Get Natured: Fall foods

, by Allison

Easy crockpot applesauce

, by Allison

Butternut squash (or pumpkin) chili

I have been having stomach and other issues related to the acid in some foods lately. One of the worst triggers for me has been cooked tomatoes, so I temporarily took a break from them and a few other things to get my stomach back on track. I was actually planning to add tomatoes to this chili but completely forgot and, you know what? We didn't miss them. It turned out great anyway!

My recipe calls for the chili to be simmered on the stove, but it could easily be cooked in a crockpot (slow cooker) instead.

If you're feeling especially festive and Octobery, you could use pumpkin in place of the butternut squash.

Butternut Squash Chili

Olive oil
1 small butternut squash, peeled* and finely chopped (a food processor makes finely chopping the squash quick and easy!)
1 large onion, chopped
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, chopped
1 cup chopped or sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups cooked beans (black, white, kidney, pinto, or a mix. I cooked black and white dry beans, but you can used canned to make this quick.)
4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1-3 cups of water, if needed to reach desired thickness
3 tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

*Tip: To peel the squash, cut the bottom off so that it will stand up without tipping then peel it with a vegetable peeler.

If you are using dry beans, soak them overnight then thoroughly cook them before adding them to the chili. Tips for improving the digestibility of beans can be found here.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the squash, onions, bell peppers, celery, carrots, garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms. Saute until veggies begin to get tender, 10-15 minutes. If you plan to use a crockpot, saute the veggies in a skillet then add them with the ingredients in the steps below to the crockpot.
Add chili powder, cumin, beans, and broth (and water if you need to thin the chili). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until veggies are very tender. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

This chili makes a hearty meal when served over a grain like brown rice, quinoa, farro, bulgar, barley, etc.

1 comments

, by Allison

Breakfast

Post-half-marathon pumpkin cranberry "scuffins"

I am relieved to say that I finished my second half marathon on Sunday! I was so nervous before the race!

All geared-up and trying not to freak out:

The finisher's tee is so...YELLOW!

Finisher's necklace by Tiffany:

NWM = Nike Women's Marathon. The back of the necklace says "I run to be." with room for engraving so that we can add our own reason for running...

With 20,000 runners, this race is the largest marathon and half marathon in the country. The proceeds help to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This race has raised over $118 million over the past 8 years for the cause and I ran in memory of my father-in-law who passed away from complications related to lymphoma in 2008.

The weather was perfect but the course was even hillier than I remember and it was a hard run!

I completely earned my post-race cupcake and Blue Bottle latte by the bay:

Perfect, perfect weather (with the Bay Bridge in this shot)!

The physical exertion of this kind of event is challenging but, like many others before me, I definitely think that the mental race is the hardest part. I was struggling with stomach issues through the entire race (and a few hours afterwards) and my mind was all over the place.

The race was in San Francisco, which holds a special place marker in time for me. I worked in the city in the late 1990s and my life was quite different back then. My time visiting the city and running the race on Sunday gave me pause and brought about some much-needed reflection on "back in the day". A few of my favorite memories from working in SF:

Taking the ferry boat to and from the city. The sound of the fog horn, the smell of the engine, the splashy sound of the water while boarding...I even saw a whale from the boat one morning- what a great way to commute!
Flower venders selling spring flowers in little kiosks all over the place. The smell of the flowers (especially the Stargazer lilies) permeated even the stinkiest parts of the city. Amazing.
The little bakery across the street from my office building that had warm, freshly baked cinnamon rolls every morning.
Driving through the city and over the Golden Gate Bridge (on non-ferry days). Especially on winter nights near Christmas because I love to see the lights and trees in windows.

Though the race is over, my brain is still crunching through some of the meditative part of the experience. That aside, I am ready to get back to other things, like doing more weight training and yoga or just making pancakes on Saturday morning instead of getting up early to run long distances! I have been resting since the race and eating to recharge and refuel.

These "scuffins" (kind of a cross between a scone and a muffin) are disguised as a fall treat, but really they make a hearty and healthy breakfast. Not to mention, no blog would be complete with out a pumpkin recipe (or ten) in the fall, right??

