Butternut Squash Stuffed with Sagey Quinoa
Are you wondering what you are going to serve on Thanksgiving? Here is a packet of recipes that you can pick and choose from or use for a whole meal. All recipes are sugar, oil, salt free!
Menu:
- Almond Nog
- Butternut Squash Stuffed with Sagey Quinoa
- Mushroom Gravy
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios and Shallots
- Shaved Fennel and Apples with toasted pecans, pea shoots and mandarin vinaigrette
- Apple Crisp with Cashew Cream
Almond Nog
- 1 c almonds soaked 10‐12 hours in filtered water
- 4 cups filtered water
- 6 dates, pitted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 banana
- Fresh nutmeg, grated or 1/8 tsp ground
- 1 t cinnamon
In high speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve Chilled
Roasted Brussels sprouts with pistachios and shallots
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
- 1 shallot, quartered
- 1/2 c low sodium vegetable stock
- 1/2 c pistachios
- 1/2 t black pepper
Preheat oven to 375F.
Steam Brussels sprouts with ½ cup stock for 5 minutes.
Toss Brussels sprouts, leftover liquid from steaming with the rest of the ingredients and place on sheet pan on either parchment paper or silpat sheets. Roast for about 25 minutes until edges are roasted and liquid is evaporated. When done, if it is too dry, toss with a small amount of veg stock to moisten
Butternut Squash Stuffed with Sagey Quinoa
- 2 Acorn Squash, halved and baked or steamed
- 4 Cups Cooked Quinoa
- 3 T Fresh Sage, minced
- 3 stalks Celery, finely chopped
- 1 lg Onion, chopped
- ½ Cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 375F.
Preheat a large skillet on high and sautee onion, celery and sage until onion begins to carmelize. Add a bit of water or low sodium vegetable stock to deglaze the pan if necessary. Add in cranberries and heat through. Mix together with the quinoa.
Place the quinoa mixture in each half of squash and place on a cookie covered with parchment paper. Cover with foil and bake until hot. Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes to crisp up the top.
Shaved Fennel and Apples with toasted pecans, pea shoots and mandarin vinaigrette
- 2-3 fennel bulb (2 cups), sliced paper thin, preferably using a mandolin
- 1 cup fresh sun flower sprouts
- 1 cup baby arugula
- Drizzle of mandarin vinaigrette (see recipe)
- 2 pears or apples, sliced paper thin, preferably using a mandolin
- 1/2 cup toasted pecan, coarsely chopped
In small bowl, gently toss the shaved fennel, pea shoots and rocket with mandarin vinaigrette.
Garnish prior to service salad with a few slices of shaved pear/apple, and toasted pecans.
Mandarin Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup muscatel vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons apricot paste
- 1/4 cup mandarin segments diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- Ground black pepper
Whisk all ingredients together well.
Mushroom Gravy
Makes about 3 cups
- 2 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 8 ounces mushrooms, such as porcini, cremini or shiitake, trimmed and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup Merlot or other spicy red wine
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent. Add 1/4 cup of the broth to the pan to prevent onion from burning. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until they release their liquid and become tender. Stir in garlic, rosemary and thyme and continue to cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add wine and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 2 cups broth and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together tamari, yeast and cornstarch to form a thick paste. Add mixture to the skillet, whisking constantly to make sure paste dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pepper and serve gravy hot.
Apple Crisp
- 1/2 cup date paste
- 1 cup unsweetened plain milk alternative
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Hot Cereal or Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup raisins
- 2 t vanilla
- 2 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t nutmeg
- 8 apples, sliced with skin on
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Mix all ingredients, except apples and raisins, in a large bowl. Divide mixture in half. Add apples and raisins to one half of mixture and toss until well coated.
Pour into a 9×9 baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, stir once, add other half of oatmeal mixture to the top and bake for 30 more minutes or until topping is crisp. Serve warm with Cashew Cream.
Cashew Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked for 1 hour (at least)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plain milk alternative of your choice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 dates, pitted
Mix in food processor or blender. Adjust milk for desired texture and thickness.
Date Paste
- 2 cups pitted dates
- 1/2 cup water
Place in a blender and blend until creamy. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.