Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Pistachio Crostini

It's no secret that I love butternut squash. It's earthy, just a little sweet, and I believe that roasting brings out it's very best qualities. It also pairs well with crunchy buttery nuts and soft cheeses. Butternut squash and ricotta is a pretty classic pairing, but the whole flavor really sings with chopped pistachios, a little drizzle of pistachio oil, and local honey. If pistachio oil can't be found, a high quality extra virgin olive oil makes a beautiful substitute. This crostini has been a real crowd-pleaser at various get-togethers. It's eye-catching beauty alone makes it worthy of an appearance at your next party. I hope you enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Pistachio Crostini

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1/2- inch cubes
1 T. olive oil
1 baguette, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 c. ricotta, preferably local, grass-fed, and/or organic
1/2 c. unsalted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1-2 T. local honey, for drizzling
pistachio oil or extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
sea salt, as needed

Begin by roasting the squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Position two oven racks towards the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash pieces with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and an even sprinkling of salt, and spread out in a single layer on the parchment. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice during baking, or until squash is tender and a little brown around the edges.

While the squash bakes, slice the baguette into 1/4- inch slices and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place the sheet in the oven on the other rack and bake until the bread is just a little toasted, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove the sheet from the oven and allow the bread cool.

Assemble the crostini. Top each with a small spoonful of ricotta, a few butternut squash cubes, a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, a drizzle of honey, and a drizzle of pistachio oil or extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Enjoy! Serves 10-12 as an appetizer.

Mountain Pie with a Vegetable, Bulgur, and Meat Filling

A few years ago, we got a rare day off of school due to inclement weather. My best friend and I lived just across the street from each other so we decided to celebrate with a dinner party. With the grocery stores closed, we pooled the ingredients we each had and came up with a dish we called Mountain Pie. It was reminiscent of shepherd’s pie and cottage pie, but we made it with ground buffalo meat because that’s what I had in my freezer at the time, and some sweet potatoes and yellow potatoes because we didn’t have enough of one potato type to make enough of a topping. I can’t recall why we named it Mountain Pie, seeing as buffalo don’t live in the mountains, but regardless, this dish pays tribute to that Mountain Pie and to my friend.

I modified our bare bones but delicious creation to make it a little more wholesome. For one, I reduced the meat by half and replaced it with seasoned bulgur which gives a nice texture similar to ground meat and provides fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. If you're not familiar with bulgur wheat, it's the little grain that appears in tabbouleh. I deepened the flavor with miso paste and tamari. The top is just a tad crunchy, with a smooth underbelly, and the filling is stick-to-your-ribs good. I hope you enjoy!

Mountain Pie:
Bulgur Filling:
1 1/2 c. water
1 T. miso paste (I used red, but any will do)
1 T. tomato paste
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
3/4 c. bulgur wheat

Vegetable and Meat Filling:
1 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
5 carrots, scrubbed clean or peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef or buffalo, preferably local, grass-fed, and/or organic
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 T. balsamic vinegar or red wine
2 T. whole wheat or oat flour
1 1/2 c. beef stock or water
1 c. frozen peas, thawed or still frozen
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Potato Topping:
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
salt and pepper to taste

Begin with the bulgur. Place 1 1/2 c. water in a pot and whisk in 1 T. tomato paste and miso paste. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add bulgur. Cover and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

For the meat filling, heat butter or olive oil in ovenproof skillet measuring about 12 inches across over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and ground meat to skillet, and break into pieces. Again, sprinkle with a little salt. Cook the meat until brown. Add the tomato paste, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and flour. Stir to combine, scraping any bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the stock or water, peas, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, and turn the heat down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to develop some flavor while the liquid is being absorbed and the meat and carrots soften.

Meanwhile, prepare the potato topping. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes in a pot, and cover with water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then simmer, cooking for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes, and add them back to the pot. Add the sour cream, 1/2 c. grated Parmesan, and a sprinkle of salt and mash until mostly smooth.

When the beef has cooked, remove the thyme and rosemary from the bulgur, and add the mixture to the beef in the skillet, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Smooth the mashed potatoes over top of the filling and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and broil for 8-10 minutes or until the crust turns a slight golden color. Remove from the oven, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8 people.

Thai Loaded Curried Potatoes

This is very much a fusion dish, taking a little inspiration from Mexican nachos and inspiration from the Thai restaurant down the street. Sweet potatoes and good ole russet potatoes are cut into fries, rubbed with coconut oil and curry powder, and baked. While those are in the oven, the rest of the toppings are prepared, dishes are cleaned, and then it's dinner time. You will likely have extra peanut sauce left over, so it may be a good excuse to make extra fries for extra dipping.

Potatoes:
3 medium potatoes, preferably 2 sweet potatoes and 1 russet potato, rinsed and scrubbed
1 T. coconut oil, melted
1 T. curry powder
Salt, for sprinkling

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
1 garlic clove
1 T. tamari
1 T. sesame oil
2 t. peeled and minced ginger
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 t. honey or other sweetener
1 t. Sriracha or other hot sauce
3 T. water

Tempeh:
2 t. coconut oil
2 oz. tempeh, diced

Toppings:
2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. roasted salted peanuts, chopped
2 T. unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted in a dry skillet until golden
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut potatoes into 1/4" slices lengthwise, and then again lengthwise to make fries. Toss potatoes with coconut oil, curry powder, and salt thoroughly. Add to pan in single layer and bake on middle rack for 40 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Place everything in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You may have to scrape down the sides a few times to make sure you incorporate everything nicely. Set aside.

Prepare tempeh. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil and swirl to coat pan. Add the tempeh pieces and cook, stirring frequently until pieces are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove fries from oven. Assemble fries either in one big bowl or in individual bowls. Top with tempeh, cilantro, peanuts, coconut, and avocado. Drizzle with peanut sauce. Enjoy!

Serves 4 as a main dish. 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Love Potion

Valentine's Day is as much about expressing your love for yourself as it is for expressing love to your friends, family, and significant other. This smoothie, or potion as I'm calling it, is the perfect way to wake up this Valentine's Day and say, "Self, I love you." Of course you can also make it for a loved one as an extra special treat to go with their breakfast in bed. It's easy on the eyes, and oh so yummy on the tastebuds. It requires a little thought the night before, but the result is worthwhile. It has healthy fats and protein from the chia and hemp seeds and energizing and antioxidant-fighting properties from goji berries, cacao powder, and maca powder. Strawberries, bananas, and spinach will provide nourishing Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin A, and fiber. Did I say it tastes like a chocolate dipped strawberry? Sip, sip away.

1 1/2 c. unsweetened nut milk or soymilk, dairy milk, or water- your choice
2 T. unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 T. chia seeds
1 T. hemp seeds
2 T. goji berries
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 banana, peeled, broken into three pieces, and frozen
3/4 c. frozen strawberries
1 T. cacao powder
1 t. maca powder, optional but delicious
1 generous handful of spinach
Cacao nibs, optional for garnish
Dark chocolate, grated, optional for garnish

The night before, soak the coconut, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and goji berries in the liquid of choice. You can do this right in the blender.

In the morning, add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with cacao nibs and chocolate shavings if you would like. Enjoy!

Serves 2