Keeping It Fun with Acorn Squash

Eating locally means going with the best the season has to offer. I receive a box from my CSA farm every week. Summers are so easy and bountiful, Autumn is more of a challenge for me. There is only so much winter squash I can eat before I start to crave the stunning greens of Spring and Summer. My solution is to diversify how I prepare the Fall cornucopia that crosses the threshold of my kitchen.



There are many recipes on the internet for eggplant glazed with miso. I decided to take the concept and apply it to the humble acorn squash. I had the perfect miso glaze in my recipe box. The saltiness of the miso brings out the natural sweetness of the squash while the sesame seeds add visual appeal. This beautiful dish would make a great addition to any Autumn meal.



Miso Glazed Acorn Squash (serves 4)
This dish can be made with any firm fleshed winter squash.

1 acorn squash, seeded and quartered

1/4 cup white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons agave nectar

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds



Preheat oven to 400F
oil cookie-sheet or baking dish

In a bowl, mix well: miso, vinegar, water, ginger, and agave nectar.
Place the squash skin down onto your oiled dish. Coat the squash with the miso glaze, letting it puddle in the center. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the whole thing.

Bake for 30 minutes and then carefully, using a soup spoon, reglaze the squash using the puddled marinade in the center of each quarter. Bake for another 30 minutes or until the squash in started to look golden and is cooked through (check by inserting a toothpick or small knife in one of the pieces. It should go in easily)




More squash recipe...
Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Bake
Pumpkin Butter with Candied Ginger

Apricot Sesame Marinade for Fish

My oldest child used to enjoy eating fish until he was about 3. Then, all of a sudden he found it too fishy and mushy. I struck a bargain with him: he had to try one bite. If he didn't like it, he didn't have to eat any more. I've found that picky fish-eaters do better with the firm texture and the mild taste of Tilapia, Mahi Mahi and Halibut. Flavoring the fish is key.



This recipe is so easy to put together and yields wonderful results. It goes really well with any white fish or salmon fillet. Assemble it in the morning or half an hour before dinner; either way turns out delicious.



Apricot Sesame Marinade for Fish (coats 2-3 lbs of fish fillets)
This marinade is equally delicious over some firm tofu.

1/4 cup fruit sweetened apricot jam
1/4 cup GF dijon mustard
1 tablespoon GF soy sauce
2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

2 lbs of fish fillets, skin removed



Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together. In a lasagna dish, coat the fish fillets with the marinade. Refrigerate until ready to use. The fish can be grilled or baked (place an oiled cookie-sheet) until inner temperature reaches 145F. If I bake it, I end the last few minutes by broiling it so it can caramelize on top.

Artsy-Foodie's Tip:
Leftovers make a great sandwich. Spread hummus on two slices of bread, add a lettuce leaf, a few tomato slices and the left-over fish and enjoy!






More delicious marinated dishes:
Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken
Pomegranate Marinated Tofu

Black Forest Bread from Living Without Magazine

This is not my recipe but I'm compelled to share it with you. I came across this bread in a wonderful magazine called Living Without. This periodical is well-written and informative: an all-around great resource for people with food allergies or sensitivities as well as just-plain-adventurous cooks. I sampled a half-dozen recipes from the last issue and was pleased with every single one of them.



This rich bread is a real delight right out of the oven. My kids enjoyed a slice with some chocolate spread, thereby reaffirming their philosophy that you can never have too much chocolate. The aroma which overtakes your home is reason enough to make a loaf, but the texture and amazing flavor you'll savor is the true reason why you should go through the trouble. Frankly, gluten-free or not, anyone would enjoy a warm slice. It has the feel and richness of a chocolate brioche. My children have made it clear that they want to see this bread make repeat appearances in our kitchen.



Black Forest Bread adapted from Living Without Magazine (makes 1 loaf)
3/4 cup chickpea flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon xantham gum
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dry yeast
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon GF almond extract


Oil a loaf pan

In a mixer combine all the dry ingredients and mix on low speed then add the melted butter. Mix some more while you prepare the wet ingredients. In a bowl combine the water, vinegar, beaten eggs, and almond extract. While the mixer is on low speed, add the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Then increase the speed and let it run for about 5 minutes. Transfer the batter to the oiled loaf-pan. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 30 minutes. During that time preheat the oven to 375F.

