Early this week I got to video chat with all three of my London girls at the same time. It was delightful! And also far too rare. Still, a delight. However, they assure me they’re coming to visit in April. Now that I’ve post it here on the internet, it had better come true. Anyway, they got together to have a vegan feast, and while I can’t participate in person, I can in spirit. So, for my girls here is a recipe for vegan curried butternut squash soup. 

Actually, this recipe is all about friends for me. I got this recipe from my friend Emily, who is the one who got me started cooking and experimenting with yummy vegetable dishes. And then at work my colleagues were talking about vegetarian dishes since my boss has recently decided to go off meat. They were even talking about curried butternut squash soup! All signs pointed to it being time for me to finally publish this recipe – a tiny way to recognize many of the lovely friends in my life. Hope this tasty recipe will be enjoyed by them – and hopefully by you and anyone you share it with.

Now I know you might be thinking, Mariel this is a vegan recipe. Is it really that good? Is it really going to be something I’ll want to eat? Let alone share with my friends?! I promise you it is. I sometimes have a nose crinkle at the word vegan, but this recipe is legit and doesn’t feel like going without.

In fact, this recipe is a good one for this time of year. It’s warm, a bit spicy, and not too heavy. Perfect for chilly winter evenings and next day lunches that brighten up your workday. Also, between Thanksgiving and Christmas it’s so easy to eat hearty foods and lots of sweets. Sometimes I need a break between all the cookies, mulled wine, and heavy roasts. This soup is it. It’ll make you feel cozy on a cold day. It’s a good way to eat some vegetables. It makes a lot. And if you need a bit of heft it’s great for dipping bread into it. I’m telling you, perfect winter meal to share with friends.

Adapted from All Recipes.

Messy level: If you have an immersion blender this is hardly messy at all! There’s very little prep and everything is poured into one pot. Fairly easy, and not too much clean up. It’s nearly easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour 15 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1, 2 pound butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus a little more for greasing
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup coconut milk, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons agave
• cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C
2. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
3. Place the squash on a baking sheet, skin side down. Lightly brush the butternut squash flesh with some coconut oil. If desired, season with extra curry powder.
4. Bake the squash in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until fork tender.
5. When the squash is 30 minutes into baking, melt the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat
6. Add the onion and garlic to the pot. Cook until softened and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
7. Using a spoon, scoop the baked squash flesh out of the skin and into the pot. Also add in the vegetable broth, curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat. Stir in the coconut milk and agave.
9. Using an immersion blender (or transfer soup to a blender), pulse until soup is smooth.
10. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a little bit of extra coconut milk on top and sprinkle with cilantro leaves, if desired.

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I made this recipe all the way back in August. Back then it was still fiery hot outside and stepping outside of my apartment meant I was sweating immediately. It was a time when farmer’s markets were filled with gorgeous colorful produce. The kind of produce that I didn’t have to know what it was, I’d buy it because it was pretty. Now it’s the end of October. There’s a chill in the air, autumn is truly here, and it’s gourd season. Two months later, currants probably aren’t in season anymore. Still, I’m going to share this recipe for currant jam anyway. 

Like I said, I bought the currants on impulse. I didn’t even know what they tasted like! I thought they looked like gorgeous tiny rubies and I had to have them. I’d figure out the recipe later. Through a little googling, I found a recipe for jam and I thought I’d give it a go.

I’d never made jam before because I’m largely afraid of canning. You need (I think) special equipment that seems both expensive and like a real commitment that I’m not sure I want to make. Also, I’m not trying to feed anyone sugary botulism.

After consulting the internet further and a few friends, I decided one can of jam eaten fairly quickly wouldn’t kill anyone. And look at me, it’s October and I’m still alive. And so is everyone else who tried my jam. Now people might be a little more wary of eating my food. Didn’t realize you were all part of a dangerous science experiment?! Mwahahaha.

Anyway, I was impressed because that one small container of currants filled nearly an entire standard jam jar. Full disclosure, the jar is a pint-sized jar that formerly held Running Byrd Iced Tea. I disinfected the jar by dunking into boiled water and sending the jar good vibes hoping everything would work out. And it did. The jam was delicious. I ate it on toast, English muffins, and I put on buttery thumb print cookies. Mostly it was fun telling everyone I made currant jam. It made me feel impressive.

Adapted from David Lebovitz.

