Recipe Time: Roasted Acorn Squash with Greens & Beans Quinoa!

Growing up, we received oodles and oodles of fresh summer squash from my grandfather's garden each year. This would have been awesome if I had liked squash, but.... (big surprise) I didn't.

My mother always prepared it in one of two ways - sliced and sauteed OR mushed and mixed in a casserole dish with lots of butter, Saltine crackers and God knows what else. I obviously preferred the latter.

For a long, long time, I actually didn't know that other types of squash even existed! Or that there were other ways to prepare them! So when I received a cute little acorn squash from my CSA last week, I clearly had no idea what to do with it. So I used one of my 'Phone-a-Friends' and dialed up my girl Sarah Kagan over at Beyond the Batter. "She'll know what to do with this thing...", I thought to myself.

And of course, like the culinary genius that she is, Sarah had a great recipe in her back pocket for acorn squash and even better - she proceeded to rush right over and whip up the most fabulous dinner for me and my man. What a gal!

So today, I'm sharing it with you. It's worthy of some blog-time. And who knows... maybe you too have no idea what to do with the damn thing!

Preheat the oven to 375F. While the oven is heating up, cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions.

Slice 1 medium-size acorn squash and empty out the seedy middle (you can even save the seeds and roast them later!)

Now cut the ends off the squash and slice it into 3/4 inch pieces.

Place the squash in a large mixing bowl and coat with 1-2 Tbs. oil of your choice (I recommend coconut oil). 

Lightly sprinkle the mixture with cumin powder and sea salt to taste (and cinnamon - we were forced to use cinnamon sticks because that was all we had on hand but ground cinnamon would be much easier!).

Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until tender (flipping halfway through).

Grab 1 can of white beans and rinse in a strainer until the water runs clear.

In a large mixing bowl, add the beans to the cooked quinoa...

...and mix well! (There's Sarah!).

Now for your dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the juice of 2 lemons, 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil, 1-2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar, and sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Pour over your quinoa/bean mixture (if you want to add more later, you can! that part's up to you!)

Meanwhile, saute one bag of frozen kale (16 oz.) with 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli (8 oz.) - or use fresh veggies if you have them!

Add them to the quinoa mixture and you're done!

Serve the quinoa atop a few slices of acorn squash and enjoy how the flavors blend together so beautifully! 

If it's even possible, this dish made our little viewing party of HOMELAND that much better! Terrorist plots... mental breakdowns... and yummy acorn squash. Could my night get any better?

Thanks, Sarah!

Oh...and if you'd like to curb a sweet tooth the vegan way, check out Sarah's recipe for her Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! I taste-tested (and approved!) more than a few last night!

Weekend Wrap-Up: People Lookin' to Party!

Some weekends are just so awesome that they make all the other weekends of your life look completely lame. This weekend was one of them. My sweet friends Sarah Kagan and Andrea Ryan threw an engagement party for Adam and I. While originally planned for the park, the horrendous temperatures forced us indoors to celebrate at The Gibson in Williamsburg… but we didn't let that stop us!

Our little corner, pre-party... before it was bombarded with delicious finger foods!

There were cute decorations, amazing homemade delicacies, temporary finger mustache tattoos (yes, we are almost 30) and fun party accessories. I spent half the night assuring people that I wasn’t in fact celebrating my Bachelorette weekend WITH the groom in tow, as suggested by my pink princess crown.

No party is complete without a fashionable mustache.

We were so blessed to be surrounded by all our favorite people who made us feel truly loved and celebrated! If these are the folks coming to our wedding, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be amazing!

Thank you to everyone who came out and helped organize this unforgettable night!

Oh, and… P.S. You know you’ve had a successful night when you end up busting a move latenight to the sweet grooves of the 90’s with a glow stick in one hand and a cocktail in the other!

Me and Party Host #1 - Andrea Ryan...

...and Party Host #2/Chef-Extraordinaire - Sarah Kagan

Two lovely bridesmaids-to-be.

