Anti-Arthritis, Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: Healing through Natural Foods
Yay! The time has finally arrived – the cookbook I shot and styled for Gary Null Power Foods arrived on my doorstep yesterday, HOT off the press!
I styled and shot this cookbook last August-September and it was a 6-week process with plenty of long days and nights, cooking, styling and shooting, with lots of laughter and intensity, for Gary Null’s new cookbook titled Anti-Arthritis, Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: Healing through Natural Foods. The cookbook has over 270 recipes that are Vegan, Vegetarian and Raw Food based on the premise of promoting a healthy diet while preventing and reversing arthritis, diabetes, cancer and inflammation through eating raw, vegan and power foods.
I worked with Gary and his editorial team throughout the process to interpret the recipes into appealing, fresh and healthy images for the cookbook. I also collaborated side by side with two amazing Chefs; Wes Wobles and William Shear, day and night (literally!) to turn the recipes into beautifully plated works of art which were styled meticulously in the kitchen and by myself on set, to create the perfect final beauty shot.
I’m very proud to have been the stylist and photographer on this awesome project and part of this dynamic project team that made the cookbook come to life in such a short time – it turned out beautifully with full color photos, a clean design and a comprehensive healthy eating program that might turn any meat-loving carnivore into a Vegan or Vegetarian just yet! The recipes are simple and easy to prepare with raw ingredients including grains, fruits, vegetables, and non-meat soy proteins flavored with plenty of fresh herbs and seasonings. There are recipes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Salads, Soups and Desserts plus plenty of sauces and dips along with healthy appetizers. Gary also explains the nutritional aspects to a Vegan and Vegetarian Raw food diet with an eating plan spelled out and easy to follow.
Light, healthy and fresh is the name of the game in this cookbook, and it’s arrived just in time for Spring to lighten up your diet and get healthy! Who knew eating meat-free could be so tasty? I just might give it a try 🙂
Kudos to the Cookbook Team!Kind Testimonial from Gary Null
Here’s a few of my favorite photos from the photoshoot:
Mushroom Bean Curry with Butternut SquashPoached Peaches with Raspberry SauceCoconut Cherry Ice CreamPenne Pasta and Kidney Bean SoupStewed PlumsFennel and Pecan Salad with PeachesSweet and Sour Bean StewChickpea Burger and Baked Sweet Potato ChipsSpaghetti with Eggplant MarinaraSticky Sweet Rice with PapayaLentil CurryBulgur and VegetablesBammie CakesApple Cinnamon French ToastBitters Sweet SaladMillet Coriander Stir Fry
And now for some fun behind the scenes shots on set:
Test ShootChef Wes Wobles in the KitchenKristen on set shooting garden scene
Making Homemade GranolaMaking CaramelArranging items on set
Plating the dish and prepping the shotSetting up the props for the final shot
Boil salted water in a large pot. Add lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions, drain, separate and set aside.
Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil on low heat in a large skillet. Cook onion and garlic for three or four minutes and place into a separate bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to skillet and cook mushrooms, zucchini, spinach and carrots about 5-10 minutes until tender and add to onion and garlic mixture. Add one cup of the marinara sauce to the vegetables and heat through.
Spread one cup of the remaining marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 glass greased baking dish and layer with half of the noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with another layer of marinara sauce, noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese, sprinkling with remaining cheeses, salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes, cut lasagna into squares and top with fresh basil or parsley. Serve with a green salad and glass of light red wine.
Notes
Recipe can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator before baking. Can also be kept in the freezer tightly wrapped and reheated in the microwave for leftovers. For a Vegan version of the recipe: omit ricotta cheese and use Vegan soy-based cheese in place of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.
It’s that time of year again – holiday parties filled with plenty of cocktails, socializing and finger food much to our heart’s desire to celebrate this sparkly season. And what better thing to do than start thinking about planning a Holiday Cocktail Party with some fun recipes for cocktails and appetizers?
So here’s the lineup: Whiskey Sour with Stuffed Mushrooms, Classic Martini with Spiced Mixed Nuts, Mulled Wine with Cheese and Crackers, Pisco Sour, and a luscious White Russian for dessert. I know you’ll love all of these recipes for your next holiday cocktail party…Happy Holidays to all of you – CHEERS!
