Spicy Black Bean and Pumpkin Enchiladas

Post trick or treat eating or anytime great vegetarian enchilada!

Ingredients:

2 tbsps vegetable oil
3/4 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup sweet red or green pepper, diced
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup cheddar or monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 cups canned black beans, drained (540 ml/19 oz can)
salt and pepper to taste

8 corn tortillas
1 cup cheddar or monterey jack cheese, shredded
Green onion and parsley to garnish

Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce:

1 cup pumpkin purée
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup broth (veggie, chicken or turkey)

(See below for my link on how to purée pumpkin)

Sauté onion and pepper in vegetable oil until soft. Remove from heat and add garlic, black beans, 1/2 cup pumpkin purée, spices and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Prepare the sauce by simply mixing all the ingredients together, then spread 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13 X 9" baking dish.  

Spoon about 1/4 cup filling onto each tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in the dish.

Cover with the remaining sauce ...

top with 1 cup shredded cheese ...

and bake uncovered at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Garnish with sliced green onions and parsley.
Serves 4-6

How to purée pumpkin:
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/10/pumpkin-puree.html


 Adapted from Robin Glance Nutrition

Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Finally, a good recipe for pumpkin seeds! I've tried making them before but this is the first time they are edible... I mean can't stop eating them good!

And good for you... a good source of protein, fiber, zinc and iron. 

Ingredients:

the seeds from 1 large pumpkin, about 2 cups
3 tbsps melted butter
your choice of favourite spices and salt

(I used pink Himalayan salt, sumac, and garlic powder on one batch and Old Bay seasoning, salt and chili powder on another)

Start by rinsing the gunky stringy stuff off the seeds, some will be left because I'm convinced that it's impossible to get it all off!  Once rinsed off in a colander spread the seeds out on a clean dishtowel and dry off as much as possible. 

Toss the seeds with melted butter then spread out on lined baking sheets in a single layer.

Sprinkle with salt and spices and put in a 250 F oven for 45 minutes. Stir 2 or 3 times and at 45 minutes turn the oven temperature up to 350 F for 5-10 minutes to get them a bit crispy.

Cool completely and if you don't eat them all right off the pan, store them in an airtight container!

Banana Tahini Bread

Everybody loves banana bread and this one has the added bonus of tahini, pumping up it's iron and calcium content!

Ingredients:

1 cup ripe banana
1/3 cup oil, canola or melted coconut oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup tahini paste
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1  3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt

Combine the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine the dry ingredients in another then mix into the wet.

Line a 9 X 5" loaf pan with parchment paper, pour the batter in and bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes.

You could choose to make mini loaves, just bake them for 35 minutes. Cool 5-10 minutes in pan then turn out, remove the parchment and cool completely on rack. 

Original recipe from https://cosetteskitchen.com/recipe/banana-bread

Fettuccini with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

The very last offering of tomatoes from our gigantic cherry tomato plant (tree!) went into this simple pasta dish.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
12 oz (454 g) pkg fettuccini
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
12 garlic cloves, minced and divided in half
olive oil, 3 tbsps and 1 tbsp
1/2 - 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
black pepper
some fresh basil leaves and a bunch of fresh parsley
1 or 2 leaves of kale
1/2 to 1 cup lobster flavoured pollock (optional)

Mix tomatoes with 3 tablespoons oil in an 8 X 11" baking dish. Once coated spread out in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Place in a 375 F oven for 20 minutes. You may choose to broil for a couple of minutes just to brown a little.

Boil pasta and reserve 1/2 pasta water. I sometimes (almost always) forget to reserve the pasta water, so broth may be used in place of the water.

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add 1/2 the garlic. Cook until translucent. Add 1/2 cup cooking water and simmer. Add the tomatoes and their liquid along with the rest of the garlic, salt and pepper, basil, parsley, kale and lobster flavoured pollock (if using). I had this pollock leftover from our sushi making night, but you could use any seafood you like. Or of course none.

Add the drained fettuccini to the skillet, stir and serve.

Lemony Pumpkin Ricotta Cannelloni

Didn't take long for the apprehension over (ew) pumpkin to pass, because this meal scored a perfect 10 !!

Excellent as a starter or a nice light meal.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked pumpkin purée (about 1 lb)
1 pkg pasta sheets (or homemade if you're that good!)
1 lb ricotta 
1/4 cup spinach and/or kale, finely chopped
3/4 cup parmesan
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper

fresh parsley to garnish

Sauce:

1/2 cup butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
10 fresh basil leaves (green or in this case purple)
a couple sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 tsp sage

For the pumpkin purée you can use canned (not pie filling though) but if you have a whole pumpkin leftover from Thanksgiving or Halloween decorating, DON'T THROW IT OUT! In fact go buy more pumpkins! They're not expensive and they're easy to cook.