This man contributed watermelon soaked in cheap vodka. It's safe to say we've all given up vodka... AND watermelon. Thanks, Ty!

Recovering on the rooftop Sunday morning with my bestie.

Then back at it Sunday night at Mercury Lounge to see our friend Cory Sterling's band Blank Paper! Yes, I'll be asking for a "keytar" for my birthday. How awesome is that?!?

This week, I have some amazing posts for you starting with a rockin’ recipe for Vegan Pad Thai tomorrow! In the meantime, check out Sarah’s post yesterday on Beyond The Batter, featuring her amazing baked falafel from the party! It was muy delicioso and I'm pretty sure she deserves a few more site visits today after slaving away in her kitchen making falafel for me on the hottest day of the year so far!

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

Learning to Love Myself: One Step at a Time

Image via footage.shutterstock.com

My sweet friend Sarah Kagan (who's becoming a regular contributor around here) has so kindly offered to step in today since I am rockin' and rollin' this week with health coaching and workshop prep!  She just spent the last few months dealing with a training injury that taught her a very valuable lesson.  Thank you, Sarah, for being brave enough to share your personal reflection with us today!

BY: SARAH KAGAN, CONTRIBUTOR

I decided I would run 1,000 miles in 2013. It was a respectable number, but one that would ultimately be more a test of my determination than my ability. I had been getting more serious about running over the last few months, and I knew I could physically handle it as long as I was committed.

In order to hold myself accountable, I started writing my miles down on a calendar. Similar to a food journal, I could see how many miles I had run and on how many days each week, and I kept a running total [no pun intended] at the top of each month to track my progress.  

At first, it was empowering to see my calendar littered with tallies. But then there were a few days of bad weather, followed by a few days I was on vacation, followed by a few days when I was just plain busy. I was slipping behind, and finding it increasingly more difficult to catch up.

So I ran harder. I was turning my rest days into run days, and even staying in on Saturday nights in order to get up early and log more miles on Sunday. I started to develop, by all accounts, an unhealthy relationship with my goal. No matter what number stared back at me, it never seemed to be enough. I pushed through pain and fatigue, determined to reach my benchmarks no matter what.

Until one day about two months ago, something happened. One minute I was fine, soaking in the early spring sunshine as I rounded the final corner towards home, and then just like that, I wasn’t. Within seconds, I found myself in more agony than I knew how to handle. And still, with tears streaming down my face, I ran. After what felt like an eternity, with pain radiating from my back, hip, and side, I hobbled through my front door, grabbed a pen, and logged my miles. I promised myself a rest day to follow, but assumed I would be back in my sneakers in no time.

Within two days, I was limiting my movement to accomplish only the bare necessities. And then I wasn’t really moving at all. And finally, when even the idea of moving brought me tears, I called my family for help. My brother drove up from Philadelphia and took me home to my parent’s house, which is where I spent two weeks laying on the floor, unable and unwilling to move.

Image via community.mainlinehealth.org

I was frustrated, confused, and angry. As a health coach and cooking teacher, I pride myself on being healthy. I know all the rules, eat a clean diet, and exercise regularly. Doctor after doctor, I longed for answers…. but somewhere between their indifference and my overwhelming frustration I knew exactly how this happened to me. The need to be seen as a runner, to align my own self worth with a physically demanding goal, to ignore my instincts and body for the sake of putting numbers on a chart is how this happened to me. I let running and meeting my goal become such a part of my identity that I stopped listening to my own needs, and stopped identifying with my body. It was a very, very painful reality check.

It took two weeks and an injection in my muscle before I was able to walk again, and it was another month before I finally laced up my sneakers. I never thought a mile could seem as far as it did that first day. But now, rather than beat myself up for not running farther, faster, or more often, I am celebrating myself for ever step. I am grateful for every minute I am able to spend outside, pavement under my feet, slowly building my mileage. I know that reaching my 1,000 mile goal this year is out of the question, and I am okay with that. But life is like that. Sometimes you reach the finish line, meet your ideal weight, or land your dream job… and sometimes just being able to put one foot in front of the other is enough.