Messy level: I didn’t find this messy so much as mildly terrifying. Everything is so hot, and sticky, and I just didn’t know if it was going to go right. Also, there’s pouring. Pouring things leads to potential mess and no one’s trying to get molten jam spilled on their toes. So my advice, just be careful!

Currant Jam

 

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Prep time

1 min

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

31 mins

 

This recipe can be done with whatever amount of currants you have and equal parts sugar. I made this with about a 1 pint container of currants. Also, I am not an expert on canning. This recipe worked well and safely for one jar eaten quickly. If you are interested in making more to store for the long term, please read other sources for information on canning.

Serves: 1 pint jar

Ingredients

• Red currants
• sugar
• water

Instructions

1. Wash the currants and put them in a large pot. Put them in stems and all. I read the stems help the jam set (For the 1 pint of currants I used my 3 quart sauce pan)
2. Add enough water so that it covers the bottom of the pan. (I added enough so the bottoms of the currants were wet)
3. Heat the currants on medium heat. Stir frequently and cook until they are softened and wilted. This can take 10 minutes or more.
4. Once cooked, pull out the currants by their stems. (It's good to wear gloves). Use tongs and slide them along the stems to pop off the currant berries into a bowl. (If you have a food mill that might be an easier way, but this was my low budget option).
5. If you don't have a food mill, use an immersion blender to make a puree. Alternatively, you can also use a blender or food processor to do this.
6. Weigh the puree. (Hint: it sounds obvious but I often forget, put the bowl on your scale first, press tare, then add the puree. Don't weigh the bowl!)
7. For each pound/kilo/grams of puree, add that amount of sugar to your pot. Add the currants back to the pot as well.
8. Stir the puree and the sugar in the pot. Heat over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
9. Once the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring and bring it to a roiling boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes and don't touch it!
10. Turn off the heat and skim off any of the foamy looking stuff at the top.
11. Carefully pour or spoon the jam into a clean jar. Close tightly. Turn the jars upside down and let cool completely.
12. To test if the finish jam will hold, put a small spoonful of jam on a chilled plate. Put the plate in the fridge for a few minutes. Take it out and poke it. If it wrinkles when nudged then it's ready.

3.5.3217

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I’ve spent most of this weekend camped out in my apartment because it is wildly too hot outside. Far too hot to do anything. Even walking outside is too much. Last weekend though, the weather was actually pretty nice. I ventured not only outside of my apartment, but I went to visit Star Hollow Farm in Pennsylvania. That farm is where I got the tomatillos for this tomatillo salsa. 

My friend Anna’s family owns Star Hollow and I’ve been wanting to visit for awhile now. It’s something I kept saying to her, and she kept saying “let’s do it,” and then we never planned it. Last weekend, it all aligned. I rented a car and drove us out to beautiful rural Pennsylvania. Over the years Anna has told me so much about the farm, her family, and their dog Lucy that I felt like I knew them and the place already. It was a friendly, warm and inviting weekend. I had such a great time.

It was wonderful to get out of the city and be surrounded by beautiful green space. And at night, there were so many stars and we could see the Milky Way! During the day I got to eat raspberries straight off the bush (is it called a raspberry bush?!), I watched chickens pecking at the grass, grilled vegetable kabobs, and saw the most massive tomato plants. I didn’t know tomatoes could grow so tall! Also did you know they could be so colorful? I saw red, yellow, green and even purple tomatoes. Purple!! I didn’t know those existed. Additionally, I saw where my tomatillos came from.

I really like the way tomatillos look. I like the dry, almost papery husk. And I enjoy the way the round fruit bursts out of that skin. I don’t know what to do with tomatillos besides make salsa – but the salsa they make is excellent. Chips and salsa are the perfect food in this hot weather. That’s mainly because I can’t be bothered to eat anything too warm during this insane weather.

This recipe is adapted just slighly from a Rick Bayless recipe for roasted tomatillo salsa. Yes, you will have to turn on the oven. Ick, I know, it’s too hot for that. But it’s not for very long and it’s worth it. The tomatillos get blackened which gives them a sweetness and a lovely slightly bitter char. And in the oven they’ll burst and become super juicy which is also really delicious. After a quick stint in the oven, everything gets blitzed in the food processor and you’re done. Quick, easy, yummy. Perfect for this hot summer weather.

Adapted from Rick Bayless.

Messy level: Low mess. When you roast the tomatillos they will burst, ooze, and slightly stick to your baking sheet. The juices and tomatillos will scrape off easily into the food processor. From there the processor does the work for you. However, I hate cleaning the food processor so for that reason I have to give this two spoons instead of one.