Whiskey Sour
Whiskey Sour
1 small lemon wedge
Turbinado sugar, for rimming glass
1/4 cup bourbon, preferably Maker’s Mark
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, preferably organic
1 cup ice cubes
Rub the lemon wedge around the rim of a 12-ounce rocks glass. Place turbinado sugar in a shallow dish. Dip the rim of the glass in the sugar to coat; set aside.
In a large cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, orange juice, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and ice. Cover, and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and cold. Pour into prepared glass, and garnish with orange slice.
Stuffed Mushrooms
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
Garlic salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3-4 tablespoons EVOO
16 large white mushrooms, stemmed
White Truffle Oil (a few sprays or 1-2 tablespoons for brushing)
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped fine
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Stem the mushrooms and chop the stems into fine pieces, set aside. In a mixing bowl, blend together bread crumbs, cheese, chopped mushroom stems, garlic, parsley, chile flakes, garlic salt and pepper with EVOO. Adjust olive oil amount to your liking until filling is soft and blended well.
Stuff mushroom caps (cavity side up) with the filling (generously) on a greased baking sheet. Spray or brush truffle oil on outer mushroom caps.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until mushrooms are golden brown. Garnish with fresh mint.
Makes 16 servings.
Classic Martini
Classic Dry Martini
1 2/3 oz Gin
1/3 oz Dry Vermouth
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with twist of lemon peel or olives.
Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup cashews
3/4 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Dash Louisiana-style hot sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the salt and spices; set aside. In a large heavy skillet, melt butter. Add cashews, pecans and cashews; cook over medium heat until nuts are lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with spice mixture. Add the brown sugar, water, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until sugar is melted.
Place nuts on a large baking sheet lined with foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until nuts are golden brown. Remove from oven and let nuts cool before serving. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 2 cups.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Mulled Red Wine with Brown Sugar
Mulled Red Wine with Brown Sugar
Two bottles of fruity red wine (Zinfandel or Merlot)
Zest strips from one orange
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
Put the peppercorns, fennel seeds and cinnamon in a large tea ball or wrap them in cheesecloth and secure them with kitchen string. In a large saucepan, combine aromatics with the wine, bay leaves and orange zest.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered for 30 minutes. Remove the aromatics and orange zest strips. Stir in the sugar until dissolved.
Serve warm in glasses or mugs with a variety of cheeses and crackers and spiced nuts.
Recipe from Food and Wine Cocktails.
Pisco Sour
Pisco Sour
2 oz Pisco
1 oz Lemon or Lime Juice
1-2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1/4 oz Sugar
1/2 Egg White
Shake all ingredients except bitters with ice. Strain into champagne flutes.
Dash with bitters and drag with a toothpick to make design.
White Russian
White Russian
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Kahlua
Half and Half Cream
Pour coffee liqueur and vodka into ice-filled old fashioned glass and fill with milk or cream.
Alternatively you can shake it all up in a cocktail mixer and strain over ice.
Garnish with coffee beans or cocoa powder.
In 2008, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund partnered with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to launch the NYC Green Cart Initiative, which uses mobile food carts to increase the availability of fruits and vegetables in these underserved neighborhoods in and around NYC.
The initiative has created hundreds of new jobs and has become a national model for expanding access to healthy foods.
NYC Green Cart Initiative’s Fresh Food Pack
The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund has partnered with the James Beard Foundation to publish the Fresh Food Pack series, including bilingual recipe cards, produce storage tips, and a fun facts and informationabout food for kids. The goal of the recipe cards, which feature produce available from NYC Green Carts, is to provide people living in underserved communities with the tools they need to buy, cook and eat healthier meals.
Prior to producing the Fresh Food Pack, the Illumination Fund created the NYC Green Cart Cookbook (launched in March 2011), which is still available electronically here.
Also, check out some of the great recipes from the Fall/Winter Fresh Food Pack below – enjoy!
Click on the image above to see some great tips for cooking Fall and Winter vegetables!
Click on the image above to see some great exercises and tips for kids to educate them on healthy eating and fruits and vegetables!