Place the whole pumpkin on a baking sheet, pierce it a few times with a knife and place it in a 375 F oven for 45-60 minutes.  Once cooled, cut in half and remove the seeds and strings with a spoon. Peel and cut into chunks then purée in a food processor. Trickle in a little water if needed. You can freeze the purée in ziplock bags in measurements of 1-2 cups for future use. Search "pumpkin" on this blog for lots of pumpkin recipes.

But we're going to use 2 cups of it right here!

Once the pumpkin is puréed, add the ricotta, egg, parmesan, garlic and lemon zest to the food processor and process until smooth. I used smooth ricotta to begin with but if you use traditional drain it first then process.

Fold in the spinach/kale.

Cook the pasta sheets then cut them in half. This made 16 cannelloni rather than 8 ones too long to fit on a plate!

Add a large spoonful of filling to each and roll up placing them seam side down in an oiled 13 X 9" baking dish.

Making the sauce:

Melt the butter and heat until golden. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, basil, thyme and sage.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of sauce on each roll and reserve the remaining sauce and leaves. Sprinkle with some more parmesan and cover the dish with foil.

Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes then remove the foil, spoon on the remaining sauce along with the basil and thyme and bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve.

Serves 6-8

Life Hack that you need to know about Rice!

This is totally COOL! And everyone needs a life hack that'll just make life a little easier...

I heard that I should soak rice before cooking it, so I had this Uncle Ben's whole grain brown rice soaking in water. One cup of rice in about 3 or 4 cups of water.

I was only going to soak it about half an hour, but I forgot about it (Oops!) for 4 hours!  

Happy mistake because when I drained the water off I had perfectly tender rice ready to be heated and seasoned to taste.

Who knew?!?  It's a good thing!

NOTE: This method did NOT work with jasmine rice : (

No Sugar Banana Beet Muffins

So, no sugar added here. Simply sweetened with dates and the sweetness of the bananas.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup water

3/4 cup flour (oat flour or all purpose)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tbsps hemp hearts (optional)

2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 small beets, roasted peeled and shredded
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Start by boiling the dates in water then simmering for 2 or 3 minutes until a paste forms.

Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Beat the eggs, vanilla, beets and banana together then add the date paste.

I had previously tried using egg whites instead of eggs but the muffins stuck to the muffin papers. Nice texture though. If you want to try that I used 1/2 cup of egg whites in place of the whole eggs. Maybe skip the papers and greasing the tin would work.

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet until just combined and fill muffin papers.

Top with a slice of not-overly ripe banana and bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes. NOTE: The slice of banana on top only looks good for the first day then it tends to get a little yucky looking so only top the ones you'll eat on the same day.

Makes 12 medium muffins

Power Packed Lentils

Lentils...I used the green ones here and thought I had overcooked them, but apparently the brown ones hold there shape better. Who knew?

Anyways, they are still packed full of protein, iron and fiber and that's what counts!

Ingredients:

1 cup green or brown dry lentils

1 tsp salt

(reserve 3/4 cup cooking water)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 inch piece ginger, minced

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp smoky paprika

1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt

2 tbsps tomato paste

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup walnuts, optional

Rinse lentils then add the lentils to 6 cups of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Simmer 20-25 minutes. Drain and reserve 3/4 cup cooking water. Set aside both the lentils and water.

Sauté onions in coconut oil until softened then add half the ginger and half the garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add the turmeric, pepper, paprika and salt along with the tomato paste. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid and simmer 2-3 minutes.

Add the lentils and mix well. Remove from heat and add the remaining ginger and garlic, lemon juice, zest and parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings. I added a little more lemon juice. 

Serve with brown rice or sweet potatoes

Serves 3-4

Adapted from Nevine's Cuisine

Super Healthy Miso Vegetable Broth

If you want to get the most out of your vegetables, don't throw half of them away! A lot of the nutrition in a veggie is in it's peel. 

When you're making meals scrub your onions before peeling them then keep the skins in a plastic ziplock baggie. Same goes for half that head of broccoli. Keep the big old tough stalks! Kale ribs...same thing.  If you have some really limp celery toss that in the bag too. Everything can be kept in the freezer until you have a few cups of veggie rejects! Now I've always kept the cutoffs and tough bits from broccoli, kale, asparagus, etc, but I recently took a nutritional cooking class and I learned about the onion skin. It is high in antioxidants and also has anti-inflammatory qualities. Cool eh?

Ok, back to the broth! Throw in a couple of carrots too, peel on of course!

