roasted root vegetable mash

in the winter season, it is sometimes too cold/wet/rainy for me to want to go to the outdoor market. when i do, i am rewarded by the abundance of apples, pears, greens, and root vegetables. recently at a restaurant, i had a mix of vegetables mashed together. I decided to make my own version at home. roasting the vegetables caramelizes them, lending a sweet flavor to the puree. with a nice blend of vegetables, try making roasted root vegetable mash. it is a perfect and simple side dish for these colder months.

start by peeling the vegetables you will be using.

you can pick out any starchy vegetable at your market, but here i used about half of one butternut squash, a small sweet potato, two carrots, and two parsnips.

once they are peeled, chop them up into uniform pieces. if you know one vegetable will take longer to cook, you can chop it up a little smaller so they can all roast on the same pan.

mix the vegetables in a bowl with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.

spread them out on a parchment lined baking sheet, and roast at 400 degrees F for 35-45 minutes.

once they start to caramelize and are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork you can take them out.

let them cool slightly, then put into a container that allows you to use an immersion blender easily. add 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth.

blend, blend, blend until the vegetables break up and start to become smooth. add in more broth 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.

you can plate in a large bowl for family style, or plate individual portions on each plate. 

you can garnish the top with pecans. or chop the pecans and sprinkle them on top of the plated vegetable mash for a crunchy texture.

inspired by a side at Hu Kitchen

roasted root vegetable mash with butternut squash, sweet potato, carrot and parsnip

makes about 2 cups

ingredients:

6 cups of peeled and chopped root vegetables
(i used: half of one butternut squash, 1 small sweet potato, 2 carrots and 2 parsnips)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 - 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup pecans, whole or chopped (optional)


directions:

 1.   preheat oven to 400 degrees F. coat the peeled and chopped root vegetables with the olive oil in a bowl. give a liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper to your tastes, and incorporate that in.

2.   spread the oiled vegetable pieces on a nonstick baking tray, lined with parchment for easy cleanup.

3.   bake for 30-45 minutes until you can smash or pierce easily a piece with a fork. you want the veggies to be fully cooked, but not dried out from overcooking. i took mine out when they were just starting to caramelize.

4.   cool vegetables slightly, then transfer roasted vegetables to a container with tall sides that will allow your immersion blender to fit easily.

5.   add in 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth. slowly start to blend the vegetables and the broth with an immersion blender. if it seems dry, add in additional broth 1/4 cup at a time. (for my vegetables, i ended up using about 3/4 cup of chicken broth)

6.   once you are done blending you can either transfer them to a plate for serving family style, or portion onto individual plates. sprinkle with pecans before serving, if desired.


tips:

- even if you overbake your vegetables, you can easily add more chicken broth to help blend

- if you are using different vegetables that you know may take longer to cook, you can just cut it in smaller pieces compared to other quicker-cooking types. this way you can cook them all for the same amount of time,

- this is a good side dish to a meal with an acidic sauce. i served it with chicken breast with a balsamic vinegar pan sauce.

dutch baby pancake with sautéed apples

i thought it would be a fun way to try out my new cast iron skillet by making a  "dutch baby" pancake. like a giant popover, the batter is soft and eggy without being overly sweet. the batter is easy to make either by hand or in the blender, and it makes a lovely addition to brunch or as a dessert to finish a meal. i topped it with sautéed apples, as this time of year they are delicious from the farmer's market. you can enjoy this whole wheat dutch baby pancake year round by topping it with any seasonal fruit.

start by coring and slicing the apples into thin pieces.

 sauté the apples for about 5 minutes in 1/2 tbsp butter with a sprinkling of cinnamon, allspice, and maple syrup.

fresh and high quality ingredients make a difference here, as the recipe calls for so few.

to your eggs you will add 1/2 cup flour. i opted for whole wheat pastry flour.

add 1/2 cup milk. i usually have 1% on hand.

for ease, i just threw the eggs in the blender for a few seconds, and then added the rest of the ingredients. pulse a few times and then let the blender run for about 5-10 seconds.

 melt 1.5 tbsp of butter in the cast iron skillet on the stovetop. once it is melted, tilt the pan to coat the bottom and partially up the sides.

 pour the batter into the hot skillet, and then carefully transfer the skillet into a preheated oven. bake for 20-25 minutes until it is puffy and golden brown.

 the outer crust is a good indication of when the pancake is done, and there shouldn't be any uncooked batter.

 top with the warm sautéed apples, and you are done! the pancake is delicious served warm.

you can slide the whole pancake out of the skillet to cut it, or just slice pieces as you would a pie. refrigerate the leftovers and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

recipe based on the whole foods recipe

whole wheat dutch baby pancake with sauteed apples

serves 4-6

ingredients:

1 large apple, cored and sliced thinly

1/2 tbsp butter

~ 1/4 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)

~1/8 tsp allspice (to taste)

1-2 tsp maple syrup

4 eggs

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

optional garnish ideas: lemon juice to squeeze on top, extra maple syrup, yogurt

directions:

1.   preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tbsp butter. when the butter is melted, toss in the sliced apples. sprinkle with cinnamon and allspice, and cook for about 5 minutes until the apples soften. near the end of cooking, add 1-2 tsp maple syrup to taste.