Tomatillo Salsa

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy, Adapted from Rick Bayless

Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 small white onion (or half a large one)
• 8 ounces/ 226 grams tomatillos, husked and washed
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 10 sprigs of fresh cilantro
• Salt
• juice from half a lime

Instructions

1. Turn on the broiler to high. Let it heat up for 5-10 minutes.
2. Blitz the onion in the food processor. The onion is ready when it is in small bite-sized pieces.
3. Put the tomatillos, jalapeno, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes.
4. Using tongs, flip everything over and roast it on the other side for another 5 minutes. They are ready when things are soft and blotchy and blackened.
5. Let everything cool slightly then transfer to the food processor with the onion.
6. Add the cilantro, lime juice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blitz until everything is well mixed.
7. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and cilantro levels if desired.
8. Serve with chips.

3.5.3208

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This is not an April Fool’s joke. Vegan meringues are totally real. And also totally delicious. 

I’ve been making meringues a bunch recently because I’ve been missing my best friend Sarah and the rest of my London crew (hey girls!). Meringues remind me of Sarah because once at her place Ryan and I gorged ourselves on meringues made by her mother. You might remember Mrs. P from when I made her goose fat roasted potatoes. She’s a great cook! So a few weeks ago I emailed her for the recipe and have been making meringues ever since.

I had 100% intended to post the original egg-white using recipe from Sarah’s mom. I really did, I promise! But, the first time I over did it and they came out too dry. The second time they came out lovely, but I wanted to use a piping bag so they’d look prettier. Excuses, excuses, I know. However, earlier this week I bought a piping bag and tips and was all ready to go with making normal meringues to share with you.

And then I decided to make chana masala for dinner (which uses chickpeas) and I remembered something told to me by my coworker Ryan, who is vegan. He said chickpea juice can be used as an egg white substitute. I’m a curious cook so I thought, why not try it? And besides, I like baking largely so I can share what I make and I like that this recipe would be inclusive of all my colleagues’ dietary needs. Long story short, I reserved the liquid as I prepared my dinner.

Friends, this chickpea juice blew my mind. Also, so I can stop saying “chickpea juice,” I’ll tell you that those in the know call the liquid from a bean can “aquafaba.” And for real everybody, aquafaba is amazing. Look at the photo above! It whips up into glossy, white peaks just like egg whites! It really blew my mind. And when I dipped my finger in the bowl for a taste test, it tasted just the same.

I don’t entirely know how it works, besides that science and nature are awesome. If you want more specific information, food scientist Harold McGee posits that the combination of proteins, carbohydrates and saponins in aquafaba does something similar to egg whites. Basically, that combination allows for the liquid to thicken, stabilize, and hold that foam structure.

I will say, that these vegan meringues don’t hold their shape quite as well as traditional meringues. I felt they lost a little of their height and are overall a little flatter than what you’d get with egg whites. When they first went in the meringues were cute little swirls, but as they baked took on more of a Hershey kiss shape. I also found they browned a teensy bit more in the oven than regular meringues. Still, those are the smallest little differences.

The flavor and texture though was just the same. They were dry and crispy with just a hint of chewiness in the middle. I made small two-bite sized meringues and they just melt on your tongue. They are super sweet. I’ve heard from America’s Test Kitchen that you can cut the sugar a bit, but still get the same lift by adding in some corn starch. Haven’t tried it myself though, so feel free to risk it if you like. Overall though, these are lovely and decadent – and made with something I’d usually pour down the sink. I was totally blown away by this recipe, and I think you will be too. It’s easy, delicious, and amazingly egg-free.

Adapted from Slate.com.

Messy level: Practically mess free! And this is from someone who is terrible using a piping bag. All you have to do is mix everything in a stand mixer (or a bowl with a hand mixer), put it in a piping bag, pipe it on a tray, and bake. You don’t even have to use a piping bag you could just spoon artful little dollops. So easy and you need almost no equipment. What could be better?!