Pumpkin Cranberry "Scuffins"
Makes 6-7 "scuffins"

1 cup ground oats (process 1 cup of rolled oats in a food processor or blender until they resemble a course flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup lightly toasted pecans, chopped
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
3 tbsp oil (canola, coconut, etc.- your choice)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (176ºC). In a large bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients (oats through salt). Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine without over-mixing. Let it rest for a minute before dropping in large spoonfuls (about 1/2 cup each) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on the pan for a 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

(This recipe was inspired by and adapted from Dreena Burton's Squirrelly "Scones" in her Vive le Vegan! cookbook (a favorite of mine!)).

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, by Allison

Dinner

Savory, sweet, and smoky veggie burger

I know, I know a veggie burger recipe on a vegetarian blog...boring, right? No! I'll admit that I don't really care for most commercial veggie burgers. Many of them have a paragraph of ingredients and only a few brands actually taste decent to me. I definitely prefer a homemade burger, especially if it is made with nuts. (Incidentally, if you find yourself anywhere near Fair Oaks, Ca you must try the nut burger at the Sunflower Drive-In- it is legendary and fantastical!)

Awhile back I had a veggie burger at another local restaurant (The Counter) that was really unique and delicious. The patty itself was great but I also loved that they gave me the option to have it served over salad greens instead of a bun. I was on a mission to recreate this burger at home and I think I did pretty well! The dried cranberries make these seem extra perfect for fall. Yum.

Savory, Sweet, and Smoky Veggie Burgers ala "The Counter"
Makes about 6-8 patties

Olive oil
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1/3 cup corn
1/4 tsp chili powder (I like red New Mexico chili powder)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup black beans
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300ºF (149ºC). Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Put the onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, garlic, and carrots in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Saute the veggie mixture for a few minutes (until beginning to soften). Add spinach, corn, chili powder, paprika, pepper, and salt and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Lightly toss the bread crumbs with a little olive oil. Spread the bread crumbs and walnuts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper in a thin layer. Bake until they begin to brown (about 10 minutes).
Put the brown rice in the food processor and process until it is beginning to clump together. Add the beans and process to chop them.
In a large bowl, combine the veggies, rice and beans, bread crumbs and walnuts, and cranberries. Form into patties and fry in a lightly oiled skillet until browned on both sides (flip once). Serve in a whole grain bun with avocado or on top of salad greens with your favorite dressing.

My favorite restaurant veggie burgers in the Sacramento area:

Sunflower Drive-In "Nut Burger"
Tower Cafe "Earth Burger"
The Counter veggie burger

4 comments

, by Allison

Breakfast

Persimmon apple breakfast cake

Our heater is on the fritz again and when I woke up this morning it was 59 degrees in our master bedroom. I know that some people like to switch their heaters off at night so they can sleep in a cold room. I am not one of those people. Even our cat wouldn't lay anywhere but in front of the fire!

Since I knew it would be hours before the repair guy would arrive, I lit a fire in the fireplace and decided to bake a cake for breakfast. I had a couple of persimmons and some Granny Smith apples from my CSA box that I needed to use up, so I invented this moist breakfast cake. I loved the pecan and brown sugar topping- it was almost like a pecan pie but with much less sugar. Yum!

Persimmon Apple Breakfast Cake (vegan)

3/4 cup pureed persimmon (peel and chop ~2 fuyu persimmons and puree in a blender or food processor)
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp hemp seeds (for protein and omega 3s)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp each: cinnamon, cardamom, fresh grated nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Topping: 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 1 tbsp melted margarine (Earth Balance), 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine the persimmon puree, non-dairy milk, vanilla, and oil in a small bowl.
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (all remaining ingredients except the apples and topping). Add the wet ingredients and the apples to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour the batter evenly into a cake pan lined with parchment paper.
Melt the margarine in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the rest of the topping ingredients and combine well. Sprinkle the topping over the batter. Bake for about 50 minutes or until browned on top and edges look done. Cool before slicing.

This cake tasted delicious and even my "chunk"-avoiding kids liked it. I think next time I'll try reducing the oil to 2 tbsp and possibly cutting the sugar a little more too (I don't like things very sweet). If you don't have persimmons, I'm sure that applesauce or another pureed fruit would work just fine!

1 comments

, by Allison

Spiced maple muffins

Easy crockpot applesauce

Butternut squash (or pumpkin) chili

Post-half-marathon pumpkin cranberry "scuffins"

Savory, sweet, and smoky veggie burger

Persimmon apple breakfast cake

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