Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

(recipe adapted from May All Be Fed: Diet For A New World by John Robbins)

1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 lbs.), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley leaves, to taste
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

Put the squash and three cups of the vegetable stock in a large pot.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat, cover and cook until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Drain.

Put the blanched almonds and the remaining 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock into a blender.  Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add the squash and cooking liquid, curry, salt, pepper, parsley and apple and process until smooth.

Pour back into the pot and bring just to a simmer over medium heat.

Fruitcake Bars

(recipe from David Lebovitz)

6 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. packed, light or dark brown sugar
2 cups walnuts, almonds, or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and coarsely chopped*
1 cup dried apricot halves, coarsely chopped*
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

*Use any combination of dried fruits that strikes your fancy.  The dates really do make the recipe, but I've tossed in a scoop of dried sour cherries or cranberries, or candied ginger as well, with great results.  Just stick with the total quantities listed above.

Line an 8-inch square pan across the bottom and up the sides with two sheets of aluminum foil, making a big criss-cross with the sides overhanging.

Preheat the oven to 325F and position the rack in the center of the oven.

In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the brown sugar, walnuts, dates, and apricots.  Use your fingers to mix the fruit, and separate any pieces sticking together.

Beat the egg and vanilla in a small bowl, then mix it with the fruit and nut mixture until everything's coated with the batter.  Spread the mixture in the baking pan and press gently to even it out.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top of the bars are golden brown and has pulled away just-slightly from the sides of the pan.  Cool the bars in the pan, then lift out.

To cut the cooled bars, use a heavy sharp knife, such as a bread knife, for ensuring neat, clean slices.

Storage: The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

(I used 1 cup dates, 1 cup apricots, and 1/2 cup dried cranberries for my fruit combination.  For nuts, half walnuts, half pecans.  I also used coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar.  These bars are so good!  Not too sweet, like a little energy nugget.)

Shaved Summer Squash Salad

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

3 Tbsp. whole almonds
1 lb. summer squash, a mix of green and yellow
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
Baby arugula
Pecorino, shaved (optional)

Roast the almonds and coarsely crush.

Trim the ends of the squash.  Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to taste.  Pour dressing over squash; let stand for a few minutes, then add a few handfuls of arugula.  Shave a little Pecorino over the squash, if desired, and toss.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with the crushed almonds.

Kale Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

(recipe from Amazing Grass)

2 cups baby kale
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 large apple, diced
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. chopped raw almonds
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the kale, quinoa, and apple.  In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, and maple syrup; season to taste with salt & pepper.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.  Garnish with almonds and basil and toss once more before serving.

Chopped Miso Salad

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

1 1/2 cups shallots, skinned and thinly sliced
splash of olive oil
pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. miso
1/2 tsp. powdered mustard (or a bit of whatever mustard you have around)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (or honey or agave)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)

1/2 of a medium-large cabbage
1 cup silvered almonds, toasted
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
3/4 cup chives, minced
8 oz. extra-firm tofu, or baked tofu, room temperature (tofu cooked in a skillet for a few minutes to take on some color is great)

Stir together the shallots, splash of olive oil, and big pinch of salt in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir every few minutes, you want the shallots to slowly brown over about 15 minutes.  Let them get dark, dark brown (but not burn).  If needed, turn down the heat.  Remove them from the skillet and onto a paper towel to cool in a single layer.  They should crisp up a bit.

Make the dressing by whisking the miso, mustard, and brown sugar together.  Now whisk in the rice vinegar and keep whisking until it's smooth.  Gradually whisk in the olive oil, and then the sesame oil.  Add two pinches of fine grain salt.  Taste and make any adjustments if needed.

Cut the cabbage into two quarters and cut out the core.  Using a knife, shred each quarter into whisper thin slices.  They key here is bite-sized and thin.  If any pieces look like they might be awkwardly long, cut those in half.

Gently toss the cabbage, shallots, almonds, red onion, chives and tofu in a large bowl.  Add a generous drizzle of the miso dressing and toss again - until the dressing is evenly distributed.  Add more dressing a bit at a time, until the salad is dressed to your liking.