Vegan Meringue

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

90 mins

Total time

1 hour 45 mins

 

Serves: 4 dozen

Ingredients

• Liquid from one 15 oz can of chickpeas (about ¾ cup/177 ml)
• 2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup/ 200 grams sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F/120°C.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.
3. Put the chickpea liquid and vanilla extract into the bowl of a stand mixer. (Or use a large bowl and a hand mixer).
4. Beat the liquid on medium speed until it starts to get pretty foamy, 2-3 minutes.
5. Keep the mixer running. Gradually start to add the sugar to the liquid, a spoonful or two at a time.
6. Keep beating until the mixture is white, glossy, and can hold a stiff peak. (about 15 minutes total time in the mixer)
7. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Pipe small (or large if you want) mounds onto your prepared baking sheet. These don't spread too much so the meringues can be close to each other. (You can also just spoon mounds on to your pan)
8. Bake in the oven for 90 minutes. Half way through baking time rotate the pans so that what was on the top shelf is on the bottom and what was on the bottom is on the top. Also rotate the pans so what was facing the back of the oven is now facing the front. Sound tedious, but it's going to help make sure everything is evenly baked and nothing is too dried out.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
10. Serve or store in an air tight container.

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I am literally years behind on kale. Years. And massaging kale? That’s something I couldn’t have imaged was real. Maybe you remember a few years back when kale was really trendy? It was basically promoted as one of those super foods that was going to save us from everything. And kale was everywhere then, so I got curious and I tried it. And I hated it. To me it looked like a plant you’d see in renderings of what the world looked like when dinosaurs roamed the earth. And it tasted like a crunchy autumn leaf. Yuck. 

So I kept hating kale until it stopped being trendy and just became a regular vegetable we are all familiar with. And now something new is super trendy and sweeping us all up in a frenzy (I think maybe it’s coconut oil, but again I’m often behind on those things).

Then back in September I went to my friend Emily’s wedding in Baltimore where they served a kale Cesar salad. And I tried it and I loved it – and not just because of the dressing. The kale was delicious! I said something to my friends at the table that I never like kale but this salad was wonderful. My friend Kelly’s husband, Dan (who knows a ton about food and wine) said it was probably massaged kale.

I looked at him with shock. Massaged kale? People are massaging kale?! That sounds like the most pretentious foodie nonsense I’d ever heard of. I was going to have to look it up. However, I went back to regular life and forgot about it. I forgot about it until I decided Ryan and I should eat more vegetables going into the holiday season (which is a time of dessert and party indulgence). I went to the store and bought a big bag of kale and decided to set up a taste test.

In the photo above are two cups of kale in each bowl. The one on the left is the massaged kale and the one on the right is regular kale. For the massage I used my hands to squeeze and  rub the leaves all around for about 5 minutes. I could feel it getting a little softer and less strong and crunchy. Can you see a difference between the two? I say not really. The massaged kale is flatter and a bit less fluffy and wild. I would also say maybe it’s a more vibrant green. I always think plain kale has sort of a muted gray tinge to it. (Yummy description I know).

But what about flavor? The real question is does massaging kale make a difference? I tasted a few pieces from each bowl and I thought yes, it does make a difference. The massaged kale was silky and the flavor more mellow. The scientist in me knew that I couldn’t be the only subject in this study so I recruited Ryan. I ran up to him with two pieces of kale and said “taste this.” (Wildly scientific approach, right?)

He asked me what it was that I was feeding him, but I wouldn’t tell him. He had the massaged kale first, then the regular. I asked Ryan which one he liked better and he said the first one (massaged kale!). Then I asked him why. He thought about it for a bit and said the flavor of the first one was better and not as bitter as the second one. I was so excited! Ryan had participated in my impromptu blind taste test and had stated the expected results. Question asked, and questioned answered. So here’s the conclusion:

Massaging kale makes a difference! It makes these leaves silkier and less bitter.

Ok, so it makes a difference – but why? Kale is hearty and fibrous, which helps it grow in cold weather. The massage helps break down those fibers – specifically it wilts the cellulose structure inside the leaves leaving you with yummy lighter kale. You can also coat the kale in olive oil and salt, then massage it. This way you’ve dressed and massaged your salad in one step.

This seemingly ridiculous habit has changed how I feel about kale. I now like kale (three years later than everybody else). I know in December it’s all about hearty foods and yummy sweets, but if you feel you’re over indulging come back to vegetables and try out massaged kale.

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Up until a few weeks ago I had been living under the impression that making your own pumpkin puree was hard. Like, so wildly hard that there was no reason to ever attempt it. Have you ever made pumpkin puree from scratch? I just didn’t see the reason to do it, and this coming from someone who has made her own butter. And then I was talking to one of my colleagues from work and everything changed.

