Butternut Squash Soup

There are pros and cons to every situation including being in a long-distance relationship. While certainly more cons than pros if you ask me, the one good thing is that I am able to continue my absurd love affair with garlic. I used to prefer food very bland without salt, pepper, garlic, or any herbs or spices. These days, my taste buds have adapted, and I can barely eat anything without garlic. I found some organic elephant garlic at the store recently, so I knew I had to try it. As you can see, three of the cloves took up my whole hand, but I still used the entire head. Sauteed sweet onions with loads of garlic makes the perfect base to almost any soup or meal, so you know this is going to be a good one. Aside from the wonderful taste, garlic has antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. These are more than enough reasons for me to eat garlic every day! 

Tonight's recipe was inspired by my Aunt Lauri's butternut squash soup. I took out the milk and tweaked it a bit. If you prefer a thicker/creamier soup, you can mix in 1 cup of coconut milk after blending the soup. This soup is perfect for the fall, but you can't go wrong any time of year with this recipe!

Butternut Squash Soup: Serves: 8-12, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
- 6lbs. butternut squash, peeled & chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 3-5 small vidalia onions, chopped
- 1 head elephant garlic, peeled & chopped
- 8 cups organic chicken stock
- salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat
2. Add onions and garlic and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft and fragrant
3. Add squash and broth to the pot, and bring to a boil
4. Lower heat to low, and cook 45-60 minutes until squash is soft
5. Puree with immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor
6. Eat up!

  

  

Ginger Chicken

I cooked my heart out this weekend, and then I cooked some more. It took a little time to get back in the swing of things, but I am officially back in action. I have a ton of recipes to share over the next week thanks to all of my hard work, and I am starting off with a delicious ginger chicken concoction that my little brother Brandon and I dreamt up. He came to visit on Sunday to check out my new place and hang out, and we cooked a feast. We went to Fairway to pick out ingredients, and the pharmacist/homeopathic-lover was chatting with us and thought Brandon was my son! Apparently I am not aging as gracefully as I may have thought. Brandon taught him an important lesson that you should always assume the woman is the older sister, because you can never go wrong. I couldn't agree more, so hopefully we taught this guy a thing or two. I was thrilled to have Brandon's company, and he was a fantastic sous chef. He taught me a lot about foreign policy, new technologies, and life as a high school student in 2013. Hopefully with his new cooking skills and recipe ideas he will be even more of a lady killer than he is already! By the way, we decided to name this chicken "ginger chicken" for a reason. Do not try it unless you love ginger! Don't say we didn't warn you...

Ginger Chicken: Serves: 4, Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 75 min

Ingredients:
- 4 organic, free-range chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs. total)
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled & cubed
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
- 6-8 large cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- sea salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Bake cubed squash in a little water for 30 minutes until soft, and then drain the water
3. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and add them to the pan with the squash
4. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic, and drizzle with olive oil
5. Stir to mix, and then add the mint and some more salt and pepper
6. Bake for 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through

  

  

Broccoli Butternut Soup

Today is a great day for so many reasons. Most importantly, I started my day with a 5-mile run. I haven't written anything in my blog about my running challenge because I wanted a solid month under my belt to erase any fear of quitting. Many of you know that running is my absolute least favorite activity. It makes me feel like a 300-lb. elephant flopping around, and my poor little flat, bunion-filled feet get miserable. I love essentially all other exercise, but I have never been a runner. In a moment of madness last month, I decided that I should create a 20-week running challenge for myself building up to 10 miles. The thought of running 10 miles seems so insanely impossible, but I am constantly reminding myself that it is purely mental. I try to exercise every day and have a great fitness level, so there is no reason I can't overcome my arch nemesis (the treadmill). I am proud to say that tomorrow completes my fourth week without a single slip from my training schedule and a total of 57 miles logged. I am now officially accountable to reach my goal, so I will keep you updated on my progress! 