The holidays are here, and what better way to celebrate by throwing a holiday cocktail party with friends and family? I’ve teamed up with Colavita this season to celebrate with all of you, by creating  some delicious Holiday Appetizer recipes using their World Selection and Private SelectionExtra Virgin Olive Oils and Flavored Cooking Oil blends.Â
Colavita Olive Oil Giveaway!
*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED – Congratulations to Manda Kay, the winner of our Colavita holiday giveaway! Hope you cook up lots of goodies with your EVOO & Balsamic Glace! Happy Holidays 🙂
I’ve teamed up with Colavita this holiday season and giving away some of their delicious olive oils and balsamic vinegars so you can celebrate the season by cooking up some holiday goodies of your own! The winner will receive:Â one (1) 3/4 liter of Colavita Private Selection Fruttato EVOO, one (1) 32 oz Roasted Garlic EVOO plus one (1) 29.5 oz bottle of their Balsamic Glace.Â
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave me a comment at the end of this post telling me what your favorite Holiday Appetizer to make with olive oil is.
*For extra entries, just follow me on twitter, facebook, pinterest, google+, tumblr or sign up for my newsletter (at the top right hand side of this page) and tell me you did so in the comments section. **As an added bonus, Colavita is also offering a 25% discount to all of my readers on any purchase in their online store. Simply enter the code ‘AG25’ to receive the discount upon checkout!
**This giveaway begins on Sunday, Dec 9th and ends Sunday Dec 23rd at midnight EST, where one person will be selected by random from the comments section below.**
Colavita World Selection Olive Oils are a new collection of extra virgin olive oils exploring the tradition in countries outside of italy from estates and farms in Australia, Argentina, California, Greece, Spain and Portugal as well as other prime olive oil growing nations. Read more about a few of my favorites that I used in my recipes below!
Colavita 100% Californian EVOO
The warm climate in the “Golden State” of California fosters both grape and olive cultivation perfect for wines and olive oils. The Colavita 100% Californian EVOO is pressed from olives grown in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys of California. The mild flavor makes this oil perfect for all culinary applications. Enrich your favorite meal with a drizzle of EVOO and a glass of wine.
Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO is a product originally created exclusively for BJ’s Wholesale Stores. To many it has become the “gateway product” that exposes customers to the entire Colavita family of products. It is raved about on their online store so we wanted to share it with all of you! It’s the perfect finishing oil and wonderful for enhancing garlic already present in your dish. Try it on Garlic Bread or my Homemade Pita Chips (recipe below).
The Argentina EVOO was a hands-down favorite at this year’s New York Wine and Food Festival. Arbequino, Coratina and Manzanilla olive cultivars grown in the Catamarca and Mendoza regions of Argentina give this EVOO and intense, fruity aroma and taste. Pair this EVOO with soups, roasted fish, grilled vegetables and red meat for an unbeatable duo.
Colavita’s Fruttato Oil has recently been inducted into the Colavita “Private Selection” line. This line was created to highlight the products which have received the honor of being marked a Colavita family favorite. It is made by cold pressing new harvest olives just before their peak ripeness. The result is a full bodied EVOO which is slightly pungent with peppery flavor notes.
This Colavita Premium Blend is an all-purpose cooking, frying, and salad dressing oil which combines the delicate hint of roasted garlic in a light Canola Oil and Virgin Olive Oil Blend. It is a versatile oil that is naturally low in saturated fats and has no trans fats.
These yummy sweet and spicy Asian Chicken bites combine honey, soy sauce, orange and Sriracha to make a fun bite-sized appetizer with a delicious glaze.
This is a lovely tart recipe that combines sweet and savory flavors. The caramelized onions give it a sweet flavor with a hint of fig balsamic vinegar, balanced out by creamy ricotta, nutty Gruyere cheese, fresh herbs and crispy pancetta.
Ingredients
1 package pancetta (8 thin slices)
3 tablespoons Colavita Fruttato EVOO
2 sweet Vidalia onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1-1 1/2 tablespoons Fig balsamic vinegar (Tavern Direct brand)
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoons dried Fines Herbes (or 2 tablespoons fresh herbs)
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 frozen pie shell, defrosted, or homemade tart dough
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook pancetta until browned but not fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain fat from pan and place pancetta on paper towels to drain to the side. Once cooled, chop pancetta into small pieces.
