Cranberries, Walnuts, and Brussels Sprouts

I am trying a few different ways to cook Brussels Sprouts.  I have roasted them with olive oil and garlic at 400*F for 20 - 25 minutes.  I made a recipe from American Institute of Cancer Research where it used raw Brussels Sprouts instead of cabbage in a slaw.  The slaw had dried cranberries, walnuts, and lemon juice.

I decided to try a similar recipe, but with cooking the Brussels Sprouts with fresh cranberries.  Instead of lemon juice, I used balsamic.  And I added blue cheese.  This can be served as a side dish, or as meal with rice or pasta.

What you need:
- 2 1/2 cups Brussels Sprouts
- 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper

What to do:
1.  Remove outer, loose leaves from the Brussels Sprouts.  Then, trim the stem off.  Next, use the point of a knife to cut a shallow 'X' in the bottom. Finally, cut each in half lengthwise.

2.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add Brussels Sprouts.  Stir and cook 2 minutes.  Add cranberries, vinegar, and water.  Bring heat to medium-high.  Cover with a lid for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove lid, lower heat to medium.  Cook 12 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Add honey, walnuts, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Cook 3 more minutes.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Gnocchi is an Italian potato dumpling.  It is usually made with mashed potato, flour, and some egg.  There are many different way to make gnocchi.  One healthier version is to use butternut squash.  Butternut squash has a lot more vitamins and minerals, and a lower glycemic load (has a better effect on blood sugars compared to potatoes).

Gnocchi is pretty easy to make.  Homemade gnocchi is so much better than store bought because it is so light and fluffy!  First cook the butternut squash.  You can roast it in the oven at 375*F for 25 minutes, until squash is soft all the way through.  Once cooled, add this to a food processor to puree it.  Add in the rest of the liquid ingredients.  Then mix this with the flour in a bowl.  You roll out the dough into rope, and cut 1 inch pieces of rope.


What you'll need:
Butternut Squash Gnocchi
1 cup plus 2 tbsp butternut squash puree puree
1 tsp water
2 tsp egg mixture, divided
3/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt

8oz baby bella
4oz white button
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
leaves from one sprig of Thyme
1/2 small garlic clove, minced

What to do:
 In a food processor, blend butternut squash puree, 1 tsp egg mixture, 1 tsp water.

 In a bowl, combine, squash mixture, 1 tsp egg, both flours, and salt. Mix with an electric mixture until combined. Mixture should be smooth, but not too wet.

With mixture, roll out on a floured surface to form a rope.  

Cut 1-inch long pieces of rope.  Press each gnocchi with flat side of

 surface to create lines.

 In a large pot, bring water to boil.  Add a batch of 10-15 gnocchi at a time.  When gnocchi floats, wait 1 minute, then remove from eat.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms.  Cook 6 minutes.  Add parsley, thyme, and garlic.  cook 2 minutes.  Add gnocchi to mushrooms.  Cook 1-2 minutes.  Recipes makes 3 servings.


To add in more protein- add pieces of cooked chicken

10 Ways with Apple Butter

This is not a recipe for apple butter, though I would like to try to make my own some time.  This is a post about the many different things you can flavor with apple butter.  Apple butter does not actually contain any butter and is actually 100% fat-free.  It is made by cooking apple puree and sugar on low and slow.  Many apple butter recipes are made in a crock pot because that is the perfect low and slow cooking gadget.  Here are some ways you can use apple butter to help make a healthy dish:

Peanut Butter Apple Butter Sandwich
Substitute half the peanut butter on your whole wheat toast in the morning and add 1 tbsp apple butter

Apple Pecan Oatmeal
Combine 1/2 cup plain quick cooking oatmeal, 1/2 cup nonfat milk, 1 1/2 tbsp apple butter, 2 tbsp chopped pecans.  Cook according to oatmeal directions.

Sweet and Savory Appetizer
Cut a whole grain French baguette into 1/2" slices.  Spread 1 tbsp apple butter over each slice.  Top with 1 tsp crumbled goat cheese.  Set oven to broil and melt cheese for 2 - 2 1/2 minutes.

