Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup

(I made with sweet potato instead of pumpkin and carrot - still delicious)

·         1 small pumpkin (or 1 can of pumpkin puree)

·         1 medium butternut squash (about 1 lb)

·         Butter or olive oil for brushing

·         Salt and  black pepper

·         1 medium onion (chopped)

·         1 celery stalk (chopped)

·         2 carrots (chopped)

·         3 garlic cloves (minced)

·         6 cups chicken broth

pepper powder if desired is great too 

Preparation:

·         To roast pumpkin and squash, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Halve squash and remove seeds.  Wrap in foil and place on baking sheet.  Brush with melted butter (or olive oil) and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender enough for the flesh to be scooped out with a spoon.

·         Another option is to sauté the pumpkin and squash.  To do this, peel and cube, and then cook until soft with the other vegetables (see next step)

·         Heat butter or olive oil over medium-high heat.  Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic until tender (about 10 minutes).  If you did not roast the pumpkin/squash, add cubes at the same time as other vegetables.  If roasted, scoop the pumpkin/squash into a pot once vegetables are tender.  Add 5 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.  

Remove from heat and then puree soup in a blender until smooth.  For a chunkier soup, set aside some of the veggies to incorporate after the rest of the soup is pureed.  Stir in1/4 cup cream and add the more chicken stock until the soup is almost the consistency you want.  Season to taste.  Suggested spices: curry or chili powder, garlic powder, salt/pepper.  Cinnamon or nutmeg gives it a more holiday taste.

Acorn Squash Soup

Acorn Squash Soup with Kale (yummy!)

Found on http://www.marthastewart.com/326547/acorn-squash-soup-with-kale

Look for squash with smooth skins and no soft spots or blemishes. They should also feel heavy for their size.

• PREP: 30 MINS
  TOTAL TIME: 30 MINS
• SERVINGS:4

305

INGREDIENTS

• 4 strips bacon, 4 ounces, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound kale, thick stems removed, leaves finely chopped (about 8 cups)
• 4 cups Acorn Squash Puree (make by cooking squash in oven or microwave oven until tender; put in food processor with 2 T butter or coconut oil, salt and nutmeg)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1

   Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside.

2. STEP 2

   Add onion to fat in pan, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add kale; cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. STEP 3

   Add squash puree and 3 cups water (or more if necessary to achieve desired consistency); bring just to a boil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with reserved bacon.

Raw Cheesecake - loved by everyone

Raw cheesecake recipe

From http://www.therawtarian.com/raw-cheesecake-recipe

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Posted in: Raw Cakes, Cookies and Bars, Raw Holiday Recipes

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5

Crust ingredients:

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (or a combination of walnuts and/or macadamia nuts)

1/2 cup dates

1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1 pinch sea salt

White cheesecake filling ingredients:

3 cups cashews (soak in a bowl of water for an hour for a creamier filling)

3/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup agave or honey

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup of water, if necessary to facilitate blending. use as little as possible. (optional)

Fruit topping ingredients:

2 cups frozen strawberries

1/2 cup dates

Nutrition Facts

Per 81 g (3 oz) suggested serving

Amount		% Daily
Calories	319	13 %
Protein	5 g	9 %
Fat	25 g	33 %
Carbohydrate	23 g	7 %
Dietary Fiber	2.3 g	7 %
Sugars	16 g

Source: USDA, The Rawtarian

More Nutrition

Directions

How to make this raw cheesecake recipe...

1. Throw the macadamia nuts, salt and dates into your food processor. (Don't add the coconut!!) Process nuts and dates until well processed but still airy.

2. Next, get our your cheesecake pan (or just a basic glass brownie pan if you're like me and don't have fancy cookware) and sprinkle the coconut on the bottom as your very first layer. The point of doing this is to make it so it's easier to remove the cheesecake and the coconut stops the crust from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then press the macadamia nuts and date mixture down into the pan to form the crust.

3. Drain cashews. Throw all cream-cheese filling ingredients into your high-speed blender or food processor and blend! Add as little water as necessary to facilitate blending. (Try to add as little water as possible.) Pour mixture on top of crust.

4. Place the above in freezer for an hour or so (so that it will firm up).

5. Meanwhile, throw your strawberries and dates in your high-speed blender. Blend until nice and smooth. Pour this mixture on top of the crust/creamcheese, which was just in the freezer for about an hour. Place the raw cheesecake recipe back in freezer. Freeze until this raw cheesecake recipe reaches the desired consistency (5 hours or so!).

6. Defrost this raw cheesecake recipe for about a half-hour before eating (or just slice from freezer and enjoy this delicious raw cheesecake)!

OPTIONS:

1.  I made my crust with almonds

2.  I made a chocolate topping out of canned coconut milk/cocoa/rum flavoring/honey.  Topped it with raspberries and flaked coconut. 

