Low-Carb Recipe: Perfect Pumpkin Soup

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and enjoyed a wonderful time with family and friends! Now comes the less fun part: dealing with all those leftovers!

We can all come up with lots of things to do with leftover turkey, but what about that extra can of pumpkin that you didn't use for the pie? Here's a simple recipe that will warm you up and satisfy your craving for something warm, spicy, and savory that you can make in a jiffy for a quick supper tonight after being on your feet in the kitchen all day yesterday.  Keep in mind that this soup is rich and meant to enjoy in small portions, not large bowls, although you may find it hard to resist. :-)

Enjoy!

Perfect Pumpkin Soup

1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic - chopped or grated
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup half-and-half or cream

Directions:

• In a large soup pot, combine oil and onion over medium heat and cook until soft.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the other spices, and stir together.
• Pour in the wine, and stir, cooking for 1 minute.
• Add the pumpkin puree and broth, stir and cook until heated through, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• To make soup smooth, remove from heat and let cool slightly, then pour into food processor.  Blend until smooth, then return to pot. (Or use a stick blender if you have one.)
• Put soup pot on low heat and bring back up to hot, but do not boil.
• Remove from heat and pour in half-and-half, stir, and taste for salt and other seasonings and add more if desired.  You may also add a touch of sugar if you like to bring up the sweetness level. Cover and let stand 5 minutes so flavors blend well.
• Serve warm with garnishes like roasted pumpkin seeds, crispy bacon crumbles, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and chives or parsley.
• You can easily double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd.  You will need to process it in several batches in the food processor if you do.

Recipe: Apple Harvest Citrus Sangria

This is the perfect, warming adult beverage for sipping while preparing a lovely Thanksgiving feast with friends and family! (Or just any cool fall or winter evening for that matter.) :-) 

Warming spices and fall flavors give this sangria a taste of the holidays you can enjoy all winter long - and it's beautiful enough for any special occasion!  Make the day before, and you'll have plenty to drink when the guests arrive. (Please drink responsibly.)

Apple Harvest Citrus Sangria

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

2 crisp red apples
1 750 ml bottle white wine
1/3 cup peach schnapps
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 lime, quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 in. x 1/2 in. chunk of peeled fresh ginger
4 whole cloves
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon              
ice
1/4 cup club soda

Directions:

• Wash, core, and chop up one of the red apples; set aside.
• In a glass bowl, stir together the wine, schnapps, brandy, and agave nectar, then add the chopped apple, orange, lemon, lime, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and cloves, stir and set in refrigerator at least 8 hours; overnight is fine.

To serve:

• Remove mixture from refrigerator and put a mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the mixture through; discard the solids.
• Wash and core the other apple for garnish; slice into circles, and then into crescents.
• On a little plate, mix the sugar and cinnamon together then lightly moisten the rims of the glasses you will be using and dip lightly into the sugar cinnamon mix.
• Put a couple of ice cubes into each glass; pour the strained sangria into the glasses until about 3/4 full, then add a splash of club soda to the glass, then place an apple garnish on each rim and serve.

Recipe: Creamy Root Vegetable Harvest Bake

"Yummy" is the word that comes to mind to describe this recipe!  While it does contain some carbs, they are in the form of hearty winter vegetables, which are also packed with fiber and nutrition.

Obviously this is a rather rich dish, so if you're trying to watch your weight this winter, make sure to limit your portion size of this hearty side dish, and pair it with with some fresh green veggies, and clean protein like lean grass-fed beef. Eating healthy can be so delicious!

Creamy Root Vegetable Harvest Bake
(Serves 6-8.)

Ingredients:

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin
1 turnip, peeled and sliced thin
1 rutabaga, peeled and sliced thin
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced thin
1 celery root, peeled and sliced thin
2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
• Get out a large pot, fill with water and add salt, and bring water to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook uncovered for 3 minutes (you're just blanching the veggies, not cooking them.)
• Prepare large ice bath in sink.
• Dump veggies into a large colander or strainer, then immediately immerse the strainer of veggies into the ice bath for several minutes until veggies are cold - this stops the veggies from cooking further after being drained.
• Remove the strainer of veggies from ice bath and drain well.
• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the butter and garlic and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic gets fragrant.
• Add the broth, heavy cream, thyme, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper, stir and continue cooking until mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 5 minutes.
• Spread vegetables evenly in the prepared baking dish.
• Pour creamy mixture from skillet evenly over vegetables and sprinkle half of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, put dish on top of a baking sheet to catch any spills, and bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Pull the rack forward from the oven, uncover the casserole and top with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Slide oven rack back into the oven and bake uncovered until top and edges of casserole are browned and bubbly hot, about another 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove casserole from oven and allow to rest about 10 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm as a side dish or vegetarian main dish.

Recipe: Best Baked Beans

'Tis the season for hearty comfort foods, and what says comfort better than baked beans? This is an easy recipe that is sooo good. If you want it healthier, omit some of the sugar, and cook your own beans - it's easy!

Best Baked Beans
(Serves 6-8.)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 pound center-cut thick bacon, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon brown mustard

15 oz dark kidney beans, drained (or 1 cup dry kidney beans - cooked & drained)

15 oz butter beans, drained (or 1 cup dry butter beans - cooked & drained)
30 oz pork and beans, undrained

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Sauté onion in olive oil over medium high heat until it starts to soften. 
• Add 1 pound center-cut bacon and cook until crispy. With a vented spoon, remove bacon and onions from pan and place on folded paper towels. Blot with extra paper towels to remove as excess fat.
• Add ketchup, sugar, brown sugar, white vinegar and mustard to a large oven-proof dish. 
• Add drained kidney and butter beans along with undrained pork and beans. 
• Add bacon and onions to bean mixture. Stir well to combine. 
• Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes.