Working as a chef on an organic farm in Costa Rica, Sarah Kagan discovered her passion behind the stove and around the dinner table. She moved to Brooklyn last fall and currently serves as the Director of Wellness + Food Education for Butter Beans Kitchen, where she teaches tiny tots the joys of getting messy in the kitchen. You can follow Sarah’s kitchen chronicles on her blog, www.beyondthebatter.org, or spend some one on one time with the girl behind the batter at a private cooking class or party. From pancakes to tier cakes, Sarah loves all things food related, and she loves sharing her passion with others.

Friends Who Cook: Simply Delicious Mediterranean Grain Salad

You remember my guest contributor Sarah Kagan, the Costa Rican jungle cook and blogger behind Beyond the Batter? Well, today I'd like to sing her praises... toot her horn, if you will. Sarah and I were on a conference call after work on Wednesday and while we were on the call, she whipped up the most fabulous, healthy dinner for me right before my eyes. I held the phone, and she made the dinner. 

Clearly I lucked out on this deal.

When a recipe is simple, part of me assumes that it must not be that good. To me, the complication factor of a recipe lends the dish distinct flavors and textures, whereas simple recipes oftentimes fall short.

But boy was I wrong. I literally had seconds... then thirds of this dish. It was a healthy indulgence, as opposed to my utter gluttony at Farmstead last week.

So, because this dish literally took her 20 minutes to make and was deemed 'oh so delicious' by yours truly, she's allowing me to share the secret recipe. I told you she's a doll.

Oh... and did I mention Sarah just completed another half marathon last weekend in DC?!? She runs AND she cooks! Some people just have it all!

Cook 1 cup of dry grains according to package directions. We used freekeh because we had a free sample from the Vegetarian Food Festival, but you could use brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet... anything really! Quick Tip: When you place a clean dish towel under the lid for the last few minutes, it helps the grains fluff up better!

While the grains are cooking, dice 2 yellow, orange or red bell peppers and finely chop a large handful of fresh basil (there is no exact measurement here, the more the merrier). Combine the peppers and basil in a large mixing bowl.

Add a large handful of pistachios. Any nut will work here... be creative!

 Once the grains are cooked, add them to the bowl and mix well. Dress it with a mixture of 4 Tbs olive oil, 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar, 1-2 Tbs. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. If you need more dressing, just work based off these proportions.

We served our grains with roasted asparagus (easy recipe here) and an avocado, grapefruit and radish salad. Oh... and a glass of red wine. What's dinner without that?

Have a lovely weekend!!

The Experts Weigh In: Cooking Up Jungle Gourmet

BY: SARAH KAGAN, CONTRIBUTOR

Every cook has a story of his or her ‘journey’ into the world of food. It often starts at a grandmother’s kitchen table, with memories of floured hands rolling fresh dough or the smell of a ‘signature’ dish in the oven. Similarly, I grew up in a house where family dinner was a nightly commitment, and I logged some serious hours with my mom in the kitchen. So while my culinary journey started at a very young age, it wasn’t until this last year that I really started to make it my own.

It was exactly this time last year that my boat pulled up on Padi’s beach. I had ventured to Costa Rica to work as a chef at Punta Mona, a center for sustainable living and education a mere two hour hike through the jungle from Puerto Viejo, the last town north of Panama on the Caribbean coast. And while I undoubtedly learned to cook at the hem of my mother’s apron [poetic license – my mom doesn’t actually wear an apron], it wasn’t until I went to Costa Rica that I learned to really love food; to move beyond the stove [although I certainly spent a lot of time behind it] and start to really see the full picture.

Have you ever come up with a menu plan and then grabbed your boots and machete to go gather your ingredients? I have.

Have you ever gathered coconuts, shucked them, scraped out the insides, and processed the meat to make your own coconut milk? I have.

Have you ever peeled rotting bananas, let them ferment for three weeks, and then squeeze out the juice to make vinegar for salad dressing? I have.