Apple Walnut Parfait
Combine 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp apple butter.  Top with chopped walnuts and diced apple.

Caramel Apple on the Rocks
Combine 1 tbsp apple butter, 1/4 cup apple juice, 1 oz caramel vodka, 1 oz vodka, 2 oz water.  Shake with ice and serve.

Sweet Cheddar and Chicken Grilled Cheese
Spread 1 tbsp apple butter on one slice of whole grain bread.  Top with 1 slice extra sharp cheddar cheese and 2oz deli chicken meat.  Cook on a flat skillet or in a panini maker.

Apple Cider Cupcakes
Using your favorite white or vanilla cupcake recipe, substitute half the fat for an equal amount of apple butter, and use apple cider in place of the recommended liquid.

Chicken Apple Pecan
Instead of coating chicken in egg and breadcrumbs, try this healthier mix.  Coat chicken breast halves in apple butter, then dip in a mixture of finely crushed pecans, dried parsley, ground pepper, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg.  Place on a hot nonstick skillet and cook each side 2 minutes, until golden brown.  Move chicken to a baking dish and cook in a preheated oven at 350*F for 22 - 25 minutes.

Apple Butter Snack Dip
Apple butter can also be a fun dip.  You can use whole grain crackers, cinnamon graham crackers, apple slices, and banana and raspberry skewers to dip into the apple butter.

Sweet and Tangy Apple Salad Dressing
Combine 1 tbsp apple butter, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1/4 tsp ground celery seed, 1/4 tsp ground dried onion, 1/4 tsp ground dried mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Bars

I have done some experimenting with substituting pumpkin puree for half the fat when baking.  It works very well and gives an extra delicious taste (and it's more nutritious).  I then wondered if I could substitute almond paste for half the fat in baking products.

Pure almond paste is made of almonds, sugar, and water.  When comparing 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp almond paste, the latter has 24 fewer calories, 13 fewer grams of total fat, 13.5 fewer grams of saturated fat, 19 more of carbs, 2 more grams of fiber, 4 more grams of protein.  Almond paste already has sugar in the product, so I cut back on the amount of sugar in the recipe.  Almond paste is soft, but don't turn to a liquid like melted butter does.  So it works well for recipes where you crumb the soft butter and flour together.   That's what I did with this recipe, so be prepared to get your hands a little messy.

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Bars

What you'll need:
For the bottom layer:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp almond paste
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp melted butter

For the filling:
See previous recipe: Cranberry Sauce

For the topping:
- 1/4 cup four
- 1/3 cup oats
- 2 1/2 tbsp almond paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

What to do:
1.  Make Cranberry Sauce from previous post.

2.  Preheat oven to 325*F. Combine the first 8 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl.  Mix together with your hands, pinching together the ingredients to mix in the almond paste.  Mixture should look crumbs.  Add in vanilla, melted butter, and orange juice mixing constantly with a wooden spoon.  Mixture should not be dry, nor should it be really sticky.

3. Spray a 9x9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Spread out mixture in the pan.  Top with cranberry sauce.

4.  Mix together all the ingredients for the topping and pinch together in the same manner as the first mixture.  Mixture should look like crumbs, and should be much drier than the first mixture.  Sprinkle over the cranberry mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries are in-season right now.  Cranberries are a healthy high-fiber fruit.  Aside from their UTI-prevention properties, cranberries also contain a good amount of vitamin C, antioxidants, and phytochemicals such as anthocyanins.  They are a bit tart, so to make the sauce, you need to add some sugar.  I like to limit the sugar as much as possible, and cook the sauce for a longer period of time.  This recipe cooks for 20-25 minutes, but you can cook it for over an hour.  Just be careful not to burn it (I've certainly done that before!). 