Bake the bread in the center of the oven for 40 minutes or until a nice crust has formed on top and bottom sounds hollow when tapped.






Artsy-Foodie's Tip: This bread is perfect for french toast. Plan ahead, slice it thick and freeze some slices for your weekend brunch.





More Delicious bread recipes...
Gluten Free Oatmeal Bread
Almost Challah

Cardamom Dark Chocolate Cookies

It's hard to believe that cardamom is from the ginger and turmeric family. In addition to its incredible ability to take over the flavor of a dish, it has, in my opinion, very little in common with the flavor of its cousins. It is widely used in the cuisine of India, where it grows wild and is now cultivated. Indian cooks flavor savory dishes and desserts with this fragrant seed. The Arab world adds it to coffee to create an aromatic warm beverage. The Scandinavians bake it into delicious loaves of bread.

Its flavor reminds me of Persian dried limes: citrusey and earthy at the same time. I have been pairing it with dark chocolate for awhile. The cardamom complements the rich taste of dark cocoa perfectly.



Cardamom Dark Chocolate Cookies (makes 12)
If you are not concerned about gluten or wheat, you can substitute the 1/2 cup of millet flour, 1/2 cup of tapioca starch for 1 cup of all-purpose flour instead and omit 1/4 teaspoon of xantham gum. However, use the almond meal according to the recipe, it adds a nice texture to the cookies.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, or granulated
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 teaspoon xantham gum
1/8 teaspoon salt

Dark chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven 375F
Oil a cookie sheet

In a mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugars together until well combined and fluffy, scraping the sides if necessary (about 3 minutes). Add the egg and cardamom. Mix some more. Then add the almond meal, millet flour, tapioca starch, xantham gum and salt. Mix well.

Put a well rounded tablespoon of the mixture onto the cookie sheet to form each cookie. With the help of spatula, flatten slightly and decorate the top of each cookie with the dark chocolate chunks. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bottom of cookies are slightly golden.





Hungry for more scrumptious cookies?
Cranberry Pistachio Wedding Cookies
Lebanese Walnut Cookies

Adventures in Indian Cooking

I decided to make some lentils fritters after seeing Bee's enticing post last week. I commented on her blog and she was kind enough to email me and to tell me about an alternate way to eat Urad Dal Croquettes.



I purchased a special pan for the sole purpose of making the delectable fritters I have seen in various posts on Jugalbundi. I am a minimalist in the kitchen, moving will do that to you, but I am hoping to put that pan to good use.

I took her concept and messed with it a bit. I just can't help myself. The lentil batter screamed out for mango chutney and more spices.

Another confession-- I bought the pan two months ago and today was the first day I actually used it. I had visions of the most perfect little croquettes emerging from the egg shaped cavities of my new iron pan. Reality hits you hard when you are delusional. Bee must know something I don't because my little morsels of joy were not as pretty as hers but they were delicious.



The double batch I made came in handy when halfway through, I experienced a case of fryer's guilt and wondered what would happen if I baked the rest instead. I set the oven on 500F to simulate the high heat you get from frying and opted for my muffin pan to shape the lentil batter into patties. It only took ten minutes to bake them and I have to say that the results were excellent.



The fried croquettes were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. The baked ones were more pancake like but still moist and flavorful. Either cooking method yields superb results, in my opinion, and goes so well with the yogurt sauce.



Urad Dal Croquettes with Yogurt Sauce (serves 4)
Urad dal is white but it's really black lentils without their outer skins (available in any Indian food store).

1 cup of urad dal, soaked for 4 hours
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Oil for frying
Yogurt Sauce (see below)

Drain the dal but reserve about 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Put all the ingredients and the soaking liquid, except for the cumin seeds and cilantro, in a blender. Process until smooth then add the cumin seeds and cilantro and mix.

Fry in a pan by putting a well-rounded tablespoon of the batter for each croquette in the hot oil. Flip to brown on all sides.

Or to bake them instead:



Preheat the oven to 500F.
Oil a muffin pan. Fill each muffin cup about 1/3 full. Bake for about 10 minutes or until set and slightly puffy. The edges will look golden brown. Do several batches if necessary.



Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with croquettes.

Artsy-Foodie's Tip:
The fried croquettes are wonderful fresh but don't make good leftovers. As time goes by, the oiliness comes out. If you want to make this recipe ahead of time consider baking the batter into patties instead of frying them. They'll keep longer that way.