Peel onions, remove top and bottom stems and cut in half lengthwise.
Slice onions thin (about 1/8" thick or desired thickness).
In the same saute pan, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium high heat.
Add onions and cook over medium high for about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle brown sugar, salt and pepper over onions and stir well, cook another 10-20 minutes, reducing heat to medium low if onions start to brown too quickly.
Continue cooking and stirring onions over medium low for another 15 minutes, add a few teaspoons of water if desired.
Add the fig balsamic vinegar to the onions, turn heat down to low and let cook until they are caramelized, soft and sweet, up to an hour total.
Combine the ricotta, egg yolk and Fines Herbes together in small mixing bowl.
Spread the ricotta mixture over the pie shell in a 9" tart pan with removeable bottom.
Sprinkle Gruyere cheese over ricotta.
Top with caramelized onions and pancetta.
Bake the tart in the oven for approximately 30-45 minutes until pastry and filling are golden brown, and pancetta is crispy.
Let tart cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Serve tart cut into wedges.
Notes
If you prefer to make your own tart dough rather than using a frozen pie crust, Martha Stewart has a great recipe for Flaky Tart Dough on her website at http://www.marthastewart.com/319448/flaky-tart-dough
Hot Artichoke dip is one of my all time favorite holiday dip recipes, and this one is extra special, using Colavita's California EVOO, lemon zest and minced garlic with lots of gooey cheese. Instead of using mayonnaise, I substitute a light sour cream to cut some of the fat and calories. Serve with my homemade baked pita chips or crackers.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Colavita California extra virgin olive oil
1 package frozen artichokes, defrosted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
Garlic salt with parsley (to taste)
Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded light monterey jack cheese, plus 1/2 cup for topping
1/2 cup light sour cream
dash of cayenne (optional)
dash of paprika (for garnish)
1 green onion, sliced thin (for garnish)
Instructions
Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add artichokes and minced garlic, saute about 5-7 minutes until heated through.
Add lemon juice, zest, garlic salt and pepper, mix well and cook another few minutes, set aside.
Meanwhile, add shredded cheeses and sour cream together in a mixing bowl.
Add sauteed artichokes, garlic and lemon to cheese and sour cream.
Sprinkle with a dash of cayenne (if desired), mix well and transfer to a casserole dish.
Sprinkle additional monterey jack cheese over the top and bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted on top.
Let cool a few minutes, sprinkle with paprika and green onions. Serve with homemade baked pita chips (recipe follows), crackers or crudites.
Making homemade pita chips is super easy and way better than buying the storebought kind for your holiday party. Mine are made with whole wheat pita bread, drizzled with EVOO, and sprinkled with garlic salt and cumin for some extra flavor. So delicious and crispy straight out of the oven and so addicting you'll never buy them again! Serve with Hot Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip or any of your other favorite party dips.
Ingredients
6 whole wheat pita rounds
2 tablespoons Colavita California EVOO
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon cumin
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut pita rounds into triangles (6 wedges per pita).
Lay out pita wedges on a baking sheet and brush each wedge with olive oil.
Sprinkle garlic salt and cumin on top.
Flip over pita wedges, repeat coating with oil, salt and cumin.
Place baking sheet(s) in oven and cook pita wedges for about 15 minutes (checking to make sure they don't burn!)
Let cool, and serve with Hot Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip.
Everyone loves cocktail meatballs at holiday parties! These lovelies have a hint of lemon and sage and are light and fluffy, made with ground pork or chicken. They are first browned on the stovetop and then finished in the oven until golden brown. They're delicious alone, or dipped in a hot pepper jelly (Williams-Sonoma brand is great), balsamic pear jam (there's one by Academia Barilla that is to die for) or simply dipped in balsamic vinegar glace.
Red Pepper jelly, for dipping (Williams Sonoma brand)
Balsamic Pear jam, for dipping (Academia Barilla brand)
Colavita Balsamic Glace, for dipping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove crusts from bread and tear into small pieces in a large mixing bowl, add milk and let soak for 10-15 minutes.
Mix in ground pork or chicken, sage, garlic, onion, lemon juice and zest, cheese, pepper flakes, egg, salt and pepper with soaked bread crumbs with your hands in a claw-like motion to keep meatballs light and fluffy.
