Guilt-free Squash Cheesecake

If you are going to indulge on dessert, why not do it in a way that won’t expand your waistline or give you a sugar crash? Once again, my cheesecake-loving friend Terence inspired me to make a low-glycemic, higher fiber, lower fat dessert. This is a fabulous winter dessert; we discovered we liked it even better than store bought cheesecake.

To make the pureed squash, I cut a large butternut squash in half, baked it (cut side down) on a greased baking sheet for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until the skin was brown and the inside was totally soft. Then I scooped out the flesh and discarded the seeds. I put the flesh in a food processor until it was smooth. One squash will provide more pulp than this recipe calls for, so later I will post a curry squash soup recipe for the leftovers. You can use pumpkin or a can of pumpkin puree for this dish instead, if you prefer.

For more info on agave nectar, see the “Rejuvenating Refreshing Beverage” post below.

Equipment needed: 1 9-inch springform pan.

Timing note: This cheesecake needs to cool for a total of 5 hours, so plan ahead or make it the day before.

Ingredients for crust:

1 ¾ cup whole wheat graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup finely ground pecans

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for filling:

3 8-oz packages low fat cream cheese, softened

3 T oat or wheat flour

1 cup agave nectar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 ¾ cup pureed squash

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

To make crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs, pecans, and cinnamon in a bowl. Sitr in melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan and an inch or two up the sides.

To make filling: In a mixer, whip the cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in the flour until combined. Whip in the agave, vanilla, eggs and egg yolks until combined. Fold in the squash and cream until you have a pretty gold and white marble effect. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when shaken.

Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the sides of the pan and cool for another 30 minutes. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. For an extra touch, we have served this in the past with whipped cream (sweetened with vanilla and agave).

Rejuvenating Refreshing Beverage

This is one of my summer standards, but we made this the other day after a hike -- refreshing. While it’s fresh in my mind I will post it! This beverage is hydrating and healing, great for digestion.

A few notes about ingredients: we have two local greenhouses that produce delicious English cucumbers year round, so good cukes are easy to come by in California. If you are buying the waxy kind from the grocery store, you probably want to peel them completely. Also, I’ve discovered that not all aloe vera juice is created equal; to avoid the bitter taste, buy a good quality aloe like George’s Always Active Aloe. This smoothie has raw agave nectar, which is sweeter than sugar but has a low glycemic index – can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or other health food stores.

Other variations: you can add mint or basil or replace the limes with lemons for a fun variation on lemonade. One final note if you like to drink – this can make a fun cocktail, just add vodka or tequila.

Ingredients (makes two drinks):

Juice from 2 very juicy limes

1 large cucumber (partially or fully peeled), chopped

½ cup aloe vera juice

½ cup water

1-2 T agave nectar (or to taste)

Puree ingredients in a blender or Vitamix until completely smooth. Drink it up!

Carrot and Parsnip Soup

I just made this minutes ago and it was so good I wanted to make it for all of you. So I’m writing it down, hoping you will try it!

I woke up the other day and had a vision of a bowl of smooth, creamy orange-yellow soup. I immediately thought of the bags of parsnips my friend Marilyn gave me, along with some carrots, onion, and fresh sage. Mike was skeptical, but after trying it he urged me to write it down for you all. This is dedicated to my parsnip-loving friend, Marilyn.

Ingredients:

1 T unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 lb. of parsnips, peeled and chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

8-10 small sage leaves

paprika

white pepper

black pepper

freshly grated ginger (perhaps a scant tsp. or to taste)

4 cups of vegetable stock

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

milk or cream (I used Eden Food’s soy-rice milk blend)

Sautee the onions in butter for a few minutes. Add the parsnips, carrots, and sage. Stir frequently, cooking for just a few more minutes. Add just a bit of paprika, a touch of white pepper, and a generous helping of black pepper (I liked the soup peppery). Stir until the spices have coated the vegetables, then add the vegetable stock and ginger. Pull the thyme leaves off the stems and put the leaves into the pot. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the parsnips and carrots are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool a bit.

Puree the soup in a blender (in batches if necessary). Return the soup to the pot and bring it back to a gentle simmer. Taste it first, then add milk to taste (I probably used 1/2- - ¾ cup – sorry I didn’t measure!); the soup should be very creamy, and you want just enough milk to bring all the flavors together.

This soup is best just warm, not too hot. Enjoy!

