Bahamas - Day 1

We left for the Bahamas today at 8:30. Two airplane rides later we arrived. Our son did great!!! FYI the Fort Lauderdale TSA doesn't like a nutribullet in one's carry on luggage. The blades are considered a dangerous weapon. That bag was checked on the second leg of the journey.

We have arrived at the Ocean Reef and Yacht Resort. We were greeted and blessed by some of the nicest people, including our taxi driver, giving us their featured drink, Bahama Mama. We are off to dinner, until tomorrow.

Acorn Squash recipe from Rawmazing

The Acorn Squash recipe is from Rawmazing. We used millet instead of quinoa and broccoli instead of swiss chard. This recipe was amazing; however, when making this again, I might make more of the Sage Cream Sauce to add to it. I would also recommend using this recipe without the squash as a holiday stuffing recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Squash

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 yellow onion, quartered and sliced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 bunch (5 stalks and leaves) swiss chard, leaves cut into ribbons and stems diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup shelled, raw pumpkin seeds
• Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups cooked red quinoa
• Sage Cream Sauce (recipe below)

1. Cut acorn squash in half. Scoop out seeds and place cut side down on baking tray lined with parchment. You can also grease with a tiny bit of avocado oil.
2. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Set aside.
3. Place onions, celery and carrots in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. You can add a little water if things start to stick.
4. Add chard and continue cooking until chard is wilted.
5. Stir in garlic, cranberries and pumpkin. Cook for an additional minute or two.
6. Stir in cooked quinoa remove from heat.
7. Stir in sage cream sauce.
8. Fill baked squash with quinoa mixture.
9. Place back in oven for 1/2 hour.

• 
  
• Sage Cream Sauce
• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked until soft (at least 6 hours)
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon dried sage or 2 tablespoons fresh sage
• pinch Himalayan salt and pinch fresh ground pepper

1. Place all ingredients in blender except sage, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. Add sage, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine. Do not over blend, you just want the sage lightly blended in.

Vegetable Broth from Scraps

We often make our own vegetable broth due to the large amount we use. We freeze our vegetable scraps and once a gallon bag is full it is time to make broth.

Onion peels
shallot peels
mushroom stems
celery ends and leaves
carrot peels
herb stems
pepper stems
garlic
sometimes cabbage or broccoli stems (this depends on what our plans are for the broth that week)
2 bay leaves
parsley, tarragon and thyme
8 cups of water

Directions: water sauté the frozen scarps, then add the 8 cups of water and herbs. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer, partially covering for 45 minutes to an hour. Strain the broth and store in mason jars in the quantity you will use. We use 2-3 cups at a time. Once cold, it can be refrigerated  for 4-7 days or  frozen for up to 6 months, leave enough head room when freezing so the jar doesn't burst.

November Holiday Potluck 2017

This month's theme is whole food plant based holiday dishes. I love all of our potlucks but sharing holiday favorites with a group of ladies that are healthy is a special treat for me each year. This year's holiday favorites was no different. Thank you all for a wonderful year and blessing me with your friendships!
December we will be meeting at Sassool's with a white elephant gift exchange, December 2nd at 1.

Salad

Chickpea Cutlets

Cauliflower stuffing

INGREDIENTS
1 head organic cauliflower
1 organic carrot
1/2 organic onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 sprig fresh basil
1 sprig fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
2 Tbsp. tamari
½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)
½ cup dried cranberries (optional)

METHOD 1. Chop the cauliflower in a food processor until minced into a rice-like texture.  set aside. 

2. Combine the carrot, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary in the food processor. Pulse until minced. Transfer to a large non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes. 3. add the cauliflower and cook for another 10 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
 remove from heat. add the pecans and cranberries if desired, and let stand, covered,
 for an extra 5 minutes. add the tamari and combine well.  serve and enjoy.
from Naked  Food Magazine

Mushroom Gravy double recipe

No Mushroom Gravy tapioca starch was substituted for corn starch.

Green Bean Casserole

Roasted Butternut Squash with Hazelnuts, Apples and Quinoa

substituting kale for spinach.and butternut squash for acorn.











Sweet Potato Souffle

The Sweet Potato Souffle recipe is from Brenda Cobb's Holiday cookbook (this was my favorite!!!)

ingredients:
6 cup diced and peeled sweet potatoes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups soaked over night cashews, rinsed and drained
2 cups pitted dates, soaked overnight, reserve the soaking water to use if needed

Combine in the high speed blender and blend until smooth

Fold in
2 cups raisins, soaked over night  and drained
2 cups pecans or walnuts, soaked over night  and drained

Cranberry Relish

Ingredients
2 cups of raw cranberries
3/4 cup of dates dates 
1/2 cup apple juice
Directions: Place everything in the food processor. After well chopped, add 1 orange and 1 apple to pulse until well mixed. We also added the juice of one orange. 





Cherry Mango Juice

Apple Streusel Bars

Homemade syrup for lung mucus from Realfarmacy.com.

This recipe is an homemade syrup for lung mucus from Realfarmacy.com. We made a half batch. We have been surrounded with flu-like symptoms ending with a lingering mucus cough. Just in case we are prepared.

Ingredients
1/2 tbsp marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis)
1/2 tbsp flaxseed
1/2 tbsp sage
1/2 lemon, sliced
2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup of Pure Maple Syrup


Directions

Put the water in a small saucepan, then add the pure maple syrup.
Preheat the pure maple syrup on a medium heat.
Add the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat on low.
After 15 minutes take the saucepan off the heat and strain.
Take a tablespoon of the syrup three times a day.
Use it until you feel some improvement and your cough is gone. Keep the syrup in your fridge.

Mushroom Bourguignon

This Mushroom Bourguignon tastes amazing, even someone who doesn't like mushrooms LOVED it!

Ingredients: 

• 1 3/4 pound assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, portobello, shiitake or porcini, trimmed and cut into chunks
• 2 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided (we omitted and used vegetable broth instead)
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided 
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery (we added)
• 1 bay leaf (we added)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth or mushroom broth
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method: 

In a large pot, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms brown and have released most of their liquid, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and place over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and garlic; cook stirring frequently, until onion is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in wine and simmer until reduced by half.

Return mushrooms to the pot and add broth, thyme, pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is very thick, about 20 minutes.

We served this over mashed Japanese Sweet Potatoes, using broth to cream them.

raw apple streusel bars

We made half of this Apple streusel recipe.  We weren't sure what we were going to do with a 100 bars. Although there are many steps, it is really quite easy. We topped the bars with sweetened dried cranberries for a more festive appearance, plus I love apples and cranberries!!!