Category Archives: winter cuisine

Monday, September 28, 2015

Perfectly Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Fall where are you! It’s hitting the mid 90’s again this coming week (insert big eye roll here). I am yearning to wear my sweaters and boots! Soon…soon. Around these parts it starts to really feel like fall at end of October, early November, so we have a few weeks yet. But this hot weather is not stopping me from making some yummy fall inspired food. I made some absolutely out-of-this-world delicious whipped sweet potatoes on Saturday night for dinner. Seriously tasted like dessert. SO GOOD. My kids loved it! My daughter said, “Mommy, what’s in here…it tastes like pie.” I made the sweet potatoes with this pork dish (sans the applesauce) that is so easy and always a hit and the two went together like gangbustas. Anyway, if you are looking for a new way to eat sweet potatoes, try whipping them up. I am totally going to make these whipped sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving and I’m so excited about it! They are seriously delicious. Look out fall…I’m coming for ya. Continue reading →

Posted by Amber at 9:35 am

Labels: ACD, AIP, GAPS, holidays, Paleo, sides, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving side dishes, vegan, vegetarian, winter cuisine.

5 Comments

Tessa@TessaDomesticDiva September 30, 2015 at 8:09 pm
I want some too! Roasting always brings out the most amazing flavor in sweet potatoes. I have never whipped them, I will have to try!
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- Amber October 2, 2015 at 8:07 am
  Oh Tessa…you will love this!
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GiGi Eats October 2, 2015 at 5:59 pm
This sounds like utter HEAVEN in my mouth!!!!

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- Amber October 2, 2015 at 7:03 pm
  Nailed it! These sweet potatoes are amaze-balls. 🙂
  Reply
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish October 19, 2015 at 11:36 am
Yum! I love whipped sweet potatoes and your recipe sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing it with us over at Savoring Saturdays. Hope you’ll come back and join us again 🙂
Reply

Delicious French Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash and Dino Kale (SCD Friendly, Vegan)

There’s a great little restaurant down the street from my house and next door to my beloved Davis Foods Coop, called Monticello. They serve seasonal cuisine and uphold a farm to plate menu (they even have their own farm!) – I just love that. Their menu is awesome, serving up organic chicken, gluten free breads, a ton of vegan soups, organic salad, etc. If you are ever in Davis (California), call me and I will take you there. It’s fabulous, fresh and healthy. A few months ago I took my son to this favorite spot for lunch. Their soup of the day knocked my socks off. It was so simple, yet so delicious. I asked what was in the soup (without getting too nosy), then rushed next door to my Coop and gathered the ingredients…and I made it that night for dinner. It’s a simple French lentil soup, but what makes it extra special is the addition of kale and butternut squash. The butternut squash and carrots impart a delicate sweetness to the dish and the tender kale is the perfect texture against the creamy lentils. I played around with the recipe a few times until I found the perfect ratios. I hope you also enjoy this soup. It’s very satisfying. Oh, and I love it the next morning with two fried eggs, avocado, and a splash of hot sauce.

Superb my friends.

Ingredients:

-2 cups onions, small chop

-2 cups carrots, peeled and small chop

-3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and small cubed

-1/2 pound (8 ounces) of dino kale, wash and remove large stem

-2 cups French lentils, soaked for 6 – 8 hours* (please see notes about the soaking).

-7 cups filtered water

-2 teaspoons garlic granules

-1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon salt

-2 tablespoons oil

-3 turns of the pepper grinder

How To:

1. In large soup stock pan (my dutch oven is too small for this recipe), add onions, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat.

2. Add in the carrots and butternut squash and saute for 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Drain the lentils of their soaking water and add them to the pot, along with the garlic granules, the additional 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes.

4. Turn heat down to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

5. After 45 minutes, uncover. Tear the kale with your hands as you add it to the pot. Stir kale around and bring the soup to very gentle simmer. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes, until kale is nice and tender.

6. Turn off heat and let sit until ready to serve (cover if you wish). Warm through before serving. Serves 6 adults. I like to serve with a wedge of lemon.

Notes:

*The lentils must be soaked for this dish for two reasons: (1) when making SCD soups with lentils, soaking them is necessary, and (2) the water in this soup has been calibrated only to the soaked lentils. I have found soaked verses dried legumes require different water ratios. So please follow directions as specified for best results.

Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Motivate Me Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, On The Menu Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Fat Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesdays, Keep It Real Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Wellness Weekend Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Whole Foods Friday, Gluten Free Fridays, Healthy Vegan Friday Sweet Saturday,

Posted by Amber at 5:03 am

Labels: main dish, SCD, Soup, vegan, vegetarian, winter cuisine.

12 Comments

Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen January 21, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Lentils are by far my favorite bean and I really discovered that 2 years ago when I started making soups with them! They are so easy to use and really are amazingly delicious! This soup sounds perfect!
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Vicky January 21, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Yummy recipe Amber, I LOVE lentil anything and great advice about the soaking!