Pumpkin Seed Dried-Cherry Trail Mix

(recipe from the cookbook 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson)

2 cups baby pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
6 Tbsp. pure Grade B maple syrup
Coarse salt, to taste
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Preheat oven to 300F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds with the syrup until evenly coated.  Spread the nuts and seeds out in an even, single layer on the lined baking sheets and season with salt.  Bake them, stirring several times with a spatula or wooden spoon, until just golden, about 20 minutes.  Cool the nuts and seeds completely on the sheet tray, then add the cherries and toss to combine.

Store the cooled trail mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

(Tasty, grain-free version of granola.  I used apple juice-sweetened cranberries, which were a nice alternative to the super sugary versions of most dried fruits.  I ate this alone, and as a topping to various chia pudding breakfast concoctions.  It has a perfect sweet/salty flavor mix.)

Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

2 cups vanilla wafer cookies (5 ounces)
1/2 cup smoked almonds
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 firm, ripe medium peaches, peeled and cut into thin wedges

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor, combine the vanilla wafers with the almonds and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and process until fine.  Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Press the crumbs into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is set.

Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl.  Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and process until smooth.  Pour the custard into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, until set.  Let the tart cool slightly and transfer to the freezer to chill, about 15 minutes.

In a bowl, toss the peaches with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of sugar.  Arrange the peaches in 2 concentric circles over the custard.  Remove the ring, cut the tart into wedges and serve.

(Nope, not vegan, not even close.  Made this to serve the ladies along with snacks and drinks in my garden.  Peaches were on sale, it's a quick recipe.  I couldn't find smoked almonds, just used roasted unsalted ones.  The crust is a bit crumbly, but tastes good.  Any fruit would be fine in this.)

Lisa's Granola

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raw, unsalted pepitas
1/2 cup maple syrup
6 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a roasting pan or large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine oats, almonds, walnuts, and pepitas in a large bowl.  Whisk maple syrup, oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until blended.  Pour over the oat mixture and toss to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan.

Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until lightly and evenly browned and starting to dry out, 50 minutes to 1 hour.  Let cool completely in the pan before serving or storing.

Store airtight in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.

(Delicious!  I added a bit less oil.  Also, monitor the cooking - my oven is hotter, I think, so I didn't have to bake for as long as they say.  I ate this with blueberries, bananas, and coconut milk and it was yummy.)

Dandelion Greens with Toasted Garlic & Almonds

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

1 large bunch dandelion greens or 1 head curly endive, escarole, or chicory, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and about 2 inches of the greens only
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 tsp. salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Drop greens into the boiling water and cook until bright green, stirring one or twice, 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the type of greens.  Drain in a colander, then rinse well with cold water.  Drain again, pressing on the greens to remove excess water.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and scallion; cook, stirring, until the garlic starts to turn golden brown, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.  Add the greens and cook, stirring, until tender and heated through, 1 to 3 minutes.  Stir in almonds and season with salt.  Serve immediately.

(Note from the magazine:  to make the recipe with mellower greens like spinach or chard, skip the blanching step.  Blanching tames the bitter greens.  I still found this to be quite bitter.  It grew on me, though, and I loved the element that the almonds add to the dish.)

Rise and Shine Oatmeal

(recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

4 servings.

2 cups water
2 cups oats
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted
maple syrup, for serving

Bring water to a boil over medium heat.  Stir in oats; cook 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Serve with maple syrup.

Hearty Morning Cereal

(recipe from Yoga Living)

1/2 cup amaranth
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Lightly toast all of the above ingredients in a dry skillet.  Toast only until a distinct nutty aroma is apparent. Allow cooling.  Grind all ingredients in a food processor, until fine.  Keep mixture in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cook 1/2 cup of the ground cereal with 1 cup milk or water in a small pan over medium heat.  Cook until thick.  Stir frequently to avoid burning.

(I found that this does not cook terribly quickly, and that you may need to add more mixture to the milk till your preferred thickness.  Tastes good, though.  I added some chopped prunes and maple syrup on top.)