CRUSTLESS BUTTERNUT SQUASH OR PUMPKIN PIE

I made this pie using Butternut Squash that I had roasted the day before. We had it for dessert on Thanksgiving, with a dollop of low fat plain yogurt on top. To make it a little sweeter I offered a garnish for those who wanted it, by mixing together some chopped walnuts, brown sugar and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil in a bowl. The garnish can be spooned over top; my preference was to have just the pie with the yogurt. Either way, everyone loved it! 

INGREDIENTS:

-2 CUPS PUMPKIN PUREE or ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

-1/2 CUP LOW FAT YOGURT

-1 EGG

-1/4 CUP BROWN SUGAR

-1/4 CUP STEEL CUT OATS

-1 TBSP TOASTED SESAME OIL

-1/2 CUP WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR

-3/4 TSP BAKING POWDER

-1/2 TSP BAKING SODA

-1 TSP CINNAMON

- PINCH OF NUTMEG

DIRECTIONS:

 

1.       PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. LIGHTLY OIL A 9 INCH PIE PLATE.

2.       IN A MEDIUM BOWL MIX PUMPKIN, YOGURT, EGG, OIL, STEEL CUT OATS AND SUGAR UNTIL COMBINED.

3.       IN A SEPARATE BOWL WHISK TOGETHER THE FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, NUTMEG AND CINNAMON.

4.       GENTLY FOLD THE DRY INGREDIENTS INTO THE PUMPKIN MIXTURE. POUR INTO PIE PLATE AND BAKE FOR 50-55 MINUTES. ALLOW TO COOL FOR 15 MINUTES, THEN REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS.

 

Pastetti (Calabrian Almond Cookies)

Pastetti are traditional wedding cookies in Calabria. The bride and groom would hand them out along with confetti (candied almonds) and a shot of liqueur to toast with the guests. This is a recipe that my husband gave to me and he made the cookies today; they are delicious! He did not use as much sugar as what the recipe called for and did not add the powdered/icing sugar, so they are not overly sweet (that is what makes them so perfect).

If you are vegan, the only adjustment you would have to make is with the egg whites. You can use flax seeds soaked in water to get the right amount of liquid and consistency that the egg whites give to the recipe and they would be just as delicious.

This recipe makes about 20 small cookies.

Ingredients:

150 gm almond flour
30 gm hazelnut flour
100 gm sugar (he used 2/3 cup)
60 gm egg whites
10 gm honey (not used)
1 small orange peel, zested
powdered sugar (not used)
whole almonds, hazelnuts or candied fruit/dried cranberries, for garnish

Directions:

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add liquid ingredients and mix to a loose peanut butter consistency (add more egg white or flax/water mixture if necessary). On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop rounded tablespoon of mixture; pat down and place an almond or candied fruit in centre. Let mixture rest in fridge for one hour.

Preheat oven to 390F or 200C and place the cookies on the parchment lined baking sheet in centre of oven for about 12 minutes, until edges are golden. Let them cool for 5 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack.

Mom's Eccles Cakes

My Mom has always done a lot of (British) baking over the years and a favourite is her eccles cakes (along with her mincemeat tarts and her pies:). I finally got the recipe from her and here it is; enjoy!

 

English Eccles Cakes were named for the town of Eccles in Lancashire, and was a popular pastry in the seventeenth century. However, these cakes were banned—along with mince pies—by the Puritans in 1650. In fact, Oliver Cromwell decreed in an act of Parliament that anyone found eating a currant pie would be imprisoned (for gluttony). Luckily, by the time of the Restoration, the cakes were once again popular.

 

Ingredients:

 

Half pound of puff pastry

 

2 oz  Demerara sugar (brown)

2 oz butter

4 oz currants

2 oz peel

Roll pastry 1/4” thick.

Directions:

Cut rounds about 4” diameter

Warm butter – mix with sugar peel and currants.

Put tsp in center of each round,

Wet edges, draw together and seal

Turn over.  Roll to desired size.

Make two or three small cuts across middle.

Brush with white of egg and sprinkle with sugar(white)

 

Bake for 15 to 20 mins  400 degrees.

Swiss Chard and Quinoa, Chickpea Toss

I had a big bunch of Swiss Chard that I wanted to make sure that I used tonight, so I put this recipe together and it was delicious. It is a vegan recipe if you sprinkle nutritional yeast (instead of grated Parmesan cheese) over top of it. We devoured it, so I would say it makes 2 large sides.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp dried red hot chili peppers
1 large bunch of Swiss Chard, rinsed & drained well, stems removed and greens chopped into small pieces (I use kitchen shears as it makes the job a lot easier). It looks like an awful lot of chard, but once it cooks down you'll see that it is not all that much.
1 can of chickpeas (540 ml or 19 oz) rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
freshly ground Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast if you are vegan) (about 1 level tsp per serving is plenty---just enough to give a little zing of flavour)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions for a few minutes until soft; toss in the garlic for one minute and saute; spread the onions and garlic to the outside area of the pan and add the other 1 tbsp of oil and allow to heat up. Toss in the Swiss Chard and mix in with the onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
2. Stir in the salt, pepper, chili peppers and quinoa. Allow to cook for about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and gently stir in the chickpeas. Sprinkle the walnut pieces on top. Once plated, pass the Parmesan cheese as a garnish.

Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
-2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-3 cups  chopped kale
-2 diced sweet potatoes (if you have some left-over roasted ones it gives more flavour)
-1 large roasted beet, chopped
-3 cups low sodium, low fat vegetable or chicken broth
-2 cups water
-2 cups cooked pasta (rotini or penne)---this is optional and use whole wheat!
-salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
-crushed red hot chili peppers and Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:

1. In large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onion until soft; add in garlic and saute for one minute.
2. Add the kale and allow to wilt while stirring. Add the broth and the potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer until all flavours are blended, about 20 minutes. If you are using uncooked sweet potatoes cook until they are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cooked pasta if you are using it.
3. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chili peppers and cheese.

Cranberry Pumpkin Loaf

This is a tasty loaf that is easy to make! 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/8 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
2 eggs
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup canola oil
juice and zest of one lime  

Directions:


1. Whisk flours, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda in bowl. Stir in cranberries.
2.Whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, syrup, vegetable oil, and lime juice and zest in another bowl. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until just combined.
3. Pour into a 9" x 5" loaf pan coated lightly with oil. Bake at 350°F until wooden pick comes out with crumbs adhering, about 1 hour. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack before slicing.

Red Wine Reduction for Pork Tenderloin

This is a great sauce to make, instead of gravy. It works really well with pork tenderloin. I made it today for our Thanksgiving dinner. My husband came up with the idea and then we tweaked it a bit.
This makes about 1 cup of sauce but can the recipe can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
1 cup of dry red wine (I used my favourite Merlot: Gatto Nero)
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
a few fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (a little goes a long way)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rasberry jam
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp corn starch, mixed well in a small amount of cold water (say 1/8 of a cup) 

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a skillet. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic in the last minute and mix in with the onion. Stir in the wine, rosemary, honey and jam and cook down for about ten minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the chicken broth and salt and pepper, along with the corn starch/water mixture and cook down for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently until it thickens. Transfer to a gravy boat and drizzle over the pork tenderloin once it is plated.