Cranberry sauce can be used with pork dishes, turkey dishes, and in baking.  Check back for more recipes with this cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

What you'll need:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
- 1/ 3 cup water
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- zest from 1/2 an orange (don't forget to wash the orange)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 cup, plut 1 tbsp sugar

Combine everything in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Stir frequently, especially as the mixture thickens.  After the sauce has thickened, maintain heat on low and keep covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Not-So-Loaded Baked Potato Appetizer

Loaded baked potatoes can be a calorie disaster.  Excuse me, Outback Steakhouse, did you just put butter on top of the sour cream?  Both are already covering the 1/3 cup of cheese and 2 or 3 slices chopped bacon.  And that potato, how much does it weight!?  I really don't know how a loaded baked potato and 12oz steak can physically fit into one stomach in one sitting.  Ok, think I got a little off track in an Outback rant.

This appetizer is meant to taste like loaded baked potatoes, but be in smaller, more appropriate portions.  This can be served at a party, or on the side of a lean meat and green veggies for dinner.

Not-So-Loaded Baked Potato Slices

What you'll need:
- 1 large russet potato
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- a pinch of cayenne (depending on how spicy you want it)
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 4 slices bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp
- 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- salsa to top
- plain nonfat Greek yogurt to top

What to do:
1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.  Use a sharp knife to cut 1/4" thick round slices from each potato.  In a bowl, mix together the potato slices, and all ingredients through garlic powder.  Place potato slices in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes.

2.  Remove potato slices and top each with a few pieces of bacon and a pinch of cheese.  Return to oven for 4 minutes.  Remove, top with green onions.  Serve with salsa and plain Greek yogurt to top. Recipe makes 30 - 35 potato slices.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese Scones

I inadvertently eat a lot of gluten-free meals, mainly because I don't always have pasta or bread at the meal.  But I had never tried gluten-free baking.  Having a gluten-intolerant friend over for brunch forced me to do some experimenting.  I wanted to make some sort of flavored scone.  I love pumpkin anything, so that was an easy go-to.  My first thought was to use graham flour instead of wheat flour, however I couldn't find any.  After looking at the ingredients label for graham crackers, I knew I couldn't use those.  So I bought gluten-free pancake mix.  The mix contains rice flour, and ingredients to aid in rising and to prevent too much crumbling.   After that, I just added in butter, an egg, and the flavorings.  It was very easy, actually.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese Scones

What you'll need:
1 1/4 cups gluten-free pancake mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp cold butter
1 egg
1/3 cup, plus 1 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/3 cup cinnamon cream cheese
2 tbsp nonfat milk
egg white to brush tops of scones

Icing:
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp nonfat milk
1 tbsp cinnamon cream cheese

What to do:
1.  Preheat oven to 425*F.  Mix together all dry ingredients (pancake mix through sugar).  Cut up butter and add to dry ingredients.  Using your hand, pinch together the butter and dry ingredients until mixture looks crumbly.

2.  Add the egg, pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and milk to the dry mixture.  Mix with a wooden spoon until blended evenly.

3.  Form into a ball and flatten out in a disc 1/2" thick.  Cut into 8 equally sized triangles.  Bake 14 minutes until the scones are golden brown.

Separate the scones by about one inch.  If you run out of room, you can line them up in rows.

4.  Combine all ingredients for the icing.  When scones have cooled slightly, drizzle or spread icing over scones.  Recipe makes 8 scones.

Pumpkin Mushroom Bean Soup

I guess this should be called a soup.  Its hearty like chili because of the mushrooms and beans.  Its creamy like a puree soup and has lot of veggies like a chunky soup.  So call it what you want.  This makes a lot!  So it's good for game day, or having a few friends over for a warming, hearty dinner.

Pumpkin Mushroom Bean Soup

What you'll need:
- 8 oz cremini
- 8 oz white button
- 4 oz shitake
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot
- 1/4 cup chopped parsnip
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (about 1 small pumpkin), or squash puree
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

What to do:
1.  Clean mushroom by brushing with a damp paper towel.  Chop all mushrooms into uniform size or use a food processor to mince evenly.  I recommend mincing only 8oz at a time.  Heat a large, flat saute pan on medium heat.  Add mushrooms and stir occasionally for about 5 - 6 minutes.

