"Detox" Salad

So sometimes I get a little overindulge-y on the sweets and carbs and good things in life (funnily enough, in the summer, there's WAY more dessert present in my house than any other time of year--thank you, fresh fruit!), and I just feel like eating a giant pile of vegetables for a meal.

I don't buy into the whole "detox" movement (or "cleanses" or "raw" or any of that, really), but it just feels...GOOD sometimes to eat a full-on healthy salad of not much more than shredded veggies, dried/fresh fruit, nuts, and very little dressing.

Maybe that's just me and I'm weird like that, but whatev!  I do what I want!

Your best friend, in this situation, is a food processor with a shredder attachment.  If you don't have that, this'll take a lot longer (and more effort) to make.

Inspired by this recipe, with a few additions/changes for my own tastes.

Ingredients:

1-2 bunches of broccoli, washed and stems cleaned up
3-4 small red beets
2 medium carrots
1/2 bunch of kale (curly or dinosaur, your choice), finely chopped
1/2 cup nuts, roughly chopped (I used cashew pieces and almonds)
1/2 cup unsweetened raisins
1/4 cup kelp powder
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T.-1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
2 T. olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Optional: handful of fresh berries on top :)

Instructions:

Using a food processor, finely shred broccoli (stems and all!), carrots, and beets.    Toss together in a large bowl.

Add in the kale, nuts, and raisins.

In a small bowl, mix together the kelp powder, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and oil.  Taste and season/add more honey.

Toss everything together!

Enjoy!

Links!

Good day, everyone!

No need to remind me that it's been almost a month since my last post.  I know.

Work has me very busy (I'm full-time with a schedule ALL over the place) and I honestly haven't much time to cook, let alone blog it.

I promise I'll get better at managing my time.

Here's a link post for you all, though.

Things I'm loving lately:

BREAKFAST:

I make a mish-mash of these two recipes: http://mouthwateringfoods.blogspot.com/2013/03/chocolate-steel-cut-oats.html and http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2012/04/chocolate-banana-baked-oatmeal-359.html.  I'm obsessed with overnight oats.  So simple (throw everything in your slow-cooker and leave it!) and delicious, with so many options!  It makes morning meals really quick and tasty.  The browned bits on the edges are sometimes the best thing ever.

Protein pancakes are awesome!  Some recipes are paleo, some are low-carb, but all are delicious!

DINNERS:

Brisket!  Brisket is so easy to find here!  We made this BBQ brisket recipe with my parents one night.  *drools* So good.  We used a local place's barbecue sauces and it was divine.

This vegan kabocha-lentil curry is fantastic and flavorful, though I recommend doubling the spices (and definitely add the tomatoes.

I would have these sweet potato burgers daily if I could!  I used coconut flour instead of quinoa and added flax and another egg.  They weren't as solid as the photos seem but oh my gosh were they tasty!

DESSERT:

The last two weeks have been filled with one dessert requested twice by my husband:  Lemon meringue pie. We've used Alton Brown's recipe and it's soooo good!  For gluten-free people, I suggest this pie crust recipe.  It's still not 100% foolprood, but it tastes great.

Recent Recipes

Seeing as I have packed the camera away, I unfortunately haven't been taking any photos of my foodstuffs lately.  But, I shall list for you the recipes I have made (plus any changes I made) in this post!

Also, in case you didn't know, I discovered a new source of cross-contamination this week:  plastic storage containers!  Apparently they can absorb gluten!  *themoreyouknow*

I felt like I was going insane all week, getting glutened daily but not using/eating anything with gluten-containing ingredients.  And it wasn't BAD reactions, just mild discomfort and bloat (and over the week, I began getting depressed and anxious).  I was starting to think they were psychosomatic.  Nope.  Not crazy.  It's my (admittedly very old) Gladware.  *sigh* Oh well, at least we're moving and I have an excuse to get more?

