Pumpkin Butternut Stuffed Shells with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

OK - So I will admit that from the first tinge of fall in the air after the end of a hot summer I want to eat anything PUMPKIN. But these shells are honestly amazing any time of year! Very quick and simple to make with minimal pan-cleaning afterwards!!YAY!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4 (or 2 with lunch tomorrow)

3/4 Can of Pumpkin (save the rest for Pumpkin Pancakes)
1/2 Butternut Squash
1/4 C Part-Skim Ricotta
1/4 C Low-Fat Cream Cheese
1/2 White Onion, diced, divided

2 T Brown Sugar

Pinch fresh Nutmeg

2 Cloves Garlic
8-10 Sage Leaves
2 T Butter
1/2 t Salt, divided
1/2 C Veggie Stock
1/2 C Shredded Parmesan
12 Jumbo Pasta Shells
Olive Oil
2 T Pepitas, toasted



METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut ends of butternut squash, pierce with fork, and coat with thin layer of olive oil and season with salt. Roast in oven 45 mins, or until very soft. Meanwhile, bring water, pinch salt and 1/2C veggie stock to boil. Add shells and cook until al dente. Remove and drain on rack. Saute onions olive oil, until soft and fragrant. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Combine pumpkin, butternut, reserved onion, ricotta, cream cheese, half of parmesan, brown sugar, nutmeg, and a few sage leaves (chopped). Blend with immersion blender until very smooth.

Stuff shells with pumpkin mixture and arrange in baking dish. Top with remaining parmesan. Add 1/2 C veggie stock, cover with aluminum and bake 5 mins. Top with toasted pepitas.

While shells are baking, melt butter in saute pan. Once it becomes foamy, add remaining chopped sage leaves and cook until butter begins to brown (watch it closely - it turns from "brown butter" to "burnt butter" very quickly.)

Drizzle shells with brown butter sage sauce and serve immediately!

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Buns

Ok, so if there ever was something so decadent on earth that it would cause an uprising if a shortage occurred, it would be these cinnamon buns. They're ridiculously moist, buttery, crunchy, glazy, sweet-potato-y, and just straight delicious. The perfect fall brunch item, or maybe a Thanksgiving or Christmas day treat!! PLUS you can make the dough the night before, so the day of is just as simple as putting them in the oven.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Buns
Buns
2 (1/4 oz) Active Dry Yeast packets
1/2 C warm water
1 t sugar
5.5 C flour, divided
1 C mashed sweet potato
2 T Honey
1 t cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 C milk
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C butter, melted
Zest of 1 medium orange
1.5 t salt
1 t baking soda

Filling
3/4 C butter, melted
2 C brown sugar
2 C pecans, toasted and chopped
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg

Glaze
1 C brown sugar
1/3 C corn syrup
1/4 C butter
1/2 C heavy cream
1 t vanilla

Icing
1/2 milk
2 C powdered sugar
1/4 C maple syrup

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together yeast, water and 1 t sugar in small glass bowl. Allow to rest for 5 mins. Meanwhile, combine sweet potato, honey, 1 t cinnamon, egg, milk and butter. In another bowl, combine sugar, 4.5 C flour (reserve 1/2 C), zest, salt and baking soda. In bowl of stand mixer, whisk together yeast and 1/2 C flour until well blended. Attach dough hook and gradually add sweet potato mixture and flour mixture, blending well after each addition.

Turn out onto floured surface and work remaining 1/2 C flour into dough, kneading by hand. Continue to knead for 4-5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a large bowl, coated with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place for an hour, until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for filling.

Once dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Roll it out into a roughly 10 x 18 rectangle. Top with an even layer of filling, leaving a 1-inch margin on all sides. Roll the dough up, starting on a long side (so your end product should be appx. 18 inches long). Cut into 12 slices and arrange them face up in a baking dish coated with cooking spray (you can use 2 if you need to). Cover with plastic wrap and proof (rise in a warm place) for 30 minutes. Alternately, you can cover them and place them in the 'fridge the night before.

