Thanksgiving - Then and Now

As I wrote out my Thanksgiving menu for a party of ten I marveled at the differences between this menu and what it would have been just a few years ago.  I'm still compromising for the sake of my (Standard American Diet) company but here are a few notable examples of changes for the better:

                                                                 

                                 I'd like to add  one more veg dish, either fresh steamed Brussels sprouts with a flax meal and grainy mustard dip, or roasted root veggies like beets, carrots and parsnips.  I didn't address dessert here because other people are providing them...but I have ideas!

Stuffed Squash With a Shortcut and Some Questions

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This squash was stuffed with Vigo's Red Beans and Rice which I cooked on the stove top (without adding the butter!)while the squash was baking.  I added a medium bunch of kale, cut up, halfway through the 20 minute cooking time.  If I were making it for company I would probably sprinkle some nuts or grated cheese on top and bake it to brown the top but since I was cooking for myself I just spooned the rice mix into the half acorn squash when it finished baking and ate it with a salad.  It was very tasty, hearty and satisfying.  I added no additional seasoning since the rice package comes fully seasoned. 

 This is an easy dish and looks nice to serve to others but I do have one concern.  When I looked up the nutritional information online it said, "totally fat free" and "0 calories from fat"; however, the label says one serving contains 1 gram of fat, 0 grams sat. fat.  So where are the 9 calories from the 1 gram of fat?  Also, the Ingredients list includes "Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed and Soybean Oil".  What?  Is there a minimum amount required before it has to be listed as part of the Nutrition Facts or Calories?  Now I feel like I've lost one of my favorite quick foods.  I'm going to work on a good combination of seasonings for my beans and rice dishes that does not include hydrogenated oil and all those other additives.

Glazed Acorn Squash for Priscilla

Christmas is to children as the honeymoon is to newlyweds as harvest season is to a vegetarian!

Erich and I cooked dinner for Priscilla's 92nd birthday tonight and I know she loves squash so I made this simple but impressive looking version.

Glazed Acorn Squash

                                                             

Slice the squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and slice into eight wedges.  Spray with oil spray and bake on a cookie sheet covered with non-stick aluminum foil at 400 for about 45 minutes.  Drizzle with a little maple syrup (don't even THINK about using "pancake syrup!) and bake another 15 minutes.
Note:  I ran out of time and ended up microwaving the squash for about 6 minutes thereby reducing the baking time by about 30 minutes.

It looks like Priscilla enjoyed her birthday dinner!
(And it looks like I need to de-clutter my frig door)

                                                                                

Seasonal Soup

This recipe started out with butter, heavy cream, and oil...why would you ever need all three?  After making healthy changes I think it tastes so much better.  If you're going to make squash soup shouldn't you taste squash?  And some tasty freshly grated spices...

 Butternut Squash Soup

Bake (or boil) 4# butternut squash, 1 very large or 2 medium

Sautee 1 large chopped onion in veg. broth with 2 bay leaves.

Add the squash and the rest of the can of veg. broth

Add:  4t brown sugar

           1-2 T  fresh ginger, grated

            1-2t  cinnamon

           1/4t  fresh grated nutmeg

            1/4t  fresh ground allspice

            1-2 t salt, pepper to taste

Blend with hand blender until creamy but a little chunky

Add 1 cup almond milk, more if you prefer a thinner or creamier soup

Serve with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil 

A plate of julienned veggies added crunch and more nutrients.
The beets were from the farm market and sooo good and sweet!

                                      

Welcome, Dawn!!

The title, "Welcome, Dawn!!" sounds like new beginnings, a new day, right?  It also expresses my happiness at introducing my very good friend Dawn to this blog.  She has recently adopted the Nutritarian style of eating and  I asked her if she would help with the blog.  She's a great cook and artist so we intend to have fun with this!

Dawn was visiting this weekend and our breakfast this morning was a simple combination of bulgur wheat and quinoa cooked in a rice cooker together.  I chopped up an apple and heated it up with some fresh (or frozen) whole cranberries and a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar.  This made a great topping for the grains.  Next time I'll probably add walnut pieces and almond milk.  Yummy and quick!

Cranberry Apple cereal topping

         Tip:  make more grains than you need for one meal and use the leftovers for another.  Save 15-20 min.

Quick Mushroom Potato Soup

I had a few potatoes left from Robin's garden, Baby Bellas were on sale and this is what they became:
Quick Mushroom Potato Soup


Sautee in 1T oil:  1 large onion, chopped
                             3 cloves garlic, minced
                             8 oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
Add:  1 can vegetable broth
          3 small potatos, cubed
Season to taste with Oregano, Basil, Thyme, S&P

Blend with a hand blender until creamy and a little chunky.
Add 1c almond or soy milk (plain).  Serve.

Travel Eating

 Being a nutritarian or vegetarian in Austria would be a major challenge.  After three weeks spent living as the locals live I narrowed it down to the top three challenges.


1. The most common Früschtük (breakfast) is cold cuts and cheese with white bread.  When I tried to explain to someone that I don't eat much meat at home she looked at me in astonishment and said, "Then what do you eat for breakfast?!"
     Solution: in a word, Müsli (muesli, like granola)


2. After repeated attempts I could not get a salad with just veggies and dressing on the side.  The closest I got was this salad with eggs and cheese.  The creamy dressing was on the side all right but the greens were tossed in a generous serving of oil.  Once I even ordered a "lean gourmet salad" or Schlankschlemmersalat and received the same fare.  By the way, I did order it myself and handled the pronunciation amazingly well to the accolades of my fellow diners!
Solution:  I would keep trying.  Maybe if I asked for a salad without dressing rather than "on the side"?


3. Snacks.  They always involve meat, usually processed, fatty, and organ meats like liverwurst, and cheese and eggs.  These offerings look quite beautiful esthetically but you can see what I mean.

Thick chunks of cheese and meat, sausage and smoked bacon

A variety of cold cuts, bacon, eggs

Liverwurst, assorted pates of liver, fish and cheese

Then there are the comfort foods served by wonderful friends and family...

Weisswurst, (white sausage) and
fresh baked pretzels with beer at
Erika and Wolfgang's house

Wiener Schnitzel
 (traditional fried pork cutlet dish from Vienna)
lovingly made by Hermi Weitschegger

Solution:  eat all the veggies and sample the rest in very small portions and eat slowly sipping the wine and enjoying the lively Austrian music and conversation!


P.S. I chose not to address the dessert issue here....  

Chocolate Sachertorte, 
a popular torte originating in Vienna

frittierte Krapfen

Fresh home baked apple streudel!
That's me and Hermi

Apfelstrudel