Roasted Baby Beets with Pasta

Mmmmm....

Once you taste this mouthwatering pasta dish made with sweet onion, basil, and  oven-roasted beets, you'll be amazed. And you'll understand why this particular combination of foods has been popular since Roman times. Beets have a subtle earthiness about them, and their bright red colour is a cheerful addition to any recipe. These humble little globes are a veritable storehouse of good nutrition, and are an excellent source of potassium, iron, calcium and Vitamin A.  Try this recipe, and you'll be surprised at the depth of flavour from such simple ingredients. Last time I served this dish to a friend, he had thirds! 

You'll Need: 12 small baby beets; 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soak, sprouted and air dried; 1 large sweet onion; 2 tablespoons almond cream or cream; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 cup small brown rice pasta tubes; 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon + 1 drizzle olive oil; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, salt to taste; 2 tablespoons hemp hearts; 2 tablespoons crumble goat milk or vegan seed feta cheese; 1 teaspoon dried thyme/oregano/summer savory blend.

Method: Remove tails and tops, and lightly scrub the beets with a vegetable brush. Place in a ovenproof dish, cover and bake in a slow oven, (325 degrees) until beets are soft. When cool enough to handle, slip off skins and set aside.  

Put sunflower seeds in a dry pan. Roast slowly over a low heat, stirring often, until seeds are lightly toasted, and very fragrant. Set aside.

Cut onion into small pieces. Put the olive oil in a small frying pan, add onion, and cook gently over medium heat until onions are soft and very sweet, almost beginning to caramelize. Stir Dijon mustard into almond cream and pour into pan stirring to form a thick sauce. Remove from heat.

Wash basil, and place in blender with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt. Pulse into a smooth pesto. Set aside.

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cool water, and put into a casserole dish. Cut beets into quarters, length-wise, and add to pasta. Pour onion mixture over beets and pasta, and mix thoroughly. Gently stir in sunflower seeds. Dot basil pesto over top of dish, and fold in. Sprinkle with cayenne and ground cloves. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and cover.

Bake in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle with hemp hearts, crumbled cheese and dried thyme/oregano/savory blend. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is warm. Serve and enjoy.

Anxious in the kitchen? For ideas and techniques to enjoy calm while cooking: http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/ 

Baked Acorn Squash with Red Hot Apple Sauce

Another marvelous taste of autumn--crisp flavourful apples and succulent soft-fleshed squash. A dark green acorn squash is split, and baked with garlic. It is filled with a spicy caramelized garlic and hot pepper maple applesauce. This recipe is an excellent side dish, and also makes a satisfying light lunch.

You'll Need: 

For the Squash: 

1 acorn squash; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 teaspoon olive oil; salt and pepper.

For the Red Hot Applesauce: 

1 apple (I used a Cortland); 1 tablespoon maple syrup; hot red pepper, to taste; cinnamon powder; drizzle of maple syrup

Wash squash and pat dry. Cut in half and remove pulp and seeds. Pour 1/2 the olive oil into each squash section, and spread over flesh with fingertips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 1 garlic clove in skin under each squash half. Bake in moderate oven until squash flesh is soft, and the garlic caramelized. Turn squash slices upright, setting garlic cloves aside to cool slightly.

Wash and core apple, leaving skin on. Cut into large sections and place in blender. When cool enough to handle, cut the end off each garlic clove, and squeeze caramelized garlic on top of apple pieces. Chop hot pepper and add to blender. Drizzle with maple syrup.

Pulse fruit, maple syrup and garlic for a few seconds. Blend until apple is smooth, but red pepper is slightly chunky.

Add apple sauce to squash halves, and sprinkle with cinnamon. return squash to oven and heat until apple sauce is warm but not cooked. Place on serving dish, and drizzle with a little more maple syrup and a light dusting of cinnamon.

For things to contemplate while cooking, visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

Pomegranate-4 Berry Pudding with Lime-Avocado Cream

This delicious dessert pudding is sure to please any palate, combining the rich tangy-tart taste of pomegranate with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. The fruit mixture is folded into a lime-avocado cream which is lightly sweetened with maple syrup.

The crunch of the pomegranate seeds, that sparkle like little jewels on the spoon, make this dish fun to eat. Children, especially, like its unusual texture and robust taste. This recipe is rich in anti-oxidants as well as flavour, and has an impressive nutritional profile all-round.

You'll Need:

For the Pudding: 1 large pomegranate; 1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen (I used frozen 4-Berry Mix--raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom. 

For Lime-Avocado Cream: 1 large avocado; 1 lime; 2 tablespoons almond milk; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 teaspoons fruity olive oil; few grains sea salt.

For Garnish: 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds; lime zest.

Method: 

The Pudding: 

Wash or thaw berries, and place in a large bowl. Peel pomegranate and remove seeds, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish. Add to berries, stirring in carefully to avoid breaking fruit. Sprinkle with ground cardamom and set aside.

The Lime-Avocado Cream:

Wash lime, and pat dry. Using a citrus zester, remove long thin strips of peel, and set aside for garnish. Remove remainder of peel and pith. Cut lime into quarters, and remove any seeds. Place in blender. Peel and pit avocado and cut fruit into chunks. Put in blender, and add almond milk, maple syrup, salt, and olive oil. Blend on slow speed until smooth.

 Pour lime-avocado cream over pomegranate-berry mix and fold fruit in gently.

Garnish with reserved pomegranate seeds and lime zest.

With its bright red and green colours, this dessert has great possibilities for festive holiday fare!