Meanwhile, assemble glaze. Combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in sauce pan and bring up to a boil, whisking frequently. Once it reached a rolling boil, allow it to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and heavy cream, whisking furiously.*

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, remove from oven and pour glaze over them in batches, allowing ti to sink in in between additions. Return to oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean when stuck in the middle. Allow to cool a bit.

Beat together milk and powdered sugar. Add maple syrup and beat until thickened, but not stiff. Just, glazey. Top buns with glaze once they have cooled off a bit and go to town.

Chocolate Cappuccino Stout Cake

So they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and I would give this cake about an 11 on a scale of 1-10 for it's MAN-pleasing-ness (I mean, dark chocolate, beer, coffee?? Does it get any better?) My inspiration was a seasonal specialty beer made by Lagunitas in Petaluma, California called "Cappuccino Stout." With a nice nuttiness and hints of coffee and chocolate and a sweet maltiness, this stout is like heaven to drink, and it really got my brain turning in terms of what I could do with it in the kitchen. And thus, the Chocolate Cappuccino Stout Cake was born.

Chocolate Cappuccino Stout Cake
Cake
2 C Butter (4 sticks)
2 C Stout Beer, plus extra for garnish*
1.5 C Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder (Or Dutch if you feel like getting expensive)

1/2 C Fresh Brewed Espresso

4 C Cake Flour
4 C Sugar
1 T Baking Powder
1.5 t Salt
4 Eggs
3/4 C Sour Cream (Or Greek Yogurt if you want to cut a few calories)

Ganache

8 oz Semi-sweet Chocolate (chips, chunks, whatever - just chop it up small)

1/2 C Heavy Cream

1T Instant Coffee Granules

Icing
1 C (2 sticks) softened butter
4-5 C Powdered Sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 t Vanilla
2 T Heavy Cream

Garnish
Mini Chocolate Chips (I used the leftover from the ganache - but you can use chocolate chunks, or curls, or whatever you used)

Sauce
1 C Brown Sugar
1/3 C Corn Syrup
1/2 C Reserved Butter-Cocoa-Beer Mix
1/2 C Additional Stout
1 t Instant Coffee Granules
1/2 C Heavy Cream

*I used 'Young's Double Chocolate Stout'. You can certainly use the 'Lagunita's Cappuccino Stout', but it's sometimes hard to find, and I kind of feel like if you can get your hands on it, you should certainly drink it.

Method
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degree. Butter three 9-inch pans, line bottom with parchment and butter parchment.

Heat butter and beer in saute pan until butter is melted. Add cocoa powder and stir to combine. Transfer to bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Brew 1/2 C fresh espresso, remove 1/2 C of butter-cocoa-beer mixture from bowl, and replace with espresso. Reserve 1/2 C butter mix for sauce.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In bowl of stand mixer (or a large bowl), beat together eggs and sour cream with paddle attachment. Once butter-cocoa-beer-espresso mix is cooled, add to mixing bowl and beat to combine. Add flour mixture a cup at a time until all in and mix for one minute. Divide equally between buttered pans. Drop pans on counter a couple times to release any hidden bubbles, and then make an indent with the back of a large spoon in the center of each (this will help them rise more evenly). Bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely before frosting.

Ganache
Place chocolate in medium bowl. Heat heavy cream in sauce pan with coffee granules, stirring to melt. When simmering, pour over chocolate and whisk until completely melted, dark and shiny. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes to thicken up a bit.

Icing
Beat butter in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes, until pale yellow, light and fluffy. Reduce speed, and add powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until desired sweetness/thickness achieved. (I add my sugar at a low speed and then once incorporated, speed it up to really whip it into shape). Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat for 30-40 seconds.