2.  In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and stir frequently for about 3 - 4 minutes.  Add garlic and stir another 3 minutes.  Add in apple cider and simmer 2 - 3 minutes.  Add carrot and parsnip and stir about 5 minutes.  Add in beans and the next 7 ingredients (through cayenne) and keep at a low simmer covered for 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally, but try to keep track of the bay leaf.  When the 10 minutes is up, remove the bay leaf and add in the pumpkin puree and stir to mix.  Reduce heat to the lowest level and set for 15 minutes.

3.  Scoop into a bowl and top with 1 tbsp yogurt.  Recipe makes 6 servings.

This recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker.  Saute the mushrooms in a skillet, then add everything to the crock pot and let sit for a couple hours, stirring occasionally.

Kabocha Squash Quiche

 Kabocho Squash looks like a green, flattened pumpkin.   You can find them near the pumpkins and squashes at the grocery store or at most pumpkin patches this time of year.   It is a good source vitamin A, and fairly low in carbohydrates.  It is creamy and semi-sweet.  The taste is between acorn squash and pumpkin.   Because this squash is creamy, it is good for soups, stews, and purees.  This puree adds flavor and volume to this egg dish without adding calories or fat.  This quiche has few eggs in it, which makes it very low in saturated fat.

Frozen pie crust can be used for quiche, however most crusts contain trans-fats.  These fats are very unhealthy for your heart and arteries.  One way around this is to make your own crust using butter instead of margarine.  This is only slightly healthier, though.  So a healthy (and money-saving) alternative is to go crust-less.

Kabocha Squash Quiche

What you'll need:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 white onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp sage
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup kabocha squash puree
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- pinch cayenne
- 2 eggs
- 1 frozen pie crust (optional)

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F.   If using a pie crust, thaw crust for 5 minutes, then poke crust with fork all over.  Bake 12 minutes and remove to let cool.

2.  Chop onion.  Heat skillet with oil.  Saute onion ~ 5 minutes, add garlic, sage, nutmeg, and parsley and saute 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool completely.

3.  Combine milk, cream, ricotta, and squash and blend in food processor or blender.  In a bowl, whisk together the milk mixture and eggs.  Add cayenne and pepper.

4.  If using a pie crust- layer onion mixture on the bottom and pour the egg mixture over top.  Bake at 350*F for 40 - 43 minutes, until firm.

If NOT using a pie crust, spray a pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine egg mixture and onions, then pour in pie pan.  Bake at 350*F for 40 - 43 minutes, until firm.

Prosciutto, Gruyere, and Apple Hot Sandwich

This sandwich has a lot of strong flavors, but they all seem to balance each other out.  Prosciutto is not a really lean more, nor is it a really high-fat meat.  It is much leaner than bacon so prosciutto is certainly a healthier alternative.  In this recipe, you do not use a large amount of prosciutto, so that keeps the calorie amount and the grams of saturated fat as low as possible.  Gruyere, on the other hand, is quite dense in calories and saturated fat.  For just one ounce, there are 9 grams of total fat, of which 6 grams are saturated fat.  That is a lot for just one little ounce.  That is why I tried to keep it to half an ounce per sandwich.  The gruyere is simply there to enhance the dish, not be the main star.

When picking which kind of apple for the sandwich, you can pick sweet (Virginia Beauty or Honey Crisp) or sour (Granny Smith) or somewhere in between (Braeburn or Gala).  The best apples are freshly-picked.  There are a ton of apple orchards in northern virginia.  I loved going apple picking at a kid because it involved climbing up trees as far as you would dare.  Now I love it because the apples taste so much better when you pick them!  If you don't go pick apples, at least buy them from the farmer's market.  Those are usually picked within 24 hours before you purchase them.

