Acorn Squash with Cranberry, Apple, Walnut Stuffing!

Good morning! And happy Friday :)

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? What delicious and healthy recipes are you making?

Today, I want to share a delicious autumn-inspired recipe that is perfect for Thanksgiving... or just anytime during the fall season. :)


















"Acorn Squash with Cranberry, Apple, Walnut Stuffing!"

Lately, we've been getting acorn squash in our weekly Abundant Harvest box!

Since I am not exactly familiar with using this winter squash, I decided to Google "acorn squash" for recipe inspiration!

When I am trying to find new recipes, I always search by photos... (please tell me I am not the only one that does this?) ;)

Anyways, I came across a delicious-looking acorn squash photo... and guess what? It was by one of my favorite chefs/authors/bloggers Elana Amsterdam.

(Other than the addition of walnuts, I followed her recipe exactly.)

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash
• boiling water
• 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into ¼ inch pieces
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Directions:

1. Cut squash in half and with a spoon, remove pulp and seeds.
2. In a large pyrex baking dish place squash cut-side down.
3. Pour ¼-inch boiling water into pyrex dish.
4. Place dish in oven and bake squash for 30 minutes at 350°.
5. In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, walnuts, cinnamon, and grapeseed oil to make stuffing.
6. Remove squash from the oven after 30 minutes.
7. Turn halves over and stuff center of each squash half with apple mixture.
8. Return to oven and bake for 30-35 minutes (or longer) until squash and apples are tender.

Serves 4

This recipe is perfect for any fall meal! This morning I had it for breakfast, with maple syrup for added sweetness!

Caramel Glazed Carrots and Pearl Onions

Good morning!

Did you realize that Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away?! :)

This year I am more excited than usual... probably because I've discovered a passion for food!! I've been searching everywhere for new holiday recipes to try...

And the other day I found this one... It looked delicious, healthy, & very Thanksgiving-y. :)

Of course, I wanted to make a few modifications.

Glazed Carrots & Pearl Onions
Ingredients:

• 2 packages baby carrots
• 3 tablespoons butter (I used EarthBalance)
• 1 package frozen pearl onions
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 ts. pepper
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce (I used this recipe)
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add carrots; cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain; set aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring, until onions are heated through, 4-5 minutes.

Add carrots, caramel topping, and mustard. Cook, stirring, until carrots are tender and vegetables are glazed, about 5 minutes.

*Serve immediately or store in fridge. 

 Recipe adapted from "Women's World" (November 15, 2010)

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts!

Happy Wednesday!

Brussels sprouts anyone? :) It seems like just the name of this vegetable has a negative connotation... (or is it just with Jon?)

Trader Joe's has been selling entire stalks of them for $1.99! I can't leave the store without picking one up. :) For some reason... it is much more fun to snap them off the stalk than to open up a plastic bag.

Way to go Trader Joe's!! for eliminating unnecessary packaging on this veggie.

Anyways, last night I roasted the entire stalk! I wanted to make enough to last for a couple days. :)

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

• stalk of brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt to taste

Chop brussels sprouts and toss with olive oil. Add salt to taste. Roast in oven at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Transfer to fun dish...

 

 Ta-daa! So simple, yet delicious. 

 

One thing I love about veggies is that you can eat as much as you want! :)

Immune System Booster Juice

*This morning, my mom juiced up a delicious immune system-boosting cocktail. We've both been fighting colds... but this should definitely help us get better quickly!

Ingredients:
(makes 8 ounces)

3 carrots chopped into ¼" pieces
1 stalk of celery chopped into ¼" pieces
1 apple chopped into ¼" pieces
½ cucumber chopped into ¼" pieces
½ beet with the greens, beet chopped into ¼" pieces
½ handful of wheatgrass
½ handful of parsley

Directions:
Juice a carrot and half of an apple. Follow with the wheatgrass and parsley. To juice the wheatgrass and parsley, roll each into a beat leaf and juice. Next juice the beets and the cucumber and finish with the carrots and apple

Recipe source: Organic Authority

It is quite possibly the best juice I've had... Thank you Mom!!!

Kitchen Project: Spice Jars!

Happy Thursday!

Does anyone do crafty things in the kitchen? I never really thought about it... (Because a kitchen is for cooking & baking, right?) That was until today. :)

I decided to give the spice rack an easy make-over! Even though I've had it for years... I just now decided that the jars should have a little more ummm, personality.

 

Materials Used: Black & white "puff paint" (Dimensional Fabric Paint) 

So easy & fun! Sometimes it's the simple things... :)

Pumpkin Pie Ice Box Cake!!!

I was genuinely excited to pull the (raw vegan) Pumpkin Pie Ice Box Cake out of the freezer tonight!

I used to love pumpkin pie when I was younger... but then I started avoiding it when I learned that it wasn't that great for one's health.

However, now that I know how to make things with better ingredients... I love it even more!!!

For the Crust:
Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup date pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
In a food processor, blend the nuts until evenly ground. Add the dates, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt and continue to blend until it begins to form a ball. Remove the dough and press into a baking pan.

For the Cake:
Ingredients:

• 4 cups raw pumpkin, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup macadamia nuts
• 1 cup raisins, soaked in water, just to soften
• 4 to 6 pitted dates
• 1 cup agave
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Place the pumpkin, macadamia nuts, raisins, dates, agave, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into the pie crust and freeze!

For the Icing:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup young coconut pulp, packed
• 1/4 cup shredded, dried coconut
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons agave, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Blend the coconut, water, and agave until smooth and creamy. Then add the cacao butter and coconut oil. Pour over frozen cake! (And then put the entire thing back in the freezer.)

Crust & Cake recipes were adapted from here.

Icing was "White Chocolate Coconut Cream" from "Just Desserts."