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If you’ve always reserved butternut squash for roasting and soups here is a new recipe for you.    I’ve never been a huge fan of coleslaw, usually its too sweet and so laden with dressing that it’s a soggy mess.  This is a version of coleslaw that I can really get into, sweet, crunchy and utterly refreshing.  Butternut squash julienned into whisper thin slices, dressed lightly with a sweet vinaigrette and topped with cranberries and sunflower seeds it’s the perfect alternative to any slaw.  It’s low calorie, chock full of nutrients and vegan so it makes the perfect potluck or party salad to take along.  If you don’t have a julienne slicer use a large box grater instead, it won’t be quite as pretty but will still be delicious!  If you don’t need it to be vegan a little crumbled feta or goat cheese would make it more substantial and be a nice counterpoint to the sweetness.  

Butternut squash slaw

Ingredients:

• 3 cups butternut squash (about 1/2 of a 2 lb squash)
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Peel the butternut squash, use a box grater or julienne peel to get 3 cups of butternut and place in a medium sized bowl.  Combine the honey, apple cider vinegar olive oil and lemon.  Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning as needed, you may want to add more lemon or honey.  Add the parsley, cranberries and sunflower seeds to the butternut squash, top with the dressing and gently toss.

I love using kale in my salads.  You need to work the dressing into the leaves a little bit more but it doesn’t wilt like most salad greens and does a great job of standing up to assertive ingredients.  I’ve made this salad many time since and the one addition I would highly recommend is some dices avocado, it makes for a more filling lunch and the creaminess of the avocado pairs nicely with the tartness of the grapefruit.

Grapefruit is high in enzymes that is thought to aid in weight loss as well as an excellent source of Vitamin C and antioxidents.  It is also believed to help lower cholesterol, treat common colds, improve liver function and boost immunity.  Health benefits aside, I have come to realize that there is so much more to grapefruit than cutting one in half and attacking it with a spoon.  Enjoy!

Click the link below for the full recipe

Kale, grapefruit and coconut salad

This edamame dip is rich in protein, filling, fresh and absolutely delicious.  Bright green and sprinkled with some toasted sesame seeds it’s great as the centerpiece of a vegetable platter but also delicious on sandwiches, in a wrap or anywhere that you would use hummus.  Feel free to substitute the parsley with cilantro or basil or use tahini instead of the avocado.  

Edamame Dip

Ingredients:

• one 14 ounce bag of frozen edamame
• 1/4 ripe avocado
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon miso
• 1 teaspoon red chili paste
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• black sesame seeds for garnish

Method:

Cook edamame in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 4-5 minutes.  Drain reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Place the edamame, avocado, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, miso, chili paste, olive oil, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid into a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth and creamy, adding some additional cooking liquid if too thick. 

Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with raw veggies, rice crackers or pita chips.

Skip the boxed cereal and make your own!  This is a recipe that I created for Bliss but it’s just too good not to share it with you all.  This is granola with a twist, it substitutes quinoa for the traditional oats for a super crunchy high protein breakfast to start your day the right way.

If you’ve never cooked with quinoa it is actually a seed and related to the beet and chard family not a true grain.  It is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids and has 6 grams of dietary fiber per serving.  Besides lending a lovely spicy note, pumpkin is a great substitute for some of the fat called for in most recipes.  If you want a more traditional granola substitute 2 cups of oats for 2 cups of the quinoa and feel free to add raisins, cranberries or a different nut to the mix once it has cooled.  Click the link below for the full post and recipe.  Enjoy!

Crunchy pumpkin quinoa cereal

Pasta doesn’t have to be a thing of the past when you combine soba noodles and rich meaty shitake mushrooms with a sweet salty soy dressing.  Pasta is not really the problem, it’s usually all the meat and cheese that we pile on top of it that gets us in trouble when we hit the scale.  As much as I love a plate of pasta with a rich creamy sauce I know that I can’t indulge very often.  That’s where turning to other cultures can be such an inspiration.  

Japanese food is something that I’ve been surrounded by my whole life.  My mother is from Okinawa and even though she always cooked macaroni and cheese and meatloaf for the rest of the family I have developed a love for the ingredients and cooking styles she usually reserved for herself.  I always thought it was a treat in the summer when she would make a delicious dashi stock and me and my sister would slurp ice cold noodles through our chopsticks on a hot summer day.  This is the kind of dish that I know she would like, simple, fast and not too fussy.  This one’s for you mom, I hope you like it.

Shitake Soba noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces shitake mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces soba noodles
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sriacha (you can use less if you want it less spicy)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 cup pea shoots

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pan and saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and have softened about 4-5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside while you prepare the noodles.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions.  Drain and toss in bowl with mushrooms.

Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sriacha and sesame oil and then add to the bowl with the soba and mushrooms.  Garnish with the pea shoots and serve.

Happy Monday!  For those of you that don’t know,  I have another little home on the internet at Bliss and once a week I post a recipe for my friend Mrs. French.  I thought I’d start sharing my posts from Bliss here as well.  If you’ve never visited the site you should take a look around, it’s a lovely blog full of amazing photos and finds.

This sandwich features savory roasted broccolini with a spicy white bean spread, topped off with a sweet meyer lemon and fennel relish.  It’s very adaptable and all the components are delicious by themselves.  I can eat a bowl of roasted broccolini all by itself anytime but this really satisfies my craving for a big messy sandwich without weighing me down.  To make it vegan just omit the egg and if you need a gluten free option you can put all the components in a brown rice tortilla and make a wrap out of it.  Click on the link below for the full post and recipe

Roasted broccolini sandwich with meyer lemon relish

We finally got some snow here in Portland although it only lasted a few hours it was truly beautiful for a short while.  Growing up in California I’ve spent very little time in the snow and I’m always struck by how still and silent the world seems when it is blanketed in white.  While I was sloshing through all the slush left over from our little storm I started dreaming about a nice warm comforting bowl of soup.  Since I’ve been trying to avoid meat, dairy, gluten and sugar I had to think about my usual bowl of soup a little differently.  I thought maybe a coconut based soup with some Indian spices and then I found this recipe from my favorite blogger Heidi Swanson and dinner was served.

Lentils are a great source of protein, don’t need to be soaked before cooking and an entire cup of cooked lentils contains just 200 calories.  This soup tastes rich and decadent but won’t weigh you down.  To bulk it up a little bit more you could serve it with some quinoa or brown rice or maybe a nice spoonful of yogurt.

Red lentil coconut soup

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:

• 2 cups red split lentils
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chili, finely chopped, including seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh peeled and minced ginger 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup tomato paste 
• 7 cups water
• 1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Method:

Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pan and add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened and start to take on some color.  Add the garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture is toasty and fragrant.  Add the water, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes adding the lime juice at the end of cooking.  Taste and adjust with more salt or more lime juice if desired.  Serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and some extra limes on the side.

Here we are, day 6 in our 7 days of smoothies.  This is a slightly decadent but still low calorie and delicious smoothie. This is a great combination for boosting your immunity levels.  Both pineapple and coconut milk are anti-bacterial, and  are rich in vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and antioxidants.   Stay tuned tomorrow, I’m saving my personal favorite for last!

Avocado smoothie

makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/4 avocado peel removed
• 1/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
• ice if desired

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.