2.   in a blender, crack the 4 eggs and pulse a few times. add the flour, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. pulse a few times, then blend for 5-10 seconds until completely combined.

3.   melt 1.5 tbsp butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. tilt the pan to coat the bottom on partially up the sides of the pan. pour the batter into the hot pan, and transfer it immediately to the preheated oven.

4.   let it bake for 20-25 minutes until the sides and top are golden brown, the pancake is puffy, and there is no more raw batter. let cool slightly, then top with the sauteed apples. squeeze lemon juice over the top (optional) and serve warm.

tips:

- refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly sealed container, and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

- as the pancake does not have sugar added, i like to use a sweeter variety of apple like fuji or golden delicious.

sweet potato chili

the winter chill has set in, and while that doesn't make for wonders in the fresh produce department, there are still plenty of things to buy at the farmer's market. root vegetables store well, and are a perfect addition to this vegetarian sweet potato chili recipe.

i found this recipe while looking to use my slow cooker. once you prep your ingredients, it is easy to throw everything together and let it cook all day. this is not only an easy way to have a meal ready - it also lets the flavors meld together. if you don't have a slow cooker, try simmering the ingredients together with a little extra liquid, for a few hours on low heat over the stovetop.

to prep, first chop up your sweet potatoes into cubes and put them in the bowl of slow cooker.

chop the green pepper, onion, garlic, and almost all the prep is done!

i like to take the harsh edge off the flavor of onion and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker. i added this step, so if you want to skip it, the chili should still turn out fine. after caramelizing in a bit of olive oil, they should look something like this:

measure out the spices. do cinnamon and cocoa sound weird in chili? trust the recipe, it brings a warmth to the spice mix just like a mole sauce. rinse the black and kidney beans if using canned, and add them to the bowl of the slow cooker with the chopped green pepper.

if you want all the work to be done, you can slice up the scallions ahead of time.

to make it easy to start the slow cooker in the morning, you can refrigerate your prepped ingredients until you are ready to start the slow cooker. Then you can just add all the pre-chopped ingredients to the bowl at once.

add the tomatoes and water last, then give the mixture a stir.

after 7 hours on low, the sweet potatoes should be soft, yet still hold their shape. 

dish into bowls, top with sour cream or greek yogurt, and sprinkle on some scallions. this chili is also delicious reheated the next day.

sweet potato chili
recipe based on: slow-cooker chili from real simple

ingredients:

1 medium onion (red or yellow), chopped 
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1.5 cups black beans or 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed
1.5 cups kidney beans or 1 15.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed 
1 cup corn (i used frozen)
2 small sweet potatoes, cut into roughly 1/2 inch cubes
1 28 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup water

to serve:
sour cream or greek yogurt
2-3 scallions, sliced

directions:

1.   heat the 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes to warm the pan. add the chopped onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. once onion starts to soften, add the minced garlic and let cook for 2 more minutes, stirring a few times. once the onions have some browning, they are ready.

2.   add the onion/garlic, bell pepper, spices, black beans, kidney beans, corn and sweet potatoes to the bowl of your slow cooker. pour the diced tomatoes on top and add about 1 cup of water. give the ingredients a stir.

3.   set the slow cooker for 7 hours on low. alternatively, you can set it for 4 to 5 hours on high. after 7 hours on low, the sweet potatoes should be cooked and the chili is ready to eat! serve with a spoonful of sour cream or greek yogurt on top and sprinkle with sliced scallions.

fall vegetable soup

another delicious fall soup recipe with butternut squash used in a different way. once you have prepped your ingredients, the soup comes together in less than 15 minutes! here the squash is not the star, but is one of many ingredients to make a hearty fall vegetable soup.

this recipe is simple and straightforward. start off by prepping all of your vegetables. rip the kale into pieces (remove any thick stems). mince garlic, chop onion and potato, slice carrot and celery, and cube the butternut squash.

add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan (don't mind the burn marks on mine!) and heat over medium low heat. saute the onions and garlic until they start to become translucent and lightly brown.

next add in the stock. i use part chicken and part vegetable stock to develop a better, more unique flavor. add in the prepped carrot, celery, potato and squash.

 once this comes to a boil, add the tomato paste and simmer for 3 minutes.

season the soup with 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, and salt to taste (depends on how salty your stock was).

after the 3 minutes of cook time is up, add in the orzo, kale, and kidney beans and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. 

