Healthy Spicy Squash Spread, Vegan

Are you tired of squash yet? You are probably thinking, "oh no not another squash recipe!" I promise this will be the last Kuri squash recipe and sadly it is also the last of my stash. Who knows maybe I'll pick up another when next time I see one at my local shop or perhaps I may be over my obsession. I don't know and can't make any promises.

Often times for breakfast, brunch or as a snack I like to have a slice of bread with some sort of spread. While I try to make healthy food choices when it comes to spreads it can very difficult to find a healthy, low calorie but still tasty spread. I am a label reader and many times readying all of the fatty ingredients and preservatives turns me off on certain spreads (and many foods). I'm not going to lie to you I will still purchase the fattier spreads but only once in a while. The other day I was really craving some bread with a creamy spread, but I wanted it spicy and the usual cheese spread was just not going to cut it. So this is what I came up with, a Healthy Low-Fat Spicy Squash Spread. Oh and a great plus to the recipe is that no animals were harmed in the making of the spread. It's Vegan! So I hope my Vegetarian buddies, Alisha (The Ardent Epicure) and Stella (The Witchy Kitchen) will appreciate my attempt. Is it weird if I dedicate this recipe to you lovely ladies? hm, well I do.

One last note I would like to add is that you could also just mix all of the ingredients instead of heating and cooking them. I get heartburn from raw garlic so I have to cook it before I can eat it. Raw garlic also burns my skin, does anyone else have this problem? OK, here is the recipe and hope you enjoy it. By the way I would like to apologize for my bad photos. No matter what I did I just couldn't get the color and light balanced, argh!

4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup (220 grams) pureed squash
1 small carrot (40 grams) or 1 cup grated
handful chives, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
pinch ground black pepper
chile flakes to taste, ( omit for a mild version)
2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. olive oil

1. In a small saucepan heat the oil, then add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. (Stir often to prevent burning.) Add the grated carrot and cook for 3 minutes to soften a bit, then add the chives and cook for a further 3 minutes. The chile flakes should be added next and mix until well combined. Lastly add the squash to the saucepan, stir and heat through. Sprinkle the salt and ground black pepper into the pan, stir until all ingredients are well combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before serving. Allowing the spread to sit will also help all of the ingredients come together for a better tasting spread.


Keep in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

And to finish this post I want to ask you guys to stop by Sommer's blog, Momma With Flavor, see this mouthwatering photo below? This is Sommer's delicious recipe for Autumn 3 Cheese Macaroni made with Kuri Squash, yum!. She so kindly and sweetly said "she(Nancy) inspired me to find great potential for this squash. Her addiction...erm..love for this lovely winter squash literally made my mouth water. Then the recipe she produced made me want to try this even more! " Isn't she a sweetie? When I read this it totally made my day and put a much needed smile on my face, thank you Sommer. You guys really have to stop by her blog and take a look at not only her Mac& Cheese creation but all of her delicious recipes. She is a very talented foodie with a beautiful family that inspires her kitchen creativity, with fantastic results I might add.

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Caramelized Pears on Goat Cheese Crostini

Caramelized pears with ash coated goat cheese and topped with crushed almonds on top of whole grain toast. Crostini is Italian for toast and it sounds nicer than just saying toast. Don't you just love Italian , it makes even the simplest things sound marvelous :) The goat cheese I am using is one of my favorite types of goat cheese , it it covered in ash. Ash? yes that's right! Though you do find some cheeses with cow milk that have ash, Ash is most commonly added to goat cheese to help tone down the acidity. Some cheeses have the ash added on the outside and others have a layer of ash in the center diving two layers. There is nothing to be nervous about when it comes to the ash, it's flavorless and perfectly safe.

All this talk about cheese is making me really miss France. When I lived in Paris my flat was just down the street from our local Fromagerie. Ah a cheese lover's paradise, even with the horrible smell. Mexicans don't eat a lot of cheese so for me cheese was something I grew to love. My husband started introducing me to all sorts of cheeses, that I know love. But living in cheese paradise France I quickly felt like I knew nothing about cheese, (Ok I still don't know that much). Going to the fromagerie was always an adventure to try new cheeses. ( After closing hours if you walked down the street from the shop you could still smell the cheese , hehe). At restaurants we quickly took to loving the assiette du fromage (cheese plate) for dessert. But even just taking a walk down the "cheese isle" in our local Champion grocery store was an exhilarating experience. There were so many different choices of deliciously creamy and wonderfully stinky cheeses, I honestly can't remember them all.

