Saturday, November 26, 2011

Roasted Butternut Squash

Pin It

Butternut squash has such a beautiful color and is so smooth when processed raw or roasted. You don't ever want to boil squash, because it will loose alot of it's flavor in the water. Roasting it or baking it brings out the sweetness and flavor!

-Butternut squash has a tough skin, so use a sharp knife to cut it down into workable pieces
-Remove the seeds
-Put in a baking dish
-Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until flesh is tender
-Serve warm or let it cool to remove from the skin. I use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.

You can eat as is, puree for baking/cooking or freeze and use later.
I used this one to make a Butternut Squash Pie with Almond Crust

Pin It

Butternut Squash Pie with Almond Crust

Pin It

Mr. Crafty requested a butternut squash pie for Thanksgiving. I had not made a butternut squash pie before, but it sounded delicious. I decided to do it as I do pumpkin pie, but leave out most the spices, so the squash flavor could really shine. I also thought that the nuttiness of almonds and the heartiness of whole wheat would make a great crust for this type of pie.
The pie was a hit and I'll be making it again soon!
The texture was much smoother than any pumpkin pie I've had and it paired deliciously with the nutty crust.
Here's what I came up with.

crust
1c white whole wheat flour
1c almond meal
2tbs coconut sugar
1/2tsp salt
2tbs vegan shortening
2tbs earth balance
about 1/4c ice cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, almond meal, sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix in shortening and earth balance until small crumbles form. You can use a food processor or do it by hand. Add in ice water little by little, just until dough comes together and forms a ball (you may not need all water). Place dough into a oiled pie pan and press out evenly.
Bake about 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

filling
2c roasted butternut squash
1/4c almond milk
1/4c sucanat sugar
1/4c coconut sugar
1tsp pure vanilla extract
3tbs cornstarch
nutmeg

Combine all ingredients except nutmeg in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into pie crust, sprinkle lightly with nutmeg and bake for about 40 minutes or until filling is set.
*Note* You may need to cover the outside of the crust with foil, so that it does not become over done or burnt.
Allow pie to fully cool before cutting.

I apologize for not having a picture of the pie after we cut it. It was a buisy day and the pie didn't last long:)
Pin It

Friday, November 25, 2011

30 Days of Thanks, Nov 22nd-24th 2011


Thankful for 30 days.
If you would like to post your thanks as well, please do!

Nov 22nd-24th
I'm Thankful/Grateful for:
-My life being so full of Abundance and Love that I am able to share those blessings with others.
-The things my daughter points out to me. Sometimes, I'm moving so fast that I don't take notice of the small things. She seems to notice the tiniest things and wants to explore them. Most of the time, it's turns out to be so interesting and fun.
-Birthdays, mine and other peoples. It's a nice chance to reflect on the years passed and show someone how much you care for and appreciate them. Happy Birthday Mr. Crafty!

Please share what you are Thankful for today?

30 Days of Thanks, Nov 25th-28th 2011


Thankful for 30 days.
If you would like to post your thanks as well, please do!

Nov 25th-28th
I'm Thankful/Grateful for:
-Me and My families Health, Wealth, Happiness, Joy, Abundance and Love. I am Grateful.
-That I live in a city where it's so convenient to walk or ride bikes and find so much to do.
-Love. Being Loved and Giving Love. Both feel amazing :)
-
Please share what you are Thankful for today?

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Vegan Thanksgiving Meal Roundup

Pin It
Thanksgiving is just around the corner! I put together a list of recipes that I thought would make a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.
Enjoy!

Best Ever Vegan Mac n Cheese
Homemade Tofurkey
Oven baked Sweet Potatoes
Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing
Cranberry and Grape Relish
Pumpkin Biscuits
Homemade Pumpkin Butter
Vegan German Chocolate Cake
Apple Pie with Whole Wheat Crust
Pumpkin Streusal PiePin It

30 Days of Thanks, Nov 20th-21st 2011


Thankful for 30 days.
If you would like to post your thanks as well, please do!

Nov 20th-21st
I'm Thankful/Grateful for:
-My family. I know that one seems obvious, but I had one of those moments when the feeling of being grateful grabs you by the heart. Me, babygirl and Mr. Crafty were lounging in bed before starting our day and it was wonderful to look at my daughters face so full of joy, my husband laughing and so full of love and the furs laying content at the end of the bed. I'm so grateful!
-All the fresh, organic produce I have access to. I would really love to be growing most of my own, but until that happens, it's nice knowing that I am in walking distance to farmers markets and organic grocers.

