Butternut Squash and Leek Pie

(recipe from Cook Your Way to the Life You Want by Christina Pirello)

Filling
2 tsp. oil
2 to 3 leeks, split lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced
Soy sauce
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup cooked chestnuts, coarsely minced
3 Tbsp. plain almond milk
About 1/4 cup coarsely minced walnuts, pan toasted, for garnish

Walnut Pastry
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely minced
1/4 cup walnut or corn oil
About 4 Tbsp. water

Make the filling:  Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Add leeks and a dash of soy sauce; saute until limp, about 5 minutes.  Add squash and a dash of soy sauce; saute, stirring, until mixed in with leeks and shiny with oil.  Stir in chestnuts and milk, and season lightly with soy sauce.  Cover, and simmer over low heat until squash is soft, about 15 minutes.  Remove cover, and simmer until sauce reduces and thickens.

Make the pastry:  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.  Oil a rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom.  Combine flour, salt, and walnuts in a medium bowl.  With a fork or pastry cutter, cut in oil until it is the texture of wet sand.  Slowly mix in water until dough gathers into a firm ball.  Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment to create a rectangle that is about 1 inch larger than the pan.  Transfer rectangle to the pan and press, without stretching, to fit into crevices of pan.  Trim away excess crust flush with top rim.  Pierce in several places with a fork.  Fit a piece of foil over crust, pressing for a firm fit.  Fill crust with dried beans or pie weights to prevent crust from bubbling.  Bake 17 minutes.  Remove from oven, lift foil and beans (you may reuse the beans for pie weights), and allow crust to cool.

To assemble:  Spoon filling evenly into cooled pastry.  Garnish with toasted walnuts, and let stand about 15 minutes before slicing.

(Note:  I used a frozen pie crust!  I just baked the crust a bit, filled it with the filling, and baked more following directions on package.  Super tasty!  The chestnuts, leeks, and squash are delicious!)

Cranberry-Pecan Bread with Caraway Seeds

(recipe from Christina Cooks)

3 oz. dried, unsweetened cranberries
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup organic yellow cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 cup avocado oil (I used coconut oil)
1/3 cup brown rice syrup (I used maple syrup)
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups unsweetened organic almond or soy milk
1/2 cup pecan pieces, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly oil and flour a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Mix dried cranberries and orange juice together in a small bowl and soak them for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain, discarding any excess juice.

Mix together dry ingredients.  Mix in oil, syrup and zest.  Slowly add milk until you achieve a thick spoonable batter, but do not over mix.  Fold in pecans and cranberries.  Spoon batter evenly into pie pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until the center of the bread springs back to the touch or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the rim and slice the bread into wedges.

(Hearty and not too sweet.)

Carrot Walnut Cookies

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 carrots, grated
1 apple, cored and seeded, grated
1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup apple juice

Preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine walnuts, oats, and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger.  Add carrots, apple, banana, and apple juice and stir until combined.  Drop by rounded tablespoons an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies.  Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten slightly.  Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

(Tasty little healthy cookies!  Wholesome enough to eat for breakfast.  Quick and easy to make.)