Here are other Indian recipes for your enjoyment:
Pea Vine, Zucchini Patties with Yogurt Sauce
Halibut Curry

The Delightful Strangeness of Blueberry Pudding Cake

You want cake. You want pudding. You want pudding cake. It's bit of strange concept, but why not? Most people like something creamy to add moisture to a slice of cake and this recipe comes with it built-in.

The idea for this dessert came from gluten-free cookbook author Rebecca Reilly . I started out with her recipe and changed it quite a bit.



I switched some of the GF flour to almond meal, which adds richness and texture. Once that was done, the oil could be omitted since the almonds provided plenty. I also substituted soymilk instead of regular milk and egg whites instead of egg replacer powder. I have found that most recipes can afford less sugar without compromising the treat factor. Agave nectar, a sweetener derived from the agave cactus, is my first choice when I create a recipe. I replaced a lot of the sugar in the original recipe with a reduced amount of agave nectar. The result was a nice and light fruity-dessert which the whole family enjoyed.



Blueberry Pudding Cake (serves 6)
If you are not on a wheat-free or gluten-free diet, I suggest omitting the xantham gum and replacing the GF flour mix with all-purpose wheat instead. The cold leftovers go great with coffee. Refrigerate any remaining cake overnight and enjoy them for breakfast the next day.


3/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup GF all purpose flour mix (such as Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 teaspoon xantham gum
2 teaspoon GF baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup soymilk, or regular lowfat
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup egg whites

2 cups frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon arrowroot
1/4 cup turbinado sugar, or granulated

1 cup boiling water


Preheat oven to 350F.
Oil a circular deep ceramic pie or gratin dish.

In a mixer combine the flour, xantham, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until combined.
Mix the soymilk, nectar, egg whites in a smaller bowl. Add to the dry ingredients in the mixer and mix well to form the batter.

Place the frozen blueberries on the bottom of the pre-oiled dish. Place the ceramic dish on top of a cookie sheet to catch drips during baking. Pour the batter on top of the berries. Mix the turbinado sugar with the arrowroot. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of the batter. Pour the boiling water carefully on top of the whole thing and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the top has formed a golden crust and is partially set. Let cool before serving.

Artsy-Foodie's Tips:
-This cake tastes even better the next day, which makes it a great make a day ahead dessert.
-If you don't have Arrowroot in your pantry use some cornstarch instead.
-For an added special touch, make a batch of fresh whipped cream with a little agave nectar and a teaspoon of hazelnut or almond extract.





More lovely blueberry desserts for you to enjoy...
Easy Blueberry Pudding
Mango Blueberry Kanten
Blueberry and Plum Clafoutis

What To Do with Spaghetti Squash?

Lets talk about a weird vegetable: Spaghetti Squash. This impostor for spaghetti is from the winter squash family. It originated in North or Central America. This vegetable is often used as a replacement for pasta in dishes with an Italian flare. I am one of those cooks who refuses to look at things for what they are. I, therefore, cannot get myself to pour a jar of tomato sauce on cooked spaghetti squash. The rebel in me screams out for a less obvious use, something a little more unique like Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Bake.



This dish is based on a Persian Kuku, an egg dish similar to a thick frittata. It's a perfect accompaniment to soup for a light dinner.



It requires some advance preparation since both the quinoa and spaghetti squash need to be cooked ahead of time. Cook the squash and quinoa earlier in the day or even better the day before.



Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Bake (serves 8)


4 cups of cooked spaghetti squash (1 large)
16oz lowfat cottage cheese
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon mild pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup egg whites
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded cheese (mexican blend)
2 teaspoon dry dill

Preheat oven 375F
Pre-oil a deep ceramic baking dish (large lasagna dish).

Heat the oil in a pan over medium flame. Add the pepper and onion. Saute, stirring often, until caramelized (about 10-15 minutes).

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to the pre-oiled dish and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the bake is set and the top is golden. If you would like to reduce the cooking time to an hour, use two deep pie dishes instead of the large lasagna dish.



Artsy-Foodie's Tip:
Before cooking quinoa, make sure you rinse the grain really well in a colander. Quinoa has a soapy coating called Saponin which tastes quite bitter. In the U.S., most of the quinoa sold has already been pre-soaked for convenience, however a good rinse is extra insurance.