Have you ever planted hot peppers and then turned them into your own hot sauce? Watched a single fruit ripen on a tree for days until it’s just right? Gone to the greenhouse at 2 a.m. just to encourage the plants to grow? Eaten a meal made entirely of things planted, harvested, and prepared by your own hands, all within 100 yards of your bedroom? I have.

I learned to identify at least three different kinds of limes, as well as fruits with foreign names and exotic flavors. I learned to cook vegetables that were considered poisonous if not prepared properly [talk about stressful!], and I can confidently build and cook over a fire with the best of them. And yes, I learned that it is possible to eat too much raw cacao [It’s bad, trust me].

At Punta Mona, food wasn’t just about sustenance. Food was everything. An excerpt from my journal at the time:

‘The cries and moans of excitement and joy heard at least once a day over a piece of exceptionally delicious, fresh fruit never fails to make me laugh. You would think it was 

some sort of a ‘fantasy island’, and I guess in a way it is.  

It’s that kind of simple pleasure that governs life here in the jungle.’

The meals prepared in our open, outdoor kitchen, which produced three meals a day for up to forty-five people on two gas burners, an open fire, and no refrigeration, were a direct reflection of the love put into the land.

Every meal was a small miracle, and my holistic understanding and appreciation for food is firmly rooted [pun intended] in my time spent at the farm.

A few nights ago, I played 'personal chef' in Lauren's kitchen. My Rondon-Caribbean Coconut Stew is classic Caribbean fare, and was a staple at Punta Mona. Rondon can be loosely translated to ‘run down’, and is typically made with whatever leftover meat or fish you’ve ‘run down to’ at the end of the week. We never had any meat at the farm, but we always had a plethora of vegetables to use and it never came out the same way twice. This dish always took a while to prepare, as it required cleaning and slicing some pretty substantial root vegetables and grinding a ton of coconuts for milk. But it was worth the work - the result is a thick, flavorful, slightly spicy, super satisfying stew packed with farm fresh produce. Served with plantain chips and toasted coconut [sauté pan + coconut + soy sauce … I die], you can practically feel the Caribbean sun beating down.

Rondon – Caribbean Coconut Stew

If you can’t find the Caribbean vegetables, any root vegetable combination would be good. Try to find yucca if you can… it adds a lot of thickness to the broth and is also just delicious.

1 medium yucca, peeled, washed, and cubed

1 medium yellow yam, peeled, washed, and chunked

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 small / medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbs. fresh minced ginger

1 small hot pepper, seeded and minced

1 can of coconut milk

1 Tbs. curry powder [or more]

S&P

In a large pot, sauté the onions in oil [coconut oil if you have it] until tender. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute.

Add the coconut milk and all your vegetables to the pot. Add about ½ - 1 cup or so of water, or enough that your vegetables are mostly covered but not totally. [You can also add more coconut milk if you have a lot of vegetables].

Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the vegetables simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the minced hot pepper, curry powder, and salt and pepper. Continue to simmer the vegetables until everything is tender.

While the vegetables are simmering, prepare your plantain chips...

Plantain Chips

A classic Caribbean side dish. Although typically fried, I started mine in a pan and then moved them to the oven in an effort to make them a little healthier. Delicious.

2 green plantains

2 T. EVOO [or coconut oil]

Salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Peel and slice the plantains into ¼ inch thick disks.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium – medium / high heat. Add the plantains in a single layer [I did two batches] and cook until the outside is slightly browned [about 1-2 minutes per side]. Transfer to a foil lined baking sheet, spray with a little cooking spray and add salt. Mix all the chips together.

Bake for 10-ish minutes. Try not to eat all of them before dinner is ready.

Buen Provecho!