Roll meat mixture into small to medium size meatballs (small makes approximately 36, medium makes approximately 18).
Heat olive oils in a large saute pan over medium heat (if not using cooking oil blend, mix EVOO with a tablespoon of butter to avoid temperature from getting too high and splattering).
Cook meatballs in batches in the oil for about 5 minutes each batch until meatballs are browned on all sides, drain on paper towels.
Once all meatballs are browned, place them on a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
Bake in the oven for approximately another 15 minutes until cooked through and to keep warm.
Top with additional garlic salt (if desired), fresh chopped sage, and serve with red pepper jelly and balsamic pear jam, and Colavita Balsamic Glace for dipping.
These zucchini sticks are a great appetizer for any holiday party. They have a light crunchy coating of Japanese Panko seasoned bread crumbs and are finished with a splash of lemon and sprinkling of sea salt. They go perfect with the cool and creamy yogurt dill sauce or even a ranch dressing for dipping.
Ingredients
CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI STICKS
Colavita Roasted Garlic Cooking Oil Blend
4 medium zucchini, cut into half, into long strips
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cups Panko Japanese-style seasoned breadcrumbs
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 large eggs
Sea salt, for sprinkling, to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Fresh minced dill, for garnish
YOGURT DILL SAUCE
1 cup of Greek yogurt
2-3 tablespoon minced dill
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI STICKS
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large deep saute pan, about 2 inches high.
Trim ends off zucchini, cut in half and then in half again lengthwise.
Cut zucchini into large strips about 1/2 an inch thick.
Pour the flour and Panko breadcrumbs into one large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
Dip zucchini sticks in egg, shaking off excess, then dip in bowl to coat with flour and breadcrumbs.
Place coated zucchini on a baking sheet.
Fry in batches until golden brown, draining excess oil on another baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of zucchini and sprinkle with fresh dill and additional sea salt to taste.
YOGURT DILL SAUCE
In a medium bowl, mix together greek yogurt, dill, salt and pepper to taste.
*This is a sponsored post by Colavita, but as usual, all opinions expressed are my own. I received 5 bottles of Colavita olive oil samples to create the recipes for this article and holiday promotion. Winners of the giveaway will receive the prizes directly from Colavita by mail and should expect 2-3 weeks delivery time due to the holidays.Â
**All photographs, recipes and copy are copyrighted by Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet 2012 and cannot be republished without my permission or credit on the reposted original material from this article or website.
I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite Fall veggies to make is Squash. I absolutely love the buttery, savory smell of it roasting in the oven and it’s so easy to make.
There are plenty of different varieties of Squash, but one of the most popular ones to make for the holidays is Butternut Squash, which has a sweet, creamy, buttery flesh. Other popular Squash varieties include Kabocha, Acorn, Spaghetti, Long Neck and Cheddar Cheese squash. There are different ways to prepare squash but the easiest and most flavorful way is by roasting it in the oven on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes to an hour. Simply cut the squash in half (or peel and cut into medium chunks or slices), scoop out the seeds and fibrous flesh and drizzle with olive oil or butter, some fresh cracked pepper and sea salt, and sprinkle on some brown sugar or drizzle with honey or maple syrup for a luscious, buttery, sweet and savory dish.
You can also sprinkle on some fresh herbs (parsley, sage, thyme, chives, tarragon) and garlic or add a dash of cayenne or cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for some spicy layers of flavor. Some ideas for the squash leftovers are to add the roasted squash to Macaroni and Cheese, Wild Rice or Orzo, or make a healthy salad by adding it to some spinach, chard or kale, apples, some toasted walnuts or pecans, cranberries or pomegranate seeds, tossed in a light herb vinaigrette dressing. However you make it, it’s simply delicious; and perfect as a Thanksgiving side or Fall vegetarian side dish.
Check out the different types of squash on Saveur.com website and enjoy my favorite squash recipes below!
Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar Butter and Herbs
Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar Butter and Herbs
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon sea salt (Pink Himalayan or Fleur de Sel)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Fines Herbes (parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the squash in half cross-wise and remove top and bottom stems. Scrape out all the seeds and fibers inside; discard. Peel the squash and cut into 1-inch chunks.
