Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash

Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash

The pine nuts really complement the lemon flavor, but if you decide to leave them out, you can deduct about 30 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving.

10 ounces butternut squash (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup chopped shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons (about 7/10 ounce) lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds and strings (using a grapefruit spoon makes this easier). Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and toss with the 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Place them on a non-stick baking sheet (or silicone mat), sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it well and allow to drain. Heat a deep, non-stick pot. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallots soften slightly. Add the quinoa and toast it until it has dried out and begins to exude a toasty aroma. Add the squash along with the thyme and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring once or twice, until all broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon peel and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice if needed.

Serve with toasted pine nuts and chives sprinkled on top.

Servings: 4 large side-dish servings

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Makes about 36
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
About 36 candy corns
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter and sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Add flour, and mix until a dough forms.

Scoop out level teaspoons of dough, and roll into balls (chill dough briefly if it becomes too soft to handle). Place balls on baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are firm and cookies are dry to the touch (do not let cookies color), 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven; gently press a candy corn into center of each cookie (surface of cookies may crack slightly). Cool on sheets 1 minute; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Helpful Hint

Chocolate Variation: Reduce the amount of flour given in the recipe to 1/2 cup. Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder along with the flour in step 1, and proceed.

Lentil Curry with Squash and Spinach

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) each curry powder and grated gingerroot
1 tsp (5 mL) each ground cumin and fennel seeds
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) vegetable or chicken stock
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) green lentils
Half butternut squash (1 lb/500 g)
1 large potato
6 cups (1.5 L) fresh spinach

Preparation:

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour, curry, ginger, cumin and fennel; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, water and lentils. Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and seed squash; cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Set aside. Peel and cut potato into 3/4 inch (2 cm) cubes; add to pot. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add squash; cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until tender and liquid is thickened.

Thin and coarsely chop spinach; stir into pot until wilted.

Cherry Tomato Couscous Recipe

Keep your eyes peeled for whole wheat or barley couscous - either would work great here. You can easily make this vegan by leaving out the feta - maybe do some sort of harissa drizzle instead?

3 cups cooked couscous*
1/2 a basket of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 lemon, cut in half
1 lime, cut in half
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup basil or cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Combine the couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Lori - squeezes the lemon and lime juice directly into the bowl, so start by giving a good squeeze of lemon and lime juice into the bowl, add the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss well, taste, and adjust with more of the above until it tastes just right. Lori notes - this really needs a generous amount of salt, and the lemon and lime juices might need to be adjusted depending on how juicy the fruit is.

Add the basil and feta and toss gently until it is evenly dispersed.

Serves 4 - 6.


*To cook the couscous: Either follow the package instructions or bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil, stir in a scant 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt and 2 cups of couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes and then use a fork to fluff up the couscous.

Herb-Crusted Snapper

Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 snapper fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup assorted fresh herbs, finely chopped
Best Couscous

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place 4 snapper fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), skin side down, on work surface; season with salt and pepper; spread each with 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard.

Place 1/2 cup finely chopped assorted fresh herbs on plate; balance strong herbs, such as dill and thyme, with milder ones, such as parsley. Press mustard-coated side of fillets in herbs to coat evenly.

Bake fish on baking sheet, skin side down, until opaque throughout, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with couscous.

Bat and Cobweb Cookies

Makes about 30
6 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, then measured), plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses
Royal Icing

Directions

Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together into a large bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture.

Divide dough into three equal pieces, and flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Print out the bat and cobweb templates found here, and cut them out. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick.

Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Using templates and a paring knife, cut dough into shapes. Transfer shapes to baking sheets and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Decorate with royal icing.


Royal Icing

Makes about 2 1/2 cups
2 large egg whites, or more to thin icing
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, or more to thicken icing
1 lemon, juiced
Directions

Beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Add sugar and lemon juice; beat for 1 minute more. If icing is too thick, add more egg whites; if it is too thin, add more sugar. The icing may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Original Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.

Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Third Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter overlow heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.