***********************************************************************

So, on with the

RECIPE LINKS

This is my favorite thing of the week.  Andalusian Gypsy Stew.  Also known as "Olla Gitana", but this recipe, instead of being vegetarian (like all the other recipes I looked up), this one is a bit heartier with the addition of sausage and pork.  The only changes I made were to omit the bread crumbs (for obvious reasons) and the pork bones (simply because I didn't have them).  It.  Is.  Incredible.  Very hearty, very healthy, very flavorful.  Go.  Make it now.  I'll wait.  **Low Carb, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian/Vegan Option**

Last night, I prepared this for myself: Spinach with Chickpeas and Fried Eggs.  NOW.  The recipe made me think of something else I wanted to try for a while, called shakshouka.  Or menemen.   See a theme?  So what did I do?  I mixed them together!  I started with the onion, and a thinly sliced red and green bell pepper.  Cooked that until tender, and then I tossed in the chickpeas, tomatoes (I used a whole 28-oz/798 mL can), and garlic.  I allowed this to simmer for about 30 minutes (I wanted the bell peppers/onion broken down) and then I added in the broth and spices (I doubled the spice amounts).  I let that cook on almost-high-heat for almost an hour, until the broth had mostly boiled off (and left the delicious taste behind).  About 30 minutes before serving, I tossed in all on the spinach (in batches, because that's a lot of spinach), stirred it in, and fried up my egg in the meantime (not in a ton of oil, just a spritz).  Add a dash of lemon juice or a vinegar of your choice at the end to give it a bit of acid flavor.  Really healthy and filling, great for lunch, dinner, or breakfast.  (The original recipe says this is 4 servings, but to me it looks more like 6?  I don't know how you could eat 1/4 of the recipe without bursting.)  **Slow Carb, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian/Vegan Option without the eggs**

I also made these puppies!  Carrot Cake Protein Bars.  Instead of syrup, I used Splenda, and instead of coconut flour, I used almond meal.  This resulted in a batter-like consistency, rather than a dough, so I just poured it into a baking pan and cut it afterward.  Really delicious!  A great fake-out dessert (or breakfast...porque no los dos?) full of good stuff.  And it really does taste like carrot cake.  **Low Carb, Gluten-Free, High-Protein, Vegetarian, Vegan Option with Egg Replacers**

Lastly, my "real" dessert of the week was Gluten-Free Goddess' Pumpkin Pie Bread.  So good.  So so good.  I added chopped up dark chocolate Toblerone to it (no chocolate chips in the house).  To die for.  **...Yeah, this is just gluten-free, not healthy at all :P.

There you have it!  Enjoy, readers.  Go make these things.

**************************************************************************

And a VERY great piece of advice to fellow gluten-intolerant/Celiacs:  If you get glutened, swallowing a shot (a couple of tablespoons) of apple cider/white vinegar (dilute it if you want) will reduce your symptoms.  I didn't believe it until I tried it.  Within 10 minutes, my bloat had almost disappeared, the headfog had dissipated, and the nausea was gone.  Such a relief not feeling sick!  But you're gonna feel really strange for a few minutes, just be warned.

Pumpkin-Coconut Quinoa Breakfast

Looking for a tasty, flexible, and very healthy breakfast option? You have found it!

This is a really old recipe and I think I have the right measurements for ingredients--just take them with a grain of salt ;).

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and picked over
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (the drinking kind)
1/2 cup Sultana raisins
3 T. brown sugar or maple syrup (adjust to your taste)
1 t. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Toppings, as you like.

Instructions:

Place the coconut milk and pumpkin puree in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and add the quinoa.  Place the lid on top and turn heat to low, and allow to cook about 20 minutes (according to package time, of course), until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked through.  You may need to add a bit more coconut milk or puree as it cooks.

Stir in the brown sugar/syrup, vanilla, and raisins once it's done.

Top with your favorite nuts, berries, flax seeds, or other fruits!  Very easy, very filling, and very good for you!

Vegan Mondays: Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

So in the wake of going gluten-free, it seems that my lactose intolerance (which I've known about forever, but been able to mostly ignore) is also beginning to flair up.  Which is common once one goes gluten-free with Celiac/intolerance--your digestive system can now process things the right way again, so any intolerance you already had before gets worse!

It is with sad news that I announce that I must (mostly) break up with cheese.

Which leads us into today's recipe!