In Prague the choices of local cheeses are somewhat limited and there aren't any fromageries here. But recently a small gourmet shop opened up in my neighborhood. Of course I had to know what was being sold there, and to my surprise they have FROMAGE!! lots of French cheeses, Dutch , German and Italian varieties. I was thrilled to see the ash coated goat cheese as it was always one of my favorites in Paris. I can't wait to go back to try some new cheeses, yum. So today I am sharing a simple recipe to use this very versatile cheese, a crostini.

Your Ingredients:
1 pear (your choice)
goat cheese, spreadable
toast
balsamic vinegar
honey
salt
black pepper
butter
almonds, slivered or freshly crushed


1. Peel the pear and either slice or dice it. In a pan melt a knob of butter, just enough to coat the pan, then add the pears. Stir the pears then add some honey to coat the pear pieces. I used about 1 spoonful, adjust to your liking. Next drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar and stir the mixture. Sprinkle in a pinch each of salt and black pepper and again stir to combine the mixture.
2. Cook until the pear pieces have become soft and transparent, they will have caramelized. Prepare the bread by toasting then spread some goat cheese on the toast. Top the toast with the cooked pears and spread on a even layer. Sprinkle the almonds and serve.

Makes a great light lunch or snack with it's slightly salty and sweet then a slight crunch from the almonds. Enjoy!

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Cinco de Mayo and Guacamole

Cinco de Mayo or 5th of May is a Mexican holiday celebrating the victory of the Mexican army over the French army in the battle of Puebla on the 5th of May 1862. Contrary to popular belief in America and other parts, this is not the celebration of Mexican Independence from Spain, that happened on September 16 1810. Even though the meaning of the holiday is misunderstood by many people outside of Mexico, as a Mexican I find it very flattering and intriguing that this holiday is celebrated by so many people around the world. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that is important and mostly celebrated only in certain regions of Mexico, like Puebla where the battle took place. My family is from another region on the opposite side of Mexico, so for us this was not a holiday we celebrated. I can remember being in America during this holiday and seeing and hearing my friends and business getting both excited and ready for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. To me this was a bit funny and a little strange but very flattering that non-Mexicans were wanting to celebrate. As for my family it was just another day with no special plans or thoughts. This melting and welcoming of different traditions is one of the things that make America unique. There are so many people from so many different backgrounds and eventually peoples traditions, celebrations and foods just become part of the mainstream norm in the US. In all of the different countries I have traveled to I have yet to see this melting of the different celebrations and traditions.

Wondering what the French think about this holiday? they don't! A couple of Cinco de Mayos ago we were in Paris and I was giving our French friend a hard time about how the (underdog) Mexican army kicked the French army's butt. He looked at me plainly and said "what are you talking about?" we gave him a quick history lesson and he said, "funny, is not something we really learn our know about here",Too bad for me I wanted to rub it in :)

I think that for us Mexican expats far away from home and from the US, Cinco de Mayo has become more of a celebration or remembering our traditions and customs. We haven't made special plans or have a party planned, though that could change, I know many people are looking for some Mexican recipes for their parties. Today I'm going to share my Guacamole recipe that you can use both as an appetizer or a topping for virtually any Mexican dish.

Your Ingredients:
3 ripe Haas Avocados
1 large Roma Tomato
1 small white Onion ( can substitute with yellow onion)
1 small lime
1 fresh green Serrano or Jalapeno pepper ( add more for spicier version, I am using the only fresh pepper I found a red pepper)
big handful of Fresh Cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

Large bowl and fork

1. Prepare the tomatoes, onion, chili pepper and cilantro by chopping all of them into small even bits, set aside. Peel and core the avocado then scoop out into a large bowl, next evenly pour the lime juice over the avocado and begin to mash the avocado with a fork. Continue mashing until it has broken down into a smooth consistency.
2. Mix in the tomato, onion, chili pepper and cilantro until all the ingredients have combined well. Lastly sprinkle in some salt and a little black pepper, again mix the guacamole to combine all of the ingredients. Done!

Guacamole can be served as an appetizer with plain tortilla corn chips for dipping. You can also use the guacamole as a topping on quesadillas , nachos or anything else you want to put it on top of.

