Squash with Bulgar Pilaf 2/28

This dish is my tastiest new discovery this year!  It is packed with flavor and is the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold night.

Squash with Bulgar Pilaf

Cooking time: About 45 minutes, maybe less
Makes about 2 quarts (12 Servings)
This will freeze very nicely - make it once and serve it twice!

$0.77 per serving: Vegan (omit yogurt topping and use olive oil)
$0.90 per serving: Vegetarian
$0.90 per serving: Gluten-free (replace bulgar with rice)

For purely organic incredients, add 25 cents per serving.

• 1 large butternut squash or equivalently sized pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions plus 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil plus 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 fresh New Mexico chili, seeded and finely diced (about 1/3 cup)*
• 3/4 pounds cherry tomatoes (or a 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes)
• 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 3/4 cups bulgar wheat (for gluten-free, use rice instead)
• 3 cups plain yogurt, drained to 2 cups* (omit for vegan)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic

Peel the squash/pumpkin and cut the flesh into 1-inch chunks.  You should have about 2 quarts (8 cups).  This can be done ahead to save time (I pumpkin that I had roasted and frozen in the fall).

In a deep skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add the 3 sliced onions (reserve the copped onions for later) and saute until golden and crisp (about 8-10 minutes).  Drain and set aside.

In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil and the chopped onions.  Stir to coat.  "Sweat" the onions over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.  Add the cubed squash and cook, stirring it to lightly sear it on all sides, for 2 minutes.

Add the chili, tomatoes, crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

While the squash/pumpkin mixture is boiling, bring vegetable stock to a boil.  Add bulgar (Gluten-free: replace with equivalent rice), cover the pan, and simmer over very low heat for 15-20 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed.

Add the bulgar/rice to the pumpkin mixture and mix gently but thouroughly.  Let it rest for at least 10 minutes so the grain absorbs some of the juices.

Serve the pilaf topped with yogurt and the sauted onion slices.

Adapted from Mediterranean Cooking, by Paula Wolfert (1994).

Cauliflower Pumpkin Pasta 2/25

Yumm-o.  Rachael Ray doesn't focus on vegetarian recipes, but some really great ones can be found in her cookbooks, including this one!

This pasta has an unusual combination of flavors, and it works very well.  The fresh sage really stands out.  If you wanted to serve this as a side dish I think the flavors would blend beautifully with rosemary roasted chicken.  You could also add sausage for a heartier meal.

Pumpkin is packed with carotenoids (as are carrots - that's why they are orange), lutein and zeaxanthin which all attack free radicals (nasty molecules that can attack cell membranes and leave the cells vulnerable to damage).  Lutein and zeaxanthin scavenge free radicals in the lens of the eye, which may help prevent the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious eye problem than usually results in blindness.  You can learn more about the benefits of pumpkins here.

In short, pumpkins are very, very good for you.

 

Cauliflower Pumpkin Pasta

Serves 4 in under 30 minutes.

 

$1.00 per serving: Vegetarian or Gluten Free (if served over polenta)

• 
  
  2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 
  
  3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 
  
  1 large head cauliflower
• 
  
  1 cup vegetable stock
• 
  
  Salt, to taste
• 
  
  1/2 pound cavatappi (hollow corkscrew pasta) or other shaped pasta (replace with cooked polenta for gluten free)
• 
  
  1 cup pumpkin puree* (found on baking aisle, careful NOT to get pie filling)
• 
  
  1/4 cream or half-and-half
• 
  
  1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (grate your own and avoid a shake jar if possible)
• 
  
  A dash of ground nutmeg
• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 
  
  3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves (dry will NOT work at all, get the fresh)

Preheat a large skillet (one with a tight fitting lid) over medium heat.  Add the oil and garlic and cook for 1 munite.  Add the cauliflower and turn to coat in oil.  Add the vegetable stock and bring up to a boil.  Place the lid on the pan and simmer the cauliflower for 15 minutes, or until very tender.

Place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta, when boiling add some salt to the water for seasoning and add pasta.  Or, start the polenta, for gluten free.

 

When the pasta is cooked and the cauliflower florets are very tender, remove the lid from the cauliflower and stir in the pumpkin puree and cream.  Heat through, then drain off the pasta and add it to the cauliflower and pumpkin.  Add the cheese, nutmeg, pepper, and sage.  Toss, then season with salt to taste.  Serve with extra cheese to pass at the table with a salad on the side.

 

Gluten-free last step: complete all the same steps above, except do not toss together.  Serve the sauce over the finished polenta.  You might want to add a little sage and parmesan cheese to the polenta while it is cooking so the flavors blend.

 

Adapted from 30-Minute Get Real Meals, by Rachael Ray (2005).

NOTE: I had my leftovers topped with ricotta cheese and that was AWESOME.

*We bought a 25+ pound pumpkin back in November and tokk a few hours one Saturday to process it into puree and roasted pumpkin squares.  This one pumpkin yielded over 30 cups of pumpkin!  To make homemade puree, peel the pumpkin and remove seeds.  Cut into 1 inch cubes.  Put on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and toss.  Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20 mnnutes, check regularly until it is cooked through.  Let it cool.  Freeze as is (for 1 inch cubes) or puree in a cuisinart until a desired texture is achieved.  As it is, unseasoned, this is the perfect baby food!

Liberian Pumpkin 1/27/10

You may have noticed a recent trend of pumpkin recipes.

