recently on the farm

Winter 2015 at Greensgrow Farm in Philadelphia, PA. This place brings a smile to my face even in the depths of winter.

vegan savory squash bread

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

This week’s recipe is the lesser-known cousin of pumpkin bread: squash bread. Using the basic principles listed below, you can prepare it sweet or savory, but with the holidays, I thought we’d try the latter. Throw in some cranberries, onions, rosemary, and quinoa, and it becomes a great addition for holiday feasts. So that everyone in your circle and have a chance at enjoying it, I thought I'd make it vegan. If you’d rather skip the vegan route, you can forgo the flax and almond milk mixture, and swap in two eggs. Your host, whether vegan or not, will be thrilled when you show up on their door step with this seasonal number.

Ingredients:

¼ cup tricolor quinoa

¼ cup filtered water

2 Tbsp ground flax seeds

¼ cup plain, unsweetened almond milk

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced

2 sprigs rosemary

1 tsp sea salt, divided

1½ cups whole-wheat flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 cup mashed butternut squash

¾ cup water

2 tsp unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup raw cranberries

Directions:

1. Place the quinoa a small pot with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9” pie dish with baking sheet or grease with coconut oil.

3. Whisk flax and soy milk in a medium bowl and set aside.

4. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add one sprig of rosemary, picking leaves off the stem, and removing the stem. Reduce heat and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda into a medium bowl. 

6. Add squahs, water, vinegar, and salt to the flax-soy milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Add remaining ¼ cup olive oil, whisk again and add flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir mixture gently until almost combined, then fold in 1/4 cup cooked quinoa, onions, and cranberries.

7. Pour batter into pie dish, decorate with a sprig of rosemary and a sprinkle with remaining quinoa. 

8. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

9, Remove from oven and let cool or eat warm.  

acorn squash and brown rice with pomegranate, pistachio, and kale

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

In fall we welcome comfort. Cooked soothing foods fill our stomachs with happiness and warmth on a crisp day. Acorn squash and spices like cinnamon evoke memories of a time when things were simpler, when all our cares drifted on a breeze with autumn’s falling leaves. This, is a dish to take you there.

Warm acorn squash mixed with fresh local yogurt provides a creamy earthy balance to this dish’s modern additions: pistachio, pomegranate, and kale. Seasoned with cinnamon and ginger, the spice-derived flavor allows it to be a healthy kickstart for your new season. No butter, no cheese, no large amounts of fat needed. Now how is that for comfort food?

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

1 cup long grain brown rice

2.5-3 cups water

1 small white onion, chopped small

2 cups chopped kale

1 bouillon cube

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 inch peeled ginger

1/2 cup yogurt

1 lg. garlic clove, chopped into large pieces

1 pomegranate

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1 tbs rice vinegar

olive oil for sautéing

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut your squash in half, gut out the seeds, and set to roast. You can either roast it at 350F for approx. one hour, or if you’d rather set it and forget it, bake the squash at 200F for 3-4 hours. Remove and let cool.

2. In a small stock pot, sauté onions in olive oil. Once slightly see-through, add rice, and stir it around for a minute. Add 2 cups water, kale, bouillon cube, cinnamon stick, ginger, and garlic. Stir thoroughly, cover, and let cook.

3. In the meantime, gut out your squash and mix together with yogurt. I used Pequa Valley, a delicious local yogurt sold at Greensgrow. Cut open your pomegranate and remove seeds from the white flesh innards of the fruit. Set seeds aside.

4. As the rice cooks down, continue adding water until the grains become fully cooked. Once it is finished, let sit for 5-10 minutes.

5. Stir in squash, pomegranate seeds, pistachio, and vinegar, along with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool a bit more before serving to deliver fullest flavor.

paleo squash & seafood bisque

Like everyone else, I've been eating healthier in the New Year. This is one of my many recipe creations in the venture to do so. It is a spin on seafood bisque with squash-based broth and no dairy. The seafood dresses it up, and adds healthy protein. Each bite feels like an indulgence. Things just shouldn't taste this good, and be this healthy.

Ingredients:

1 Onion

1 Large Garlic Clove

2 Acorn Squash

5 Cups Water

1 Tsp. Vegetable Bouillon or a Bouillon Cube

.4LB Scallops

10 Clams

16 Shrimp

2 Tsp Moroccan Seasoning

1 Tsp Tumeric

1 Tsp Chili Powder

1 Tsp Safron Threads

Ghee & Olive Oil for Sauteing

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice the acorn squashes in half and lay them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Dress with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until caramelized.

2. Remove squash from the oven. Once cooled, scoop out the innards and set aside.

3. Using hot olive oil, saute chopped onions and garlic in a large stock pot.After they are cooked through, add squash, water, and spices. Important, do not salt until the very end. Oysters add a lot of saltiness to a dish and you don't want to overdo it.

4. Using a hand blender, turn the squash and onions into a fine liquid. Let simmer.

5. In a separate saute pan, caramelize scallops and shrimp in ghee. Set them aside in a bowl when finished.

6. Toss oysters into the squash broth and cover the pot. The steam that is trapped with your lid will cook the oysters. Remove the lid once all have opened. After 5-7 minutes they should be done. 

7. Kill the flame and mix in scallops and shrimp.

8. Taste for seasoning and add as much salt/pepper as is needed.

9. Serve!

fall quiche: winter squash, kale, and fresh ricotta on fillo dough

A recent farmer's market trip resulted in two winter squash, a bunch of kale, 4 shallots, a tub of fresh ricotta, and 10 million ideas as to what I could do with them. I hadn't made a quiche in a while, and settled on a trying a fall version with fillo dough and almond milk to make it healthier. It's such a beautiful, rustic, and down-home dish that I thought a skillet would be the perfect touch.

Ingredients:

4 Shallots (sliced)

1/2 Large Sweet Onion (sliced)

6 Stems of Kale (chopeed)

2 Winter Squash

1/2 Tsp Mustard Powder

2 Pinches of Dried Thyme

1 1/4 Cup Almond Milk - Unsweetened

1 1/2 Cup Fresh Ricotta

10 Fillo Dough Sheets

4 Eggs

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Cast Iron Skillet

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and thaw fillo dough sheets.

2. Peel and cube winter squash. Spread out cubes on a cooking sheet. Season with minimal olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme.

3. Saute onion and shallots until they being to appear see through. Add chopped kale with a dash of water to steam.

4. Line cast iron skillet with fillo dough sheets, basting with olive oil and alternating direction every two layers.

5. Beat together egg, almond milk, ricotta, mustard, salt, and pepper with a mixer.

6. First layer kale mixture into you pan, then squash, and then pour egg mixture over the top.

7. Stick you pan in the oven and bake for about an hour or until top turns crispy brown.