Prosciutto, Gruyere, and Apple Hot Sandwich

What you'll need:
- 4 slices prosciutto,
- 1 ounce gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 small apple, thinly sliced (~1/8")
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/2 cup arugula, washed thoroughly

What to do:
If you have a panini maker:
Preheat the panini maker.  Assemble two sandwiches using all of the ingredients.  Place in panini maker until bread is crisp and lightly browned.



If you do not have a panini maker:

You can toast the bread in a toaster first. Then place each piece of bread on a baking sheet.  Top one slice of bread with mustard, apple slices, and half of the cheese;  top the other slice with prosciutto and the other half of the cheese.  Set the oven to 'Broil' and toast in the oven for about 3 - 4 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure it does not burn.  Remove from oven and top with arugula and assemble sandwich.  Serve with a side of fruit

Fall has Arrived!

If you live in the northern Virginia area,  then you are well aware of the drastic change in weather over the past week or 2.  We had such a hot summer.  Almost everyday temperature reached above 95 degrees.  It was usually above 85 degrees when driving to work at 7:30am.  It left little flexibility to exercise if you wanted to be outside in cooler temperatures.  Soup was always out of the question.  It was just too hot.

 

After a summer of pumping up the AC and never wanting to open my windows in the house, I haven’t closed them for the past 10 or more days.  The daytime temperature is 70-85 degrees.  It is even sometimes pretty chilly in the morning!  It is finally officially fall!

It’s time to say goodbye to fresh, local zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, asparagus, and sweet onions; no more local peaches, plums, or nectarines. Of course they will still be at the grocery store, but it never as good as fresh from the farmer's market. It’s now time to enjoy all the wonderful fall fruits and vegetables: apples, pears, pomegranates, figs, late-season berries, pumpkin, leeks, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, broccoli and cauliflower.

I am ever so excited for fall! I can’t wait to go to a pumpkin patch, to go pick apples, and, of course, cook my favorite fall recipes: green bean casserole, potato leek soup, roasted cauliflower, cream of broccoli soup, apple pie, butternut squash risotto, and basically anything that has pumpkin in it!

If you love fall, but you aren’t sure where to start, Food Network has a monthly checklist of activities, crafts and recipes.  I will also be posting all the wonderful fall recipes I can think of.

Sweet Potato and Bean Burgers with Avocado

I saw a recipe similar to this and thought "I have no plans for that half of a sweet potato in the fridge...this would be a good way to use it up."  I wasn't really sure what to expect of this meal.  I have never combined sweet potato and avocado before, so I wasn't sure if they would go well together.  But this veggie burger was delicious!  It is also super healthy: lots of vitamin A from the sweet potato, fiber and protein from the beans, and lots of healthy fats from the avocado.

They are pretty easy to make.  Depending on what equipment you have around the house, you can use a potato masher, a ricer, or fork and spoon to mash up the potato and beans.  Most recipes call for more breadcrumbs or flour to dry out the burgers a little, which makes them easier to handle.  But I say its going to get messy any way, might as well leave out the unnecessary flour and breadcrumbs.

The burger patties are creamy, a little sweet from the potato and agave syrup and also a bit spicy from the cajun seasoning.  Then it is topped with creamy avocado and sharp dijon mustard.  It was delicious!  I would absolutely make these again!

Sweet Potato and Bean Burgers with Avocado

What you'll need:
For the burger:
- 1/2 a large sweet potato
- 3/4 cup white cannellini beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
- 2 tsp agave syrup
- 1/2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning (more if you like it REALLY spicy)
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- pinch of pepper
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs

- canola or vegetable oil
- thinly sliced onion
- slices of tomato
- Romaine lettuce
- 3 whole wheat burger buns
- Dijon mustard
- 1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced; sprinkle with salt and pepper

What to do:
1.  Preheat oven to 400*F.  Lightly coat potato in olive oil, salt and pepper; wrap in aluminum foil.  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until tender.  Let cool.  Remove skin.

2. Mash together potato and rinsed beans.  Add in tahini, agave syrup, cajun seasoning, garlic, a pinch of pepper, and the breadcrumbs.  Form into 3 patties.  Make patties slightly smaller than the size of the bun as they will squish as you eat the burger.

