinoa salad with yams and apples

adapted from Food and Wine
Another fall salad we just tried. Although hearty enough for a light lunch also makes a light and refreshing appetizer or side dish.

serves 10-12 (I halved the recipe)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 1/2 pounds yams, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 large granny smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 cups baby greens (about 6 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Add the quinoa and toast over moderate heat. stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 16 minutes (if all water is absorbed sooner, add additional 1/2 cup). Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa, spread it out on a baking sheet and refrigerate at 20 minutes or more.
2. Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the yams with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until golden and softened. Let cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 6 Tbsp. of oil with the vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Add quinoa, yams, apples, parsley, onion and greens. Toss well and serve.

note: to make ahead prepare quinoa and yams. They can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

caramelized squash salad with pistachios and goat cheese

a tasty and elegant fall salad adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

I've said before that I REALLY want to love goat cheese. There are so many tasty looking recipes that call for goat cheese. I try to be adventurous, but is has been difficult to acquire a taste for it. This salad looked very good so I decided to go for it. I chose a honey goat cheese which was so creamy and mild (and may I say delicious?). Even the kids ate a little because I didn't mention the goat word :)

makes 6-8 servings
*Ingredients

1 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (1 tsp. or so dried can do in a pinch)
1 1/2 lb squash (I used delicata), peeled (not necessary with delicata), seeded, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
6-8 cups mixed greens (I used organic spring mix) or whatever amount looks right
1/2 cup roasted salted pistachio nuts
3 oz goat cheese (can substitute feta if you must) :)

1. For marinade, in a small bowl stir together orange juice, maple syrup, mustard, and ginger. Set aside 1/2 cup for salad dressing. Place squash in a large resealable bag and pour remaining marinade over squash. Seal bag and marinate, refrigerated, for 1-4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400. Coat a large baking sheet with thin layer of oil or nonstick cooking spray.
Drain squash, discarding marinade, and place on prepared baking sheet. Roast squash until tender and lightly browned in spots, 26-30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. For the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the reserved marinade, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil. Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp. of dressing over the warm squash; toss to combine. In a large bowl combine the mixed greens and half the pistachios. Toss with half the dressing. Gently toss roasted squash into salad. Top with remaining pistachios and dollops or crumbles of goat cheese. Pass remaining dressing.
* as usual almost everything can be found at the Green Barn! Only the orange juice isn't available, unless you squeeze your own.

citrusy mashed squash with toasted pecans

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients
3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup sour cream (or 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese. I REALLY want to try this but didn't have it on hand)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel, plus some reserved for garnish (from 1 medium orange)
2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel, plus some reserved for garnish (from 2 small lemons)
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp snipped fresh sage
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
      sliced green onion and/or fresh sage leaves

1. In large pot cook squash in lightly salted boiling water, covered, 16-17 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in small skillet over medium heat, whisking constantly until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Transfer half the squash into blender or food processor. Add butter, sour cream, maple syrup, orange and lemon peels, salt, and pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Place remaining squash in a bowl; add pureed mixture. Mash slightly. Stir in fresh sage.
3. Top with pecans, green onion and/or sage leaves, and citrus peel.

red cabbage stir fry with coconut/baked yams with maple ricotta

I have to say that these 2  side dishes complement each other very well, both in color and taste.

red cabbage stir fry with coconut
adapted from Food and Wine
(wow, can someone remind me to make sure the photo turns out before eating the presentation?)

 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp oil (I happened to have some mustard seed oil on hand so I used that. coconut would work well but you can use what you have)
1 tsp mustard seeds (or ground mustard)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1 2-lb red cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt
3/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 chile stemmed and coarsely chopped (I omitted except for some fresh as garnish for the lovely photo above)
1/2 cup finely shredded dried coconut

1. In a large deep skillet, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook over moderate heat for about 30 seconds. Add cumin and curry leaves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cabbage and turmeric and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the water and cook until water is evaporated and cabbage is tender, 5-6 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mash garlic, coconut, and remaining 1/4 cup of water into a paste (if using chile pulse together in a blender). Add to skillet and toss to coat the cabbage. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Season with salt and serve.

baked yam with maple ricotta
adapted from Woman's Day

for each serving:
1 8-oz yam or sweet potato (I'm partial to yams for their color especially)
1/2 cup ricotta
1 tsp maple syrup
large pinch cinnamon
2 Tbsp chopped pecans

1. Bake yams. You can place unwrapped yams directly on the oven shelf, just make sure there is a pan beneath to catch drippings. I baked mine at 300 for a couple hours until very soft.
2. mix together ricotta, maple syrup and cinnamon (I could just eat this on its own!)
3. Cut yams open and top with mixture and sprinkle with nuts.

Breakfast (part 2)

chocolate avocado pudding
"What??" you may say? Don't knock it until you try it for youself. Here is a way to have a breakfast that is truly a treat yet also rich in nutrients and healthy fats. Delicious served with fruit and for an extra indulgence serve with whipping cream and possibly some orange zest.

Ingredients:

2 large avocados (ripe but not over ripe)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cocoa

3 Tbs coconut oil, melted

1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides several times. Taste and adjust flavors if needed. If it needs some more liquid add a bit more oil or a splash of milk.

cocoa banana berry "ice cream"
a fun twist on a smoothie that is very fun to eat

In a blender or food processor blend 2 frozen bananas 1 cup berries (if omitting berries add additional 2 frozen bananas), 1 Tbsp cocoa, 1/4-1/2 cup yogurt (as much as is needed to reach the right consistency), and 2 tsp honey (optional, especially if using vanilla yogurt)


               animal pancakes

So not the most skilled presentation but it's a start ;)
Can you tell it's a giraffe? Good thing kids are pretty imaginative
There are way many fun ideas online...

an elephant as requested by our little guy

I started with a recipe for whole wheat pancakes:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flower
1 T baking powder
3 Tbsp raw or brown sugar
2 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
1 1/2 cups milk
3 Tbsp oil (or 2 Tbsp applesauce and 1 Tbsp oil)

1. Mix all the above ingredients (except egg whites), then fold in beaten egg whites.
2. Pour batter into squeeze bottle (I used a wilton bottle with the top of a honey bottle).
3. Heat butter or oil in pan or on a griddle (someday I'd love one!)
4. Get creative with animals or shapes. If the kids are old enough they would love to make some too! Our daughter enjoyed making some "blobs" for me to eat. Turn when crisp and golden and cook until done. Add chocolate chips or raisins for eyes.

apple pie oatmeal

serves 4
Ingredients:
1 apple, cored and chopped (skins on)
2 cup water (or milk)
1 cup oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Bring the liquid to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the oats, apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Adjust heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. That's all there is to it. Serve it with a splash of milk and a little or a lot of brown sugar sprinkled on top.