We were talking about what we were going to make for the upcoming cake sale (where I made pumpkin butterscotch cookies), and we got to talking about cooking with pumpkin. She said she’d made a pumpkin pie once and that she had made her own puree. I was gobsmacked. And then we had a conversation that went something like this:

Me: What?! You made the pumpkin puree?!

Her: Yeah, how else do you do it?

Me: Get it from a can!

And then we both looked at each other slightly confused. At least, that’s how I remember it.

Needless to say, after this conversation I felt a little silly. Why was I so dependent on a can? Where had I learned that making my own pumpkin puree would be so hard? Now I was determined to try it out for myself.

What I learned is, the hardest part of making your own pumpkin puree is ensuring that you don’t get attached to your pumpkin. I went to Waitrose with my friend Sarah and picked out what I thought was fine pumpkin. She pointed out it was ugly looking on one side. I said, “It’s fine, we’re going to eat it.” And then I got home and told Ryan I bought a pumpkin. He got excited and asked if we were going to carve it. “No,” I said, “we’re going to eat it.” A word of advice to you my friend: don’t name it, don’t carve it, don’t get attached to your pumpkin!

Even though I wasn’t carving the pumpkin, preparing the pumpkin for cooking starts much the same way. You slice off the top and then scoop out the insides. I cut the pumpkin in half before scooping out the insides. Save the seeds if you’re into that. Then cut your pumpkin in quarters and put on a roasting pan to then cook the slices in the oven. Put the slices in the oven plain – no seasoning or oil. This is so you have the purest pumpkin puree, which I think is really the reason to make this yourself. Sure, opening a can is easier but by making this yourself you’re getting the freshest ingredients with no unknown or unnecessary additives.

When choosing a pumpkin buy one on the smaller side. Save that big impressive gigantic pumpkin for carving. My research said that big pumpkins result in less flavor and a less pleasant texture. This guy here weighed 1.2 kg (2.64 pounds) and resulted in 393 grams (about 1 3/4 cups) of puree. This is probably just slightly less than what you’d get in a can from the super market. The end result was really tasty (because yes, I ate some plain with a spoon). It’s smooth, but less perfectly smooth than a can. I credit that with magical additives used in the canning factory plus also my food processor is mediocre.

What I like best about making my own pumpkin puree is how excited I am to use it. I am itching to make a pumpkin pie and I think I’ll be especially proud when the finish product is extra homemade.

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman.

Messy level: I am giving this four spoons only because I hate, hate, hate cleaning the food processor. It’s so many pieces and such a pain! Also, it’s a little messy in peeling the pumpkin. Some pieces of skin just peeled off, and some fought back a little. It was annoying, but it was a good excuse to taste test what was stuck to my hands.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Serves: 1¾ cup

Ingredients

• 1 smallish pumpkin (or more depending on desired final amount)
• water, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Cut the top of the pumpkin off near the stem. About 1" of the top cut off is fine.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half.
4. Use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds and inner gunk. You can throw this away or set the seeds aside to roast if you like that.
5. Cut the cleaned pumpkin in half again so you have 4 pumpkin quarters.
6. Put the pumpkin quarters on to a roasting pan.
7. Roast the pumpkin for 45 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork into the flesh.
8. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let cool until you can safely handle them.
9. Use a knife, a peeler, or your hands to remove the pumpkin skin. It will mostly come off easily, and where it's difficult just use a peeler.
10. Put the pumpkin flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth. If you notice your pumpkin is too dry then you can add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you have your desired consistency. (I added 2 tablespoons of water) If you're finding your pumpkin is too wet you can strain off some of that liquid after you're done with the food processor.
11. Transfer your pumpkin puree to a bowl if you're going to use immediately or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator if you'll be using it later.

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Today I’m back in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland to be a bridesmaid in my friend Emily’s wedding. Emily is one of my oldest and best friends, and she’s also a big reason I became interested in cooking. When I moved to New York, Emily was already living there. She participated in a CSA (community supported agriculture) and every week would get big bag fulls of vegetables. We’d get together once a week and have a family dinner together using whatever vegetables she had. Together we stir fried, roasted, and boiled all kinds of veggies and sometimes our creations came out well and sometimes they didn’t. Those weekly dinners got me more interested in cooking (and also in vegetables), so today’s post about how to roast and prepare a butternut squash is dedicated to Emily. 