Place squash on a large baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Dot with small chunks of butter and sprinkle nutmeg, salt and pepper, brown sugar and herbs over squash. Mix together and place sheet in preheated oven.
Bake for about 15 minutes, stir the squash around the pan. Bake for another 15 minutes and remove from oven.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
Heat oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half with a large knife and scoop out the seeds and insides with a large spoon; discard.
Place squash halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub on both sides of squash. Dot squash with butter and season with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar. Drizzle maple syrup over the squash. Add some water to the bottom of the baking sheet (about an inch) and place in oven.
Roast squash for 45 minutes to an hour, until flesh is soft and caramelized. (You may want to check on the squash half way through and brush some of the butter and syrup over the tops of the squash as it's baking to keep it from drying out.)
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts, Sage and Parmesan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
1 small spaghetti squash (about 2-3 pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
6-8 sage leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F.
Pierce squash all over with a knife and roast spaghetti squash for 1 hour. When squash pierces easily with a knife, remove from oven; let cool for 10-15 minutes.
Cut squash in half lengthwise, remove and discard seeds. Use a large fork to scrape the squash into long 'spaghetti-like' strands.
Crush the sage leaves in the garlic oil mixture, and then pour it over the warmed squash. Add the additional tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper and top with toasted pine nuts and shredded parmesan cheese.
I always look forward to the season change to Autumn – there’s something calming to the beautiful colors of the leaves, the cooler temperatures, and sunny skies. It’s a time of harvesting and celebration of autumnal fruits of the earth mixed with a sadness for the upcoming cold Winter months.
I love the heartier, warming foods Autumn brings, and there’s nothing better than a delicious bowl of homemade soup. It reminds me of when I was a kid – my Mom would always have a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove to warm us up after a day outside romping in the leaves in the brisk, cool weather. Mom’s soup was always something to look forward to and a safe haven to come home to.
This recipe for Italian White Bean, Vegetable & Pasta Soup is a simple and nutritious soup chock full of fresh vegetables and herbs, pasta and Italian Great Northern white beans. It’s great topped with some freshly grated cheese, served with crusty bread and a leafy green salad.
The good news with vegetable soup is you can substitute just about any veggies you want – throw in some kale or spinach, zucchini, green beans, peas, corn; whatever your heart desires. It’s healthy and filling and warming to the soul.
And it’s definitely worth taking a romp in the leaves if you know there’s a pot of goodness on the stove waiting for you.
Add the pasta, white beans, salt and pepper to taste, paprika, fennel seed, chopped fresh herbs, water and vegetable stock; cover and simmer over medium-low for 30 to 40 minutes until cooked through and vegetables are tender. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, and extra stock or water to adjust desired consistency and thickness.
Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and freshly grated cheese; serve with crusty Italian bread and a leafy green salad.
Notes
Feel free to substitute or add any veggies you like to the soup: Zucchini, Green Beans, Squash, Corn, Peas, etc.
Adjust thinness or thickness of soup by adding more or less broth and/or water to the soup while it cooks down.
Spinach, Cheese & Green Onion Pie with Dill and Fines Herbes
There’s nothing better than a fresh baked pie on a dreary, Fall day. I decided to make a savory pie (quiche) with some fresh spinach, green onions, garlic, dill, Fines Herbes, eggs, milk, Parmesan and Sharp White Cheddar cheese I had on hand. So easy, and the perfect comfort food to warm you up on a gray day like today.
I used store-bought frozen pie crusts to save time and make my life easier, but if you’re in the mood to make your own pie crust, here’s a great basic recipe by Martha Stewart. If you’re into gluten-free, check out this pie crust recipe by Bea Peltre of La Tartine Gourmande. You can also make or cut the dough into smaller mini pies or use this recipe filling for a 9-inch tart if you prefer. This is a vegetarian recipe, but would also be fantastic with a little bit of crispy bacon or prosciutto and asparagus or broccoli if you’re not a spinach fan. You can also substitute Gruyere or Fontina cheese in place of the shredded White Cheddar if you like. Serve with leafy greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette and a latte or glass of white wine, and you’ve got a fantastic brunch! Enjoy.
