Super Food-Roast Butternut Squash Recipe

Fall / Winter Vegetables Are Nutrient Rich

Fall and Winter is the season for the super foods, butternut, neck pumpkins, acorn and all dark orange squashes. These Fall veggies are a power house of flavor and nutrients. Underneath the tough skin is a deep orange flesh that goes well from soup pots, to skillet, to roasting pan with simple preparations. High heat brings out the best in these full flavored robust vegetables. The Caramelization of the sugars with high heat unlocks more flavor and brings out a sweet nutty dish. This simple roast butternut squash recipe will tantalize your taste buds. Eat it as is as a side dish or toss when still warm with some baby greens to make a low calorie-vitamin rich Fall salad.

1 butternut squash (apx. 3 cups after peeling and cubing)
1 small red onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary (or ½ tsp dry rosemary, crumbled)

1. Cut off ends of squash and stand on end.
2. Using sharp knife, remove skins, by slicing down one inch slices at a time; slicing top to bottom all the way around the squash.
3. Cut in half and remove seeds with a spoon.
4. Cut squash into 1 inch strips or wedges, then into one inch cubes. Place in bowl.
5. Cut onion into one inch wedges and add to squash.
6. Peel garlic and cut each clove into halves. Add to squash.
7. Combine all other ingredients and pour over squash; toss gently to coat all of the squash evenly.
8. Pour squash mixture out onto a large sheet pan or roasting roasting pan. A stoneware pan will give you the best results for caramel flavor and color.
9. Bake at 475 for 25 minutes on top shelf. Finished squash will have a brown color, and be tender when stabbed with a fork.

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Holiday Left-Over Turkey Recipe

Apple Cider Turkey & Beans

This recipe brings a whole new twist to Thanksgiving left-over turkey for those who love the flavor of apple cider. You can make this recipe with fresh turkey by putting a turkey breast or thigh in when you start cooking the beans or you can stir in cooked turkey near the end with the seasonings.

Apple Cider Jelly

Apple cider jelly is the unique secret ingredient for this recipe. I discovered apple cider jelly at my step-mom’s house. It is pure apple cider reduced to jelly consistency. There are no additives whatsoever. The jelly is sweetened only with the apple sugars that are already in the cider and become more concentrated during reduction through evaporation. (reduced 9:1) Check out Wood’s Cider Mill. If you do not have cider jelly, you can substitute apple jelly. It won’t be as good though!

1 cup dry navy beans
1-2 lb turkey (or 1-2 cup left-over turkey)
4 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 (28 oz. can) organic fire roasted canned tomatoes (I use Muir Glen ®)
¾ cup apple cider jelly
¼ cup onion-diced
2 cloves garlic-pressed
½ salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1. Cover beans with water and soak overnight.
2. Drain beans and rinse. In sauce pot bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add turkey, bay leaf and beans and return to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 1 hour or until turkey is done. Remove turkey and continue cooking beans as needed for tenderness desired.
3. Add tomato, onions, garlic, cider jelly, salt, pepper, parsley. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Cut turkey into pieces and add into stew. (if using left-over add it now).
5. Cook for 3 minutes more.
6. Serve over brown rice, baked sweet potatoes or with corn bread.

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Traditional Healthy Turkey Stuffing

Thanksgiving Means A Healthy Dinner

Thanksgiving is a terrific time to enjoy and be grateful for all of the good in life! Foods served at a traditional Thanksgiving meal are good for you. Thanksgiving and other fall holiday meals only become unhealthy when we over-consume and stray from the wholesome goodness of whole foods. This recipe is an awesome whole grain turkey stuffing recipe that will keep Thanksgiving the healthy dinner it was meant to be.

Tips for the perfect turkey

• The optimum size for a turkey for best value for your money is 12-15 pounds After 15 pounds the bone to meat ratio goes up, so you are paying for more bone than meat.
• A self-basting clay oven is the best way to cook a turkey.
• It is not necessary to open the oven. Use a digital thermometer to monitor your turkey.
• Carry-over cooking is the time allowed after a turkey comes out of the oven, to allow the heat in the turkey to complete the cooking process. For a 12-15 pound turkey, remove it from the oven when it reaches about 160 degrees and allow 30 minutes carry-over. This will give the juices time to get reabsorbed, and the heat within the turkey to “carry-over” the cooking process while it “rests”.
• Never carve a turkey or roast without allowing for the resting process. The juices need to be reabsorbed into the meat for a more succulent bird.
• When using a whole bone-in turkey, plan to allow 1 pound of turkey per person. This will give you ample to include leftovers and not excessive quantities.
• The best turkeys are fresh, minimally processed turkeys.
• For the cooked-to-perfection turkey it is best to cook unstuffed. Stuffing a bird requires longer cooking times, thus the breast meat becomes overcooked.

Whole Grain Date Filling Ingredients

1 med onion-diced
2 stick celery-diced
2 medium carrots-peeled, and shredded
6 slices whole wheat bread-cubed

4 slices-8-grain whole wheat bread-cubed

1 egg
4 oz. egg whites

1/3 cup parsley-minced
1/3 cup fresh herbs-minced (I use rosemary, thyme and sage)
Salt and pepper
¾ cup chopped dates
¾ cup turkey stock

Easy Bake Method

1. In a small sauté pan, sweat or steam the celery and onions covered over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

2. Combine all ingredients and mix until evenly distributed without over-mixing or breaking up the cubes too much. Put into lightly oiled stoneware casserole and cover with parchment paper or oiled brown bag.

3. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.