Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Here's another great fall recipe, perfect for these cold rainy days we seem to be having. Sweet potatoes make a great substitute for the squash, if you don't have any on hand. Serve with crusty bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped (use a sharp knife!)
• 2-3 apples, cored and chopped (use whatever type of apples you have on hand - I don't bother peeling them)
• 1 Tbps. curry powder
• 4 C. vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• sour cream or nonfat greek yogurt, for serving
• chopped green onions, for garnish

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the squash, apples, and curry powder, and saute for 5 more minutes until lightly browned.

 Add the vegetable stock and cover the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the soup for about 20-30 minutes, until the squash and apples are very tender. 

Move the soup to a blender to puree (I love my Vitamix) or use an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a few chopped green onions.

Baked Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin

I first got this recipe from my sister Karen, who actually made it for me over the summer with blueberries and coconut. But since it's fall now, pumpkin is the perfect ingredient. This makes 6-8 servings, so it was easy to reheat some of the leftovers for a quick, filling breakfast on a busy weekday morning. Karen loves to have hers with a splash of almond milk on top, but regular milk also makes a nice compliment.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter
1.5 C steel-cut (Irish) oats
1 C. pureed pumpkin
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
pinch of salt
2 C. milk
2 C. water

Heat a dutch oven, or other large oven-safe saucepan with lid, over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the oats and saute about 1 minute, until they begin to smell a little nutty.

Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt, and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk and water and stir to combine. Cover and place in an oven heated to 350 degrees. Cook for about 25-30 minutes in the oven, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the oats are tender. Serve hot, with a splash of milk on top.

Pumpkin-Filled Crepes

I made these crepes for breakfast on a chilly fall morning. The filling isn't too sweet, but it does sort of remind me of pumpkin pie!

Ingredients:

for the crepes (based on Emmy's recipe):

• 1 C. AP flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. each of nutmeg and cloves
• 1 C. milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted (plus a little extra melted better for the pan)

for the filling:

• 1 C. pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 C. nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. each of nutmeg and cloves
  
• cinnamon sugar, for garnish

To make the crepe batter: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and spices. In a smaller bowl or measuring cup, mix the milk, eggs, and melted butter. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously to be sure there are no lumps. Set the batter aside while you make the filling.

To make the filling: mix the pumpkin, yogurt, maple syrup, and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the crepes: Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Brush the bottom with melted butter. Add 1/4 cup of batter to the pan and swirl it evenly around the bottom. Allow to cook 1-2 minutes, until the edges begin to lift up from the pan. Use a spatula to flip the crepe. 

While the second side cooks (about 30-60 seconds), spread 1 Tbsp. of filling over the crepe. 

Fold the crepe into quarters and remove to a plate. Cover to keep warm. Sprinkle the crepes with cinnamon sugar before serving.

P.S. My first crepe never turns out pretty, so I just sprinkle it with sugar and eat it while I make the rest. :)

Makes about 8 crepes.

Quick and Easy Tofu Salad with Summer Vegetables

I typically use tofu in an Asian-style stir-fry, so I decided to switch things up and use it as the protein in a salad instead. For this salad, I used what I had from the CSA and garden, but you could easily substitute whatever you have on hand. For a completely vegan meal, leave off the goat cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of extra-firm tofu, completely drained and diced into cubes
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 2 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• corn kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt, to taste
• salad greens, for serving
• crumbled goat cheese, for serving

Dice the tofu and drain in a kitchen towel for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the towel to remove excess moisture. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tofu and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes. 

With a sharp knife, cut the corn off the cobs and add to the pan with the tofu and zucchini. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add tomatoes, parsley, and lemon juice. 

Taste for seasoning and add salt as necessary. Serve warm or cold over salad greens, with a crumble of goat cheese on top and a crusty loaf of bread on the side.

Zucchini Coffee Cake

I find that I am making something with zucchini (or other summer squash) just about every day. The zucchini makes this coffee cake moist - you can barely taste it in there, and since I used yellow zucchini, you can't really see it either!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C. unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
• 1/2 C. brown sugar
• 1/4 C. granulated sugar
• 3/4 C. skim milk
• 1 egg
• 2 C. grated zucchini (about one medium)
• 2 C. flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the streusel topping:

• 1/4 C. unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
• 1/3 C. flour
• 1/3 C. brown sugar
• 1/4 C. sliced almonds (or use other chopped nuts or substitute rolled oats)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugars, milk, and egg. Add the zucchini, flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir until just combined. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan.

In a small bowl mix the ingredients for the streusel topping: melted butter, flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use your fingers to crumble the topping over the top of the batter in the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Fresh Melon and Cucumber Salad

We eat a lot of salads, both as a side dish and as an entree. I especially love making salads in the summer since it means I don't have to use the stove or oven, and I can include whatever farm-fresh produce I happen to have on hand.

I love using fruit in savory salads (see this Watermelon Salad) - the juicy, sweet flavor enables you to skimp on the dressing, which can be the most caloric part of a salad.

This salad is meant to be a side dish. I used musk melon, which is like cantaloupe. If you've never had a locally grown summer melon, you have no idea what you're missing. You will never buy one in a grocery store again!

Makes 4 side dish servings

Ingredients:

• 1 small, fresh summer melon, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 small cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• salt and pepper, to taste (be generous)
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Divide the melon, cucumber, and shallot between 4 salad bowls. Season each generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, and olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over each salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Refrigerator Pickles

Have you ever made homemade pickles? They are so easy to make and taste so much fresher than the store bought variety. It's a great use for the abundance of locally grown cucumbers that are popping up here on the east coast. These can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 months, although I doubt they will last that long!

Ingredients:

• 2 C. water
• 1 C. cider vinegar
• 3 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1 tsp. pickling spice (or use a combo of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns)
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp. dill seed
• 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, garlic, salt, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the salt has dissolved and the spices are fragrant.

Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers and place them in a quart sized mason jar (or you can use several smaller jars). Take the vinegar mixture off the heat and slowly pour it over the cucumbers, making sure to scrape the spices into the jar. You might have a little liquid left over, depending on how tightly you filled your jar. Allow to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.

I think these taste best after a week in the refrigerator, but there's no harm in tasting them before that. :)