During the fall it’s socially acceptable to go squash crazy and eat them in in soups, sandwiches, stir fries, and even in drinks (I love you pumpkin spice latte). The mixture of hearty and slightly sweet makes squash one of my favorite food groups to eat and cook. However, for all of squash’s glory, I think they can be kind of intimidating. They are big, dense, and difficult to cut. No one wants to slice a finger trying to prepare dinner.

But it actually doesn’t have to be so hard. Just a few steps and a few simple tools, along with some patience and you’ll be the squash master in no time. Yes, the squash master. All you really need is a fork, a vegetable peeler, and a strong large chef’s knife. Oh, and I guess a cutting board. A spoon is helpful when it comes to scooping out the seeds, but the fork and knife together work fine too if you don’t want to dirty an additional utensil.

Ok, so first what you do is take your butternut squash and wash it. Even though you’ll be peeling off the skin it’s good to wash it because once you start peeling, your peeler will touch the dirty skin and then touch the dirty inner flesh. Now take your fork and stab the squash all over. You don’t need to make it crazy full of holes, but enough holes throughout. Then just pop the squash in the microwave and heat it for 2 minutes on high. This is just to cook it just a smidge and soften it up so preparation is easier later.

Side note, while I’m thinking about it, this preparation would work for other squashes that fit in your microwave. I’ve done it with acorn squashes before. I’ve never worked with a whole pumpkin, so I’m not sure about that – however pumpkins are less dense and therefore maybe easier to cut. But I’m getting off topic.

Take the butternut squash out of the microwave and let it cool until you can handle it. Use your knife and cut the ends off of the squash then peel it. From here you just want to cut it into uniform sized cubes, and you can do that whatever way you like best. For me, I like to cut the butternut squash in “half” at the point where it bulbs out. That way I have one half with seeds and one without. For the half without seeds, I’ll cut 1″ thick rounds, and then cut those rounds into 9 pieces, like a tic-tac-toe board. Then for the seeded half, I’ll cut it in half again, scrape out the seeds using my fork and knife (or a spoon if you like). From there I’ll cut long strips, then cut those strips into chunks. If these directions are confusing DON’T WORRY! Just cut your butternut squash into equal-ish pieces. I recommend about a 1″ cube or thickness. This way everything will cook evenly and you have nice big biteable chunks.

From here, you want to heat your oven to a high heat. Throw the squash cubes into a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the squash until fork tender – and that’s it. It’s pretty easy! If you want to step it up a notch, like the recipe shown at the picture in the top, here’s an easy add on. Roughly chop some sage and pecans and toast them in a dry frying pan until fragrant. When the butternut squash is ready just mix in the sage and pecans and you have a super delicious side dish. Job done ya’ll. Now you’re ready to be squash master.

Adapted from Torey Avey.

Messy level: Two spoons. Preparing and roasting a butternut squash is pretty easy and neat. The added sage and pecans creates just one extra dish. For not a lot of work and very few dishes, you’ll have a great side perfect for the season or for Thanksgiving.

How to Roast & Prepare a Butternut Squash

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, about 3 pounds but really any size will do
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage leaves
• ½ cup roughly chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F/230°C.
2. Stab the butternut squash all over with a fork.
3. Put the squash in the microwave for 2 minutes on high heat.
4. Remove the squash from the microwave and let cool until you can handle it.
5. Once you can handle it, cut the ends of the butternut squash, peel the squash, and remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into 1" chunks. (For more details on how to do this see the post's text)
6. Put the squash in a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
7. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and pepper. Stir so all the squash is evenly coated with the seasonings.
8. Roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender.
9. Meanwhile, in the last ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add in the sage and pecans. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sage wilts a bit and the pecans start to smell fragrant. This takes just a few minutes.
10. Once the squash is done cooking stir in the sage and pecans.
11. Serve!

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The post How to Roast & Prepare a Butternut Squash appeared first on Cooking is Messy.

I’ll just come out and say it. Last week when Ryan and I were on the way to the airport to go to Oslo I ate four of these banana chai muffins. They were small, human sized muffins, not store-bought gargantuan muffins – but still I ate four. The thing is, I have to eat breakfast in the morning. Have to, or I’ll get hangry (hungry+angry). I love breakfast. It gets the day started off right and there’s so many good options. 

Usually for breakfast I have yogurt and granola. On the weekends I like to make something heartier like pancakes, eggs, and bacon. But sometimes, like when you’re on the way to work or the airport (or just super lazy on a Sunday morning) you need something grab-and-go. These muffins are it. They are sweet from overripe bananas (yum), they have some caffeine from the chai, and they aren’t too sugary. And in fact they’re vegan too. Yeah, these muffins are doing a lot. In a good way. 