Today's recipe is another soup! I know I am a little obsessed with creating new soups, but they have been so great for breakfast since I strayed from my old go-to of oatmeal. I decided to make broccoli butternut soup because I liked the way the name rolled off my tongue. I had to include a picture from my recent trip to Florida because the scenery matches this soup perfectly! I don't know about you, but I think this is the sign of a great day. Time to cook up a feast for tonight's farewell paleo potluck... have a fantastic weekend!

Broccoli Butternut Soup: Serves 8+, Prep time: 15 min, Cook time: 65 min

Ingredients:

- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

- 2 large sweet onions, chopped
- 1 large head of garlic, peeled & chopped

- 1 bag baby carrots, chopped

- 1 bag celery hearts, chopped

- 4 large broccoli crowns, chopped

- 1.5 lbs. butternut squash, cubed
- 5-6 cups organic vegetable broth/stock

- Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat

2. Add onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until soft
3. Add carrots and celery and cook for another 10 minutes
4. Add broccoli, squash, and broth to the pot
5. Bring to a boil and then cover the pot and cook on low for 45 minutes
6. Remove the pot from the heat and puree using your immersion blender or food processor.

  

Roasted Chicken w/ Butternut Squash & Cranberries

Hello from my standing desk! I am happy to report that my back is adjusting to all of the standing, and I am feeling great. I feel completely different at the end of the day after standing compared to my old 10+ hour days of sitting. For all of the haters out there (hi Mom!), here is an interesting article from Sunday's NY Times talking about the growing popularity of standing desks and improved office ergonomics: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/business/stand-up-desks-gaining-favor-in-the-workplace.html?_r=0. 

So when I made my Fall Harvest Crockpot Chicken a few weeks back, I mentioned that I wanted to remake the dish in the oven to get a crispier take on the same flavors.  I omitted the pears this time, and the dish still came out great. This is just as easy as the crockpot version, and it is done in a fraction of the time. This is a perfect one-pan dinner. I served this with a side of roasted brussel sprouts and parsnips (recipe to come!), and it was a delicious meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 1 butternut squash (1.5 lbs.), cubed

- 1 sweet onion, sliced

- 1 cup raw cranberries

- 1.5 lbs skinless chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless are fine)

- Olive oil

- Sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (I used convection)

2. Lay squash, onion, and chicken in a 9x12 casserole dish.

3. Drizzle with olive oil and spices, and toss until evenly combined.

4. Add cranberries on top.

5. Bake for 45-60 minutes depending on how crisp you want your dish!

Butternut Squash Casserole

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! There is a lot to catch up on - I am back in Boston after a few wonderful days with my family. It was so great to see everyone as always, and I feel very thankful to have such an incredible family. 

This was my first Paleo thanksgiving, so it was quite different from a food perspective this year. I had to pass on the stuffing, stuffed mushrooms, mac & cheese, cornbread, marshmallow sweet potatoes, and about 500 desserts, but I made some great paleo-friendly recipes and was able to focus more on the real meaning of thanksgiving. Recipes will be posted all week, and the first one is a quick and easy butternut squash casserole. I am cooking a mini round 2 paleo thanksgiving tomorrow, and I will be serving the leftovers of this along with my first attempt at a turkey. Details will follow... enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 5 lbs butternut squash, cubed
- 1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (plus more for dusting)
- Sea salt, pepper, garlic, powder, & cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped walnuts

Ingredients:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Boil squash for 20-30 minutes until soft
3. Drain squash in a colander 
4. Add coconut oil to pot and let melt. 
5. Add squash and shredded coconut to the pot with the coconut oil, and mix with a hand blender
6. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon to taste (I like a lot of cinnamon!)
7. Put pureed squash in a casserole pan, and then top with chopped walnuts and some extra shredded coconut and cinnamon
8. Bake for 40 minutes. If nuts start browning, you can cover the pan with foil for the last 10-15 minutes.