Nice to see you posting again.

Vicky x
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The Quiet Mom January 22, 2013 at 1:10 am
I love lentil soup. I miss this!

Hopping by and following your lovely blog’s twitter, FB. I blog @ Getting Healthy with Essential Oils

I am also inviting you to join Tiddle Diddle Handmade Shoppe’s first giveaway event.
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toxicity2purity January 22, 2013 at 6:30 am
Thank you for sharing. So good to hear about the place in Davis. I have been to the farmers kitchen (not a fan of the food, but love the bread) and now I know when I make a trip to Davis again, I have another spot to check out!!
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France@beyondthepeel January 24, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Amber…after my own heart. French lentils in soup, I love. The sweetness of carrots and butternut squash, oh my. Eggs on it for breakfast.Swoon.
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Cindy Gordon January 24, 2013 at 11:25 pm
I love squash! YUM! I’d love for you to link this up at our Gluten Free Fridays party this week! Its live now! I hope you make it this week! 🙂 Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
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Diane January 25, 2013 at 2:53 pm
I am a major advocate of lentils. I would love if you brought your healthy and seasonal recipe by foodie friday today.
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Jennifer January 25, 2013 at 10:26 pm
This looks yummy! Please share this in a new Linky Party –Weekend Kitchen Creations at http://www.weekendkitchencreations.blogspot.com. Please join us, share your delicious creation, build more traffic for your blog and get other scrumptious ideas.
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Cindy Gordon January 31, 2013 at 11:02 pm
Loving the use of squash. I have several to use yet! Got this tweeted and pinned! Thanks for linking up at Gluten Free Fridays!
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Gabby @ the veggie nook February 1, 2013 at 2:24 pm
Hey Amber! I’m highlighting this on Healthy Vegan Friday this week! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe 🙂
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Rose Ann Witt May 18, 2015 at 9:29 pm
Thank you, Amber. I made this soup for dinner tonight and everyone loved it … even my carnivorous husband and son. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow with eggs, avocado & hot sauce. Yum!
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- Amber June 24, 2015 at 3:14 pm
  Yay! Thank you for sharing. And yes…leftovers with eggs and the fixens’…delicious! xo
  Reply

Chicken, Black Bean, and Delicata Squash Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce (gluten & dairy free)

Hello friends. When I wrote this post back in December, we were in the middle of painting our new house. The Holiday and move came on fast, so this post never made it to the publishing stage. So, here it is.

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Home improvement takes so much time and energy, but it’s so fun to be part of the transformation. I included some pictures below of our home improvement journey thus far. But before I talk about this delicious recipe, I want to share with you this awesome paint I found on-line…and lucky for me it’s distributed at one of my favorite eco-home improvement stores in the nearby town of Berkeley. I love this paint for many reasons, obviously because it’s zero VOC, is free of ozone depleting compounds, formaldehyde reproductive toxins, and very, very low odor, but also because this company is founded and run by two amazing women, Virginia and Janie – I love nothing more than supporting female driven companies – and companies that are in-line with my eco-friendly, green lifestyle. You can read about there story here. Because of these smart, innovative women, folks like me can purchase non-toxic paint for their home and not only spare the air, but spare the health of loved ones. I personally have enough against me with an auto-immune disease and severe chemical sensitivity. I can’t tell you how happy and thankful I am for Virginia and Janie…and Yolo Colorhouse!!

Okay, on to the food. I have been meaning to share this recipe with you since last fall. So I’m glad to finally get it out there. It’s a ridiculously easy recipe that you can make your own by adding a variety of ingredients. And the star of the show is the delicious homemade enchilada sauce, that is so very easy, you will never purchased that canned stuff again! In my ever evolving efforts to uphold a green, low-waste kitchen, I try to make what I can from scratch. I hope you will give this recipe a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the filling
-2 medium cooked chicken breasts, cubed (or shredded)
-3 medium delicata squash, peeled, cubed, and roasted
-2 cups prepared black beans (soaked and boiled, preferably)
-One bag room temperature Rudi’s Gluten Free plain Tortillas

Enchilada sauce
-1 pound green anaheim peppers or gypsy peppers*
-1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
-1 cup water
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 + 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-2 tablespoons oil
-Optional 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

How To:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash and seed your peppers of choice, or what is seaonsal. Chop peppers in half or quarters. Add peppers and chopped onions to a small 9×9 glass Pyrex (or whatever you have on hand), and to that dish add 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules. Toss ingredients and roast for 30 minutes. You want the peppers to start browning a little. When the peppers are done roasting, remove from oven and set aside. The peppers can be made earlier in the day and set aside for several hours. When you are ready to make the sauce, simply add the onions and peppers to a blender (I use a Vitamix), along with the 1 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and optional chili powder. Blend until well incorporated.