This is not because I believe the Charlie Brown's Halloween special with the Great Pumpkin changed my life (though it did - a true masterpiece). This is because DH and I bought an ENORMOUS "Fairy Tale" pumpkin at our local produce store (www.dansfreshproduce.com) in Nov. They were clearing these babies out - I think we paid 39 cents/pound! This one pumpkin could easily have weighed 25 pounds.

I now have 22 cups of pumpkin puree in the freezer (literally), and another 5 cups of cubed pumpkin (roasted before frozen). This doesn't account for the additional 6 cups of pumpkin I used in recipes this week!

Good thing 1) we really like pumpkin and 2) pumpkin is super healthy - full of anti-oxidants and beta-carotene!

Liberian Pumpkin 1/27/2010
Serves 4

$1.27 per person: Gluten-free (I don't have vegan or vegetarian option)

• 2-3 cups pumpkin or butternut squash (peeled & chopped in 1-inch pieces)
• 1 onion, organic (chopped)
• hot chili peppers (chopped) or hot pepper sauce to taste (SEE NOTE)

In a large saucepan, sautee in 2 tablespoons oil until onion is translucent. Cover and cook until pumpkin is cooked, 10 minutes.

• 1 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable broth

Add and cook for 10 minutes.

• 1 cup browned sausage

Add and cook uncovered until liquid is absorbed. Serve with rice or noodles.

OK - so we ignored the instructions and served with polenta. Oops!

NOTE: I added a small can can of diced chilies, one chopped jalepeno pepper, and I finished with a couple dashed of hot sauce. This was a weeeee bit too hot. I recommend trying either diced chilies or hto sauce (but not both).

Recipe from Simply in Season, page 213.

North African Pumpkin Stew 1/25/10

A harmless dish, but not very exciting.

This may have been the fault of my execution. I took a shortcut by using frozen, pre-cooked pumpkin so I only stewed it together for 5 minutes, instead of the 30 minutes called for. If I make this again, using pre-cooked pumpkin, I will probably increase the amount of spices. (I also tossed in some left-over cauliflower.)


North African Pumpkin Stew 1/25/10Serves 4.
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes.

$1.19 per person: Vegetarian & Gluten-free as published.
$1.19 per person: Vegan (replace brown sugar with 1 tablespoon maple syrup)

• 
  
  1 tablespoon safflower or canola oil
• 
  
  1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice (organic)
• 
  
  4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 
  
  1 or 2 small, fresh, hot chilies (seeded and chopped)
• 
  
  1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 
  
  Salt and pepper, to taste
• 
  
  2 pounds cooking pumpkin, seeded, peeled, and cut into bite-sized cubes (about 5 cups)
• 
  
  3 tablespoons dark brown sugar (organic)
• 
  
  2 cups cooked kidney beans (organic, see note)
• 
  
  2 cups cooked brown rice (organic)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, chilies, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and cloves, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

Add the pumpkin and toss until evenly coated in the spices.

Add 1 cup of water, the brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the beans, and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Serve over brown rice.

NOTES: I generally use dried beans. They take up less storage space and are MUCH less expensive. One pound of soaked beans costs about 40 cents (organic). When is the last time you paid 40 cents/pound for meat as a protien source? Beans usually triple in size when soaked, so for 2 cups cooked beans soak 2/3 cup dried beans overnight. After soaking, simmer covered in water for 1 hour, or in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes. Cooking after soaking will help eliminate bean gas.

From Some Like it Hot: 200 Spicy Vegetarian Recipies from Around the World (1998), page 124.  While this particular recipe didn't excite us very much, it is a very good cookbook.

Pumpkin & Black Bean Burritos: 1/22/10

Whenever possible, we use organic ingredients. They taste better, and are better for you!

These are not typical Mexican flavors. The cinnamon makes you think of pumpkin pie! This could be a great way to trick you kids into eating fresh winter vegetables (hee hee hee!!!).

Pumpkin and Black Bean Burritos
serves 4.
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Total: 30 minutes.

$2.32 per person: Vegetarian
$1.00 per person : Vegan (If omit cheese)
$2.07 per person: Gluten Free (Replace tortillas with brown rice)

• 3 cups pumpkin (peeled and chopped small)
• 1/2 onion (chopped)

Saute in onions large frying pan in 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or sunflower) until they start to turn translucent, then add pumpkin and cook until just tender. Add water or apple juice as needed to prevent sticking.

• 2 cups cooked black beans (see note below)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (sea salt if possible)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped very fine (optional)

Add and cook until heated through.

• 1 large green onion (scallion) or 2 small

Chop fine and add, mix well. Remove from heat.

• 8 flour tortillas or 2 cups cooked brown rice (gluten free)

Warm 4 tortillas at a time in microwave for 30 seconds per batch.

• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (omit for vegan)

Divide bean mixture and cheese among the tortillas and roll up. Garnish as desired (ideas: sour cream, more cilantro).

NOTES:
I always use dry black beans, as they are the least expensive and take up the least amount of storage, but canned black beans are OK too! If you use dried beans, soak 2/3 cup (4 oz.) beans overnight then simmer for 1 1/2 hours before adding to dish. If using canned black beans, rinse well then simmer for 30 minutes before adding to the dish.
You can substitute other winter squash, or even sweet potatoes, for the pumpkin. If you use sweet potatoes, start them cooking when you start the onions as they need longer to cook.

This is adapted from the "Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos" from Simply in Season, page 259.