Blueberry Orange and Pistachio Cabbage Salad

Ever since the mr got a gigantic bag of pistachios from my Dad for Christmas he has been eating them almost every night and not once has he asked if I wanted some. And I know he has been trying to hide them in the pantry on me, (obviously he has failed since it is MY pantry) so I took some when he was not home. Does that make me an asshole? Maybe a little but I share ALL of my food with him so he can give up a couple small handfuls of nuts.

Anyway I made salad with my stolen pistachios. A big cabbage salad with orange and blueberries because they pair amazingly with pistachios and plus I want to eat all the citrus right now. The blueberries, well they go so well in a savory situation and I wanted them in there too. (Plus the the color from the berries makes the salad so pretty!) So I made the salad and it was delicious. I ate some but you know what? I ended up sharing my stolen pistachio salad with the mr. And he liked it too, especially the pistachios. And he didn’t ask if I took then from him so I took that as a invitation to take more… Thats what it means right?

Now to the blueberry orange and pistachio cabbage salad!

The stuff. Cabbage, frozen blueberries, a big navel orange, pistachios, an onion, salt and pepper, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, and red pepper flakes.

Start by adding the blueberries to a pot with the maple and a little water. Place on medium heat and cook until blueberries pop to the touch and the liquid has reduced to ta thin syrup like consistency.

While blueberries are doing that, grab cabbage and shred as thin as you like. Also grab onion and slice a thin as you can. Place both into a big bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper and red wine vinegar.

Take orange and cut in half. Remove peel and pith from one half and cut into small segments.

Once the blueberries are cooked, dump the cabbage and onion mixture into warm pot. Squeeze the juice of remaining half orange and toss around until everything is evenly coated.

Dump it all back into the bowl and add the orange pieces and pistachios.

Toss around, add in a pinch of red pepper flakes and eat away.

-C

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Blueberry Orange and Pistachio Cabbage Salad

• 4 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/2 a head)

• 1 small onion

• 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

• 1/2 - 1 cup water

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

• 1 orange

• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup pistachios

• salt and pepper

• red pepper flakes (optional)

Start by placing blueberries into a medium pot with 1/2 cup of water and maple. Place on medium heat and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the blueberries pop to the touch and the liquid has reduced to a thin syrup. Remove from heat.

Grab cabbage and shred or cut into thin pieces. Also grab onion and cut into thin rings. Place into a bowl, add in a good pinch of salt and pepper and the vinegar and toss around. You can do this while the blueberries are cooking,

Now take the tossed cabbage and onion and dump into the pot of warm blueberries. Toss around unit everything is nice and purple and dump it all right back into the big bowl.

Cut orange in half and add the juice of one half. Take the other half and remove the peel and pith and cut remaining orange into small pieces.

Add orange and pistachios to the salad and toss. Season with more salt and pepper if needed and add a pinch or so of red pepper flakes.

Eat.

Can be serves warm or cool and left overs only taste better. Store in fridge in fridge for up to 5 days.

Butternut Squash and Apple Parfait

I have a thing for squash and apples. I roast them together all the time. It is a combination that I never get sick of. I go savory mostly but once in a while I’ll go the slightly sweeter route. This is one of those times. And I also opted to make it seem fancier then my average eating situation (eating with fingers of baking sheet) and added a few steps, and made parfaits out of them. (Parfaits are fancy right?) The result is amazing and maybe even more delicious then ever before. That’s saying something.

Basically what these parfaits consists of is layers of creamy pureed roasted butternut squash and slightly chunky cinnamon applesauce topped with oats and walnuts. That might not sound fancy or even that spectacular but you know when you underestimate something but once you experience it you are very much surprised by how fantastic it really is? Well if you are doubting me then that is what will happen here because this parfait situation even surprised me at how much I loved it.

So if you are in need of a breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert that will satisfy all of your hunger needs then you should most definitely try this out. It is simple and easy to make, super healthy, can be made ahead or time, and looks cute. (Did I just call a parfait cute? Yes, yes I did.) And again, super freaking delicious of course.

Now to the parfaits!

The stuff. Butternut squash, a couple of big apples, old fashion oats, walnuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, and almond milk.

For the squash you need to roast it so do that. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender. Once cooked transfer to a blender or jar (if using stick blender) , add in milk or water and blend until smooth. Add in maple to taste.

For apples. Core and chop apples into small pieces and place into a pot with water. Cook on medium heat until apples completely break down. Then either transfer to a blender or use as stick blender and blend until slightly smooth but still a bit chunky. Stir in some cinnamon.

And toast up the oats and walnuts, in the oven, just for 5-8 minutes.

Now assemble. You can do this while the stuff is still warm or wait until it is cold. Delicious either way.

So basically all you do is layer a bit of the squash and then apple a few times in a bowl or jar then top with toasted oats and walnuts. Simple as that.

Ans then you eat it. Or wait and eat it later. Or do what I did and assemble a few jars for the week but then eat all of them in one day. I couldn't stop myself. It was just too freaking good.

