Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Sometimes I really out do myself. This winter soup will warm you from the inside out. It has a smooth creamy texture with just a little kick. If you enjoy it like my family did, then you'll also be part of the clean plate club. 

1 medium butternut squash

1 can vegetable broth

1/4 C unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C raw pepitas*

1/4 t dried thyme

1/4 t dried rosemary

Pinch of ground cayenne pepper

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste - about 1/2 t of each

* Pepitas are hulled pumpkin seeds. You should be able to find these in the natural foods section of your grocery store. If you buy them roasted, then omit the roasting step in this recipe. If you cannot find them, select a yummy crouton to top soup, or make some yourself!

Preheat oven to 400. 

Slice squash into inch thick slices, removing skin and seeds, and dice into 1" chunks.

Arrange squash on a baking sheet and sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, and drizzle with olive oil. 

Bake 30-45 minutes or until squash is tender, tossing occasionally so all sides roast evenly. 

When squash is tender, add it all into a blender. 

Add the vegetable broth a little at a time and blend until completely smooth. 

Add almond milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper and blend just until mixed throroughly. (Remember salt, pepper, and cayenne are to taste! Adjust accordingly, spice heads and wimps.)

Pour soup from blender into a saucepan and heat thoroughly. 

While soup is heating up, turn on oven to low broil. 

Place pepitas on a cookie sheet and broil for 2 minutes or until they start to turn brown. 

Ladle soup into bowls and top with a handful of roasted pepitas. 

I served this delicious soup with fresh rosemary bread from the Kroger bakery, smeared with Earth Balance Buttery Spread, and a delicious fresh salad topped with craisins, roasted pepitas, and a  poppyseed dressing. 

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Basil "Cream" Sauce

Typically I steer clear of foods in quotation marks, but this cream sauce is only referring to the consistency, not the ingredients. So it is both delicious and vegan! By using spaghetti squash instead of pasta, you are getting another great serving of veggies - Great for those who "don't like veggies," or for anyone wanting to incorporate more veggies into their diet. 

Cooking a Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 375. 

Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise (top to bottom) and scoop out all seeds. 

Coat the inside with a drizzle of olive oil and place both halves face down on a cookie sheet. 

Bake for 1 hour. 

Carefully remove squash from oven. With an oven mitt, pick up one half of the squash and use your other hand to scoop out the insides into a bowl using a fork. You'll see why spaghetti squash gets its name as the meat of the squash comes out in long, thin "noodles."

Repeat with other half. 

Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

2 Large Ripe Tomatoes

1/2 C raw cashews (soak in water for 15 minutes before using)

1/4 C water

1 T tomato paste 

2 T olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

As spaghetti squash is baking, core tomato and roughly chop it and add to blender. 

Add cashews(drained) water, and tomato paste to blender. Blend until very smooth - several minutes. 

In a pan, sauté garlic in olive oil. 

Pour sauce into pan with sautéed garlic and bring to a simmer until squash is ready. 

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Once squash is finished, toss with sauce. 

Garnish with basil and serve. 

Photo from Vegan Yum Yum cookbook by Lauren Ulm. 

Original recipe with whole wheat noodles can be found in Vegan Yum Yum cookbook by Lauren Ulm. 

Snickerdoodles.

Some people like to assume that since I am vegan, I must hate all things delicious. Who could hate things that are delicious?? I think that baking vegan is intimidating to many because you can't rely on "baking staples," like milk, eggs, and butter. Once you learn the alternatives however, you'll be comfortable yet again and enjoying delectable, animal-free treats! I've adapted this recipe from the one found in Vegan Yum Yum by Lauren Ulm. 

Snickerdoodles

1 C sugar

1/2 C Earth Balance Margarine (I use soy-free)

1 t vanilla extract

1 T ground flax seed mixed with 3 T water, stirred and set aside for a few minutes. 

1 1/2 C all purpose flour

1/4 t cream of tartar

1/4 t baking soda

Cinnamon + Sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream the sugar, margarine, and vanilla extract together in a bowl with an electric mixer. 

Add ground flax seed and continue mixing. 

Add dry ingredients a little at a time and continue mixing until everything is mixed thoroughly. 

With your hands, roll dough into balls about 1" in diameter. (Dough may be crumbly, but will stick together)

Roll balls into cinnamon sugar until they are covered. 

Place balls onto a cookie sheet and press them flat. (Just so they're not round, they don't need to be pancakes!)

Bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Enjoy immediately, or if you choose, wait until the cookies will not burn you before enjoying. 

Check out veganyumyum.com for more amazing recipes!

All these ingredients can be found in the natural foods section of your grocery store. 

Wild Rice, Cabbage, and Chickpea Pilaf

This is one of my favorite winter recipes! One reason being because I LOVE cabbage more than many things in life. Another reason is because this recipe is so easy and comes together quickly. I adapted this recipe from the one found in Forks Over Knives - the Cookbook. 

Serves 4

1/2 C wild rice (instant)

1 medium onion, diced small

1 medium carrot, julienned

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 C green cabbage, chopped

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Olive oil

Salt + Pepper

Cook rice according to directions. 

In a large skillet, sauté cabbage, onion, carrot, and garlic in a splash of olive oil until cabbage is tender and becoming translucent. 

Add chickpeas and cooked rice. 

Mix well and heat thoroughly. 

Season with salt and pepper, and serve!