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Steve: Don't say we didn't give you a plethora of scrumptious Thanksgiving recipes with plenty of time to prepare :)
Sautéed Winter Spinach with Garlic Scapes
1 bag fresh, organic winter spinach
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic scapes, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Rinse the spinach and drain well. Heat the oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the spinach. Add the spinach, garlic scapes, salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring rapidly until the spinach is wilted and most of the moisture has evaporated. Serve immediately.
Pecorino Romano-Roasted Rutabaga & Potatoes
3 pounds rutabaga and potatoes, quartered
1 T chopped garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 ounces grated Pecorino romano
Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Toss potatoes, garlic and oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place potatoes and rutabagas on a rimmed baking sheet; reserve bowl. Roast until golden brown and cooked through, 30–35 minutes. Transfer to bowl; toss with Parmesan. Return potatoes and rutabagas to rack and roast until cheese is brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes.
Quinoa Butternut Squash Stuffing
1 whole butternut squash diced into 1/2 inch cubes (or buy pre-cut)
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups quinoa tri-color blend (measure uncooked)
4 stalks Celery chopped
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
1/2 cup Dates chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries (sugar free)
1/3 cup walnuts roughly chopped
1/3 cup almonds slivered
1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil (for pan)
Instructions
Drain (if soaking) and rinse the quinoa in a strainer until the water runs clear. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel and dice into ½ inch cubes. Move to baking pan and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh rosemary and a sprinkle of salt. Roast for 30 minutes until easy to pierce with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool. While squash roasts, in a saucepan combine quinoa and 3 1/2 cups filtered water (4 cups if not presoaking) with a dash of salt. Heat to boil and then simmer covered for 15 minutes until fluffy, and all water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand before fluffing.
In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add chopped celery and sauté lightly. Add roasted butternut squash and quinoa. Toss with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and chicken broth. Add the cranberries, figs, and nuts and toss until well combined and warm. Salt to taste. SERVES: 4
Cranberry Sauce
Bonnie: It’s the season for one of our family’s favorites…homemade cranberry sauce. Cranberries aren’t just a colorful side dish. They are packed with nutritious antioxidants, especially Vitamin C. They also contain anti-inflammatory properties. They even contain some fiber to assist with digestion. Cooking cranberries also releases even more beneficial antioxidants than if they are eaten raw. The downside of eating cranberry sauce or cranberry desserts is that they are usually loaded with refined sugars. Because cranberries are very tart, some sweetness needs to be added. For the last 45 years, I have used the following “no refined sugar” recipe that is both delicious and nutritious. The pectin in the apples even allows the cranberries to congeal nicely.
Fruity Cranberry Sauce
-one 12 oz. package raw organic cranberries
-1 1/2 c. frozen organic apple juice concentrate (no added sugar)
-1/2 cup filtered or electrolyte water
-1 small sweet apple (especially an anti-inflammatory Fuji variety), peeled
and diced
-(optional) dash of any natural sugar substitute (inulin, organic stevia,
organic monkfruit extract)
Rinse the cranberries thoroughly and drain. Discard any damaged or spoiled berries. Add the apple juice, water, berries, and diced apples to a pot with a lid. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until most of the berries have popped. Remove from the heat and cool. Add the sugar substitute, if desired. Refrigerate, preferably in glass jars, up to three days before serving. SERVES: 4-6
Stuffed Squash with Feta Cheese
(a great substitute for sweet potatoes and traditional stuffing at Thanksgiving)
-4 large acorn squash, halved horizontally and seeds removed
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided into 2-2T. each
-1/2 cup minced shallots
-4 minced garlic cloves
-one large fresh thyme sprig
-2 T. orange/tangerine juice
-2 T. chicken broth
-3 cups precooked quinoa (many grocers carry frozen organic precooked that can just be defrosted before using in this recipe)
-2/3 cup organic dried cranberries OR unsweetened dried tart cherries
-2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans OR walnuts
-1/4 cup finely chopped organic curly parsley
-(iodized) sea salt and white pepper to taste
-one cup organic crumbled feta cheese (from goat, sheep, or cow)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use 2 T. of oil to coat each squash half inside. Arrange (insides down) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast until tender (about 45 minutes). Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
While the squash halves are roasting, heat the remaining 2 T. of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and garlic and cook about 2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant. Add the thyme sprig, juice, and broth. Cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the cranberries/cherries, precooked quinoa, nut pieces, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the thyme sprig. Divide the mixture evenly into each squash half. Until serving, this mixture can be left at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Just before serving, put the squash halves containing the mixture back into the 375 degree oven and heat for about 10 minutes. Top each squash half with 2 T. of the feta cheese crumbles and heat for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately. SERVES: 8
Mini Pumpkin or Apple Muffins
(one of our Thanksgiving dinner staples)
-3/4 cup unbleached organic all purpose flour with 1/2 cup organic oat flour
(or 1 1/4 cup of your favorite gluten-free flour)
-1/2 tsp. Aluminum-free baking powder
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-2 organic eggs, well-beaten
-1/2 cup cold-pressed canola oil (such as Spectrum) or grapeseed oil
-1/2 cup organic applesauce with 1/2 cup peeled and shredded organic Fuji
apple (high in Quercetin) OR one cup canned organic puréed pumpkin
-1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 tsp. ground cinnamon
-(optional) 1/4 tsp. ground allspice or nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 dozen mini muffin tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine all the wet ingredients: oil, molasses, apple/pumpkin mixture, and also add spices. Mix all dry ingredients and add slowly to the wet mixture. Gently blend all ingredients and ladle into each paper liner (about 3/4 of each liner). Bake for about 12-15 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean). Remove the muffins from the tins and cool on a wire rack. If not served immediately, these can be kept fresh in a sealed bag for 2 days or frozen and defrosted. YIELD: 24 mini muffins
Baked Pears with Walnuts and Honey
Ingredients
2 large organic ripe pears
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional; remove for acid/salicylate sensitive)
1 tsp honey OR 1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the pears in half and place on a baking sheet (I cut a sliver off the other end so they sat upright). Using a measuring spoon or melon baller, scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle with cinnamon, top with walnuts and drizzle/sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of honey or agave nectar over each one. Bake in the oven 30 minutes. Remove, let cool and enjoy! SERVES: 4
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