Braised greens & wild mushrooms

This is a very easy side dish, the hardest part is washing and picking through the greens. Chanterelle mushrooms are in season right now and I have to use them every chance I get, but you can use white button, cremini, oyster, shitaki, etc. You could use dried mushrooms, though I have not tried it; soak them first.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped leeks

Approx. 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms (I used chanterelles and creminis)

Chard, collards, kale or other greens, washed and chopped, stems removed (I used one very large bunch)

1 cup vegetable stock

Olive oil

Optional: salt, pepper, hot sauce, lemon juice

Sautee the leeks and mushrooms in a little olive oil on medium heat. You can lightly salt the mushrooms to help them release their juices. When the mushrooms have begun to soften, add the greens and stir them in until they begin to wilt. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to add the greens in stages. Add the veggie stock and simmer on medium high heat until the greens are soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed. This will take more time for tougher greens like collards and kale, less for softer greens like chard.

When I use brown or button mushrooms, I love adding a little lemon juice, a bit of extra olive oil, and hot sauce. The chanterelles and shitakis are rich enough that they did not require extra flavoring for my taste.

I could eat greens all day! I serve this with all kinds of dishes, and it was one of our Thanksgiving sides this year too. I used the leftovers with some pasta and leftover turkey to make a lovely quick dinner the other night!

Black Bean and Red Rice Stew

a.k.a. Sonya’s California Jambalaya

I can’t claim this to be jambalaya but Mike said it’s like jambalaya so therefore it’s got to be true, right? My brother would affectionately call this “slop.”

It’s worth the hunt for Bhutanese red rice for this dish, though you can replace it with brown or black rice. The red rice makes a great chewy, nutty, high fiber addition. You can find red rice at Whole foods, specialty food shops, and Asian markets. Here’s a link to a brand I like: www.lotusfoods.com.

I used Field Roast’s vegan smoked apple sage sausage, but you could use any kind of sausage (just not breakfast links!). A Cajun style sausage would provide more bite. If you’d like to omit the shrimp, you could replace it with marinated tofu, adding it at the very end so it does not crumble and fall apart (or serve it on top).

You can get really creative with this dish. Have fun!

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium white onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

1 jalapeno, minced (remove seeds to cut down heat)

1 red pepper, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

2 sausages, sliced

Ground cumin, coriander, paprika – perhaps 1 tsp each?

Ancho and chipotle chili powders to taste

Dash of cinnamon

3 ½ cups cooked black beans

½ - ¾ cup red rice

4 cups vegetable stock

1 stick of kombu seaweed

1 bay leaf

Dried herbs: thyme, marjoram, oregano – perhaps 1 tsp each?

Approx. 1 ½ cups pureed tomatoes

¾ lb shrimp, peeled

In a large pot, sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat. When they begin to soften, add the celery. Cook for a few minutes then add the jalapenos, peppers, and carrots. When the peppers start to soften, add the sausage. When the sausage browns, add all the spices and stir until they begin to release their flavor. Add the rice and stir until the grains are coated in spices. Add the black beans. Pour in the vegetable stock, seaweed, bay leaf, and herbs. Bring to a rapid boil. Add the tomatoes, stir, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to medium low (or low depending on your burner). Let it gently simmer for 40 minutes. Taste to see if the rice is cooked, and if so, add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, a few minutes.

I served this with guacamole, green salad with cilantro and a rice vinaigrette, and braised greens with wild mushrooms. Now I’m going to go eat the leftovers!

Velvet Orange Autumn Soup

This is probably one of my favorite autumn soups. Warm, creamy, soothing, and so simple to make. This is one of those rare recipes that I actually repeat – I make it almost every fall. Several of you may remember it!

I have replaced the butternut squash with sweet potatoes before, but I think my favorite version is with butternut squash. Likewise, I’ve used different kinds of apples, but some kind of green apple seems to be the best. I got this recipe originally from some television show about some country hotel on the east coast – the chef at the hotel made a version of this dish. He strained the soup at the end and added a touch of maple syrup, if I recall. I omit those two steps, but it would certainly make the soup even more velvety and sweeter than it already is. If you try it, let me know.

