Earlier this week a dear friend gave me three rutabagas from her garden. I hadn’t cooked rutabaga before, but I was excited to give it a try. I treated the rutabagas like I treat many root vegetables: I simply cut them up, along with some carrots and parsnips, and roasted them in my oven. They turned out delicious, and the dish was so easy to put together.… Continue reading
vegetables
Cauliflower “Potato” Pancakes
We had a bowl of leftover cauliflower “mashed potatoes” in the refrigerator. Remembering back to what my family did with leftover mashed potatoes when I was growing up, I was struck by the thought of making nightshade-free “potato” pancakes. So I started experimenting.
After a few iterations, I came up with the following recipe. While my boys were disappointed that they didn’t taste like the grain-free banana pancakes they’ve had in the past (they focused on the word pancake, and forgot about the word cauliflower), they acknowledged that they were pretty good for a way to eat vegetables.… Continue reading
Sprouts: Healthy to Eat and Easy to Grow
My 9-year-old son grew some chia sprouts as part of a project in which he was learning about families of plants.
It was extremely easy to grow the sprouts. He half-filled a small container with potting soil. He sprinkled a bunch of chia seeds over the top of the moist dirt. He then set a folded up, wet paper towel directly on top of the seeds, covering them completely. … Continue reading
Grain-Free Breaded Zucchini Spears (Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
We seem to be in a vegetable rut lately; always eating the same vegetables prepared in the same ways. So the other day I decided to try something new: breaded zucchini spears.
While the outside breading didn’t crisp up quite as much as I’d hoped, the final spears tasted great and were different from what we’d been consuming.
Everyone liked them, and, importantly, they were very easy and quick to prepare. … Continue reading
Healthy Snack: Avocado and Sauerkraut
When you’re looking for a snack that both tastes delicious and nourishes your body, here is a perfect candidate: half an avocado topped with a scoop of sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut not only has all of the health benefits of cabbage, but – as long as it is traditionally fermented and unpasteurized – it is also filled with healthy-gut-supporting probiotics. In addition to supporting digestive health, raw sauerkraut can boost circulation, stimulate your immune system, and reduce inflammation (Organic Facts, 2015). … Continue reading
The Easiest Way to Roast a Pumpkin (or any other Winter Squash)
Fresh roasted pumpkin is wonderfully delicious. Taste wise, it’s a big step up from canned pumpkin, like the difference between almost anything fresh and canned. But tackling a big whole pumpkin can feel intimidating, even if my normal method of roasting a pumpkin (or any type of winter squash — recipe HERE) is pretty simple.
This method of roasting a pumpkin is easier than my normal way.… Continue reading
Paleo Pumpkin Custard (Crustless Pumpkin Pie)
We love all things pumpkin, but our favorite pumpkin treat is definitely this Pumpkin Custard. It’s simple to make, and it tastes great. We’re already on our fourth batch of pumpkin custard this season, as we all love it. Fresh pumpkins are difficult to find during other parts of the year – so we enjoy them while we can find them.… Continue reading
How to Make your Own Pumpkin Puree
It’s fall, and delicious looking pumpkin recipes are popping up everywhere. They’ll soon be appearing here too. We all love pumpkin.
Most of these recipes call for canned pumpkin puree. Did you know that while a can is convenient, preparing your own pumpkin puree is actually quite simple? Not only is it easy to do, it tastes amazing – there’s none of that canned taste (which I don’t know if I could adequately describe, but is a common underlying taste that I can pick out from anything that comes out of a can).… Continue reading
How to Roast a Winter Squash
With the coming of October, fresh seasonal Winter Squash are available in most markets. We love winter squash, especially pumpkin, though we also eat a good amount of acorn, spaghetti, butternut, and kabocha, as well as all sorts of other squashes.
Fresh whole squash may look a bit intimidating, but they are remarkably easy to prepare.
To start, wash your squash in order to remove any dirt that may still be on its surface.… Continue reading
Pureed Parsnips
A dear friend of mine headed out of town this week. While I always miss her when I don’t get to see her, she passed along her weekly CSA allotment before she left. In it was a lovely assortment of local, organic, seasonal produce, including beets, lots of greens, eggplants, and a bunch of parsnips.
Parsnips are an often overlooked root vegetable.… Continue reading