-C

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Butternut Squash and Apple parfait

makes 2-3 parfaits

• 3 cups cubed butternut squash

• 2 large apples (I used Macs)

• 1/2-3/4 cups plant milk (or water)

• 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)

• 1-2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 cup old fashion oats

• 1/4 cup walnut pieces

• 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 425.

Place cubed squash on a lined baking sheet and stick into hot oven and roast until fork tender.

While squash is roasting grab apples, cut and remove core and seeds, chop into smaller pieces and place into a pot with enough water to submerge the apple. Place on medium heat, stirring every few minutes, and cook until the apple starts to break down. If the water evaporates, add in more. When apples are soft and falling apart remove from heat and let cool a few minutes then either transfer to a blender or using a stick blender, blend until less chunky, but not completely smooth. You could also just smash it use with a fork. Add in a teaspoon or so of cinnamon and mix.

Once squash is roasted , remove from a pan and place either in a blender, or a jar or bowl if using a hand blender, add in 1/2 cup milk or water, and blend until smooth. If it seems really thick still, add in more liquid. Also add in maple to taste.

While oven is still hot, place oats and walnuts on baking sheet and place in oven for 5-8 minutes or unit walnuts and oats are toasted.

To assemble parfaits grab a bowl or jar and layer in a bit of squash then apple a few times. Top with some toasted oats and walnuts and sprinkle with more cinnamon and drizzle more maple if you want.

Eat warm or cold. Store left overs in fridge for up to a week.

Black eyed Pea-Sweet Potato and Tangerine Stew

I guess black eyed peas are good to eat on New Years because they bring you good luck or money or something. I have heard this and a lot of other food traditions but I don’t really do New Years so I have never really actively thought about what I consume on the day. But when I went to ponder my bean selection ( I have so many varieties) I figured what the hell, why not make the stew I was about to make into a good luck black eyed pea stew. I mean I was already making it (I was leaning towards black beans) but If there is a chance that eating these delicious beans will give me a little extra luck (and or money) this year, well by all means I’ll take it. And the stew because that is really what I was after.

This stew. It is thick and creamy from the sweet potato and beans, bright and light from the ginger and tangerines, and hearty because it is stew. It is a perfect stew situation to eat on any given day but especially nice on a cold winter evening. And I guess on New Years. Like today.

Now to the black eyed pea stew!

The stuff. Cooked black eyed peas. a sweet potato, some kale, a few tangerine, an onion, some garlic and ginger, tomato puree, and salt and pepper.

Start with chopping up the onion, mincing the garlic and ginger, and dicing up the sweet potato.

Toss the onion, garlic, and ginger into a big pot and add in a splash of water or oil and a pinch of salt. Place on medium heat ans cook until tranlucent and fragrant. Add in the sweet potatoes, tomato puree, and enough water to completely submerge it all. Keep on medium heat and cook until sweet potties are fork tender. Add more water if needed.

In he mean time chop up the kale.

And juice the tangerines.

Once potatoes are tender, add in the black eyed peas, the kale and the tangerine juice. Add more water to completely submerge again. And keep on medium high heat and cook for another 10-15 minutes or went everything is all melded and cooked together.

Like this. A pot of good goodness.

All that is left is to scoop the stew into blows and eat it. Squeeze more tangerine juice on top too, it makes it nice.

Good luck all year long!

-C

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Black eyed Pea-Sweet Potato and Tangerine Stew

• 2 cups cooked and drained black eyed peas

• 1 medium sweet potato

• 2-3 tangerines

• 1/2 cup tomato puree

• 1 small onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 inch fresh ginger root

• a few leaves of kale, chard, or collard greens

• 4-6 cups water

Start by dicing up onion and peeling and mincing up the garlic and ginger. Place into a large pot with about 1/4 cup of water or a splash of oil and stick on stove on medium heat. Cook the mixture for 5-8 minutes or unit fragrant and translucent. While that is cooking dice up the sweet pot into small 1/2 inch cubes then add them into the pot once onion mixture has cooked, along with the tomato puree and enough water to completely submerge in all. Stir and and keep on medium heat and cook for another 20 or so minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Chop up kale and juice tangerines.

Once the sweet potato is tender add in the rinsed and drained black eyed peas, the chopped kale, and the tangerine juice. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and more water to submerge it all again and keep on medium heat. Cook for another 20 minutes so that all the flavors have time to meld and turn into a great pot of stew. Depending on your preference for thickness, cook down more for thicker stew, or add more water to keep it brothy.

Once cooked, scoop into bowls, season with more salt and pepper, and if you have an extra tangerine, squeeze a little more fresh juice on top.

Maple glazed sweet potato cookies

If you are not making cookies right now then what are you even doing?

But seriously, I think that December is basically a month long cookie baking marathon and we all should be participating by baking up a least one batch of cookies. If not for yourself (although you really should be doing it for yourself) then for others. What better way to say something nice without saying anything at all then with homemade cookies? Cookie sharing is a language all on it’s own.