Sauce
Heat brown sugar, corn syrup, butter-cocoa mix, beer and coffee granule in saute pan until it boils, whisking often. Allow it to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately add heavy cream, whisking furiously. Set aside. (You can ad more beer if you like it a little 'stout-i-er'.)

Assembly
Using cerated knife, cut the tops of the cakes so that you have a flat surface (otherwise, your cakes will crack when you stack them!) Cut each cake in half (so you'll now have 6 layers instead of 3). With pastry brush, apply extra stout to the top of each layer. Place a small 'blob' of icing on your frosting surface, and place first layer of cake on it. Cut a ring out of parchment paper and line plate with it (to keep the surface clean). Frost top of cake with thin layer of icing, and repeat with remaining layers/icing, frosting sides last. Spoon ganache over only the top of the cake, being careful not to allow the ganache to spill down the sides of the cake. Apply a ring of mini chocolate chips around the edge, covering the transition from ganache to icing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serving
Heat sauce up so it's nice and warm. Cut a slice of cake, placing it on it's side, and spoon a bit of sauce over the top. It's great like this, but if you feel like getting EXTRA crazy you can serve it with a bit of chocolate or coffee ice cream.

Poached Eggs with Avocado and Goat Cheese

Brunch is Served! A super easy lazy Sunday morning meal that's sure to cure your hunger pangs, please your taste buds and get you going for the day!!

Poached Eggs with Avocado and Goat Cheese
Serves 1
2 Eggs, the fresher the better*
1/2 an Avocado, sliced
1 oz Goat Cheese
3-4 inch piece of French Bread, split
Splash of White Vinegar**
Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Preheat Broiler. In medium stock pot, bring 3-4 inches of water to a light boil (almost just a simmer) and add a bit of salt and a splash of vinegar (approximately 2 T, but you don't need to measure). Add eggs, one at a time, very gently into the water and give the pot a little 'swirl' after each addition (this will help any egg white that's not tight to the yolk stay intact). Cook eggs for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye on them - What you want is to cook the whites completely, but leave a gooey, runny yolk in the center.

Meanwhile, place french bread, open faced in the broiler and toast a few mins, but not until your desired 'doneness'. Add avocado and goat cheese and toast the rest of the way. When eggs are done, remove with slotted spoon veeeerrryyyy gennttlllyyyy and place one on each side of the toast. Season with salt and lots of fresh cracked black pepper and dig in!!

*The fresher the egg, the more intact the white will be to the yolk, and the tighter your poached egg will appear.
**I know it sounds weird, but its not for flavor (you won't even taste it) - The vinegar helps the egg stay together and not scatter all through the water.

Roasted Red Pepper, Mushroom and Arugula Pasta with Lemon-scented Olive Oil

Here's a super easy and and super delicious pasta dinner that is a little lighter than your traditional spaghetti-and-marinara-sauce dinner. The sweetness of the Roasted Red Peppers and the peppery bite of the Arugula play well off each other to give this dish a *POP*. Cheers!!

Roasted Red Pepper, Mushroom and Arugula Pasta with Lemon-scented Olive Oil 
Serves 2
1 Red Pepper, stemmed, ribs and seeds removed
4-6 button mushrooms
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 C Arugula
1/2 Box of Spaghetti Noodles (more or less, however hungry you are)
1 T Olive Oil
Juice and Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Char Red Pepper on open flame on stove, turning every couple minutes, until blackened. (If you don't have a gas range, you can achieve the same effect by placing the rack on the top level and roasting the pepper under the broiler, turning often.) Put into ziplock back and seal, letting the pepper steam itself.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, boil water and add salt once rolling. While water is coming to a boil, combine Olive Oil, zest, juice, salt and pepper in a shaker and shake vigorously. Set aside. Add pasta, mushrooms, and garlic to boiling salted water and cook 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta and pour into large saute pan over medium heat. Pour olive oil mix over pasta and toss to coat. Remove pepper from bag and remove skin by gently rubbing the surface. Slice pepper into strips and add to pasta along with arugula. Toss to combine. Check salt/pepper level and adjust accordingly. Serve hot!

