Gluten and Dairy-free Pumpkin Bread

Serves 4

Delicious gluten and dairy-free pumpkin bread that my kids love during this time of year and perfect to make for Thanksgiving!  Soft, fluffy, naturally sweetened, full of flavor and so easy to make!

Ingredients:

•  1/4 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¼ cup coconut flour

• 3 eggs

• ¾ cup pumpkin puree

• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• ½ tsp. sea salt

• ½ tsp. baking soda

Preparation:

• Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with coconut oil and preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, maple syrup, pumpkin and melted coconut oil. Mix well.

• Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well-combined.

• Pour the batter into loaf pan and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let the bread cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing.  

• Enjoy!

• Store in a closed container for about a week in the refrigerator.

• Feel free to add walnuts, pecans and/or chocolate chips in the batter or as a topping if desired.

Roasted Japanese Eggplant

Serves 2-3

Tis the season to enjoy this delicious, simple to prepare and highly nutritious veggie!  The Japanese eggplant, a longer version of its better-known cousin, is one of my favorites.  It contains lots of vitamin C, folate, potassium, manganese and the antioxidants that give it its purple color is great for brain health. Japanese eggplant also has thinner skin that is more easily digested and packed with fiber to keep you feeling full so be sure to try out this versatile veggie that your whole family will love!

Ingredients:

•  3-4 Japanese eggplants  

• 2-4 tablespoons avocado oil

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt

• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:

 -       Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-       Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat non-stick baking mat:

-       Slice eggplants the long way and place on baking sheet flesh side up.

-       Sprinkle with sea salt. 

-       Whisk together the avocado oil, garlic and lemon juice and generously coat the flesh of the eggplants with the mixture.

-       Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the insides are really soft and the skin gets slightly crisp.  You can also broil them for a couple of minutes at the end to brown on top as well.

-       Transfer eggplants to a plate and drizzle or spray with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with extra salt if desired.

-       Serve immediately and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries Salad

Serves 2-4

A delicious and filling winter salad is one of my favorite ways to get all the food I want to eat on one plate! This gut health-promoting combo is packed with healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, most B vitamins, and vitamin C. Gluten and dairy-free and perfect for a meatless Monday meal or a hearty whole foods based side.

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes cut lengthwise into fries

• 4 cups arugula

• 1 avocado

• 1 tbsp. coconut aminos

• freshly squeezed lemon

• ½ cup chopped walnuts

• Avocado or coconut oil or Ghee

• Olive oil

• Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta (You can use organic feta or goat cheese if not avoiding dairy)

• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

-       Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle, spray or toss sweet potato fries with avocado or melted coconut oil or ghee.  Season with salt and pepper and place on baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time.  

-       While the sweet potatoes are roasting, put arugula in a bowl and massage with a little olive oil, lemon and coconut aminos.

-       When potatoes are done, remove from oven.   To assemble the salad, plate the potatoes and top with arugula, chopped walnuts, chopped avocado, crumbled ricotta, salt and pepper.

-       Serve and enjoy!

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Homemade muffins are always a hit and you can never go wrong when they involve pumpkin. These coconut flour pumpkin cranberry muffins are the perfect sweet-tart flavor combination!  Not only are they delicious but they're packed with phytonutrients that help reduce the risk of certain cancers, and help to protect the brain, heart, liver and immune system.   They're great to have on hand for breakfast or a snack, require just 1 bowl and freeze well too, so make a double batch! 

Ingredients:

·      6 pasture-raised eggs

·      ¼ cup pumpkin puree

·      ½ cup melted coconut oil

·      1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·      ¼ cup maple syrup

·      ½ cup coconut flour

·      ½ teaspoon salt

·      ¼ teaspoon baking soda

·      1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

·      ½ cup fresh cranberries

Preparation:

·      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

·      Whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, oil, vanilla and maple syrup. 

·      Add in the coconut flour, sea salt, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice. 

·      Stir until everything is well combined. Gently fold in cranberries. 

·      Divide batter into a 12 muffin cups (I use silicone muffin cups).

·      Pop in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

·      Let cool and enjoy!