These here cookies are of the sweet potato kind, almost like pumpkin cookie, just a little less cakey and a little more sweet potatoy and are drizzled all over with a nice thick maple glaze that really just ties the hole cookie experience together. They are pretty simple to make, no extra steps or difficult anything. Just a spoon a scoop and the want and or need for a delicious cookie situation.

This cookie is going back into my baking marathon rotation next week when I go all out and bake like 6 batches of cookies .They were a hit and even requested so, you know, got to make the people happy. More like I have a couple extra sweet potatoes. HA!

Now to the cookies!

The stuff. Mashed sweet potato, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, plant milk, powdered sugar, and last but not least, maple syrup.

Start by mixing the dry ingredients together into a big bowl, Then mix the sweet potato, oil, sugar, vanilla, and oh the milk in a separate bowl. Once mixed and completely combined, dump the wet into the dry and gently mix until a combined and dough has formed.

Now scoop equal sizes amounts of dough onto a cookie sheet the pop them into a preheated oven.

Some minutes later they are done. Nic ans golden brown and slightly domed. A little trick I do is once they come out of the oven I right away take two fingers and just slightly push he dome down a bit. It makes the cookies a little less pillowy and more chewy.

And then place them on a wire rack to cool.

In the meantime make the maple glaze. Mix maple and powdered sugar together until completely combined and is thick put still pourable.

Once cookies have cooled, drizzle on the maple glaze. And if you are feeling like it, add a little sprinkle situation. I added gold sparkly granulated sugar. It was a good idea.

As for the rest, you know what to do. Eat. share, eat some more. Do you.

-C

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Maple glazed sweet potato cookies

maskes about 20

• 2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 reason baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup sweet potato mash

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/3 cup melted but cooled coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (real shit please )

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1-2 teaspoons plant milk

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl mix together the sweet potato mash, brown sugar, and coconut oil. Once completely combined add in the vanilla and milk and mix.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined and a dough forms. Scoop equal sized ball of dough and place on a baking sheet. The cookies will expand but not a lot. When the sheet is full, place into preheated oven and bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or unit they have puffed and turned a nice golden brown. Remove cookies from oven and very gently give each cookie a little smoosh, just to get rid of the dome. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

While cookies are cooling make glaze. Mix powdered sugar maple, and 1 teaspoon milk together until completely combined and glaze forms into a thick yet pourable consistency. If it is too thick add in a splash more of milk.

Once cookies are cooled, drizzle on maple glaze. And if you want, add a sprinkle situation before the glaze sets and hardens .

Eat.

Cookies will be good for about a week in an airtight container at room temperature. They also freeze amazingly.

Roasted Celeriac and Squash with Apples and Onions

One of my most favorite root veggie has arrived in the farm share…Celeriac, also know as celery root and nothing has made me happier (with like food stuff)!. I know a lot of people do not know the deliciousness of the root and that makes me a little sad for them, but hopefully this simple little recipe inspires you to go get some and try it. Yeah sure it looks a little crazy, a little gnarly, but what do looks got to do with t? Celeriac taste like the best celery/apple/potato all mixed together but only better. And when it is roasted it gets nice a soft and just so freaking tasty. When I pick up my share, I make sure to get enough celeriac to eat a whole bulb a day.

So now that we all know how amazing celeriac is, we can roast it with some other amazing stuff. Squash, apples, and onions. All tossed together. All roasted til tender. All super delicious on their own but maybe even better together. A easy little dish that is perfect to make for a quiet evening at home, a mid day snack, breakfast, or to place on the table at any holiday meal. It is that versatile and really, you don’t need to have a specific reason to make it, just do. You won’t be sorry.

Now to all the roasted things!

The stuff. A large celeriac bulb, a small kobocha squash, a couple apples, a couple onions, apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper.

First thing is to cut everything up. Cube the squash, celeriac, and apple to about the same size and the onion just cut into rings.

Toss all the cut up stuff onto a lightly oiled sheet pan, toss with a tablespoon or so vinegar and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper and place in the oven. Roast for about 1/2 hour, but flipping and drizzling another tablespoon or so of vinegar all over about 20 minutes in.

Roasted and done. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Now scoop it all into big bowl and serve it or just eat it all to your very own face like I did. No shade in that.

-C

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Roasted Celeriac and Squash with Apples and Onions

• 1 large bulb (softball sized) of celeriac

• a small winter squash (can use any variety. I used kabocha)

• 2 medium apples (I used Macs)

• 2 onions. Red, yellow, or one of each

• salt and pepper

• A couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 425

Grab squash and cut in half. Remove seeds then cut into cubes about 1/2 and inch thick. Grab celeriac and peel it if you want (I do not peel it) then cut into cubes the same size ad the squash. Now the apples. Cut in half, remove seeds, and cube. And lastly grab onions and slice into 1/2 thick rings.

Toss together all the cut up stuff and place onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stick the pan into the hot oven and roast for around 20 minutes, removing to give everything a flip and drizzle on another tablespoon of vinegar, then place back in oven for about another 10 minutes or so or until everything is lightly browned and fork tender.

Remove form oven and transfer into a big bowl. Serve right away or at room temperature or heck, it taste freaking awesome cold too.