I *may* have posted this recipe before, but I am making it again and it may be a tad different.  So oh well!  Enjoy it again!

I have combined two recipes to make this.  From here and here.   They are not horribly different, except for their spice amounts.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large tomato, diced (or use canned, like I did...maybe a 14-oz. can of diced tomatoes)
1 T. cumin seeds
1 t. ground turmeric
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. garam masala
1/2 t. red pepper flakes/powder
1/2 t. ground fenugreek
1/2 t. mustard powder (I didn't have this, so I used some mustard in the fridge)
1 large eggplant, or 2 medium, cubed
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper, and saute until cooked-through.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.  Toss in your spices and allow the scent to bloom.  Add the tomatoes, and allow this to cook for about 10 minutes.

Add in the eggplant and place a lid on top.  Turn the heat down and allow this all to cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until the eggplant is tender and the flavors have blended.  Lastly, taste for salt and season to taste.

 (I was bad about taking pictures as I was in a huge hurry.)

Serve plain, over rice, or with naan.  Enjoy!

Chickpea, Tomato, and Chard Soup

I had a really bad night.  Today, all I wanted was easy, comforting food that combatted my tiredness and the falling snow outside.

This has a very similar flavor to minestrone--you could easily toss in some pasta, if you like.

Also, I've been trying to work on my food photos.  So there are a few "finished presentation" ones at the end :P.

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, or 2 small ones, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large carrot, or 2 medium, chopped
2 cans of chickpeas (or any other preferred beans), rinsed and drained
2 28-oz. cans whole or diced tomatoes
1 t. oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable (if you want it to be vegan) broth
1 bunch Swiss chard or kale, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add in the onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and chard stems (if using).  Cook for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and tender.

Add in the chickpeas and tomatoes, bringing to a simmer.  Squash the tomatoes against the side of the pan as they cook, if using whole.  Add in spices/herbs.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add in the broth and bring to a simmer again.  Allow to cook for 10 more minutes.

Toss in the chard leaves, and cook until tender.  Season to taste.

Serve!

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

It's crispy!  It's holdable!  It's tasty!

And it's quick!

Delicious pizza at your fingertips.  It even put up with my gigantic portions of veggie toppings.

I used this recipe and my only change was the yeast.  I didn't have instant, so instead of mixing the yeast in dry, I slurried it with the sugar and 1/2 cup of the water in order to "activate" it.

Also, it is REALLY sticky when you turn it out onto the pizza pans.  Instead of just spraying the pan with oil, I'd also line it with parchment for extra-easy removal.  You can't really roll it like one would "normal" pizza dough.  Just press it to the edges.

I pre-baked the crusts for 20 minutes in a 400F oven with the racks in the lower part of it.  After the crusts were lightly browned, I took them out (to put the toppings on) and reheated the oven to 475F.  Then, I moved them to the middle once all the toppings were placed on.

A great thin crust!  Even non-GF people will enjoy it!

Charles' man-pizza.

My delicious vegetable pizza with feta and a little mozzarella.

I was trying to demonstrate the holdability, but it was difficult and the flash went off :O.

Bonus fluffy Iago.

Chunky Apple Pie Granola

High protein snacks are what I go for, and who doesn't want some tasty homemade granola on their yogurt every day?

This recipe is super easy, and can be low-sugar, low-fat, AND high-protein with the aid of protein powder.

And it's vegan!

Ingredients:

2 cups GF rolled oats
1/4 cup hemp protein powder (or protein powder of your choice)
3/4 cup nuts of your choice, roughly chopped
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. salt
1/2 cup Splenda (OR 1/4 cup brown sugar)

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. maple syrup

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Mix all wet in a small bowl.

Combine and adjust applesauce/sugars until you get sticky chunks of granola (not too wet!).

Bake in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring everything around once or twice during baking.

Once done, you can toss in whatever dried fruits you like.  It makes about a quart, and is DELICIOUS.  Store in an airtight container!

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Vegan Monday was not on Monday this week, hehe.

This is actually a great variation on Shepherd's Pie--comfort-food-favorite of many--and it also leaves much up to the cook as to what veggies/legumes to use to adjust it to tastes and health requirements.  The mushrooms give it a really meaty flavor and texture, while the lentils provide a creaminess and body.  It's super-duper healthy, "slow-carb", and very filling.