Spinach, Cheese & Green Onion Pie with Dill and Fines Herbes
Rating: 41
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (or handmade pie dough)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thin
1- 5 ounce package fresh baby spinach leaves
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried Fines Herbes
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg (a few sprinkles)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded White Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Let frozen pie shell defrost and place in a 9 inch pie pan.
Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute spinach for a few minutes until wilted. Add minced garlic and green onions and saute for another minute or so. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk, herbs and seasonings. Add Parmesan cheese to egg mixture and stir well.
Place the spinach, garlic and onion mixture over the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over the top. Pour egg, milk and herbs mixture over the cheese, spreading evenly inside the pie crust.
Bake pie in oven for 45 minutes until eggs are firmly set and crust is browned. If crust edges start browning too quickly, cover them with some foil half way through.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool and firm up for 10-15 minutes.
Slice into wedges and serve with a green salad.
Notes
*Alternative Recipe Suggestions: Add some crispy bacon or prosciutto to the quiche, substitute Gruyere or Fontina for Cheddar, or use asparagus or broccoli instead of spinach.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a special press dinner in support of the upcoming launch of Jackson Landers’s book, ‘Eating Aliens’ and of Matthew Weingarten and Raquel Pelzel’s book, ‘Preserving Wild Foods.’  The dinner was a preview of some of the recipes from their upcoming book launches this Fall with Storey Publishing, held at the lovely cooking school and event space at Haven’s Kitchen in NYC. I met the Chefs and Authors, publishers and other journalists from the food media world. We learned about invasive species and foraging wild foods as well as the philosophy behind sustainable eating, hunting and cooking and sampled wild and amazingly delicious dishes from their books.
Haven’s Kitchen NYC
So what kind of wild food did we actually eat? Delicious food it was, but stuff you wouldn’t normally think of or hear about or see on a restaurant menu for a Saturday night dinner out on the town. We ate Dandelion Jelly Toasts, Pan-fried Snakehead (a large, black, meaty invasive fish that is absolutely delicious and tastes like swordfish!), Lionfish with Furikake Seaweed Salt (my favorite dish of the night, see recipe below), Chinese Mystery Snails, Fiddlehead Ferns, Wild Ramp Pesto, Pickled Garlic Scapes, Pickled Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms with Crostini (another one of my favorites! see recipe below), Homemade Sausage, and Duck Prosciutto, Mulberry Shortcakes and more delicious wild, foraged foods.
This event was a great learning, tasting and meet and greet experience with other foodies and talented chefs, hunters and cookbook authors. They made this wild food taste so good it made me want to start foraging my own wild mushrooms, ramps and berries and start canning and pickling my own gourmet creations, while supporting sustainably and reducing the amount of invasive species around the world all at the same time. I can’t say I’ll be hunting my own game or diving to catch fish with my bare hands anytime soon – I’ll leave that to the masters that I met that evening…
Matthew Weingarten is a New York City-based chef who has garnered great acclaim for his heritage comfort food. His food reflects a strong sense of place and season, and he is a committed proponent of sustainability and authenticity. He is a director on the board of Chefs Collaborative and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Read more/pre-order ‘Preserving Wild Foods’ Cookbook online.
Raquel Pelzel
Award-winning writer Raquel Pelzel has collaborated with professional chefs on thirteen cookbooks, including the James Beard-nominatedDamGoodSweet and Masala Farm. She is a former editor at Cook’s Illustrated and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Check out Raquel’s website for more info on her background, cookbooks and recipes.
Another great video “Close to the Bone” – An intimate and suspenseful portrait about hunting, sustainability and love by videographer Helenah Swedburg.
Here’s a couple of my favorite recipes from the Preserving Wild Foods Cookbook that we sampled at the press event. Enjoy!
Toast the spices over medium-high heat until fragrant and the fennel seeds take on a bit of color, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir in the salt and continue to cook until the salt is warmed through, another 1 minute.