Honey Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

If you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts I’m willing to guess you haven’t had them prepared the right way.  These roasted Brussels are the perfect balance of sweet and savory and the added kick from a dash of red pepper flakes gives them an incredible, caramelized flavor. This easy and delicious recipe will quickly become your go-to method for preparing these super healthy cruciferous vegetables. Brussels sprouts are an excellent anti-cancer food because of compounds they contain called glucosinolates.  The glucosinolates give these vegetables their sulfur aroma which provides the liver with what it needs to get rid of toxins. When eaten these phytonutrients change the way estrogen is metabolized or broken down in the body.  As a result, eating these vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of hormone or estrogen-related cancers.  Cruciferous vegetables are also an important source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which can lower disease risk so enjoy a serving of these vegetables daily!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts

• 2-4 tablespoons avocado oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

• 3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

• 1 ½ tsp. honey

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat non-stick baking mat.

• Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and cut in half.  Place them into a mixing bowl and drizzle with avocado oil.  Sprinkle with sea salt.

• In another small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, and garlic.

• Pour mixture over the Brussels sprouts and toss until they are evenly coated and then arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet.

• Roast for around 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time, until the Brussels sprouts are tender and starting to turn a little crispy.  Add time as needed.

• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash, Spinach and Toasted Sesame Seeds with Tahini Drizzle

Serves 2-4

This has become my go-to side dish this winter and my favorite way to cook butternut squash is roasting, which brings out the sweetness as well as the savory flavor.  It’s such an easy, good for you and versatile vegetable that’s low in calories but packed with tons of nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.  It goes well with any kind of protein or for a plant-based or meatless Monday meal, add some brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Butternut squash

• 3 cups baby spinach

• Coconut oil or Ghee

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

• ½ cup toasted sesame seeds

• Olive oil

Tahini Drizzle:

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 2-3 tablespoons Coconut Aminos 

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• Water

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Clean the squash, cut in half and remove seeds.  Melt coconut oil or ghee to coat squash flesh, and season with salt and pepper.  Bake facing down on baking sheet for about 30-40 minutes until softened.  Remove from oven and once it’s cool enough to handle, remove skin and cut into cubes.  Put cubes back on a baking sheet, toss with a little more oil or ghee and bake for another 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking time.  When squash is starting to caramelize, add spinach and toss with squash and cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove everything when spinach is wilted. 

• While squash is roasting, toast the sesame seeds by preheating toaster to 200 degrees.  Spread seeds on baking tray and spray or toss lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 5-10 minutes to slightly brown.  Remove from toaster.

To prepare the tahini dressing:

• In a bowl add tahini, salt, pepper, and coconut aminos. Whisk until thoroughly blended.

• Add water 2 tablespoons at al time, whisking after each addition until smooth.  By 4-6 tablespoons dressing should be perfectly creamy.

Serving:

• Plate the roasted squash and spinach.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing.

• Enjoy!

Pumpkin Seed Dusted Kabocha Squash with Tahini Dressing Drizzle

Serves 2-4

If you love pumpkin and sweet potato, then Kabocha Squash will be your new best friend!  A Japanese staple that’s prized for its sweet taste that boosts flavor without adding any extra sugar, velvety texture, versatility and slew of health benefits.  My favorite way to cook it is roasting, which brings out the sweetness as well as the savory flavor.  The best part is you can eat the skin so there’s no peeling necessary! A great side that your whole family will love!

Ingredients:

·     1 medium Kabocha squash

·      Olive oil

·      Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

·      1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Tahini Dressing:

·      1/3 cup tahini

· Juice from 1 lemon

·      2-3 garlic cloves

·      2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

·      Water

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Clean the squash, cut in half and remove seeds.  Cut the squash into moon shaped slices. 

• Toss slices in oil or spray with oil if using a sprayer and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 30-40 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking time.

• While squash is roasting, toast the pumpkin seeds by preheating toaster to 200 degrees.  Spray or toss pumpkin seeds lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 5-10 minutes to slightly brown.  Remove from toaster, roughly chop seeds and set aside.

To prepare the tahini dressing:

• In a bowl combine the garlic and lemon juice.  Let mixture rest for 10 minutes to give the garlic time to infuse the lemon juice with flavor.

• Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl, pressing the garlic with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard the garlic.

• Add tahini, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar to the bowl.  Whisk until thoroughly blended.

• Finally, add water 2 tablespoons at al time, whisking after each addition until smooth.  By 6-8 tablespoons dressing should be perfectly creamy.

Serving:

• Place squash slices on plate.  Sprinkle with chopped pumpkin seeds and finally drizzle with dressing.

• Enjoy!

