Lemongrass Ginger Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups diced onion
  • 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced carrots
  • 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
  • One 2-inch-long piece lemongrass, pounded
  • 4 cups Chicken Bone Broth, or your favorite stock, or water
  • Sea salt, to taste

Instructions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the ghee or olive oil. Add the onion and sweat until translucent, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots, ginger, and lemongrass and stir to coat the vegetables with the ghee or oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the broth and increase the heat to medium. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, blending in batches if necessary. We love using our immersion blender for this task!

Season with sea salt to taste and serve immediately.

Kale & White Bean Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dry white beans
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 small shallot or onion
  • 3 cloves black garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 package bow-tie or penne pasta
  • Fresh parsley, as garnish
  • Parmesan or other cheese, if desired

Instructions:

Soak beans in water for 6 hours, or overnight. Rinse before cooking.

Cook beans with 1 1/2 cups water or broth, on medium-low heat, until fully cooked (about 1.5 hours), stirring occasionally, and added more water/broth if drying out.

Boil water to cook pasta. Once pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.

Saute onion or shallot in a large skillet over medium heat until almost translucent (about 5 minutes).

Add salt, pepper, & red pepper flakes - tossing to coat onion - and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Add in chopped kale, cooking and stirring until wilted.

Crush black garlic and add into onion & kale mixture, mixing in thoroughly. Add more olive oil, asneeded.

Toss in cooked beans & pasta, until fully incorporated into mixture.

Add more olive oil, parmesan cheese & fresh parsley, to taste.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

  • 1 acorn squash
  • ½ c. quinoa
  • 1 ¼ c. water
  • ¼ tsp. curry powder (included in spice packet)
  • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon (included in spice packet)
  • ¼ c. raisins
  • 1 c. kale, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds, place cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes, until fork-tender.

Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water.  Combine quinoa, water, spices, raisins and kale in a pot.  Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until liquid evaporates.

Once the acorn squash is finished cooking, add the quinoa mixture to the scooped out center and enjoy!

 

Spaghetti Squash with White Bean Ragout

Ingredients:

  • 1 large whole spaghetti squash
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. thyme
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 dash crushed red pepper
  • 1 14 ½ oz. can fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ c cooked white kidney beans
  • 1 Tbsp. organic sugar

Instructions:

Soak beans overnight.  Rinse and drain beans and add to a pot of water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for approximately 90 minutes until tender.  Add more water if necessary.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the stem end off of the spaghetti squash to be able to stand it on end.  This makes it easier to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.  Scrape out the seeds and pulp with a large spoon.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and put spaghetti squash, cut side down, on the baking sheet.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the squash skin is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork.  Allow the squash to cool down enough to handle, and then use a fork to scrape out the flesh into a mixing bowl.   Cover with foil to keep warm.

While the squash roasts, make the ragout.  Line a medium pot with water over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes, adding a splash of water if the onions are sticking.  Add the seasoning packet, tomatoes, tomato sauce and beans and stir them well.  Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, or until the sauce has thickened up.  

To serve, place a serving of the squash into each bowl or plate and top with a cup of the ragout.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Black Bean and Squash Salad

Ingredients:

  • ½ Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 med. butternut squash
  • 1 c. quinoa
  • 2 c. water or stock
  • 2 Tbsp. minced red onion
  • 1 c. black beans
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic

Instructions:

Soak black beans overnight in a bowl of water.  Rinse and drain black beans and add to a pot of water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for approximately 90 minutes until tender.  Add more water if necessary.

Mix the oil, cumin and paprika.  Cut the squash into cubes a little smaller than an inch.  Toss the squash in the oil mixture to coat.  Spread on a baking pan and bake at 450 degrees until tender with browned edges.

In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse quinoa thoroughly with cool water.  Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the drained quinoa.  Cook, stirring for about 1-2 minutes to toast.  Stir in the liquid and onions and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to the lowest setting.  Cover and cook for 25 minutes.

In a large bowl, squeeze the lemon and grate the garlic with a microplane (If you don’t have a microplane, mince finely).  Add the quinoa, squash and black beans.  Mix well.  Taste and adjust seasonings if you need to.  Serve slightly warm.