Sarah Kagan landed in Brooklyn this Fall, and man, I'm glad she did! We discovered we were neighbors after crossing paths at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Our friendship has been fast and furious. I mean, hello! She cooks for me! Who wouldn't adopt her? We also share a love for all things Costa Rica, having both lived there previously. Sarah is also a certified yoga teacher, having received her certification in India, where she lived in an ashram for 6 weeks and practiced yoga for 5-6 hours a day. In her free time, you can find her running in the park (she just completed her first half-marathon!) or cruising through the farmer's market for fresh goods. Sarah also teaches cooking classes in the city and is the new Director of Health and Wellness for Butter Beans Kitchen. You just might find her teaming up with me very soon to run nutrition and cooking workshops... so stay tuned! Sarah is a mover and a shaker! Who knows where she'll be next!

Check out Sarah's blog Beyond the Batter for more great recipes!

The First Annual Strictly Nutritious Superlatives!

Image courtesy of whoa.org

Alas, I have no guest contributor today. Now normally this would make me sweat bullets because I like consistency, but this New Year I'm trying to embrace the concept of 'balance', something I've always struggled with in my own life. New York City is truly a crazy urban jungle (as my brother fondly calls it), and it's really easy to lose perspective.

Today I thought we'd start a new tradition - The First Annual Strictly Nutritious Superlatives! On any given day, I spend a lot of time perusing the internet for inspiration to provide you with tasty recipes, new ideas, lifestyle tips, etc., and now (drumroll please) I'd like to share some of my favorite blogs in hopes that they will help you kick start your New Year!

So here we go! 

P.S. Because I am extremely indecisive, there are two winners for each category!

BEST HEALTHY EATING BLOGS: 

My New Roots 

Image courtesy of mynewroots.blogspot.com

I just happened to stumble upon My New Roots a few months ago. Sarah Britton does an excellent job of making healthy eating look and taste delicious! Her amazing recipes come packaged with beautiful pictures! Check it out, you'll see what I mean!

Sprouted Kitchen

Image courtesy of sproutedkitchen.com

I feel like I know Sara and Hugh Forte, the lovely couple who paired up to create Sprouted Kitchen, even though we've never met. Their beautiful blog pulls you in, gives you a glimpse into their lives and leaves your stomach thin and happy. So you can only imagine my delight when I saw their new book The Sprouted Kitchen in my local bookstore! I felt like a proud mama hen! Way to go, guys!

BEST LIFESTYLE BLOGS: 

Ramshackle Glam 

Image courtesy of ramshackleglam.com

Ah, the lovely Jordan Reid. Making glamour look so damn easy! After following her blog for the last few months, I have determined to be more glamorous this year. I wore a dress to work yesterday (see? progress!). Jordan shares fashion tips, decorating ideas, tasty recipes and even a bit of her enchanted life! Girl crush? I think so!

YumUniverse

Image courtesy of yumuniverse.com

I just happened upon this gem of a site this week actually and already it's stolen my heart! Heather Crosby, a T. Colin Campbell Foundation Certified Plant-Based Nutrition Coach, has created a site that makes eating a plant-based diet so much easier! From recipes to lifestyle tips, YumUniverse can jump start your diet and lifestyle transformation! The site even offers a membership that provides you with additional tools for healthy living! If you're dairy-free, gluten-free or raw, look no further!

BEST NEW BLOG (BY A FRIEND): 

Beyond the Batter

Image courtesy of beyondthebatter.wordpress.com

Sarah Kagan is my sister-from-another-mother. We met through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and (lucky me!) she's my neighbor! We've quickly become friends, and I'd be crazy if I didn't share her new blog with you! Sarah is a natural in the kitchen and her step-by-step recipes on Beyond the Batter make cooking easy for just about anyone! And if you're looking for a creative new baking splurge, Sarah's got you covered! Spicy caramel popcorn?!? Yes, please!

Harlem Food Local

You've read her article on my blog, you've seen her beautiful face  in my pictures, and now you can check out her very own amazing blog Harlem Food Local! Arionna Shannon-DiPietro is my best friend in the city AND my inspiration in the kitchen. She just makes it look so easy! Ari is Sicilian, and honestly, who better than the Italians to teach us all a thing or two about cooking? Follow Ari's journey as she eats (and blogs) her way through uptown Manhattan's ever-evolving food scene, plus shows you how to make some amazing dishes in her own kitchen!