Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut squash is one of my favorite autumnal foods, and autumnal is one of my favorite pretentious words. So here is some soup I made for lunch today (challenge no. 20). The recipe comes from choosingraw.com. It came out having an applesauce-type consistency (I was going for creamy), so that's why it looks like orange applesauce. This is probably because I had to use a food processor instead of the recommended high-speed blender and also I'm not a very good cook. But I like the taste. It's both refreshing and hearty, if that is possible.

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

4 cups butternut squash, chopped
1 cup fresh apple juice or cider
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup water (a bit less if you like a very thick soup)
2 large stalks celery
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 pitted and soaked dates (or 2 tbsps agave)
1 tsp salt
Dash of soy sauce
Dash of onion powder (or some fresh onion if desired)


Instructions:

Blend in a high-speed blender. Serve chilled or warm. You could also steam the squash beforehand for an easier blending experience.

Kale Salad, Battersby Style

Earlier this year my Uncle Richard and I dined at Battersby in Brooklyn, per his keen pulse on the NYC restaurant scene. Not only did it meet our expectations, but the kale salad in particular blew us away. So my excitement was palpable when he informed me that this month's Bon Appetit magazine featured the recipe, as the "dish of the year" no less. Perfect lunch recipe for challenge no. 20:

I collected the majority of my ingredients at the Union Square Green Market and then went to work:

 Crispy Tuscan kale.

 Dressing of lime juice, red Thai chili, minced garlic, fish sauce and sugar.

Finished product!

Obviously it wasn't as perfect as the original, but it was one of the better/more interesting salads I've ever made at home. The dressing has that perfect sweet/hot balance, and the crispy kale brings a delightful texture to an otherwise "regular" salad. I kept all of the ingredients separate so that I could build it at work today for lunch.

Enjoy!

Liquid Lunch

This protein stuff + one banana + ice + water = challenge no. 20 (barely).

Challenge no. 20 is to make and bring my own lunch two out of five days per week.

New Obsession: Farro

Have you guys heard about FARRO?! It's only my most exciting grain discovery since quinoa. It is soft yet toothsome with a delightfully nutty flavor. Low in gluten, rich in protein, fiber and vitamins A, B, C and E. If brown rice had a cool, super-friendly Italian cousin, it would be farro. 

Today's lunch (challenge no. 20) is farro-ful. I don't have a specific recipe for you, but there are plenty of great ones online (I recommend this one from the Food Network).

Roughly: I sauteed some onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers over medium heat until soft. I added some spinach and let that cook down. I added the farro (about 3/4 cup, soaked for a few minutes and then drained) and let it "toast" for a minute or two. Then I started adding vegetable stock. Three cups were added in total, but I added it gradually. Let the farro soak it up before you put in more. Near the end I added salt and pepper to taste.

Farro is perfect if you have a ton of random veggies you need to use up. Veggies + farro + vegetable stock = perfection. I feel like this is going to be a staple in the Hamilton-Pickles-Potts household.

Dagmar's last name is Pickles.

A More Appropriate Recipe

Last week (one of the hottest weeks ever in life) I made pot pies, otherwise known as a hot and hearty winter dish. So for my lunch today I thought I'd redeem myself with something a little lighter. And colder.

On today's menu (challenge no. 20) is zucchini pasta with peas and asparagus, tossed in an avocado sauce. To make the noodles, I opted for a vegetable peeler, which made fettuccine-like noodles out of the zucchini. You can also use a spiralizer or whatever fancy schmancy robot noodle maker you happen to have in your kitchen.

  

Pasta: 
1 large zucchini
pinch of salt
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup asparagus

Sauce:
1 avocado
6 TBSP water
1 TBSP lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 TBSP fresh thyme

Directions:
Peel the zucchini and noodle-ize them to your liking. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Throw the sauce ingredients in a blender and...wait for it...blend. Until smooth.

Blanch the asparagus and peas (I actually just poured boiling water over them in a bowl and let it sit for 2 minutes).

Drain the asparagus and peas and combine with zucchini noodles. Add the dressing and toss to coat.

Do a jig (optional).

Pot Pies

Yesterday I connected with my inner Martha to whip up a batch of individual vegetarian pot pies. A good friend sent me this recipe from Vegetarian Times. They save really well, so I decided to make the leftovers my lunch for challenge no. 20.

I forgot to snap a picture of them straight out of the oven, but they looked very similar to this, except I would never choose that tablecloth and I rarely serve meals with a side of raw asparagus:

Dough

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole-wheat flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 4 Tbs. cold soy margarine, cut into pieces

Filling

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium leek, white and green parts chopped (1 ½ cups)
• 1 ½ cups chopped celery or fennel
• 2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
• 8 oz. button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 4 oz. red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (1 ½ cups)
• 2 ¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 2 Tbs. creamy cashew butter, optional (I left this out)
• 6 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
• ½ cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 
  

Directions

1. To make dough: Whisk together flours and salt in bowl. Cut or rub margarine into flour mixture until no large pieces remain. Stir in 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water until smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill while making Filling.

2. To make filling: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add leek, celery, carrots, and mushrooms; sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Stir in flour 
and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add potatoes, broth, and poultry seasoning. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cashew butter (if using), and 
cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and stir in asparagus, peas, and corn.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 8 4-inch rounds.

4. Divide filling among 8 1-cup ramekins. Place dough rounds on top, pressing dough around sides of ramekins with fork to crimp and seal. Poke hole in top of each pot pie. Place pot pies on baking sheet, and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Friday Faux Gras

A few months back I ranted and raved and squealed about this stuff, Faux Gras, also known as Toasted Walnut Lentil Pate:

My friend Ian, dazzled and moved by my glorious blog, decided to try out his own version. According to him, it was spectacular. So I had to make it for myself:

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups of uncooked brown lentils
About 4 cups of water
1 heaped TSP of Marmite
2 large onions, sliced/chopped
Olive oil
A bag of walnuts*
1 TBS soy sauce
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the lentils for 45 minutes with the water and Marmite. Drain any excess water.

While the lentils are simmering, saute the onions on low heat slowly in olive oil. Check and stir frequently. This slow, gentle caramelizing of the onions gives this spread its outstanding flavor.

Blend everything (I used a food processor) until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*I decided to toast my walnuts in the oven at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes before blending with the other ingredients.

Okay, so it looks a little like cat food. But trust me, this stuff is insanely good. I put it in a collard leaf with some julienned carrots and zucchini for a nice lunch earlier this week (challenge no. 20).

Kale and White Bean Salad

For today's lunch (challenge no. 20), I made a hearty and delicious salad with homemade caesar dressing. I found the recipe here.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 small or 1/2 medium head dinosaur (lacinato) kale, sliced into thin ribbons
6 sundried tomatoes, sliced into narrow strips
1/2 cup white beans

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
Juice of two lemons
Black pepper
3 pitted dates
1 tsp dulse flakes
3/4 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend all of the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Massage over the kale (I used three tablespoons of dressing for my portion). Add the beans and sundried tomatoes and toss.