after 5 minutes, check your vegetables to make sure they have cooked to your liking and you are done! ladle into bowls and enjoy. 

you can stash the soup in the fridge and reheat as needed, note that the orzo and veggies may soak up a little extra liquid, making the soup thicker.

fall vegetable soup with kale and butternut squash

 inspiration from: quick fall minestrone

ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups vegetable stock

1 carrot, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 medium russet potato, scrubbed well and cubed (about 2 cups)

3 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1/2 of a 2.5 lb squash)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

salt to taste (try about 1/4 tsp if you need it)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup orzo (or another small dry pasta)

1.5 cups cannellini or kidney beans (rinse if using canned)

4 cups kale, stems removed and ripped into smaller pieces

directions:

1.   heat olive oil over medium low heat, and add onions and garlic. saute until translucent and lightly brown.

2.   add in chicken and vegetable stock, as well as the carrot, celery, potato, and squash. season with pepper, oregano, and salt. bring the mixture to a boil, add tomato paste and then turn the heat down to a simmer for 3 minutes.

3.   stir in the orzo, kidney beans, and kale and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. taste to be sure the vegetables are cooked to your liking, and it is ready to serve.

tips:

- feel free to mix up the vegetables you use! i have used green beans in place of celery, and sweet potato for part of the white potato. Cannellini beans add a great color and either canned or freshly chopped tomatos are delicious as well.

- store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for a few days. the pasta and vegetables may absorb extra water during storage. if the soup is too thick when you reheat it, feel free to add a little water or stock.

butternut squash and apple soup

my new favorite fall produce has to be the butternut squash. roasting it cubed or in slices brings out the sweetness to balance out a savory entree, it works wonderfully as an addition to vegetable soups, or it stands out as the main flavor in this butternut squash and apple soup.

if you start out with a large squash, you may not need to use the whole squash. about a 2 lb squash should give you all you need for this recipe. aim for about 5-6 cups cubed. even if you alter the proportions of the ingredients, it will still taste awesome, so don't get too caught up with the measurements.

the hardest part of the recipe is cutting up the squash, so use your sharpest knife. cut the squash in half, separating the bulb from the top of the squash. start with the bulb and slice it in half. scoop out all the seeds and strings.

peel both the bulb and the top part of the squash. i find that its easiest to peel the bulb part crosswise because the peeler works well on the curve.

for the top part of the squash, slice it into "planks" first:

then take a few planks at a time and slice into sticks:

then you can slice crosswise and you will have cubes of squash:

for the bulb, you can cut into slices first, then cut crosswise into chunks.

prep the other vegetables in the recipe: chop the onion, slice the celery, chop the carrot, peel and chop the apple.

start off sauteing the onions, adding some herbs if you choose (i used sage and thyme). if you want a smooth looking soup, keep the herbs in whole sprigs so you can remove them easily before blending. add the carrot and the celery and cook until they start to soften. then, add in the cubed squash and the broth to the pan.

simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the squash and vegetables soften. remove from the heat and let it cool slightly. next, its time to blend. you can use an immersion blender right in the pot, or you can use a regular blender. ladle about half of the squash mixture into the blender, making sure the leave plenty of space at the top.

now this is important! be sure to hold the stopper on the lid of your blender ajar (pictured below), so that the steam can escape while blending. also firmly hold the lid on. this is why you want to leave plenty of space, to prevent splashing squash all over your walls. pulse the mixture until most of the chunks are broken up, then process for about 15 seconds straight until it becomes a smooth puree. set aside the first batch and repeat with the second half.

 the puree will be quite silky, and you can mix the two batches together after blending.

you can serve immediately as warm soup, or stash it in the fridge for a couple of days. it reheats well. if desired, garnish with some herbs or spices for a nice presentation. i added some fresh grated nutmeg and sage:

perfect meal for a cold or rainy day!

butternut squash and apple soup

based on simply recipes' butternut squash soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 cup carrot, chopped

sage, thyme, or other herbs

5-6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 large apple, peeled and cubed (a tart, crisp apple such as granny smith works well)

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup water

instructions:

1.   add the 2 tbsp olive oil to a soup pot (or a large skillet, with high sides) and heat over medium low heat. saute the onions until they start to soften, and add the sliced celery and chopped carrot. if desired, add a few sprigs of herbs to the pan as well.

2.   once the carrot and celery start to soften, add to the pan the cubed butternut squash, the apple, the broth, and the water. simmer covered for 25-30 minutes until squash softens.

3.   once squash and vegetables are soft, either use an immersion blender to puree the soup mixture, or use a blender to puree the soup in batches, being careful to let the steam escape while blending (see tips above). if you are using a regular blender, i recommend letting the soup cool slightly before blending.

4.   serve pureed soup immediately while hot into bowls, or store in the fridge for a few days. you can easily reheat it on the stove over low heat or in the microwave.