Butternut Squash Soup
Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
5-6 cups butternut squash, diced
½ cup or 1 carrot, chopped
1 cup or 1 small bunch scallions or spring onions, chopped
8 whole sage leaves, fresh (or 1 Tbsp dried)
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh (or ½ Tbsp dried)
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup organic dairy or non-dairy milk
Suggested toppings:
Slices of freshly toasted bread, drizzled with olive oil and cubed
1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
8 additional fresh sage leaves, fried
4 slices of lean bacon or tempeh, crispy and crumbled
all photos by Stephen Blancett
Place the squash, carrot, scallions, sage leaves, rosemary, chicken broth and milk into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Then, blend using an immersion blender until smooth and leave covered until ready to serve. Make the toppings available to sprinkle and stir.
Root Vegetable Gratin with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese
Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
1 cup or 2 medium parsnips, diced to ½ inch
2 cups or 3 medium carrots, diced to ½ inch
1 cup or 2 medium turnips, diced to ½ inch
6 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup organic olive oil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
8 oz sliced Portabella mushrooms
1 large onion, sliced into half moons
6 oz blue cheese, crumbled, or vegan cheese
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch slices
Black pepper to taste
Put the vegetables into the slow cooker with the garlic and stir in the olive oil and oregano. Layer the mushrooms on top of the vegetable mixture, followed by a layer of onions. Next, sprinkle the blue cheese crumbles on top.
Pour the broth over the vegetables and cheese mixture, and lay the sliced potatoes on top. Season the potatoes with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.
Millet and Miso Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sriracha Dressing
Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Coconut or organic olive oil
2 acorn squash, halved and deseeded
1 cup millet or quinoa
½ can garbanzo beans
½ cup raisins
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp fresh chives, snipped
¼ cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp white miso paste Olive oil
4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Dressing:
2 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
¼ cup plain or coconut milk yogurt
Oil the insert of the slow cooker with coconut or olive oil. On a chopping board, halve the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds.
In a separate bowl, add the millet, garbanzo beans, raisins, garlic powder, black pepper and 2 tablespoons of the chives. Mix the lemon juice, miso and 2/3 cup water in a cup and pour over the millet mixture. Stir well. Spoon the millet filling into the acorn squash. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Mix the ingredients for the Sriracha dressing in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Once cooked, remove from the slow cooker and sprinkle with the remaining snipped chives and toasted pine nuts. Serve with the Sriracha dressing alongside.
Sweet and Spicy Baked Apples
Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Coconut oil
5 medium or 4 large apples
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup soft brown, maple or date sugar
½ cup walnuts
1 Tbsp Sweet & Spicy Ground Spice Blend or apple pie spice blend
Ice cream topper to serve
Oil the inside of the slow cooker insert with coconut oil. Halve and core the apples and sit them in the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Pour the lemon juice over the apples. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, walnuts and spice blend and press onto and into the apples. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
All recipes adapted from TheZenOfSlowCooking.com by Meg Barnhart and Jane McKay.