-I recommend roasting the chicken and squash at the same time with the peppers, in different dishes of course. For the squash, I drizzle on some oil and add a few shakes of garlic granules. For the chicken I drizzle on some oil, and add a few shakes of salt and garlic granules. Everything should be done at the same time. Check the chicken’s internal temp at 30 minutes (needs to be at least 180 degrees), and check the squash for doneness.

3. After your finished with your roasting, turn oven down to 375
4. Get your room temperature tortillas and start stuffin’. I lay mine flat then add chicken, squash, and the black beans. Don’t stuff too full…you want to be able to fold them at least. Just roll closed, you don’t have to fold down the corners or anything fancy.
5. Place tortillas in a Pyrex. You should fit 8 in there. Don’t be shy, push them around a bit if you have to.

6. Pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Bam, now you have some gnarly enchiladas going on. Bake COVERED for 30 minutes (I cover with a stainless steel backing sheet – remember, I don’t use foil in my kitchen, so I get crafty and find other ways to cover dishes).

7. After 30 minutes, remove from oven, uncover, and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

-Serve on a bed of fresh romaine lettuce along side fresh avocado, salsa of choice, cashew sour cream, chopped red onion, and a dash of hot sauce.

Notes:
*I have used three different peppers for the enchilada sauce. Here’s the breakdown: (1) your basic green peppers yield a very bitter sauce and I do not recommend, (2) Anaheim can be a little spicy if you accidently get a seed in there, but using this variety will yield a more authentic tasting enchilada sauce – I definitely recommend anaheim, and (3) gypsy peppers yield a slightly sweet sauce, I also really love using these.
*You can also use brown rice tortillas, but you will have to warm with with some oil so they become more pliable. I have a few pictures of the brown rice tortillas batch below.

Delicata is by far my favorite squash

Gypsy peppers – so pretty

This batch is using Rudi’s Gluten Free plain Tortillas with gypsey pepper enchilada sauce:

This batch is using brown rice tortillas and anaheim peppers for the sauce:

You can add a little dairy free cheese before you bake

Anaheim peppers ready for roasting

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Here are some pictures of our December home improvement:

Removed large fireplace to create more space in the kitchen and for the kitchen remodel in a few years…

Painting

Prepping floors for new solid wood non-toxic bamboo flooring

Ahhhh, it’s so freakin’ pretty!

We had a temporary wall installed where the fireplace used to be. This will come down when we do the kitchen remodel, but for now it allows us some much needed extra space in the kitchen.

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Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Motivate Me Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, On The Menu Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Fat Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Keep It Real Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays,
Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Whole Foods Friday, Gluten Free Fridays, Sweet Saturday,

Posted by Amber at 9:32 pm

Labels: dairy free, fall cuisine, gluten free, main dish, winter cuisine.

8 Comments

Taylor @ Pop Up Gazebo January 18, 2013 at 9:46 am
That’s some hard work being done and I hope everything had gone well. By the way the tortillas recipe was great and the pictures got me mouthwatering.
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Jen January 18, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Amber! You’re making my mouth water again!! This recipe looks phenomenal. Your home looks so pretty. I hope you are settling in well.

XO
Jen
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gfe--gluten free easily January 18, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Wow, I am so very impressed on all the work you are doing! Love that the kiddos are right in there with you, too. You are teaching them a good work ethic and they’ll never forget this experience and will feel more vested in their home as they grow up there. Awesome job on all, Amber!

And I love the enchilada recipe! Can’t wait to share it, dear. 🙂

xo,
Shirley
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Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen January 19, 2013 at 12:27 am
Wow, you have been busy! I LOVE enchiladas, but sadly rarely make them. You’ve convinced me that I need to get on that! These look amazing! Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family!
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Laura January 19, 2013 at 9:49 pm
Awesome recipe Amber! Your new floor looks absolutely gorgeous. Your hard work paid off!!!
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France@beyondthepeel January 20, 2013 at 12:31 am
You are too cute. Thank you for bringing a smile to my face. You brave woman…that is a sh.tload of work. Seriously! My new hero. By the way the floors look amazing! oh and so do the enchiladas. Love the idea of squash and black beans together. By the way, when do you find time to cook in all that work and mess? You’re my hero.
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Ali @ JamHands.net January 23, 2013 at 3:02 am
Yum! Those look really filling and tasty 🙂 If you don’t mind I wanted to invite you to come link up at Recipe Sharing Monday and share your favorite recipes. Have a super week. 🙂
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Cindy Gordon January 31, 2013 at 11:02 pm
There are some pretty colors in that dish! I have not had delicata squash before! Your home improvement project looks great! What a big project! Awesome work!
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂

Thanks for linking back to the Gluten Free Fridays post!

See you at the link up this week! We are having a special giveaway this week! Its a tote bag filled with some Gluten Free Allergy Friendly goodies!

Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
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