Pour the salt and spices over the mushrooms and herbs and set aside while you make the pickling liquid. In a medium saucepan, boil
2 cups water
1 cup fruity olive oil
1/2 cup aged sherry vinegar
1/4 cup dried currants
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
Pour over the mushrooms, tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the liquid is at room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
Sterlize the jars and divide the mushrooms among the still-warm jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Clean the rim of the jars with a clean kitchen towel before covering with the lids. Fasten the lid and band. Set up a hot water bath and submerge the jars placing gently on a canning rack, covering with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
When processing is complete, use the canning tongs to transfer the hot jars to a kitchen towel-lined surface. Listen for the pops of the seals as the jars cool.
The next day, test the seal by pressing on the center of the lid (it shouldn’t bounce back). Simply put the jar in the fridge and use right away.
Store in a cool, dark, dry place preferably between 50 and 70 degrees F, for up to a year.
Eat alone or serve on an antipasti platter with smoked, cured meats, cheeses and vegetables with crusty bread or crostini and crackers.
Makes 2 pints (four 8 oz jars).
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Furikake Seaweed Salt (Fish and Meat Seasoning)
Furikake gives a blast of umami to the most ordinary of meals. Sprinkle it on plain sticky rice and any type of noodle, simply prepared steamed veggies and lightly grilled or pan-seared meats and fish. The sesame seeds reduce the amount of salt in the seasoning and the mineral-rich seaweeds ensure that you’re body gets what its craving when you hanker for a salty snack.
In a small bowl,
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
and set aside. Heat a medium skillet over medium-low and pour in
1 cup sesame seeds
Toast the sesame seeds, stirring often, until they are golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the salt-sugar water over the sesame seeds. The liquid will bubble violently; once it calms down, stir the sesame seeds so they don’t clump. Reduce the heat to low and continue to toast the sesame seeds for 30 seconds. The pan will be almost dry at this point. Watch the seeds, as you don’t want the sugar to burn. Remove the pan from the heat and crumble in
2 sheets nori
1 (6-inch) sheet dulse (or  1/4 cup dry dulse flakes)
Set the pan back over low heat and stir the dulse and seeds. The seaweed will soften up a bit, and then become fragrant and dry. Once the seaweed is crisp again and dry to the touch, after about 30 seconds, remove the pan from the burner and turn out the seasoning onto a large platter to cool. Put the furikake into a glass jar or shaker and use to season anything that needs a wake-up call. (This is the seasoning we sampled on the Pan-Seared Lionfish – it was absolutely AH-MAZING!!!!)
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
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All photos credited to Kristen Hess, The Artful Gourmet. Copyright 2012. Please do not share or distribute any of the photos or videos on this website commercially or for personal use without permission from the respected owners.
I found a delicious recipe for a Grapefruit, Avocado and Fennel Salad that I had to make – it’s a fresh combination of healthy grapefruit, avocados and fennel with a light, tangy Asian Citrus dressing made with fruit juice, honey, olive and sesame oil and a little bit of onion and mustard. The original recipe called for a pound of fennel, but I switched it up by adding sliced celery and fresh salad mix (any lettuce will do but I used an Italian Romaine, green leaf and cabbage mix). I also added some some fresh grapefruit juice into the dressing and topped the salad with some sliced toasted almonds for some nutty flavor and crunch. You could also throw in some sesame seeds or sunflower seeds which would be great too. The original recipe called for twice the amount of dressing which I cut in half, and I recommend tossing the dressing on at the end instead of all together with the salad, to avoid any mushiness and to keep the veggies fresh and crunchy. If you want to double the dressing recipe below, use half of it as a marinade for some grilled chicken or shrimp and toss either of those into the salad for a full meal. Light, tangy, refreshing and delicious! Perfect summer salad – enjoy.
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Salad:
2 large pink grapefruits, sectioned
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cut into paper-thin slices
2 celery stalks, cut into thin slices
1 large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into thin slices
1 bag of fresh salad mix
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
To make the dressing: whisk together all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
To make the salad: cut the grapefruits in half, and cut around the edge and in between the pith, peel and cut out the wedges, removing all pith and peel. Trim the top and bottom off of the fennel bulb, remove the core and cut into paper thin slices. Cut celery into thin slices. Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Cut thin slices and remove the outer skin.
Toss salad mix into a large salad bowl, and add grapefruit wedges, fennel and celery slices and add dressing, tossing to coat. Top the salad with avocado slices and sliced toasted almonds and salt and pepper to taste.