Please share what you are Thankful for today?

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Pumpkin Biscuits

Pin It



Sorry, no recipe yet, as I didn't measure anything.
I always make my biscuits by feel, the way Mama taught me.
I promise one day, I'll take the time to measure, so just use this as inspiration :)
You could also take your fav biscuit recipe and add some pumpkin in place of the moisture.

Here's the ingredients I used:
unbleached flour
raw cane sugar
baking powder
salt
pureed roasted pumpkin
vegan shortening
blood orange dry soda



All packed in my tiffin and ready to go with some Homemade Pumpkin Butter. It's fun to surprise friends and family with freshly made goodies!!
Pin It

Mc Donald's Animal Cruelty Undercover Investigation


This is not the first time that Animal Cruelty claims have been brought against
Mc Donald's.

Please be mindful of where your food comes from. Whether you're Omni, Veg or Vegan, Nourishment should not come from turture.

Some of the offenses found were:
-Hens crammed into wire cages
-Workers burning off the beaks of young chicks and throwing them into cages
-Workers grabbing hens by their throats and ramming them into battery cages
-Rotted hens and decomposed birds left in cages with hens still laying eggs for human consumption
-A worker tormenting a bird by swinging her around in the air while her legs were caught in a grabbing device
-A worker shoving a bird into the pocket of another employee
-Chicks trapped and mangled in cage wire, others with open wounds and torn beaks
-Live chicks thrown into plastic bags to be suffocated

Here's the latest with the undercover video.
Huffington Post, McDonald's Animal Cruelty

Friday, November 18, 2011

30 Days of Thanks, Nov 18th-19th 2011


Thankful for 30 days.
If you would like to post your thanks as well, please do!

Nov 18th-19th
I'm Thankful/Grateful for:
-For the beautiful weather. It's one of those mild, slightly breazy, billowy cloud kind of days that beg you to go outside and enjoy natures wonders!
-All the positive, loving people in my life, my blogging community included. Thanks for being you!

Please share what you are Thankful for today?

Hearty Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

Pin It

Well, I'm finally getting down to the end of my pumpkin stash. Babygirl and I made some pumpkin bread over the weekend and that left us just enough for smoothies this whole week.
Instead of using my usual pumpkin bread recipe, I tried out some other ingredients I had on hand and am glad I did. It came out super moist and flavorful!

Enjoy it fresh from the oven with a bit of Earth Balance or for a double pumpkin whammy, smear on some Homemade Pumpkin Butter :)

1c white whole wheat flour
1c almond meal
2 1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
2tsp pumpkin pie spice
1tsp salt

1c pumpkin
1/3c coconut oil
1/3c coconut milk
1/4c pure maple syrup
1/4c sucanat
1tsp vanilla
2tbs flax meal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together first 6 ingredients.

Cream together remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

Mix both together until just combined.

Put bread batter into oiled and floured loaf pan.

Bake about 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife stuck into the middle comes out clean.
Pin It

Enjoy!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

30 Days of Thanks, Nov 16th-17th 2011


Thankful for 30 days.
If you would like to post your thanks as well, please do!

Nov 16th-17th
I'm Thankful/Grateful for:
-Having a safe and warm place to lay my head at night. I know not everyone has that and I'm extremely grateful for it.
-Strawberry and mango margarita's...does that count. I sure was thankful for them last night :)

Please share what you are Thankful for today?

Pumpkin Butter

pumpkin butter
Pin It

Yay for pumpkin butter success!
I had a ton of pumpkins and have been itching to make some pumpkin butter. I had never made any before, but knew I wanted to keep it healthier by not adding a bunch of sugar.
Long story short, the first trial turned out less than delicious. It wasn't smooth, it was too spicy and didn't have that rich pumpkin flavor I wanted. I put it in the freezer, so that I can add some coconut milk and turn it into pumpkin pies next week.

After some trouble shooting, I tried again a couple of days later.

I figured out what was wrong the first go round:
-I used my immersion blender to puree the pumpkin, which is on it's last leg and didn't get it as smooth as it should be. This time, I blended in my magic bullet before hand.
-I used pretty much every spice that reminded me of the holidays and went way overboard. This time, I kept it simple, so the pumpkin could shine.
-I didn't cook it long enough for fear of burning and I left the top on the entire time. This time, I cooked it longer and left the lid ajar, so it could really thicken up.