Frozen Yogurt Bites

Serves many

These adorable little yogurt bites are so yummy and perfect to even have your kids make!  They are great to munch on straight out of the freezer as a healthy snack or dessert or throw in a bowl on top of granola and let melt for a few minutes for a healthy breakfast! Kids (or you) can even pack them for lunch in a sealed container and eat them with a spoon when melted.  Too easy and delicious not to try…

Ingredients:

• Wallaby Organic Greek Whole Milk Yogurt (I used plain)

• Raspberries

• Blueberries

• Honey

• Silicon muffin cups

• Baking sheet

Preparation:

• Pour yogurt into a large bowl. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey at a time, mix, taste and continue until you reach your desired level of sweetness.

• Lay out muffin cups on the baking sheet. Using a spoon, dollop some yogurt into each cup.

• Put fruit on yogurt and place tray into the freezer for a couple of hours until set. Once frozen, remove from cups and serve, or put in a bag and freeze to eat later. Enjoy!

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Serves 4

Shishito peppers are so addicting and incredibly easy to prepare and make the perfect appetizer, snack or side dish.  Now is the perfect time to make them at home as they’re in season from summer to fall so you can find them in grocery stores and farmers markets.  You and your family won’t be able to get enough of these crunchy, mild, and delicious peppers.  They taste great with a squeeze of lemon juice and you can either roast them in the oven or on the stovetop; the instructions for both are below.  

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups Shishito peppers 

• 2-4 tablespoons avocado oil

• Coarse sea salt

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Preparation:

Roasting in oven:

• Preheat oven to 450degrees.

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat non-stick baking mat

• Coat or spray peppers with avocado oil and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt. Roast in the oven for 7-10 minutes until peppers are blistered and puffy.

• Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Stovetop preparation:

• Heat oil in skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat to warm.

• When skillet is hot, using tongs add the peppers to the pan in a single layer.

• Cook peppers without moving them for a few minutes so they get charred on one side and then continue to turn frequently until darkened and blistered in a few places. If you prefer them to have a bit of a crunch, cook for about about 7-9 minutes or if you prefer them wilted completely, cook them longer, about 12-15 minutes. (This is how my family prefers them).

• Transfer peppers to a plate, squeeze with a fresh lemon (optional), and sprinkle with extra salt.

• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Crispy Roasted Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4 

Roasting shaved Brussels sprouts is the best way to eat them!  The course texture enhances their nutty sweetness when they become lightly charred. If you're not a big sprout lover, I promise these have a good chance of winning you over.  So easy and so delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, shaved or shredded (you can use your food processor or buy already shredded or shaved sprouts at the grocery store)

• 2-3 tbsp. avocado or coconut oil or ghee

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

• Juice from half a lemon

• ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

• ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)
  

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat non-stick baking mat

• Place shaved Brussels sprouts and garlic in a bowl, drizzle with oil or melted ghee.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix everything well to coat.

• Transfer mixture to baking sheet and spread out in even layer.

• Roast in oven for about 15 minutes total – check about half way through to stir and ensure they’re cooking evenly.

• Remove from oven when they are as dark/crispy as you like and let sit for a few minutes to cool off.   Transfer to serving bowl, add lemon juice and stir well.  

• Add optional pumpkin seeds and/or Parmesan cheese.

• Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble Topping

Yields 10 servings

My family begs me to make this recipe for every holiday throughout the year, especially Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are so delicious and so good for you!   This recipe is super easy to prepare and tastes way more like a dessert than a side dish.  And the pecan crumble topping is ridiculous! Give it a try and I promise it will become a favorite in your house too!

Ingredients: 

For the filling:

• 4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 4-5 medium sized potatoes)

• ¼ cup organic coconut sugar

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 eggs beaten (preferably pasture-raised)

• ½ cup milk (I use unsweetened almond or coconut milk but you can use whatever you like)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup melted organic grass-fed butter or ghee

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 1 cup organic coconut sugar

• ½ cup all-purpose flour (use almond flour or other gluten-free flour to make gluten-free)

• 1/3 cup organic grass-fed butter or coconut oil

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preparation:

• Roast sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about 45-50 min or until soft. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop inside of sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Combine with coconut sugar or maple syrup, eggs, milk, salt, butter and vanilla. Mix together and pour into a greased 13x9 inch-baking dish.

• To prepare the topping, in a separate bowl combine the coconut sugar, flour, melted butter or coconut oil and pecans. Mix together and crumble over sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.

• Enjoy!