Ingredients:

1 or 2 T butter (depending on your pot)

1 cup each of the following chopped vegetables:

butternut squash

rutabaga

carrot

green apple

onion

celery

sweet paprika

vegetable broth (I used 1 Rapunzel’s veggie bouillion cube and approx. 2 ½ cups water)

nutmeg

Melt the butter in a medium sized soup pot. Sautee the onions over medium heat for just a minute or two and then add the rest of the vegetables, adding the apple last. When the vegetables begin to soften, add just a dash of paprika. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables, put a lid on the soup, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until all vegetables are soft. Allow to cool and puree in a blender. I use a Vitamix, so it makes a perfectly creamy, lump free soup. If your soup is not creamy enough, you can strain it.

Return the puree to the pot. Bring to a simmer and grate some fresh nutmeg into the soup.

I serve this with multi-grain bread and butter and a good fall salad. The most recent salad I made with it was greens, walnuts, some other veggies, fresh dill, basil, parsley, and cherry-vanilla balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve also served it as a first course to many wonderful fall meals.

Savory Vegetable Bread Pudding

A good way to use leftover bread!

This posting came from another request from Jenny. This was my way of using up two leftover 1/2 loaves of baguette. I confess this is from memory; you are really going to have to use some creative juu-juu. The vegetable filling is pretty basic – you can replace it with anything. Greens and onions, asparagus and fresh peas with perhaps some dill, and of course eggplant, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, etc. are all tasty fillings.

You can also use different kinds of cheeses. Feta with greens or cheddar or gruyere with mushrooms would be good combos. I used parmesan here.

Ingredients:

A total of 1 baguette (I used ½ asiago cheese and ½ plain), sliced in rounds and lightly toasted

1 small onion, chopped

5-6 small zucchini, sliced into rounds

1 small red bell pepper, sliced (I think)

¾ cup finely chopped leek (green part)

olive oil

Salt & pepper

Dried thyme & oregano (you could use basil)

Kalamata olives, sliced (enough to scatter across the top)

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Large handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (enough to scatter across the top)

Fresh minced parsley

Fresh chopped chives

4 extra large eggs (I think…you can always use more if this isn’t enough!)

½ cup milk or soy milk

freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13x2 baking pan. Arrange half the baguette slices on the bottom of the baking pan.

Salt the zucchini rounds lightly and put them in a strainer for 10 minutes or so. In a bit of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, sautée the onions with a bit of salt. When the onions begin to get soft, add the leeks and peppers. Pat the zucchini dry and add the zucchini to the skillet. Stir frequently. If the pan gets too dry you can add a bit of water or veggie stock. I believe I did add some stock and I covered the veggies with a lid to let them simmer for a bit. Gently sprinkle in some thyme, oregano, and black pepper. Cook until the zucchini is soft and slightly caramelized.

Spread the vegetable filling over the bread slices. Grate fresh parmesan cheese on top. Place the other half of the toasted baguette rounds on top of the filling.

Whisk together the eggs, milk or soymilk, salt, a bit of nutmeg, and black pepper. Pour this combination over the bread & filling mixture. It should be enough to immerse the top layer of bread in custard (and if it isn’t, please make more!) Sprinkle the olives, tomatoes, chives, and parsley across the top, then add some more grated parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes until the custard is set. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

This is great with a fresh green salad with sunflower sprouts and a light, lemony vinaigrette and fresh herbs.

Please tell us about your versions!

Note about parmesan: I prefer to buy parmesan in blocks and I have a small hand held grater that I use to grate it as needed over any dish. The chunk of parmesan keeps well in the fridge, and the fresh stuff does taste better than pre-grated – and certainly better than anything in a can. :-)

No-bake cheesecake

Super Spidey Cheesecake for Terence & Marilyn

Ha! I followed a recipe! Sort of. The inspiration for this was from Martha Stewart Living’s 2008 Halloween issue. But of course I made my edits to the recipe. This is my version. It has less sugar, different types of sweeteners, lighter cream cheese, and a few other added touches. Though the spider web is for Halloween, you can make any design with the chocolate ganache – hearts, stars, whatever. Best part of this recipe – no baking!

Marilyn is one of my favorite co-chefs. This was one of my contributions to our latest Halloween feast because Terence loves cheesecake (I think he puts it in a separate food group.) I’m posting this at Marilyn’s request!

You do need to make this at least a few hours before serving, better to make it the day before. Equipment needed: 10 inch springform pan, pastry bag, ¼ inch round tip, and electric mixer.

Ingredients:

Crust:

4 ½ cups finely ground chocolate wafer crumbs (I used Newman’s Own Chocolate Alphabet cookies and ground them in a food processor. Can be messy – I had a fine coating of chocolate cookie crumbs all over my kitchen. Part of playing.)