S'mores Martini

OOooooo it's soooo gooood... I developed this after Smifnoff came out with their "Fluffed" vodka, which is an amazingly creamy toasted marshmallow vodka that is just delicious in everything, but especially a S'mores Martini! Everything is in equal parts, so if you're making it for one or 20, you can use the same measuring utensil and it's just easy peasy!!

S'mores Martini
1 oz Smirnoff Fluffed
1 oz Skim Milk
1 oz Irish Cream
Garnish:
Chocolate Syrup
Graham Crackers

Crush Graham crackers into fine dust (if it's chunky, it won't stick to the rim). Dip rim of martini glass in water and roll around in the graham crackers. Pour alcohol into shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Swirl glass with chocolate syrup and strain alcohol on top. Drink. Repeat.

Easy Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread

Ever had Monkey Bread for Breakfast?? Well this is the savory version! Great as an appetizer for an Italian meal, or just a snack that the kiddies will have fun eating. Grab your favorite Pizza sauce or Marinara, pull off a bite and dunk away!!

Easy Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread
1 Batch Pizza Dough, Thawed
1/2 Stick Butter
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
1 C Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 T Italian Seasoning blend
2 t Rubbed Sage
1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Salt

Preheat oven to 350. Cut pizza dough into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces. Melt butter and pour into medium bowl. Add seasonings and mix together. Add dough bites and toss to coat evenly. In loaf pan, layer half of the dough bites in, top with 1/2 the parmesan and halt the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining. Pour extra butter-herb mix left in the bowl over the top. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve with a side of marinara and enjoy!!!

The Best Grilled Cheese EVER

Ok - So this sounds very VERY simple - I mean, come on it's grilled cheese, how hard can it be? And it's not hard, but this just has a few extra ingredients that make all the difference - Sorry white bread and american cheese, NOT THIS TIME!!

The Best Grilled Cheese EVER
2 slices of bread (I like either wheat or potato bread)
1/4 - 1/2 C mixed blend colby-jack shredded cheese
1-2 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 of a Roma Tomato, small diced
Garlic Salt (or salt and garlic powder)
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 T butter

Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. If using regular cream cheese, cut a few strips and place them on the non-buttered side of one piece of bread. Top with tomatoes, galic salt, and pepper. Add shredded cheese on top and place remaining bread on top, butter side out. Heat a little butter in a saute pan over low to medium heat (if you cook it too high, you burn the outside before you give the cheese enough time to melt) and put your sandwich in. Flip it once, if the pan is drying out and your sandwich starts to stick, add a bit more butter and swirl it around so it gets underneath the bread. Pull it out once it's golden on both sides, cut diagonally (I don't know why this is important, but it just is - maybe it's a nostalgia thing). EAT IMMEDIATELY. I mean, try and make it to the table, but it's so good you might not get there in time...

I made up this recipe on a whim for a hungry ex-boyfriend, scouring my 'fridge for anything "MAN-friendly", and decided on grilled cheese. But being as I am, well, ME, I couldn't just make an ordinary grilled cheese - it just wouldn't be right. So I crafted up this lil' beauty, and while the relationship fizzled, the recipe holds strong!! Still the BEST GRILLED CHEESE EVER!

Zucchini Parmesan

Kind of like a parmesan, kind of like a lasagna, but COMPLETELY like a delicious and healthy (in moderation - a slice is great, just don't eat the whole thing in one sitting  - that would be a lot of cheese, even though you will probably want to...) meal :-) I cut the zucchini lengthwise on a mandolin so I get really thin slices and use them in place of noodles! Cuts the carbs down but a LOT but retains the look and feel of a traditional lasagna. This can also be made with eggplant, cut the same way :-)