3.  Heat enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the burger patties.  Reduce to medium-low heat.  Brown each side- ~ 1 1/2 - 2 minutes each.

4.  Top your burger patty with avocado, onion, tomato, and lettuce.  Spread a bit of dijon mustard (~1tsp) on the bun and enjoy!  Recipe makes 3 servings.

If you like this recipe, the next time you make it, you can double it and freeze a couple patties individually.

Nutrition Info:
524 calories, 70g  carbs*, 15g fiber, 17g protein, 21g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 905mg sodium

*For a lower carb option, use flatbread buns.

Butternut Squash Risotto

This is another one of my all time favorite recipes.  If I were on that show 'The best thing I've ever made' this recipe and the green bean casserole would be on my top 5 list.  The green bean casserole I have only made once from scratch.  Risotto is something I have been making for many many.

When I went to college and I invited people over for risotto and their response was 'wow you can make that?' I was very confused because to me it seems simple.  I grew up with my mom making risotto fairly often. I don't mean every week, or even every single month, but over the years it adds up.  I wasn't so much trying to learn how to cook it, but just helping out in the kitchen.  From years of doing that I learned the proper technique.  I loved the taste of it, so of course I has my mother give me the recipe when I went off to college.


We usually ate it plain because I used to not like vegetables.  Once I started eating more vegetables, my mom started putting zucchini and yellow squash in it.  Years later, I started loving butternut squash soup.  I can't even pinpoint how exactly I decided to mix butternut squash puree with risotto.  I know I was living in Connecticut at the time...maybe one of my roommates gave me the idea.  All I know is I often made risotto and I often made butternut squash soup, and then one day I combined the ideas and now butternut squash risotto is my favorite kind of risotto!  It is so creamy and has a great sweet and savory combination.  It just melts in your mouth.  Though I shouldn't, I could eat it every day.

Butternut Squash Risotto

What you'll need:
-1 butternut squash (you will not need the whole squash)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-1 cup arborio rice
- 4 1/4 - 4 3/4 cups chicken stock, low sodium, heated
- 1 tsp pepper
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

What to do:
1.  Heat the oven to 375*F.  To prepare the squash, carefully cut in half lengthwise.  Then spoon out the seeds.  Pour enough water into the sided baking pan so the water is ~ 1/4" deep.   Lay one half of the squash on a sided baking pan with the hard skin facing up.  When the oven is ready, put the pan in the oven. Cook until the skin bubbles and starts browning, which should take about 30 - 40 minutes.  Remove and let cool when done.

2. Heat oil in a large tall-sided skillet or risotto pan over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute for ~ 5 minutes; do not color the onions or garlic.  Add rice and stir for ~3 minutes.  Add in 1 cup hot stock and stir often.  Do not boil, but keep at a low simmer.  When the liquid is mostly absorbed into the rice, add 1/2 cup stock.  Continue this process until most of the liquid is gone and you have tasted the rice for doneness (there should be no crunch or hardness).

3. Remove the skin from the squash.  The skin should easily peel off with your hands or using a fork to get between the skin and the squash.  Then mash squash with a fork or puree in a machine.  Add 1 1/2 cups squash puree to the risotto mixture, reduce head to low, and stir in completely.  Add cheese, pepper and salt.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Recipe makes 4 - 6 portions.


Nutrition remarks:
Arborio rice is a white, short-grain rice.  It is high in carbohydrates, low in fiber, low in fat, and fairly low in protein.  Unless it is enriched, it does not provide much vitamins or minerals.  Even when it is enriched, the amounts are still pretty low. So by itself, it is not the healthiest food nor is it the most unhealthy food.  When you add high-sodium  stock to it, its a little less healthy because of the large amount of stock you use.  That is why I recommend using low-sodium stock.  When you add in some vegetables, then you are getting more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  So a big plate of plain risotto is not a nutritious meal, but it can be a component of one.