Thai-Inspired Squash & Peanut Soup with Lime & Cilantro

Ingredients
2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 c. vegetable stock
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger root, minced or grated
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1-14 oz. can coconut milk
2 tbsp. Thai red curry paste
1/2 c. natural peanut butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
1/3 c. cilantro, finely chopped
cilantro and peanuts, for garnish
Sriracha sauce, for serving

Directions
Peel the butternut squash and cut into cubes. Put the squash cubes and vegetable stock into the slow cooker, season squash generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the squash is soft enough to mash easily. When it's soft, use an immersion blender or potato masher to puree the squash.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and saute until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, minced ginger, and diced red bell pepper and saute about a minute more. Then add the coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, and peanut butter and heat just until the curry paste and peanut butter is melted into the coconut milk.  Add the brown sugar and soy sauce.

Stir the coconut milk mixture into the pureed squash, turn slow cooker to low and cook for one hour more. Stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice and cook about 15 minutes more. Serve hot, garnished with more chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts if desired. If you'd like more heat, shake in a little Sriracha Sauce.

Serves 4 to 6.

Enchilada Skillet

I found this recipe on www.plainchicken.com, but obviously needed to adjust to accommodate my meatless preference. This is quick and easy, and tastes very similar to traditional enchiladas without all the work! 

Ingredients

2 c. mixed veggies, like zucchini, carrots, and red peppers, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1-12 oz. jar enchilada sauce 

1-15 oz. can black beans

1/4 c. vegetable broth

1 c. salsa

1/2 c. heavy cream

8 oz. pasta, like penne or campanelle

1 c. cheese, shredded

2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a 12-inch skillet, until hot. Add onions, garlic, and veggies until slightly softened. They don't need to be completely cooked because they will continue to cook with the pasta. Add enchilada sauce, black beans, broth, cream, salsa, and pasta. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until pasta is tender. Remove skillet from heat. Top with cheese and mix in. Serve with chopped cilantro. 

NOTE: I believe this would work well in a crockpot! Just toss in all the ingredients and cook on low for several hours. Check often to make sure veggies are not mushy and pasta is tender. 

Serves 4. 

Habanero & Cashew Chili

Ingredients

16 oz. tomato puree

1 bottle dark beer (stout)

2 small/medium yellow onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 habanero peppers, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 banana pepper, chopped (or another bell pepper)

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 c. cooked black beans (or 1 can)

1 1/2 c. cooked white beans (or 1 can)

1/2 c. cashew pieces

1/2 c. bulgur

28 oz. can diced tomatoes

Directions

Put everything up through salt in crock pot, cook on low for 4 hours. Then add beans, cook for another 2 hours or so. About 1 hour prior to serving, add cashews, bulgur and diced tomatoes. Tasty topped with Greek yogurt!

Serves 4 with leftovers. 

Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Ingredients
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1-16 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. frozen corn
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 c. cheese, shredded and divided
2-16 ounce jars of your favorite salsa or enchilada sauce
12 6"-8" tortillas, flour or corn
Optional: 1 cup leftover meat


DirectionsIn a medium bowl, mix together the onion, pepper, black beans, corn, spices, meat (if using), and just 1/2 cup of the cheese. Pour about a cup of salsa (half a jar) into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it around evenly. Scoop about 1/3 cup into one of the tortillas, roll it up, and nestle it into the bottom of the crock pot. Repeat with the half of the remaining filling, rolling tortillas until the entire bottom of of the crock pot is filled. Spread another cup of salsa over this layer and sprinkle it with another 1/2 cup of cheese.
Continue with the remaining filling and tortillas to create a second layer. Top with another cup of salsa, but reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese for later. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the leftover cheese over the top and let it melt. Serve the enchiladas with the remaining salsa. Leftovers will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. 

To cook these enchiladas in the oven, layer the rolled tortillas in a 9x13 baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Chickpea, Squash & Red Lentil Stew

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp. olive or canola oil
1 large carrot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2-3 tsp. garam masala
1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs.), peeled and chopped
1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes in tomato juice
1 qt. vegetable broth
1 c. red lentils
2-15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 tsp. sea salt (to taste)
fresh cilantro, minced (for serving)

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds, and then add the garam masala, stirring well to coat. Take off heat.

Place the chickpeas, butternut squash, canned diced tomatoes, red lentils, vegetable broth and onion mixture in your slow cooker. Turn the heat on LOW and cook for 8-10 hours...the longer you cook, the thicker your stew will be.

Season with sea salt to taste, and serve. This stew freezes extremely well and will keep in the fridge for up to five days.

Vegetable Pot Pie

This dish lends itself to creativity and leftovers. Use the veggies you've got in the fridge!

Ingredients
2 tsp. honey
¼ to ½ cup white wine or vegetable stock
1 c. chopped onion
1 shallot, minced
1 c. thinly sliced celery
1 c. diced red bell pepper
⅔ c. thinly sliced carrot
⅔ c. sliced frozen green beans
⅓ c. frozen peas
⅓ c. whole wheat flour
1 c. milk (2% works well)
2 c. vegetable stock (1 ½ for a creamier consistency)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 tsp. salt or low-sodium soy sauce
½ tsp. dried thyme (1 tsp. for fresh)
¼ tsp. dried sage (1/2 tsp. for fresh)
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
Canned buttermilk biscuits

Directions
Coat an 8-inch casserole dish with vegetable cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In heavy saucepan, heat wine or stock over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper, carrot, green beans and peas. If mixture begins to dry out, add 1/4 cup more wine or vegetable stock. Cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes.

In glass measuring cup, combine milk and 2 cups vegetable stock. Slowly add to vegetable mixture while whisking constantly. Sauce will start to thicken. Add parsley, salt or soy sauce, thyme, sage, pepper and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until filling is thickened. Remove from heat, transfer mixture to prepared casserole and set aside. Note: If sauce doesn’t thicken, add 2 tbsp. corn starch mixed with cold water and a little of the stock.

Lay biscuits lightly over filling. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

UPDATE: This recipe works well in the crockpot! Just toss the ingredients in and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. I noticed that the milk separated a little... so it might make sense to cook with broth only and then add dairy later on...

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Ingredients
1 c. lentils
1 1/2 to 2 c. water
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1-2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
1 tsp. oregano
1 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. barbecue sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Combine the lentils and the water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender. Saute the onions in a little olive oil for about 2 minutes.  Add the brown sugar, oregano, and steak seasoning.  Saute until onions are tender. Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce,and  barbecue sauce. Add the lentils and cook until heated through. Serve on whole wheat buns.

UPDATE: This recipe works really well in the crockpot! Just toss the ingredients in and cook for 5-6 hours on low. I recommend going with 1 1/2 cups of water, instead of 2.