Zucchini Parmesan
3 Large Zucchinis (we're going for girth here, to most resemble the width of a traditional lasagna noodle)
8 oz Mushrooms, chopped
3-4 Roma Tomatoes, skins removed**, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
16 oz of your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce, whether it be homemade or bought
16 oz Ricotta Cheese, Part-skim
1 C Parmesan Cheese, divided, plus a little extra for garnish
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese
1 T Olive Oil. divided
1 T Italian Seasoning
1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Onion Powder
1 t Salt
1 Egg, beaten
Salt, fresh cracked Black Pepper, and Italian Seasoning to taste

Slice zucchinis on mandolin into thin slices (if you don't have a mandolin, 1-you should pick one up - I got mine for less than $10 at Target, and 2 - Just slice them lengthwise as thin as you can with a knife. But seriously, get a cheap plastic mandolin). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and place in single layer on parchment lined cookie sheet(s) in a 400 degree oven to roast. Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in saute pan over medium, add mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions and saute until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant. Combine veggies with ricotta, 1/2 C parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powders, and 1 t salt. Stir to combine, taste, adjust salt level. Add egg, stir to combine.

Once your zuccinis are done roasting, turn the oven down to 350 and grab a 9x13 glass dish and start your layering: 1/3 of tomato sauce, 1/2 of the zucchini slices, overlapping the edges, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1/4 C Parmesan, sprinkled, 1/3 Package of Mozzarella Cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a bit of italian seasoning. Repeat this once more. Finish off with the remaining tomato sauce, remaining mozzarella, and a little parmesan. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning (makes it look super pretty on top).

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until golden and bubbly on top.

**To remove the skins from the tomatoes without damaging them, bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath on the side. Cut a very shallow "X" into the bottom of the tomato and drop them in batches into the boiling water. After 1 minute, remove with slotted spoon and plunge into ice bath. The skins should come right off just by rubbing the tomato. VOILA! Done :-)

Bang Bang Tofu

BANG BANG!! So, everyone RAVES about the Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill, so I crafted a Vegetarian friendly version using super firm tofu!! Trust me, you won't miss the shrimp :-)

Bang Bang Tofu
1 block Super Firm Tofu
1/4 Cornstarch
2 t Salt
1 t Onion Powder
1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Chili Powder
1 t Italian Seasoning
1 Egg
1 C Panko Bread Crumbs
Vegetable Oil for frying
1/2 C Light Mayonaisse
2-3 T Sriracha**
2-3 T Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
Lettuce/Arugula/Whatever greens you like

Drain tofu and press between folded up paper towels - like, really press it - I put mine in a flat-bottomed shallow bowl and put a huge pan on top of it with 3 cans of veggies in it. Allow to sit for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, set up your breading station - mix together salt, onion, garlic, and chili powders, italian seasoning and panko bread crumbs in shallow dish. Beat egg in separate bowl. Place cornstarch in another bowl. Mix together mayo, sriracha and sweet thai chili sauce - set aside.

SO now that your tofu is pressed, cut it into 1-inch cubes and toss it in batches into the cornstarch - coating evenly. Now into the egg, and then into the panko mix. Heat oil in pan (don't let it get too hot or it will incinerate the tofu and you will have a smoky mess). Pan fry tofu in batches in single layer, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on folded paper towels. Repeat until all tofu is fried up. Place all tofu in bowl and top with half of the spicy mayo mix - toss to coat evenly.

If using lettuce, cut into ribbons and place into serving bowl. If using small leafy greens, just pile them in! No chopping necessary. Top with the tofu and serve with remaining spicy mayo on the side for dipping! BANG BANG!!!

**I like mine speeeeeecy spicy, so i go heavy on the Sriracha (more like a 1/4 C) - play with the ratios until you find the heat level you like!

