Autumn Harvest Sandwich

Yesterday was a crisp autumn day in Northern California..leaves are turning brilliant shades of gold and bronze, some even deep cherry red…most are still at home on their branches but a few gently ride the soft wind to the earth creating a blanket to cover the sun scorched grass…Fabio, my over energized poodle finds this amusing and randomly jumps in the fallen leaves with anxious excitement..I  must admit, sometimes I picture myself doing the same but then I think of all the ebby jibbies that potentially lurk under the facade of beauty and once again I refrain only by falsely convincing myself that it is not a very adult-like thing to do but secretly knowing my real reason has nothing to do with being all grown-up 😉

Regardless, fall is great!  Spending much time in Florida this is the first time in 12 years I have lived in an area in which seasons are actually depicted as they are known to be.  I am in love with the foliage and around every corner I find my self with a breathtaking photo-esque landscape before my eyes.  Yesterday, I decided to create a sandwich that celebrated and embraced the beauty of this time of year…

Baked butter nut squash and figs are a wonderful combination alone but are even better when mingled together with caramelized red onions, wilted kale, and just a bit of crispy pancetta.  Wait for it…….. wait for it…..now add all of that yummy autumn goodness to warm melted creamy Havarti cheese and smash it all together between two uber fresh pieces of grilled whole wheat Rye and you have yourself a delicious celebration of autumns harvest to bite on in to!  Pair it with a sweet Pinot Grig and relax…I mean, its gotta be 5 o’clock somewhere!!!!

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Yields: 4 Sandwiches

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour

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SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

Grill or Sandwich Press

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INGREDIENTS:

8 Slices of Fresh Whole Wheat Rye Bread (Pumpernickel or 8 Grain bread will work great too)

1/2 LB Creamy Havarti Cheese (Sliced thick)

8 Mission Figs (Sliced from top to bottom into 1/4″ Slices)

1 Butter Nut Squash (Halved Long-wise)

1/4 LB 1/4″ Pancetta Slices (Cubed)

4 Small Kale Leaves (De-steamed and Chiffonade) (Fun fact: in French culinary terms, to Chiffonade is a cooking technique in which herbs and leafy greens are cut into long ribbon-like strips)

1 Red Onion (Sliced Thin)

1 Garlic Glove (Minced)

2 TBSP White Balsamic Vinegar or White Wine (I prefer the white wine but PLEASE, I beg of you, do not open a bottle of wine just for this recipe because I would hate for it to go to waste as vinegar works just fine)

1 TBSP Butter

1/4 TSP Ground Red Pepper

1/4 TSP Coarse Black Pepper

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DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 375.

2.  Place squash in a casserole dish with 1/4″ of water, meat side up and bake for 1 hour.

3.  Meanwhile, in a saute pan, render the cubed pancetta until crispy.

4.  Add the kale, red pepper, black pepper, and garlic to the pancetta and saute until kale becomes slightly tender and wilted and the garlic becomes aromatic (I like my kale to still have a good hearty crunch) Approximately 1 minute.  Add 1-1/2 TBSP (reserving 1/2 TBSP for the following step) vinegar and continue to saute for 1 more minute.  Set aside.

5.  In another saute pan, add 1 TSP butter and allow to melt.  Add the onions and cook on medium-high heat until they are a dark brown and become sweet.  Add in the remaining vinegar and cook for an additional minute.  Remove from heat.

6.  When the Squash has 5 minutes remaining in the oven, place figs on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 5 minutes.

7.  In the meantime, lightly butter one side of each slice of bread and line the other side with cheese.

8. Remove the squash and figs from the oven and set aside.

9.  Cut squash in 8 even pieces and remove skin.  Take a form and with one hard smashing motion, flatten each piece into a pancake-like shape.

10.  Sandwich all ingredients between 2 slices of bread and cheese (Buttered side out) and grill sandwiches or press in a sandwich maker.

11.  Add a pinch of love.

12.  Share and Enjoy.

You see, It’s truly simple: take some good quality ingredients, add a pinch of love to your cooking and bonappetit…..a delicious homemade meal for you and your loved ones!!!!

Honey Miso Quick Braised Veggies

A super healthy treat without sacrificing the pure yumminess factor!  What could be more delicious than cooking your farm fresh veggies in a sweet, salty, and savory glaze!!!!!  MMMM…mmmm…mm….I am still licking my lips from this one!  My Quick Honey Miso Braised Veggies recipe is an extremely easy asian inspired recipe that can be used as a side dish to a nicely grilled salmon or once your veggies are cooked, feel free to toss around some firm tofu in the extra pan sauce…it glazes beautifully!  Personally, I love this recipe as a quick-lunch paired with some brown rice I mix with fresh grated ginger!  Wow, it is crazy how just writing this blog entry has me unconsciously licking my lips….Hope it does the same for you!