Roasted Lemon and Sumac Cauliflower

Serves 4

A great way to use Sumac is with roasted vegetables. In this yummy side dish it adds a bold tart flavor that tastes great with the natural sweetness of the roasted cauliflower!

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

• Juice and zest of 2 lemons

• 1-2 tbsp. ground sumac (leave a little to sprinkle on top before serving)

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• ½ cup of parsley chopped

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Combine cauliflower, oil, sumac, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Toss well and place onto baking sheet.

• Roast until lightly browned, around 20-30 minutes.

• Transfer cauliflower to a bowl, add parsley and drizzle with lemon juice and toss. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

• Finally, sprinkle a drop more sumac on top, serve and enjoy!

Spicy Butternut Squash Fries with Avocado Dip

Serves 4

These spicy butternut squash fries are probably the most delicious preparation of butternut squash that I’ve ever eaten.  Nice and crispy on the outside and the spicy seasoning makes it so my kids can’t devour them fast enough!  They’re super easy-to-prepare and make the perfect side for any dinner!

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 medium butternut squash
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• Sea salt and freshly group pepper to taste

Ingredients for mashed avocado:

• 1-2 avocados, mashed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt
• 1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 convection or 400 degrees. 
• With a chef knife, cut both ends of the squash.  Then slice vertically into two halves.  Scoop out the seeds and set aside to make a yummy snack .  (Try my recipe for roasted squash seeds)
• Slice the squash into horizontal pieces to resemble French fries.
• Throw squash into a bowl; add the oil and the spices.  Toss to coat all pieces evenly.
• Place squash on a baking sheet and bake for about 30-40 minutes, flipping them halfway for even roasting on both sides.
• For extra crispy fries you can finish them off on broil for 2-3 minutes.
• Enjoy with mashed avocado mixed with lemon, sea salt and red pepper flakes.
• Enjoy!

Broiled Grapefruit

Serves 1

Grapefruit is as delicious hot as it is cold - perfect for a warm breakfast on a cold day.  This recipe uses a naturally sweet topping to balance out the citrusy sourness and broiling caramelizes everything a little, melting it into the tangy grapefruit underneath.  You can leave out the honey if you like the sourness with your sweet, but even with the honey, this is a super low-sugar way to enjoy this delicious and healthy fruit!

Ingredients:

• Grapefruit
• Raw organic honey
• Organic cinnamon
• Sliced fruit (I used organic strawberries) 
• Chopped walnuts

Preparation: 

• Preheat broiler.
• Cut grapefruit in half and place on a baking sheet.
• Sprinkle grapefruit generously with cinnamon.
• Place strawberries and chopped walnuts on top.
• Drizzle honey on top of each half (optional).
• Place the grapefruit under the broiler until slightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and enjoy while still warm.

Herb Roasted Golden Vegetables

Serves 4-6

During the fall and winter months, roasted veggies are a deliciously healthy way to feed our cravings for warm, comforting and filling foods.  This combination is made up of vegetables that are in season so they’re exceptionally flavorful and packed with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  This also makes a beautiful and impressive side dish for entertaining that’s really easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Carrots, sliced
• 2 cups Red Onions, sliced
• 2 cups Golden Beets, sliced
• 2 cups Sunchokes, sliced
• 3-4 tablespoons healthy oil of your choice  (Coconut, Olive or Avocado)
• 3 tablespoons chopped Thyme and Rosemary
• ½ -1 cup fresh Sage leaves
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped Parsley as garnish 

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Toss vegetables in oil and season generously with salt and pepper. 
• Roast veggies for about 20 minutes, check and then toss on the baking sheet and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until veggies are almost tender and just starting to brown.  
• Sprinkle veggies with thyme and rosemary combination and sage leaves and toss everything again on the baking sheet. 
• Roast for about 10 more minutes or so until sage is crisp, the veggies are tender and perfectly browned.
• Enjoy!

Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

This is my go-to recipe for Brussels Sprouts.  It’s simple, healthy and delicious.  It’s a yummy Thanksgiving side or anytime dish.  Not only are these salty and crunchy little cabbages so easy to prepare, they’re packed with fiber, folic acid, vitamins C, K and several key antioxidants!  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ½ - 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• ½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
• Wash, trim and cut Brussels sprouts in half.
• Mix olive oil, mustard, salt and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
• Toss sprouts in olive oil mixture until evenly coated. 
• Arrange in one evenly spaced layer on baking sheet.
• Roast until wilted and starting to brown, about 20 minutes.  
• Remove any sprouts that are brown and crispy.
• Using a spatula flip remaining sprouts to make sure everything is coated in oil.  Put back in the oven and continue to roast for about 15-20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
• Serve and Enjoy!

Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash

Serves 4

These delicious stuffed acorn squashes are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving!  They are even filling enough to be a main on the table for a meatless Monday meal! The filling tastes like rich, creamy risotto and can easily be used as a yummy gluten-free version of stuffing on Thanksgiving (or any other time) as well!

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash (halved crosswise and seeded)
• 3-4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1b. Shitake mushrooms, diced small
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 2 tbsp. fresh or dried thyme
• 2 cups short-grain brown rice
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup roasted seeds (I used Delicata Squash seeds that I had roasted a few days ago) but use whatever you like - pumpkin, sunflower etc.
• 1 tsp. chopped parsley for garnish
• ½ cup shaved or grated parmesean cheese (optional if vegan)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Season cut sides of squash with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and place squash cut sides down on a rimmed baking sheet.  Cover tightly with foil and roast until tender, about 30-35 minutes.
• In a skillet heat remaining olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, mushrooms and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are golden, about 8-10 min. 
• Meanwhile add rice and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan.  Bring to boil and add onion, mushroom, thyme mixture.  Reduce to simmer, cover for about 45 min until liquid is absorbed.
• Remove squash from oven and turn on the broiler.  Scoop out a few tablespoons of flesh from each squash half and stir into the rice mixture.  Mix in seeds.  Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice mixture among squash halves, sprinkle with Parmesan (optional), and broil until melted, about 2 minutes.
• Top with chopped parsley.
• Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes) with Sage and Rosemary

Serves 4

If you’ve never had sunchokes you must give them a try! These tubers are actually a species of sunflower plants and are one of my all-time favorite veggies, in season during the fall and winter months.  This delicious root veggie has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor and is packed with health benefits! They are a good source of iron and potassium, vitamins A, C, E, high in fiber, low in calories and are an exceptional prebiotic that supports beneficial intestinal bacteria which promotes overall good health!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Sunchokes
• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped Rosemary
• ¼ cup whole Sage leaves
• Salt and Pepper 

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  
• Scrub sunchokes under cold running water and cut into 1/4 inch thick pieces.
• Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange pieces in one evenly spaced layer on baking sheet.
• Roast until sunchokes are starting to brown, about 20 minutes.  
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with rosemary and sage leaves.
• Using a spatula flip sunchokes and herbs to make sure everything is coated in oil, put back in the oven and continue to roast for about 15-20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
• Serve and Enjoy!

Roasted Delicata Squash Seeds

Don’t throw away the seeds from your pumpkin or squash!  Roasted seeds are a delicious autumn treat that is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and are so easy to make.  These Delicata squash seeds taste like buttered popcorn and make the perfect salty, crunchy, toasty snack you and your family will love!

Ingredients:

• Delicata squash
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Cut squash and scoop the seeds from the cavity.  Place in colander under running water and remove any squash flesh.
• Dump seeds on paper towel and allow to dry.
• When seeds are dry place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with small amount of oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Toss the seeds until they are evenly coated and roast until they are just starting to brown, about 20-25 minutes, stirring about halfway through.
• Remove seeds from oven and let cool.
• Enjoy immediately or keep for a few days in an airtight container.

Roasted Delicata Squash

Serves 4

This Delicata squash if one of my favorite side dishes to prepare!  It’s so simple, so pretty and absolutely delicious! Roasting brings out its delicate sweetness and gives the squash a rich and creamy texture.  It also saves you time in the kitchen because you don’t need to peel the skin as you do with most other kinds of squash.  The skin is not only edible it’s packed with tons of fiber, vitamins and minerals. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Delicata Squashes sliced into rings with seeds removed

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil

• 1 teaspoon chopped Thyme (preferably fresh herbs but dried is fine too)

• 1 teaspoon chopped Rosemary

• 1 teaspoon chopped Sage

• ½ cup whole Sage leaves

• Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Clean squash by running under water and scrubbing away any dirt with you hands. Cut and remove seeds and arrange squash in a single layer on baking sheet. Coat both sides of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

• Roast until squashes are starting to brown and caramelize, about 20 minutes. Using a spatula flip squashes and continue to roast for about 15 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

• Serve and Enjoy!