Cauliflower Mash/Coulis

So the way I make this dish teeters on the line between a mash and a coulis, so i'm not super sure what to call it! This is a great alternatives to those old and tired mashed potatoes - tons of flavor and a texture to die for!!  Give it a try next time your spuds just aren't doing it for you like they used to. ALSO, cauliflower has WAY more nutritional benefits than potatoes do ::wink wink::

Cauliflower Coulis
1 head Cauliflower, de-stemmed and chopped into very small pieces
1 Onion, small dice
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 C Water
1 C Veggie Stock
1/2 C Greek Yogurt (0% fat)
Pinch (seriously, a tiny bit) Salt

Boil water and stock on stove, add all ingredients except for greek yogurt. Cook over medium for 20-25 minutes, until very VERY soft. Remove from heat, blend with emersion blender (or in small batches in regular blender) with yogurt until super smooothy smooth :-)

Options:
Garnish with a little crumbled pancetta
If you want it more like a coulis, add a little skim milk and serve underneath a filet mignon or other red meat.

Beet and Jicama Salad

This fresh little salad has some great crunch to it and sharp fresh flavors with a punch of heat that will wake your palate up!! Beets are one of my favorite veggies, yet they're so underutilized! Here's a chance to try them out!!

Beet and Jicama Salad
2 Beets, peeled and sliced into thin strips
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1 Jicama, peeled and sliced into thin strips
2 Jalepenos, one seeded, ribs removed, one whole, minced
Juice and Zest of 2 Limes
1/2 Cilantro, chopped
1/2 C Parsley, chopped
Healthy pinch of Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 T Olive Oil

Cut beets, carrots and jicama into thin strips (I use a mandolin with the matchstick blade - makes it SUPER quick and easy) and combine in large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Adjust Salt and Pepper as needed. QUICK, EASY, HEALTHY!

Note: Beets have CRAZY amounts of red pigment in them - The juice is what used to make Red Velvet cake SO RED! Best way to get it off your counters/cutting boards/utensils - Clorox Cleanup - Gone in an instant!! Your clothes however, will be harder to remove it from - Let's just put on an apron haha...

Coconut Cantaloupe Gazpacho

Ok - So I know it sounds A LITTLE weird, but I'm telling you, this is D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S... Delicious... It hits your palate from every different angle with hints of sweet, savory, bitter, and spicy, and is cool and refreshing on a hot summer day!! Give it a try - I guarantee you'll love it!!

Coconut Cantaloup Gazpacho
1 Large Cantaloupe, rind removed, small diced
2" knob Ginger, peeled and grated
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 t Salt
1/2 C Greek Yogurt 0% Fat
1/2 C Coconut Water
1/4 C Milk
Garnishes
Coconut Milk (I use reduced fat)
Honey or Agave Nectar
Mint  Chutney
One bunch fresh Mint
Juice of half a lemon
1 T Olive Oil
1/2 t Salt

Combine Cantaloupe, grated ginger, lemon juice and Salt in medium bowl. Blend with emersion blender for 3-5 minutes, until very smooth. Add to large sauce pan and cook on low for 20 minutes (it sounds weird to cook cantaloupe, but it makes the texture much MUCH smoother in the end). Remove from heat and transfer back into bowl. Blend again for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut water, greek yogurt, and milk. Blend to combine. The texture should be more like a smooth soup, rather than like an applesauce - if yours resembles applesauce more, just keep blending. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

For Mint Chutney, combine all ingredients and blend until combined and a has a bit of a shine to it.

Once chilled, ladle into bowl, drizzle a swirl of coconut milk, drizzle a swirl of mint chutney, and top with zig zags of honey/agave nectar. I don't mix mine up, bc I like finding all the different pockets of flavor as I eat it. BON APPETIT!