Like almost everyone who has ever made banana bread, I had a few overripe bananas on my counter that were begging to be used. I’ve posted about banana bread once before, but this time I wanted to make something a little different. I wanted to use whole wheat flour to give it a heartier and nuttier flavor. I also wanted to try out using chai tea. Chai is my favorite type of tea and I love its warming flavor. Banana bread recipes often call for cinnamon or nutmeg – which are similar flavors to what’s found in chai tea. But this is perhaps even better because it gives the muffins spicy notes and a little caffeine kick.

In addition to those ingredients, I really wanted to try using coconut oil instead of butter, which is what makes this recipe vegan. I’ve never cooked with coconut oil before, but I feel like it’s becoming a trendy foodie fat. I know that sounds weird, a “trendy fat,” but I seem to see it all over the place.

I didn’t notice any distinct taste from the coconut oil and neither did Ryan. However, you can tell a difference in texture. It just isn’t as rich as butter and it does feel a bit oilier. It’s not bad, it’s just different than butter. Coconut oil is also higher in saturated fats than butter, which isn’t great, but it does have some of its own healthy benefits. All in all, I liked it and would use coconut oil again but only in moderation.

Last plug for these muffins is this: they are both tasty and good for sharing. One of the reasons I love baking is because I can share what I make with family, friends, and colleagues. Most of the time I bake desserts, and they have their place, but I like the idea that I could make something slightly more nourishing for people. Make these, stuff your face with them, share them, or eat them one by one for breakfast before going to work.

Adapted form 100 days of Real Food.

Messy level: I think the messiest part of making muffins is getting the batter into cups neatly (and not pouring it on the floor). Otherwise not so messy and pretty straightforward, especially since you only need 2 bowls to make this. 

Banana Chai Muffins

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

22 mins

Total time

32 mins

 

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon chai tea (about 3 tea bags)
• equivalent of 2 eggs using an egg replacement like Orgran No Egg or Ener-G egg replacer (or just 2 eggs if you're not vegan)
• ½ cup melted coconut oil
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
3. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and chai tea.
4. Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture. Drop in the eggs, coconut oil, and syrup into the hole. Mix with a fork until it just comes together and set aside.
5. Gently fold the mashed bananas into the batter.
6. Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full. This should make about 12 muffins.
7. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until they brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cool slightly then eat!

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We’re over a week into September, which means autumn is right around the corner. I love fall, it’s my favorite season. I love the crisp in the air, wearing cozy sweaters, and drinking too many pumpkin spice lattes. But this year, I don’t feel ready yet for crunchy leaves and hot apple cider. I want more sun, more time outside, more frolicking on the beach. Time marches on though, the sun is setting earlier, it’s started getting chillier and I’ve been craving warm comforting foods. This is where the carrot and coriander soup comes it. I find it to be a perfect transitional summer-to-autumn meal.

I don’t think “transitional meals” are a thing, but they probably should be. I’m not ready for root vegetables and hearty stews yet – it isn’t truly fall. But it’s getting cold and I want something warm. Also, I’m not ready to give up on the bright fresh flavors of summer. This soup does everything I need it too. It’s warm and a little it thick for fall. But it’s also a a bit sweet from the carrots, bright from the cilantro, and overall not to heavy.

And now that I’ve said cilantro, let’s talk about the difference between cilantro and coriander. Here in the UK coriander is both the plants, its leaves, and the seeds. In the US (and according to Wikipedia most of North America), the plant and leaves are called cilantro and the seeds are called coriander. Why the difference? I have no idea. The best I could find was that cilantro is the Spanish word for it and coriander comes from the it’s full Latin name, Coriandrum sativum. 

So I had a real difficulty deciding how to name this post since I used both words and both types of ingredient are in the recipe. Real tough dilemmas right? Anyway I decided on carrot and coriander because both are use and I’ve adapted this from a BBC recipe. Whatever you call it, this is a really nice, fairly light, but cozy soup for this transitional days when it’s not yet fall but not really summer yet.

I think the only drawback is that you start with vibrant orange carrots and end up with a dark soup. This is not your pretty and flashy kind of meal but this is about taste not aesthetics. While I’ve mentioned taste, can I say something sort of ridiculous? This is totally a vegetarian soup, and vegetarian soups have their place – but I think this soup is much tastier with chicken broth. I’ve made it with both vegetable and chicken broth, and I think the chicken broth gives it a more complex and rich flavor. Why have a meat free soup with chicken broth? I don’t really know, except to say that I like the flavor. I say do what you like and whatever you think tastes better.

