Butternut Squash Kale Soup

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Soup season is definitely upon us! It was 75 degrees on Saturday, and yesterday it was only 47! Talk about temperature change! Soup is on the menu multiple times this week! I made this one last week, and I’m really kind of regretting not making a lot more of this at the same time to freeze for later! A friend gave me an abundance of butternut squash that probably would have cost me a small fortune at the store, I really need to get on that garden thing next summer!! Squash is one of my favorite fall foods, and I love that with any variety you always have those awesome seeds to roast!

This is soup is really awesome because after boiling the squash, you throw everything in a blender and heat it back up in a pot, easy peasy! It has a lot of cilantro, which helps remove heavy metals in the body, and of course all those awesome greens from the kale! And maybe you could talk your kids into eating it by telling them the color is for Halloween? Either way, make a big batch of this, you’ll end up regretting it if you don’t!!

Butternut Squash Cilantro Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash, washed, peeled and chopped
  • 1 bunch of kale (or an entire box of prewashed, boxed kale)
  • 1 whole bunch of cilantro, washed
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
  • 2-3 tablespoons curry powder (to taste)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash, peel and chop butternut squash
  2. Place squash in large pot and fill pot with enough water to just barely cover the squash, heat on medium/high heat until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork
  3. Once the squash is cooked until it is soft, drain squash and place the squash in a blender
  4. Place all other ingredients in the blender with the squash
  5. Blend soup ingredients until smooth
  6. Add the blended soup back in the pot the squash was cooked in
  7. Heat soup until the desired temperature is reached
  8. Enjoy!
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Vegan Stuffed Squash

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I’ve done quite a few dessert posts, something I should probably stay away from for a while, given I’m trying to lose a little bit of weight. So I decided to try my hand at some stuffed squash, a dish my friend Lynne suggested. I’m not sure why I’ve never made this before - so good, you can put just about anything in it, and it makes your house smell like Thanksgiving dinner!! Who doesn’t like Thanksgiving dinner?

The great thing about stuffed squash (even though mine is vegan) is that you can put almost anything in it. You could add grains like quinoa or rice, meat like sausage or beef. You can definitely please the whole family with an entree like this one! I added mushrooms, butternut squash, kale and brussel sprouts in mine, just because that’s what I had for veggies in the refrigerator. You can easily add anything else you might have - peppers, onions, even apples! And one of the best things, you have left over seeds to roast for a snack (try my perfect pumpkin seed recipe, good for any squash seed)!

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Vegan Stuffed Squash

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup mushrooms, washed and chopped
  • 1 cup butternut squash, washed and chopped
  • 1 cup kale, washed and chopped
  • 1 cup brussel sprouts, washed and chopped
  • 1 squash (delicate or acorn)
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Instructions

  1. Cut squash in half, emptying flesh and seeds
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  3. Place squash on a Silpat or aluminum foil in the oven for 20 minutes (hollow side down)
  4. Wash and chop all veggies
  5. Saute chopped veggies in a pan on medium heat
  6. Add garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary to pan
  7. Once squash is done (you should be able to pierce it with a fork) fill emptied space with sauteed veggies
  8. Place squash back in the oven for 10 minutes (at 400 degrees)
  9. Serve immediately & enjoy!
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Pumpkin Pie Coffee Shake

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More pumpkin, can you handle it? I’m not going to lie, I definitely splurge on a pumpkin iced coffee here and there even though they are not very good for me. I sat down and whipped up this pumpkin pie coffee shake of my own (vegan and paleo, mind you). Nothing fancy, but a lot more ‘clean’ than Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts! Not to mention all the added protein and fiber from the actual pumpkin, which makes you feel a little less guilty about enjoying this! Fun to drink in the morning or an afternoon treat! (and of course, you could make it decaf too)!

Pumpkin Pie Coffee Shake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup non dairy milk
  • 1/2 cup iced coffee
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup to taste (depending on how sweet you like it!)

Instructions

  1. Buzz all ingredients in the blender and enjoy/serve immediately!
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Paleo Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

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There are few things I love more than I love pumpkin. Really. No, I’m not kidding. And oh, yes, my friends.. the pumpkin season is upon us. I cannot wait until Fall rolls around every year, it really is the best season. Apple picking, pumpkins, sweater weather, brisk air, the colors of the leaves… I could go on and on. The perfect time to be in New England. Very romantic, in my opinion, which is why I got married in September, too (two years ago today, in fact!).

I’ve made lots of other pumpkin recipes: Pumpkin Hummus, Pumpkin Ginger Muffins, Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Pumpkin Mini Muffins, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Pumpkin Parfaits, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Mac & Cheese, Pumpkin Risotto…. okay, you get it.

I have wonderful memories as a child always making and decorating sugar cookies with my Mom and sister, and I hope to one day do that with Zoey! I just hope she loves being in the kitchen as much as her mama does! This paleo pumpkin cookie recipe is a keeper, too. I hope you like it as much as we did!

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paleoglutenfreepumpkincookies

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup arrowroot or potato starch
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin (puree)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. Mix ingredients all together (no fuss!)
  2. Place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  4. Roll out dough into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick slabs
  5. Press cookie cutter into cookie dough and place on Silpat or greased cookie pan
  6. 12 cookies should fit on each sheet depending on the size of the cookie cutter
  7. Bake cookies in the oven for 15 minutes or until edges are brown
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Apple Cinnamon Smoothie

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​ My Mom & I went apple picking on Friday… we picked 4 bushels of apples. Apples are now the only thing I can fit in my refrigerator! I can’t even guess how many pounds I have in those bags! (Needless to say, be on the lookout for lots of apple recipes in the near future).

 

This apple smoothie was a “I need a midafternoon pick me up, what do I have in the fridge” recipe I threw together. And it worked beautifully! It combines my love to almond butter, apples & cinnamon. I will probably make this my afternoon snack for a while.. it’s just that good. Although I didn’t add spinach, I’ll  bet it would be good to mix in a little greens…

 

Apple Cinnamon Smoothie

raw, vegan, gluten free, paleo

Ingredients:

  • one apple, washed, peeled and diced (for easy blending)
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon almond butter
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ice to taste

 

Instructions: 

1. Blend!

Nutritional Information: Calories: 162  Fiber: 5g  Sugar: 25g