  

Fall Harvest Crockpot Chicken w/ Butternut Squash, Cranberries, & Pears

Only three days left until Thanksgiving, and I can't wait! This week has been so fantastic with visits from Kelsey (hadn't seen her in 13 years!), Sarah & Mark, Mal tonight, and the Rozier/Topche crew on Wednesday. So many wonderful people to see, so little time! I am very much in the Thanksgiving spirit and created this great Fall recipe with locally sourced ingredients. You can pick up all of these ingredients from your local farmers market and throw it together in no time in the crockpot. You can make this recipe with or without broth. I went with broth this time to get a slighty soupy experience. Next time I am going to make this as a roasted dish in the oven to get everything nice and crispy. The part II version will be after Thanksgiving (and after I buy myself a dutch oven!). This will be Mal's welcome meal when she arrives from Ithaca tonight after a six hour drive. A little fall harvest crockpot chicken and some wannabe rice pudding, and we will be back in business! Only four more hours to go...

Ingredients:

- 1 butternut squash (1.5 lbs.), cubed

- 1 sweet onion, sliced

- 1 bosc pear, sliced

- 1 cup raw cranberries

- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

- 1 cup veggie or chicken broth (optional)

- 2 bay leaves

- Sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Layer squash cubes at the bottom of the crockpot.

2. Put half of the onions, pears, and cranberries on top. 

3. Add 1 bay leaf and some spices

4. Arrange a layer of chicken on top of the spices

5. Add another layer of spices and the second bay leaf on top of the chicken

6. Add the remaining onion, pear, and cranberries

7. Pour the broth over the mixture (this isn't necessary - I like it because it makes it a little bit soupy) 

8. Cook on high for 3 hours and then low for 90 minutes

    

Grass-Fed Standing Rib Roast

 Today's recipe is a long-time favorite for my family: a standing rib roast. To add the paleo effect, I got a grass-fed rib roast from the John Crow Farm stand at the opening day of the winter's farmers market in Jamaica Plain. I ventured out to JP with my new friend Salin (thanks to Sanjida for introducing us!) to check out the market. Sadly, SOWA isn't hosting an indoor winter market this year, so I am going to have to check out all the others in the area. The Egleston Market was much smaller than what I'm used to at SOWA, but it did the job. The market was inside a little church, and there was a parking lot with free parking next door. There were two farm stands, two meat vendors, a few specialty vendors (cheeses, honey, cupcakes, etc.), and a section doing bike tune-ups and repairs. We bought some fresh broccoli and butternut squash along with the meat to cook a little feast. This meal was good enough to serve for the holidays. My entire house smelled like crispy roasted garlic just like my mom used to make it. It couldn't have been easier to make or more delicious to eat. If you ever want to impress a meat-lover, this is the recipe to do it!

Paleo Grass-Fed Standing Rib Roast
Ingredients:
- 3lb. standing rib roast (2 bones) - this feeds about 4 people
- loads of crushed garlic (about 4 heaping tablespoons)
- sea salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Let roast sit out on the counter for about 1 hour to bring to room temperature
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
3. Rub the roast with crushed garlic (about a tablespoon per side) - don't be shy!
4. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 then turn oven down to 350 and cook for another 70 minutes for medium rare
6. Take roast out and let sit uncovered for 25 minutes
7. Slice and drool with anticipation!

  

Mashed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

- 1 extra large or 2 medium butternut squash (about 4 lbs.)

- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

- Cinnamon, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Boil big pot of water

2. Wash, peel, and cube squash

3. Boil for 20 minutes until tender

4. Drain squash and mash with a potato masher or with your immersion blender

5. Add coconut oil and spices to taste (I did heavy on the cinnamon and light on the salt/pepper/garlic)

Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients:
- 1 large head of broccoli
- splash of olive oil
- salt, pepper and garlic powder

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Wash and chop broccoli
3. Put broccoli in ziploc bag or bowl and add olive oil and seasonings
4. Shake/mix to evenly coat, and put on a foil-lined pan
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes for desired crispiness