The topping could be made with any mixture of starchy vegetables--mine just happened to be mostly pureed cauliflower, with a couple of small white potatoes thrown in.

Add cheese if you want, but that would make it not vegan ;).  I actually didn't think it needed it.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
300 g. baby bella/cremini mushrooms, chopped
200 g. lentils (I had red on hand), rinsed, cooked, and drained  (if using canned, I think one 15-oz. can would be enough)
3 T. tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
2 T. worcestershire sauce
2 T. coconut milk
1 t. of dill
1 t. marjoram
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds (.6-.7 kg) starchy vegetable, steamed or blanched
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2-4 T. coconut milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F while you cook.  Prepare either a large casserole dish or multiple small baking dishes (for individual portions) by spraying the sides down with oil.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, lidded skillet over medium heat.  Toss in onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender (about 10 minutes).

Add in the mushrooms and garlic.  Cook for about 10 more minutes, until cooked through.

Add in the lentils, liquids, and spices.  Pop the lid on and allow everything to cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, to allow all the flavors to meld together.  Taste after cooking and correct any seasonings.

Allow excess liquid to cook off (you don't want it to be too "saucy").  Pour into the casserole dish(es).

In another skillet, saute the shallot over medium-high heat in a bit of oil until caramelized.

In a large bowl, using an immersion blender, blend up your starchy vegetables, the cooked shallot, and add the coconut milk gradually until it reaches the consistency you desire (like mashed potatoes).  Season with salt & pepper.  Pour over the filling in the casserole dish(es), spreading it out to evenly cover everything.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and the top is a light golden-brown.

It doesn't quite behave like normal Shepherd's Pie, but it sure tastes great!  My husband likes to top his with some ketchup, while I throw on the ubiquitous Sriracha.  It's even better leftover.

Vegan Mondays: Sweet Potato (or Butternut Squash) Hash

This is a great, great recipe for a very simple and quick meal that's also high in protein, fiber, and satisfaction!  While it's fantastic for dinner, I also think it'd make a great breakfast dish.  Credit to the original: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/10/sweet-potato-tofu-hash-vegan-comfort.html

Tofu hash is basically a mimic of scrambled egg hash, so crumble your tofu about the size you would want your eggs to be.  Seasonings and vegetables can also be adjusted to your own tastes.

I roasted my squash to get it caramelized, but if you're in a rush, you can very simply just pop your cubed squash in a bowl in the microwave and cook it for 5 minutes in there.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash or sweet potato
1 T. olive oil
Dash of salt, pepper, ancho chili powder

1 T. olive oil (more as needed)
1 shallot, diced
1 yellow/red/orange bell pepper, diced
1 15-oz block of firm tofu, pressed, crumbled
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 T. coconut milk
2 t. cumin
1 t. turmeric
1 T. paprika
Dash of Hungarian paprika (optional, for heat)
1 t. salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2-1 t. liquid smoke (depending on how smoky you want it)
2-3 T. maple syrup

Instructions:

Cook your squash/potato by roasting in the oven at 425 degrees F (coated in the olive oil and spices) for 20-25 minutes, or in the microwave for about 5 minutes on high.

Heat up your oil in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat.  Toss in your shallot and bell pepper, sauteing until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.

Add in your tofu, green onions, and mushrooms, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the tofu is firming up.

Then add the coconut milk and spices/seasonings/liquids, stirring to coat, and allow to cook with the lid on for about 5 minutes (to let all the flavors mesh!).

Toss in your cooked squash/potato last, heat through, and serve!  I, of course, had to top mine with a healthy dash of Sriracha deliciousness.

Vegan Mondays Continued: Chocolate Pots-de-"Creme"

These were very, very tasty little pots-de-creme made with a few simple ingredients.  No butter or cream to be found here!

Ingredients:

1 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used Baker's), roughly chopped
1 t. grated orange zest
2-3 T. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Instructions:

Heat a double-boiler over high heat.  Add coconut milk and chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until smooth.