Adapted from BBC Good Food.

Messy level: This is so much easier if you have an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender decide if your blender of food processor is better and stick with that. I started with my food processor knowing it was junk, and then had to switch to my blender. It made more dishes and a huge mess.

Carrot and Coriander Soup

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

26 mins

Total time

46 mins

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 potato, chopped
• 450g/ 6 regular full-sized carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6.5 cup/ ~1.5 liters vegetable or chicken stock
• salt and pepper, to taste
• large bunch of cilantro, leaves and stems (about ¾ a supermarket packet)

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is hot add the onion. Fry the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown.
3. Add in the ground coriander and potato. Stir and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Add the carrots and the stock. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
5. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
6. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
7. If you have an immersion blender add in the cilantro then use the immersion blender to blend the soup ingredients until smooth. Otherwise, add the cilantro and then use a regular blender of a food processor and blend the soup until smooth. You might need to do this in batches if your machines don't have enough space.
8. Return the soup to the pot. Taste it and adjust salt if necessary. Reheat if needed and then serve with crusty bread.

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I’ve been trying to figure out ways to make vegetables a bigger part of my lunch. As you might know, I love hiding greens in my breakfast smoothies, and I always make some type of vegetable with dinner, but lunch usually gets left out. The other thing is, in general, I’m not sure if I eat enough vegetables on a regular basis so I wanted to come up with an easy and delicious way to do that. 

A lot of my food inspiration comes from Pinterest and I saw a picture of vegetable “sushi” and I knew I needed to recreate it for myself. My finished products look a little more like volcanoes than sushi, so I decided to rename it. Also, volcanoes sounds cool and maybe that will help non-veggie eaters  to get more excited about vegetables.  Basically, this whole thing is combining dip and vegetables in one small bite-able package that you can pack away in your lunch box. I mean yes I could just have hummus and vegetables. However, when I do that sometimes I eat more hummus and only a few actual sticks of vegetables. This gorgeous little package means that I eat more vegetables, more kinds of vegetables, and only a little hummus.

I really like this recipe in part because I’m big on the idea of “eating the rainbow,” or basically trying to eat lots of different colors of fruits and vegetables. It’s meant to  be good for you because you get lots of different vitamins and minerals. Also it just look delightful.

This recipe is also really flexible to your tastes because you can use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand. For example, if you have a farm share with tons of vegetables you don’t know what to do with – this can be a way to redistribute them (think kohlrabi or garlic scapes). For example, I like radishes but I don’t ever know what to do with them and this helps use them up. Finally, if you are able to make them neatly you could serve them as a appetizers for a party. So simple,  yet so versatile.

Messy level: The hummus can squish out of the wraps and make a bit of a mess and hurt the presentation. But when all’s said and done, that’s barely a mess right? Just get some more vegetables and sop it up and the mess is clean.

Vegetable "Volcanoes"

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Serves: about 8-10 depending on size of zucchini

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 carrot
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 small radishes
• other vegetables and herbs as you like
• hummus

Instructions

1. Cut the zucchini lengthwise in thin strips. This is best done with a mandolin, but you can do it as well with your knife or with a peeler. You want the zucchini thin enough to roll but thick enough to hold its shape.
2. Cut the rest of the vegetables into thin matchstick strips about 1.5-2 inches long. The cut doesn't have to be perfect don't worry.
3. On a clean work surface lay our your zucchini slices.
4. Spoon a healthy dollop of hummus on one end of the zucchini. Spread it out so it's covering about ¼-1/3 of the zucchini slice. (Ryan spread it across the whole thing, that works too but it's a bit messier when you take a bite)
5. Place a bunch of the matchstick vegetables on top of the hummus.
6. Roll up the zucchini so the vegetables are held in a tight bunch.
7. Take your spoon and place a little hummus on the inside edge of the zucchini. This is the "glue" that is going to hold your volcano together.
8. If it's looking a little empty, you can shove in a few more slices of vegetables through the opening in the top. Fill until it's full enough for your liking (but can still hold its shape).
9. Place on a plate or in your lunch box.
10. Serve with a napkin, eat and enjoy! Any leftover vegetables dip into the leftover hummus and eat it the old fashioned way.

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