Tomato Basil Soup

Another post-wisdom teeth surgery creation, this Tomato Basil soup is creamy and rich and delicious! No fat or oils - just pure, tomato-y GOODNESS! Enjoy :-)

Tomato Basil Soup
6-8 Celery Stalks, diced
2 Medium Onions, diced
4-6 Medium Carrots, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
6 Large Tomatoes (I used 3 heirloom Ugli tomatoes and 3 Standard Globe tomatoes), skins removed**, chopped
8 oz Tomato Paste
3 C Water
3 C Veggie Stock
2 t Onion Powder
2 t Garlic Powder
1 T Italian Seasoning blend
1/2 C Greek Yogurt
1/2 C Milk
0-2 C Water, depending on how thick you like your soup!
1 Bunch of Basil, divided

Bring 3 cups water and 3 cups veggies stock to boil in a large pot. Add celery, onion, carrots, and garlic, stirring every 5 mins. Remove skins from tomatoes and chop into roughly 1 inch pieces. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, and italian seasoning to pot. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for at least 40 minutes (I usually leave mine on for an hour) to allow the flavors to develop, intensify and meld together. Remove from heat and blend with emersion blender (or process in conventional blender in batches) until very smooth. Add greek yogurt, milk, and is using, additional water and blend until smooooth and silky. Pick the leaves from the basil and chop 3/4 of them, reserving the remaining for garnish. Add chopped basil to soup and blend again. Add a basil leaf or two on top when serving and you've got yourself a pretty little bowl that's sure to impress.

**To remove the skins from the tomatoes without damaging them, bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath on the side. Cut a very shallow "X" into the bottom of the tomato and drop them in batches into the boiling water. After 1 minute, remove with slotted spoon and plunge into ice bath. The skins should come right off just by rubbing the tomato. VOILA! Done :-)

Step 1: Collect Ingredients

 Step 2: Chop Onion, Celery, Carrot and Garlic - Add to boiling water/stock

 Step 3: Remove Skins from Tomatoes

Step 4: Chop Tomatoes

 Step 5: Add to pot along with seasonings and cook 40 mins to an hour.

  Step 6: Puree, add milk and yogurt, (optional water), and basil and puree!

Options:
If you want a little more texture in your soup (I prefer it, but wasn't able to chew - stupid wisdom teeth), remove the skins from 3-4 Roma tomatoes, chop into uniform pieces. Oven roast them at 400 with olive oil, salt, pepper and some italian seasoning for 20 minutes (or until soft and bubbly). Add to soup after pureed.

Garnishes:
Basil Leaves
Saltine Crackers
Corn Chips (Fritos)
Croutons
Toasted French Bread slices
Parmesan Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
and of course, GRILLED CHEESE

Butternut Apple Soup

Mmmm... So Delicious! So I got my wisdom teeth out a little under a week ago and I have been on a soup kick, since I still can't really chew... arg. BUT it has unleashed my creativity and I have come up with some SOUPer delicious ways to keep the palate entertained while living on a liquid diet. This Butternut Apple Soup  is so warm and creamy, yet completely fat free!! I garnished mine with Caramelized Beets, but you could also use fresh apple slices, toasted almonds and goat cheese, or crumbled bacon kettle chips! Enjoy!!

Butternut Apple Soup
1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
2 medium Onions, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 Apple, peeled and diced
3 Cups Water
1 Cup Veggie Stock
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Cup Water

Bring water and stock to a boil and add squash, onions, carrots and apple (if you need more water to cover, add as needed). Cook 20 - 25 minutes until all veggies are very tender (you can mash them with your stirring spoon) and most of the liquid is gone.  Transfer to medium sized bowel and hit it with an emersion blender for a couple minutes until its very smooth (if you don't have one, blend it in batches in your blender, but be careful, as hot liquids expand and can blow the top of your blender). Add the milk and additional cup of water and blend until combined and super silky smooth. ENJOY!!

Step One: Diced Veggies

 Step 2: Saute 20-25 minutes

 Step 3: Blend veggies and stock.

 Step 4: Add milk and water, puree until silky smooth.

 Step 5: Store extra, it will keep for 3-4 days, if it lasts that long.

 Step 6: Garnish with your choice of delicious additives (I chose caramelized beets) and ENJOY!