Let me tell you, the trial and error of this butter was worth it!
Enjoy with these Pumpkin Biscuits!


4c roasted pumpkin puree
1/2c apple cider
1/4c sucanat or coconut palm sugar
1/4c pure maple syrup
1/2tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp ground cinnamon

Put all ingredients into a 3 quart or larger pot and mix thoroughly.
 
pumpkin butter

Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer with lid ajar for about 45 minutes or until desired thickness is reached. Stir frequently while simmering.

pumpkin butter

The pumpkin butter bubbles and pops quite a bit, so be very careful. I use a pot holder to protect my hand while stirring.
pumpkin butter

Remove from heat and transfer to jars or cool and store in container in the fridge.
Enjoy with biscuits, toast, bread or straight off the spoon!

*Note about canning for future use*
It's recommended by the USDA that you don't can pumpkin/pumpkin butter because it's so dense, so use your own discretion.
To give as gifts, I would be sure the recipient knew to keep it refrigerated. It's so good, they'll want to enjoy it right away anyhow!

I jarred some of the butter and paired it with homemade Pumpkin Biscuits to share with family and friends.

Pin It

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pin It

Don't throw those seeds out, eat them!
Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They're also a good source of protein.
In addition, pumpkin seeds can also benefit your dogs. They're great for their health and help keep parasites away. Grind some raw seeds up and put a little into their food everyday.
Natural Dog Health Remedies
Thriving Canine

To Roast:
Rinse and drain seeds.
Lay out on parchment paper and sprinkle with desired seasonings.
I used pumpkin pie spice and raw sugar on one side and a cajun seasoned salt on the other.
Bake at 350 until seeds are golden brown.

Pin It

Let cool and enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin

Pin It

I had quite a pumpkin stash and wanted to get started making all kinds of goodies, so I took some time to roast most of it. This way, it would be ready to go for baking, blending and cooking applications.

The smaller "baking" pumpkins are generally sweeter and more tender, but I don't discriminate and use all the sizes. Roasting brings out the flavor and sweetness, so if I need it sweeter than that, I adjust whatever recipe I'm using it in. Also, if the flesh is not as tender as I like, I use it in a recipe that calls for pureed pumpkin.

Steps:
-Wash outside of pumpkin
-Cut open and remove seeds. Don't throw them out!
Use to make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.


My other pumpkin :)


-cut down into workable pieces
-optional,rub flesh side with coconut oil. I like to do this if I'm going to be eating it as is.
-put in baking dish and cover with foil


-bake at 350 until flesh is tender
Looks delish and smells heavenly!


-Enjoy as is with a sprinkle of garlic powder and more coconut oil or a drizzle of maple syrup.
or
-Let cool to remove skin and use in other baking or cooking.
-You can also freeze in freezer safe container for later use.

Pin It

30 Days of Thanks, Nov 13th-15th 2011


Thankful for 30 days.
If you would like to post your thanks as well, please do!

Nov 13th-15th
I'm Thankful/Grateful for:
-Being able to see the world through my daughters eyes. So much is new to her and that makes everything so fun and exciting. It's like I've started life all over again. She goes berserk over things like waterfalls, brightly colored flowers and making silly faces. I love that about her!
-Sandwich nights and movies after a long day.
-Long walks on beautiful days. It makes me take deep long breaths and that's a good thing.

Please share what you are Thankful for today?

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Upcycled, From a Bed to a Bar

Pin It

Upcycling: The process of converting something that would otherwise be waste, into another product of equal or better value.

The Bed Bar came about when I mentioned to Mr. Crafty, that we should get rid of the bed frame and headboards and just put the mattress on the floor. We co-sleep with our daughter, so this would keep me from worrying about her falling out of bed.

Our previous place was too small for any new additions, so we agreed that the project would start once we moved. Well, he started working on it pretty much as soon as we moved in and finished it enough to move inside in September. In addition to the bed, he used some wrought iron pieces and our wine rack. I plan on getting a wine fridge soon, so I didn't mind it being donated to the project :)
He's going to add some finishing touches, including the back of the wine rack and some glass holders, but I think it's already pretty cool as is.

I don't have any measurements or instructions for this, because Mr. Crafty says he doesn't believe in making plans for his woodworking. In his words, "I just like to start and go at it". Ummm, okay :)









I'll update when it's all finished!
Pin It

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...