If you are looking for other Mexican dinner ideas please visit my archives for more recipes. I also have a small collection of salsas you may want to also try for your Cinco de Mayo recipes.

This is a Molcajeta, a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle used to make Guacamole and salsas. If you want to impress your friends and family serve either in your Molcajete.

Where ever you are in the world, are their Cinco de Mayo celebrations happening near you?

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Yellow Split Pea Spread

The recipe I have for you guys today came together as a craving for a hearty yet healthy alternative to dairy bread spreads. I came up with this yellow split pea spread just by looking at what I had available in my kitchen. So you will more than likely already have all the ingredients in your kitchen too. I just started mixing different the spices and flavors and textures until I was happy with the taste, and this is what I came up with.

Yellow split peas cook very fast ( see package instructions) so you can cook them right before you prepare the recipe, or alternatively you can soak the split peas overnight , ( which is what I did ) . Yellow split peas are more commonly used in soups, although in both Guyana and Trinidad the Indian communities use them as Dal and are less common in India. Yellow split peas are a great source of protein, which provides our bodies with energy. If you are on a diet or trying to consume less calories protein is something you want to make sure you have with your meals because it will keep you feeling full longer.



Your Ingredients:
1/2 cup or 100 grams yellow split pea
1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
splash fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. olive oil

1 small carrot, shredded
*1/2 sprig onion,including green stem, Or chives
+ salt & b.pepper to taste

Potato masher or Blender

1. Cook split peas following package instructions, you want to over cook these a bit since they will be pureed. Once the split peas are cooked, allow to completely cool off. Either in a blender or in a large bowl/container , add the cooked split peas and all of the spices and lemon juice. Mash or puree the ingredients , until it becomes a thick paste or puree. If the mixture is too dry add a couple of tablespoons of water, one at a time.
2. * By half of a sprig onion I mean, slice the onion down the middle to include all parts. Or for a more pungent taste you can add the whole onion.* Mix in the shredded carrot and sliced onion to the puree combine well. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust to your liking.


Serve on sliced bread/toast or crackers. I served mine on whole grain bread that was covered in seeds and oatmeal and it was perfect! You could also use this spread to dip fresh vegetables instead of using fatty dressings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator , but use it up in the next day or two.

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Cucumber Sandwiches, a British Tradition

Cucumber Sandwiches are a light finger food traditionally served at the British afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is a light meal or snack that was traditionally served in the afternoon or early evening before supper. Traditionally tea is served along with small snacks such as scones, cakes, pastries, and light sandwiches like these cucumber sandwiches.



If you do a quick search on cucumber sandwiches you will come up with a wide variety of recipes using all sorts of spreads and breads. But I am showing you the traditional and true "British Cucumber Sandwich". So no fancy spreads or over the top ingredients. First make sure you have good quality fresh soft white bread, then try to get your hands on an English cucumber. English cucumbers are longer and skinnier than garden cucumbers. These are also the best cucumbers to use because they have thin skins, very few if any seeds, and you don't need to peel them before you can eat them. At my local vegetable market they always come sealed in plastic , it apparently gives them a longer shelf life. If you can only find garden cucumbers peel and remove the seeds first.

Ingredients needed :
-thin slices of crust less white bread
-butter, at room temperature
-paper thin slices of English cucumbers

1. Slice your bread into thin slices, if you are using commercial pre-sliced bread try to get thin sliced loaf. Cut the crust off all four sides. Next spread the butter as lightly as possible but covering the entire bread slice.
2.If you want to remove the peel off the cucumber do so first, otherwise rinse the cucumber. An optional thing to do is using a fork score it by running the fork down the top of the cucumber. This will slightly puncture it and leave a nice pattern. Next slice the cucumber as thinly as you can , place the slices on top of a paper towel to soak up some of the extra liquid. Keep slicing as many slices as you need or want.

3. Sprinkle cucumber slices with a little salt and ground black pepper (if you like), arrange them on top of the bread. I like mine with a thin layer of maybe 2 or 3 slices stacked, it's up to you. Place another slice of bread on top the bread. Slice the sandwich diagonally two times to create four triangle shapes. Repeat these steps until you have all the sandwiches you want or need.

Serve with tea (English style which is brewed black loose leaf tea and milk. ), and enjoy!

Nutritionally wise we may not get much from cucumbers, but they are so good and refreshing. The perfect in-between meal snack, or in my case these sandwich makes a perfect light lunch.