½ cup melted unsalted butter

additional butter for greasing the pan

¼ cup raw sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

Ganache:

¾ cup chocolate chips; I used a combination of semi-sweet and dark chocolate.

½ cup heavy cream

Filling:

16 oz. light cream cheese, softened

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 T vanilla

¼ cup maple syrup

¾ cup raw sugar

¼ tsp coarse salt

a few T of lemon juice (I didn’t measure, just gave a few squirts)

1 ½ cups cold heavy whipping cream

Grease the springform pan all the way up the sides.

Crust: Whisk all the dry ingredients together then add the melted butter. Stir the butter in completely, then immediately pat the crust into the pan, all the way up the sides.

Ganache: I did a no-no – I microwaved my chocolate and cream (gasp!). You can be responsible and use a double boiler if you want. If you use a microwave, start in 10 or 15 second increments. Between increments, take the bowl of chocolate & cream out and stir rapidly, the chocolate will melt as you combine it. It starts out as a bit of a liquid mess and turns into a wonderfully fluffy ganache. If you microwave it a bit longer it will be runny.

Either way, spoon or pour the ganache into the crust, reserving approx. 2 T for the top. I put a thin layer partway up the sides and across the bottom. Refrigerate the crust.

Filling: Beat the cream cheese in a mixer on medium speed. After a couple minutes I added the maple syrup and vanilla. After another minute or two, I stopped my mixer, added the sugar and salt and then started it up again on a medium-high speed until it was fluffy. I added the lemon juice at the very end.

In a separate bowl, mix the heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Whisk in ¼ of the whipped cream into the cream cheese, and then fold in the rest of the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust and spread evenly. (Martha says to gently tap the bottom of pan on counter to release air bubbles – I didn’t do that part.)

Put the leftover ganache in the pastry bag fitted with the ¼ inch tip. For the spider web, pipe a spiral starting in the middle of the cheesecake. Then take a knife, and starting at the center point of the spiral, drag the knife to the edge of the cheesecake. Repeat every inch or two to form a spider web. You could make all kinds of other cool designs – definitely a playful part of this recipe!

Refrigerate for at least a few hours, I refrigerated it for 24 hours and the texture was wonderful. Before serving, I took a very thin knife and went around the edges of the pan to make sure the crust would come out smoothly. Remove the outer edge of the springform pan and serve! To make neat slices, wipe your knife blade after each cut (I kept a pitcher of warm water handy to dip my knife in before wiping.)

My friend Maureen gave me a plastic spider which I washed and stuck in the middle of the cheesecake. Hee hee. Spooky delicious Halloween dessert!

Warning: Can be addictive.

Warm & Creamy Butternut Squash with Pasta

Warm & Creamy Butternut Squash with Pasta

I made this last night and it was sooo good I had to share it with you. If you like butternut squash and want to make a truly fall dish, please try this one. I found the squash, onion, sage, marjoram, and walnuts at the farmer’s market last Sunday and that’s what inspired this dish.

This makes three hearty bowls of pasta. Ok, four if you're not a piggy. :)

Ingredients:

½ medium butternut squash, roasted till soft

¾ cup fresh walnut pieces

1 red onion, cut into quarters then thinly sliced

Butter

6-7 fresh sage leaves, chopped

5 sprigs of fresh marjoram, finely minced

paprika

black pepper

salt

nutmeg

1/4 to ½ cup of cream, milk, or soy milk

veggie bouillion

Parmesan cheese

Pasta: I used potato/rice/soy elbows. Another whole grain flavorful pasta like fusilli or shells would work as well.

Scoop out the filling from the butternut squash, discarding the seeds. Set aside. Toast the walnut pieces over medium heat in a large dry skillet until they are a warm and crispy and are lightly popping in the skillet. Put them into a separate bowl and set aside.

Put 1 T or so of butter into the hot skillet. When the butter has melted, add the onions with a bit of salt. Stir frequently. When the onions have wilted and are releasing their juices, add the sage.

Meanwhile, start the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta.

When the onions begin to get a bit dry, add just a bit of paprika, marjoram, and black pepper. Stir, then add in a ladle full or two of the hot pasta water. I added ¼ of a Rapunzel veggie bouillion cube at this point (enough for a ½ cup of broth). Put a lid on the onions and let them simmer. Stir occasionally and add more pasta water as needed. The onions should become saucy and soft while still retaining some texture.