Add enough water just to cover the veggies and simmer everything for 2 hours.  For a hearty soup simply purée everything together, except the onion skins.  Or remove the cooked veggies to leave you with a very healthy vegetable broth. Put the carrots away in the fridge, they're cooked for your next meal. 

And any of the remaining cooked veggies...your dog would love some of those!  

Anything left can be composted.  There is literally NO waste here!

Whether as a broth or thick soup whisk in 2 heaping tablespoons of miso to the pot at the end then taste.  Just add salt and pepper if you think it needs it, but the miso might be seasoning enough.

Herbed Cranberry Cream Cheese Bundles

This is the quick and easy appetizer you've been looking to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas (it's not that far away!)

Ingredients:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 tbsps chopped dried cranberries
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh chopped basil
2 tsps finely chopped sweet red pepper
pinch or 2 of cayenne (or some chopped jalapeno)

1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls

Mix everything into the cream cheese until well combined.

Unroll the crescent roll dough, press out to form a 12 X 8" rectangle and seal the perforations closed.

Cut into 4 rows of 6 (or 24 squares)

Place 1 tsp of filling on each square, bring corners up together and give them a little pinch.

Place the bundles on a parchment line baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 11-13 minutes.

Note: The filling may be made a few days before and bundles may assembled 1 hour before baking.


Original recipe from Pillsbury.com

Rustic Garden Vegetable Pork Loin

This started out being a clean-out the fridge/garden kind of recipe, but ended up being one I will make again and again!

Ingredients:

4 tbsps olive oil

1  1/2 lb boneless pork loin

2-3 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped spinach

1 cup cubed eggplant

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup water or white wine

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

2 tbsps capers and some of the brine

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a skillet and brown the pork loin on all sides, then remove to a plate.

Add another 2 tbsps of oil to the pan along with the balsamic, capers, mushrooms, red pepper and eggplant.

Toss for a couple of minutes and add the water or white wine. 

Nestle the pork into the veggies, top with garlic, salt and pepper, spinach and parsley.

Pop into a 350 oven for 35 minutes. Spoon some veggies and liquid on top and put back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes.

Let the meat sit 5 minutes before slicing.

Toasted Coconut Cream Filled Muffins

Last year we were in Nova Scotia, Canada and had the very best muffins we have EVER had. They were the Coconut Cream filled muffins at the Windmill Café in Berwick.

Oh.. My.. God!!! They were the BEST and ever since I have been trying to replicate them. Impossible...but I have come up with these muffins which are pretty good although not like theirs. So if the Windmill would like to share their recipe that would be awesome : )

Anyways, here's mine 

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1  1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp vinegar)
2 tsps vegetable oil
2 tsps coconut or vanilla extract
1 cup toasted shredded coconut

Filling:

3 tbsps cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup 10% cream
1 cup coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp coconut or vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted coconut (divided, keep 1/4 cup for topping)

Start with the filling so it has time to cool. Sift together the cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan and add the cream and coconut milk. Whisk in the egg yolks. Set the heat to medium add the butter and whisk 4-5 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and add the extract and 1/4 cup toasted coconut. Cover for 30 minutes. Remove lid and stir, then chill 60 minutes.

For the muffins whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.

In a separate bowl beat the eggs, coconut milk, buttermilk, vegetable oil and extract together. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Fold in 1 cup toasted coconut.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners and fill to about halfway. Add approximately 2 tbsps coconut cream filling then top with more batter.

Sprinkle tops with the remaining 1/4 cup toasted coconut.

Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes.

Makes 15 medium size muffins which are good, but not Windmill Café good.

So if you can share their recipe that would be great!

The 1785 Inn Pumpkin Cake Roll

Been making this cake roll for many years and it always turns out great!

Not sure where I got the recipe (safe to say from my friend Dianna) but there is a 1785 Inn in North Conway New Hampshire that it probably originated from.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:

1 cup icing sugar
6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs for 5 minutes on high speed. Gradually beat in the sugar.  Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Fold into the pumpkin mixture.

Spread the batter in a greased and floured 15 X 10 X 1" baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Sprinkle the batter with the chopped walnuts.

Bake in a 375 F oven for 15 minutes.

Remove cake from oven and turn it out onto a clean dishtowel that has been dusted with icing sugar.

Immediately (and carefully) peel the parchment off the cake, if that's what you used.

Then roll the cake with the dishtowel from the short end up. You can make the cake to this point and keep it rolled with the towel and in a plastic bag for a couple of days.

When ready, beat together the frosting ingredients.
Unwrap the cake and spread the frosting on it. Reroll the cake.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Again this can be done the day before you plan on having it. 

And when you're ready remove the cake from the fridge, dust with icing sugar and serve. A little whipped cream doesn't hurt either ; )

Serves 8-10