Pour into 2-3 mini-cocottes or small bowls, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until set.

My only complaint was that the texture was a tad bit grainy--I might try whisking it next time while it's heating.

Vegan Mondays: Ramen

Last weekend, my husband, Charles, came to me and asked if we could start having less meat-centered meals during our weeks.  Sparked by an article he read about human evolution and diet, he concluded that perhaps we should be consuming less animal products.  Combine that with the environmental aspect and cruelty of the meat industry, and we now have our reasons for Vegan Mondays.  (By the way, I was always for this, but you know how dudes can be about their meat.)  This may expand to a few more days of the week later on, but right now, we're trying it out once a week.

If this ramen is any sign of what's to come, we're going to be having many, many more meatless meals.

Forget the ramen you had in high school and college that was ten cents a package and came with a little packet of MSG seasoning.

This is the real stuff. It's man-approved.  I was even asked to make this for the in-laws about five minutes into eating.  And we couldn't believe that it's animal-byproduct-free!

This is a bit of work for a meal, but I think it's so worth it.  It'd also be a GREAT idea to double the broth recipe and have a ramen party where people bring their own little topping.

The original recipe also used smoked shiitake mushrooms and features guidelines for David Chang's Momofuku ramen broth, so if you're interested in that, you'll find it here.

Ingredients:

Shiitake Mushroom Broth

3 quarts (12 cups, or almost 3 liters) of water
3 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms, enough to result in 1 cup of ground mushrooms (these come in tiny bags at my supermarket that are very expensive--I used 3 .5-oz bags and it was enough, so YMMV)
1 sheet Kombu seaweed, rinsed (I could not find this at the supermarket, so I used 3-4 sheets of toasted seaweed sushi wrappers...I have no idea if that was really different)
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
8 whole peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1/4 cup mirin
1/3 cup soy sauce (or more, to taste)
2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and 1 medium onion, tossed in olive oil and roasted at 425 degrees F until lightly browned (if you have the time)

Toppings
Tofu, cube
Chopped green onion
Bamboo shoots
Roasted cauliflower
Roasted butternut squash
Lightly steamed bok choy (or other sturdy greens)
Bean sprouts
Enoki mushrooms
Roasted/smoked/sauteed shiitake mushrooms
Soy sauce (to top)

Noodles (udon, if you're not eating GF, but for GF people, I suggest soba or shirataki noodles)

Instructions:

Powder up your dried mushrooms in a food processor.

Shiitake!

The dried portobella mushrooms powdered up easier.  (They didn't have enough shiitake bags at the store.)

 Place all broth ingredient in a large stockpot.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove seaweed pieces, then simmer 30 minutes more until reduced by half.

Strain the mixture with cheesecloth, return to the pot, and keep warm.  Once it's time to eat, bring the broth back to a full boil.

Prepare your toppings and noodles.  We tried these low-carb, low-calorie shirataki noodles for the first time.  If you can ignore the smell when they first come out of the bag, they're fantastic!

Serve by placing noodles in a bowl, and toppings in their own bowls around the table so people can add them as they wish.  Pour the broth over everything, once assembled.  (You may need to reheat your bowl if your toppings are cold when you add the broth.)

The set-up!   Note the ubiquitous Sriracha.

Bowl of deliciousness, and a Japanese cucumber salad on the side.

This is an incredible meal, and it gets a 10 on the healthiness scale.  Dig in!

Chunky Beefy Pumpkin Chili

It's fall, and that means sometimes we need some delicious stick-to-your-ribs, hearty food.  Chili is one of my favorite things--it is so healthy for you, and yet so tasty and satisfying!

This makes a TON of chili.  I froze half of it.  So cut the recipe in half if you want.

I'm trying to write this up from memory.  I apologize if I miss something!

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-inch knob of ginger, minced or grated
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2.5-3 lb beef roast (mine was shoulder), cut into 1-inch cubes
1-2 T. chili powder (to your preference)
1 T. cumin
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
3-4 cups chopped or whole tomatoes (this is approximate, use to your taste)
2 T. tomato paste
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 15 oz. cans of beans of your choice (I used kidney and black)
2 cups fresh pumpkin, chopped into 1-inch cubes
Salt to taste (at least 1 t.)

