Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
2 large carrots
2 medium-large russet potatoes
1 medium onion
4 cloves of garlic
About 6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried sage (optional)
Olive oil, salt, and fresh ground black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Peel and chop the squash (cleaning out the seeds and goo, of course), carrots, and potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks. In a large baking tray, coat with olive oil and about 1/2 tsp of salt. Bake until the vegetables are just tender when poked with a fork, stirring every 15 minutes - about 30-45 minutes total.
When the veggies are almost ready, finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté in a stockpot with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add the Italian seasoning and sage. Add the roasted vegetables and cover with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and check that the vegetables are tender. In a blender or food processor (or with an immersion blender), blend the soup until just smooth. Season with black pepper and salt. Serve with fresh, warm bread – such as homemade focaccia! I'll do a yeast dough post soon, but for now check out this recipe, adding whatever spices you want - onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, etc.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas
Makes 3 large quesadillas
Ingredients
1 med-large sweet potato
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and torn into small pieces (optional)
1 - 2 tsp taco seasoning
2 cups cooked black beans (1 can)
salt and pepper to taste
6 tortillas
vegetable oil
Toppings: Salsa, guacamole, cheese, sour cream (real or fake), chopped lettuce and tomatoes, etc.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil with 1/2 tsp of salt. Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1 inch chunks. Boil until tender, drain, and set aside. While the sweet potato is boiling, chop the onion and garlic. Sauté in a lightly oiled pan until translucent. Add the spinach, taco seasoning, about 1/2 tsp of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Continue to cook until the spinach is fully cooked. Add the sweet potato and mash lightly. Add the black beans. Taste and season as necessary.
Lightly oil the tortillas on one side (an oil spray works wonderfully for this). On the non-oiled side of three tortillas, divide the sweet potato mixture and spread within 1/2 inch of the edge. Top with the other tortillas (oil side up). Fry both sides until just crispy. Cut into fourths and top as you please!
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