Recipe: One-Pot Beef Bourguignon Peasant Stew

Here is a tasty, hearty recipe full of rich flavors for a cold winter night like we've been having so many of lately! This one is best cooked in a stainless steel pot, since it contains wine and tomatoes, which are both acidic, and requires a bit of cook time. You could also use enameled cast iron (for more tips on choosing the right pot, see Monday's post). This could also be adapted to the crockpot - just brown the beef first and then put everything in the crock pot and cook on Low for 7-8 hours.

Beef Bourguignon Peasant Stew
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

Beef bourguignon, served with pasta. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 medium red or golden potatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 lb cubed beef chuck roast
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup Burgundy wine
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add the potatoes and onion and cook until both veggies have started to brown lightly.
2. Add the cubed beef and continue to cook until the beef browns, stirring often.
3. Sprinkle in the flour and oregano; continue cooking and stirring until the beef is coated with the flour and is well browned.
4. Add the wine and let it come to a boil, stirring to bring up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the beef broth and diced tomatoes, stir, and bring to a boil. Continue stirring until the broth thickens slightly.
6. Turn heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer very gently for 15 minutes, stirring a couple times.
7. When potatoes and beef are fork tender, add the mushrooms, stir, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
8. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. 
9. Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes if desired, or in big bowls with hot crusty bread.

Gluten-Free Recipe: Sweet Spiced Apple Lentil Casserole

This hearty gluten-free recipe is like curry in a casserole - flavored with apples, coconut, and spices, it brings an oriental twist to regular old lentils. It makes a great stick-to-your-ribs meal for a cold winter night!

Sweet Spiced Apple Lentil Casserole - Gluten Free
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 large green apples, cored/diced

Directions:

1. Put lentils in a large pot with water, cover and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, put oil in a heavy skillet, add all the remaining ingredients (except apples) and cook over low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender; about 15 minutes. Add the apples to the skillet, stir, and cook for 10 minutes more or until apples are softened slightly; remove skillet from heat.
3. When lentils are cooked and tender, add the lentils to the mixture, stir, then turn out into a large casserole dish.
4. Bake (uncovered) in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until mixture is bubbling hot.
5. Serve immediately. 

Recipe: Chunky Quinoa Veggie Stew

Nothing says stew like a cold winter night, and if you're watching your carbs, or avoiding gluten, quinoa can be a great alternative in your comfort-food-seeking menu. This recipe combines a number of healthy vegetables into a hearty and tasty stew packed full of flavor and nutrition. This one can easily work for vegetarians or those looking for a meatless recipe - just substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Enjoy!

Chunky Quinoa Veggie Stew
(Serves 6.)

Ingredients: 
1 finely chopped sweet onion
1 red bell pepper, cut in half-inch pieces
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp cumin
6 cups homemade chicken broth or stock
1 pound red potatoes, cut into half-inch pieces
1 cup red or white quinoa, well-rinsed
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped coarsely
1 cup frozen (or fresh) peas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 avocado, cut into half-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Combine bell pepper, oil, onion, and pinch of salt in a Dutch oven.
2. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, around eight to ten minutes. 
3. Stir in paprika, coriander, cumin, and garlic. 
4. Stir in potatoes and broth, then bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer ten minutes.
5. Stir in quinoa and continue simmering for an additional eight minutes. 
6. Stir in corn and continue simmering until potatoes and quinoa are just tender, around five to seven minutes. 
7. Stir in tomatoes and peas and cook for an additional two minutes.
8. Remove from heat, then stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper as desired. 
9. Garnish bowls of stew with avocado before serving.

Recipe: Black Beans with Brown-Sugared Ham

Here is a new recipe I came up with last week, when cleaning out my freezer to make room for the next round of meat from my CSA. This one is a hearty, healthy, and delicious recipe great for these long, cold winter nights! You could use other kinds of meat as well - venison would probably work well, or a tougher cut of beef. I cooked it in the crockpot for maximum tenderness and minimum work, but you could do it on the stove-top as well - it will still probably need a couple of hours, for the meat to fall apart as it should.

Feel free to improvise as you wish, and share your outcomes below!

But here is the way I did it:

Black Beans with Brown-Sugared Ham

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups black beans (dry), rinsed and soaked 8 hours
1 ham hock, or small ham, bone-in (organic/naturally raised)
1 large onion, diced
3 TB brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh (or frozen) jalepeno peppers
1/2 tsp salt
Water, to cover

Instructions:

1. Spread diced onion in bottom of 2-qt (or larger) crockpot.
2. Rub ham liberally with brown sugar on all sides, and set on top of onions. Sprinkle minced garlic over.
3. Drain black beans and rinse well. Fill beans in around ham. Sprinkle with the cumin.
4. Pour diced tomatoes over all. 
5. Gently pour in water until beans are completely covered (it is okay if ham sticks up a little above the beans).
6. Cover crockpot tightly, and cook on High for 4 hours. Lower heat to Low, and continue to cook 2 more hours. 
7. Mince jalepenos (or other small hot peppers) finely, add to crock pot with salt, and stir well. Cook 1-2 more hours, til done. Beans should be tender, and ham falling off the bone. 
8. Using a fork, shred meat, and remove the bone.
9. Serve hot, with green salad or steamed greens, and cornbread.