Chicken Salad
Carrots, organic chicken chunked, apples, bacon bits, walnuts, raw honey, sea salt and pepper over spinach leaves.

Thanks to Erin Georgina

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TART

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PREP TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

15 mins

Author: Vanessa @VeganFamilyRecipes.com

Recipe type: Vegan, Gluten-free, Raw

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Walnuts (raw, unsalted)
• ½ cup Almonds (raw, unsalted)
• 1½ cups Dates (pitted)
• 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
• Salt
• 2 cups Coconut Cream (from 2 cans coconut milk)
• 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 4 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
• ½ cup Cashews (raw, unsalted)
• ⅓ cup Chocolate Chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Line a 10" pie, tart, or springform with parchment paper.
2. Pulse walnuts, almonds, pitted dates, coconut oil and a pinch of salt in a food processor to make crust dough. This should be crumbly and sticky.
3. Firmly press crust mixture into tart form, forming a 1 inch raised border.
4. Add 2 cups coconut cream (not coconut milk), cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and cashews to food processor and again pulse until smooth.
5. Pour filling into pie form and place in refrigerator.
6. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until filling has set and become firm.
7. (Optional) Once filling is firm lightly press chocolate chips on top before serving.

NOTES

1) Nuts for crust can be varied as long as 1½ cups raw nuts are used. Try hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, macadamia etc. I don't recommend cashews for the crust.
2) Only cashews can be used for the filling.
3) Get 2 cups of coconut cream by scooping out the thick cream layer of 2 cans of coconut milk that as been sitting for at least 2 hours.
4) Tart will keep in fridge for 3 days.

* Note that not all powdered sugars are vegan. In fact, most aren’t. However, Hain Organic Powdered Sugar is! Same goes for chocolate chips. Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are by far the best vegan-friendly option.

Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies of Against All Grain

Author: Danielle Walk

http://glutenfreeeasily.com/real-deal-chocolate-chip-cookies-from-against-all-grain-by-danielle-walker/er

Recipe type: Dessert

 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup palm shortening or grassfed butter
• ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1½ cups blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup dark chocolate pieces (just chop up a dark chocolate bar)
• ¼ cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, cream the palm shortening, coconut sugar, honey, egg, and vanilla for about 15 seconds until smooth and fluffy.
3. Add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt and mix again until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed in order to incorporate all of the flour. Pulse once or twice more.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
5. Place golf-ball sized balls of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a SilPat. Using another sheet of parchment on top of the dough, flatten them slightly with the palm or your hand or a spatula. The cookies don’t spread much so create the size and thickness you want prior to baking them.
6. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges.

Notes

Serves one dozen. These keep best in an air-tight container in the fridge.

If you don’t have a food processor, put a couple of cups of your almond flour in a blender or coffee grinder and give it a few pulses. Careful not to go too far or you will have almond butter. Then make the dough in a stand-mixer or bowl with electric beaters.
Measure the 1½ cups almond flour after you’ve ground it.


If you plan to double this recipe, reduce the coconut flour by 1 teaspoon (so you would use 3 tbs + 2 tsp).


I do not like these with coconut oil. Palm shortening makes them chewy. If you’re going to sub it out, my first suggestion would be grass-fed butter.


I like the flavor complexity with using 2 different types of chocolate, but you’re welcome to use whatever you’d like.


The palm sugar gives the cookies a “brown-sugar” like taste that the original chocolate chip cookie has. You can try using all honey, but because it is liquid, the texture and flavor will change slightly.

Freeze-and-Bake Instructions
1.Make the dough as described above
2.Gather it into a large ball and roll it into a log
3.Tightly wrap the log in parchment paper, then twist the ends to secure
4.Freeze for up to 6 months
5.Preheat oven to 325 degrees then slice off desired amount of cookies
6.Place dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes

*cookies will hold their small round shape when baked this way

Apple and Almond Snacks

(Amounts are approximates.  This is one that I just eyeball and adjust as necessary.)

5 apples

2 cups almonds

½-1 box raisins – I prefer golden

Cinnamon to taste

Cloves  to taste (a little goes a long way)

½ t-1 t Vanilla

1 T water

1.        Cut apples in half and scoop out core to create sort of bowl

2.       Dehydrate over night at 135 degrees.  Can use oven if no dehydrator

3.       Blend almonds in food processor until chopped well (not to a power).  Add raisins, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla to taste.   Blend until it is thoroughly mixed.  Add a ½ T water and mix till is starts balling up.  Use  a little more water if needed. 

4.       Take scoops of mixture and pack onto the apples.  Put back in dehydrator for another hour or so till warm. 

5.       Great served warm or chilled.

I also will make just the almond mixture into balls and have as a healthy snack/candy.  Love it!