Add the scooped out butternut squash, some freshly grated nutmeg (just a bit – nutmeg is strong), and enough milk or cream to make the dish creamy. It should be slightly chunky but with a creamy consistency that can stir easily into the pasta.

To serve, place the pasta in the bowls, the butternut squash on top, and stir together. It will be orange and creamy! Garnish with crunchy toasted walnuts and tangy & salty freshly grated parmesan cheese.

YUM. Wish you were here to eat this with me! :-)

Chipotle Seitan Stew

Ok, Jenny. The first recipe posting is for you.

Chipotle Seitan Stew for Jenny

This dish is so easy. Fast, healthy, yummy, all those things rushing (or very hungry) people need. If you need your MEAT, then by all means replace the seitan with something else. Just don’t ask me how or what because I haven’t done it. :-) If you can’t do wheat gluten or meat, you could do tofu – but I recommend either cooking the dish longer so the tofu absorbs the flavors completely or using a pre-marinated tofu.

Concept we’re going for: Warm, chewy chunks of seitan, bit of spicy and peppery bite, fresh and sweetly sour contributions from tomatoes, and the sweetness of sautéed onions and yellow bell peppers, depth from the other herbs and spices.

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped

½ yellow bell pepper, sliced into small thin strips

one package of pre-cooked, marinated Westsoy Seitan (8 oz), sliced

1 large heirloom or other fresh sweet tomato (or 2 small-medium tomatoes), chopped

herbs and spices: ground cumin, paprika, chipotle, thyme, oregano

salt and black pepper to taste

I sautéed the onion and a pinch of salt in olive oil on medium heat until the onions began to soften. I added the yellow bell pepper, sautéed for just a couple minutes, and added the sliced seitan with the juice from the package. I let this simmer for a few minutes. Then I added a bit of cumin (maybe ½ tsp?), perhaps a teaspoon each of paprika, thyme, and oregano, a bit of freshly ground black pepper, and a dash of chipotle (if you like super spicy add more). I let the spices begin to release their aroma and coat all the veggies and seitan. When the bottom of the pan began to get dry, I added the tomatoes and a bit more salt, turned the heat down to medium low, and put a lid on it. The dish simmered at a lovely bubble and the tomatoes began to break down, creating a saucy stew. I probably simmered the dish for maybe 10 minutes and it was ready to go. Taste and see what you think it needs. May need more salt, may want some fresh herbs (cilantro or Italian parsley would work nicely).

I served this with a salad and black rice mushroom risotto (yup, that will have to be another posting – if I can remember how I made it.)

Note: if you don’t like spicy, you can replace the chipotle with smoked mild paprika to keep the smoky flavor.

Enjoy!

***

What is seitan? It’s vital wheat gluten, prepared in broth and spices to make a chewy, slightly spongy vegetarian protein source. Surprisingly tasty! One serving of the seitan used in this recipe has 18g of protein. Pretty cool, huh?

You can make your own seitan also; purchase a package of dry vital wheat gluten from your local health food store or Whole Foods and follow the directions on the package. You can add any spices or marinades you want, or make it into veggie sausage.

Welcome!

My friend Jenny was the final inspiration to do this blog. I made her lunch the other day and she sighed, looked at me, and asked “Are you ever going to write a cookbook? Is there any way I can get a recipe from you?”

My favorite recipes are the ones I create. When I follow a recipe from a book or magazine exactly it never works. I cook from instinct, smell, taste, color, texture. Each recipe is an original or modified from someone else’s original. If I can remember what it felt like to create a dish then I can repeat it. If I can’t – well then it was a one time experience. ;-)

Obviously it creates a problem when I pass on recipes. I do write things down occasionally – my husband harassed me for years before I got better about it (thanks, Mike). Inevitably it’s in some sort of Sonya-short-hand and almost all the measurements are an approximation. The exception is a product that already has a measurement on it, like a pound of pasta. Otherwise, I throw things in until it smells, looks, feels and tastes good.

Here’s the upside. If you dare to follow one of these recipes, you could see it as an adventure. The recipes are a creative starting point. It will be an opportunity for you to be present with your own senses, creativity, instinct. Will your dish taste like my version? Probably not. But it will be better in its own way because it will be a unique creation for you and whoever you are cooking for.

This blog is a way for me to share what I love -- food and cooking -- with the people I love. I hope the recipes inspire you to play. Please tell me how it goes – I’d love to hear about what you create!

Much love,

Sonya Amrita