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Peanut Butter Banana Tortilla Snack

Peanut Butter Banana Tortilla Snack or roll-ups, wow that's a name. Well I don't actually know what to call these yummy snacks, so that will have to do. My husband is the one who actually introduced me to and told me about the existence of these. He told me that in the American Southwest they are called peanut butter roll ups and are made with peanut butter and jelly. To be honest when he first told me that these were a popular snack in Arizona, I was a bit grossed out. See for me the Mexican girl, I hear Tortillas and I think salty savory foods not sweets. There was only one sweet dessert that I had ever had using flour tortillas, we call them bunelos, ( fried pieces of flour tortillas covered with cinnamon sugar, yummy I'll have to make to soon. ) Anyways don't get me wrong I love love peanut butter, I just thought it was a bit weird putting it on tortillas instead of toast. Well he convinced me to give it a try, and guess what?? I think I love them more than he ever did:)

The great thing about these is that the whole family will love them, that's if everyone likes peanut butter. So if you have children these will make a great snack or dessert. I also like to have them for breakfast, because they are quick to prepare and give you energy through out the day. If you don't have a Peanut butter allergy, it is actually a very good thing to eat. Peanut butter is a high energy food that is high in protein, vitamin e and b3, magnesium, folate, and dietary fiber.(*) Peanut butter can be so nutritious that it's used to feed people in famine relief instances, many organizations have used it to feed people all over the world.


I mentioned that my husband told me they were made with peanut butter and jelly, I skip the jelly and instead add sliced bananas, (you could also leave the banana whole) . You could also serve these with some fresh fruit on the side.

Your Ingredients:
Flour tortillas
Peanut Butter
Banana, sliced or whole
Jelly, your choice




Warm a tortillas up , just slightly to soften it a bit. Or if you don't keep your tortillas in the refrigerator ,they should be soft enough. Spread as much peanut butter around the tortilla, covering it as much as you like. Next if you are using jelly spread that on the tortilla. If you are using bananas place slices down the middle , again as many as you like. Then start rolling it up at one end until it's all rolled up. I like to just fold in the sides into the middle on top of the bananas, but what ever works best for you.


That's all, pick up and start eating!! So good! I love the combination of peanut butter and bananas, don't you? Oh and by the way it's National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, so celebrate with one of these!

(*) source Wikipedia

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Happy Halloween ~ trick or treat pumpkin seeds

Trick or Treat , Happy Halloween! Well no trick just a Halloween treat for you. Many of us are getting ready for Halloween by carving pumpkins, that means that there will be plenty of extra pumpkin seeds. This year instead of just throwing out the seeds I will be roasting them. I will be trying out and showing you 2 varieties or flavors to add to the seeds. The first is just a standard salt added to the seeds. The second was an experiment of using sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom to spice the pumpkin seeds.

You will need:

pumpkin seeds, parchment paper, oil or melted butter (see note) , seasonings of your choice(optional) or salt

1. Preheat the oven at 225F / 121C , line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. After removing the seeds from the pumpkin rinse and clean off all the stringy bits of pumpkin.(note) If you are not using the parchment paper coat the cookie sheet with oil or melted butter. Using paper towels dry the seeds well or let them air dry.

2.Opting for a lower calorie version I did not use any oil nor butter. Instead I left the seeds a little bit damp so that the seasoning would stick to them. You can either season the seeds or leave them unseasoned. For one batch I put the seeds in a bowl added a little bit of sugar, cinnamon, a small pinch of nutmeg and cardamom, and tossed until the seeds were well coated. The second batch I tossed the seeds with a bit of salt.

3. Spread the seeds on the cookie sheet, try to have the seeds spread out evenly on one layer. Put in the preheated oven to toast. You can check on the seeds about 15 minutes into the toasting and with a wooden spoon move them around a bit. Roast for 30 minutes or until the seeds are brown and feel crispy.

*seasoned with salt**seasoned with spices*

Toasting pumpkin seeds is quite easy and fast and a great way to using up the seeds from your pumpkins. Trying this has convinced me not to throw out the seeds but instead enjoy them as a healthy snack. Both flavors were good, but adding the sugar and spices to the first batch made a nice sweet change on just regular pumpkin seeds. I think that you could really add any of your favorite spices to them, they are pretty versatile.

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