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yields: 2

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Total Time: 15 Minutes

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INGREDIENTS:

3 TBSP Local Honey

2 TBSP Filtered Sake (if you don’t have it on hand, just use filtered water..no biggie)

2 TBSP Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1-1/2 TBSP Organic White Miso

1 TBSP Rice Vinegar

1 TBSP Sesame Oil

1 TBSP Sriracha

1 TSP Soy Sauce

1 TSP Whole Grain Mustard

1 Garlic Clove (Minced)

1 TBSP Butter

1 TBSP Peanut Oil

4 Japanese Eggplants (Washed and cut once lengthwise)

8 Baby Carrots (Washed)

12 Shishito Peppers (Washed)

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DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a bowl, whisk together first 10 ingredients until well combined.

2.  Heat a large saute pan on med-high heat (depending on size of your pan and veggies, you may have to do them in batches or in 2 separate pans).  Add butter and oil.  Once butter is melted, add carrots to pan and allow to slightly brown (3-5 Minutes).

3.  Add the Shishito Peppers to the pan and allow to brown (Approx. 1 minute).

4.  If pan is getting too dry, add an additional TSP of butter to pan and then add Egg plant to pan and allow to slightly brown (Approx 1 Minute).

5.  Lower heat to Med-Low, and add in your miso sauce and gently simmer then cover.   Allow sauce to reduce and begin to glaze the veggies (Approx. 6 minutes) then remove them from pan and onto serving dish. (If you are going to glaze tofu, now is the time to toss it around in your pan)

6.  Continue to simmer sauce until a desired thick sauce-like consistency is achieved (I like using the extra sauce to mix into my ginger rice or you can brush your grilled salmon with it…yum!)

7.  Add a pinch of love.

8.  Share and Enjoy!

You see, It’s truly simple: take some good quality ingredients, add a pinch of love to your cooking and bonappetit…..a delicious homemade meal for you and your loved ones!!!!

Zucchini “Noodles”

So it seems to be that time of year where everyone’s gardens are busting at the seems full of zucchini and basil.  Zucchini noodles with my even healthier version  of pesto is a quick, easy, and super light yet ridiculously flavorable recipe to put all that yummy garden goodness to use….And the best part: No need to light the stove as I am going to teach you a fun trick that will not only save you from the heat of the oven but fill your body with amazing vitamins as well!  We are going to start by making pasta without noodles! …Yep, you heard me…carb free and nutrient loaded…zucchini disguised as linguine!  This delicious treat is great for a light lunch, wonderful as a side to a nicely grilled chicken breast, or perfect to bring along on your next summer picnic!!!

yields 4 Servings

Prep Time:  15 Minutes

Total Time:  15 Minutes

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INGREDIENTS:

4 Large Zucchini

1 Cup Fresh Basil (Firmly pressed)

1 Garlic Clove

3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Over Ripe avocado (Really ripe and soft as the natural (healthy) fats of the avocado replaces additional Olive Oil).

1/4 Cup Soaked Pinenuts

1/8 Cup Yellow Onion

1/8 Cup Grated Parmesan

2 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice

2 TBSP Salt (or to taste)

1 TBSP Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

1 TSP Honey

1 TBSP Red Pepper Flakes (Optional: For Garnish)

1/2 Jalapeno (Optional)

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DIRECTIONS:

1.  Soak pine nuts in water over night.  If you don’t have the time for this step it is ok to only soak them for several hours or even not at all.  (Fun Fact: Soaking nuts in water not only improves the flavor but break down enzymes that allow your body to absorb more of the nutrients).

2.  Cut zucchini in half long-ways.  Set your mandolin to approx 1/8 inch (similar to the thickness of a linguine noodle) and slice.  Next take a sharp knife and cut the slices long-ways.  Repeat this step until your zucchini could be mistaken for pasta!

3.  Now time for the pesto:  Place all ingredients (except your zucchini noodles) in the blender and liquify.  Please note:  By simply eliminating the cheese, this recipe is a vegan and raw vegan friendly treat!!!

4.  Gently toss zucchini noodles with the pesto.  Optional:  Top your pasta with Red Pepper Flakes to add a spicy zing and to make a beautiful presentation.

5.  A pinch of love ❤

6.  Share and Enjoy!

You see, Its truly simple: take some good quality ingredients, add a pinch of love to your cooking and bonappetit…..a delicious homemade meal for you and your loved ones!!!!