Instructions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.  Add the onions and saute until translucent.  Add in the garlic and ginger, chipotles, and bell pepper, and saute for a few more minutes, until fragrant.

Toss in the beef cubes and cook everything until the beef is browned.

Add in the spices, and saute for a minute or two (let the spices bloom!).

Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, pumpkin puree, and beans.  Bring to a simmer and cover, cooking for 20-30 minutes or until the beef is tender and cooked-through.

About 20-30 minutes before serving, add in your fresh pumpkin chunks, and cook until tender.

Taste and correct any seasoning and add salt.

Serve hot with your choice of toppings!  This is also fantastic leftover.



NOTE:  You could easily make this vegetarian/vegan by removing the beef.  Also, I think subbing sweet potato or another squash for the pumpkin would 100% work.  All of this could also be tossed into a slow-cooker and allowed to cook all day/night!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin isn't just for desserts!  I made this up, completely, after not being satisfied with any pumpkin soup recipes I found.

It has some flavors of both Southwestern and Asian cuisine, which (surprisingly) pair together nicely.  I would have loved to add some red curry paste if I'd only had it.  It pulls together very quickly.

Having a cold, my sense of taste is kinda crappy, so I was told I overseasoned this.  Take measurements with a grain of salt.

Also, it can easily be made vegetarian/vegan if you switch out the chicken stock for vegetable stock and the butter for olive oil/an oil of your choice.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 T. butter
2 small onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1-inch knob of ginger, minced
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. paprika
1 t. thyme
3 cups pumpkin puree
2-3 cups chicken stock (depending on how thin you want your soup)
1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  When butter bubbles and foams, place onions, garlic, and ginger in the pan.  Saute until onions are cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Add in the spices and herbs and allow to cook for a few minutes more.

Add in the pumpkin and chicken stock, bringing it to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

That chunk is some frozen puree.

If you prefer, pour your soup into a blender and puree.  I didn't only because I'm ill and didn't want to clean yet another thing :D.

Accompanying meal will be posted tomorrow.

About 10 minutes before serving, reheat your soup (if you've let it sit) and add the coconut milk.  Salt to taste.  Simmer and serve hot!

Pumpkin Puree

Just an alert, ladies.  Apparently when you drop below 20% body fat, your hormones can get all out of whack and cause lady problems.

Thank goodness it's fall, and I'll be gaining winter weight anyway.

Speaking of fall, I love October.  Why do I love October?

Pumpkins.

Now, people.  Pumpkins are not just for carving.  Or, what people seem to do here, just setting out on your porch as decorations.

Pumpkins are for eating.

I get sad watching the untouched pumpkins just sit and rot at all the houses in the area.  I want to steal them and put them to use in delicious desserts and soups and meals.  Make tasty snacks of their pepitas.  Feast on their delicious flesh.

Don't buy canned pumpkin puree.   Just make your own.  I got about 16 cups (that's almost 4 liters, Europeans/anyone NOT in 'Murica) out of a single pumpkin.

It was a huge pumpkin, yes.  But ONE.  That I bought for $2, because apparently pumpkins are sold dirt cheap here since no one uses them as food.

Excuse my pale and sickly appearance.  I was tired and not feeling 100%.

So how do you do this?

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F, and prepare 1-2 baking sheets with oil/cooking spray (depends on how big your pumpkin is).

Take your pumpkin.  Cut out the top, like you would prepping it to carve.

Cut it in half.

Scoop out the guts/seeds (save the seeds to make tasty snacks!).

Some people proceed to cut it into smaller pieces, but I don't.  I find it easier to roast two halves.

Spray/brush cut sides of the pumpkin halves with olive oil.  Place cut-side down on prepared baking sheets.

Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes (mine took about an hour), or until a fork easily pierces the skin.  Allow to cool.

Scoop flesh out of the skin and place in batches in a blender/food processor.  Puree.

This is half the pumpkin's puree.

I then pour mine into little freezer bags, in 2 cup portions, and freeze most of it for later use.

The possibilities are endless!