Roasted Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

Maple Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash

Pumpkin Pie

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I’d been in a serious holding pattern with my cooking.  The longest stretch in quite some time that I’d gone without.  I thought I’d have baked 12 pies, muffins, scones and applesauce by now.  My refrigerator has been filled with apples from an apple picking trip that I made 3 weeks ago.  I thought a recently received email from someone I dated many years ago would spur my desire to cook again.  He read the blog and wrote because he knew I was in the hospital. He sent well wishes and hoped I was feeling better and cooking.  The gift of the note helped me remember good times and good food with someone I liked.  I thought the note and the timing of my day trip would bring me back to my only love, but I put the apples away and never went to the grocery store for any additional supplies. 

One week after apple picking and the receipt of the note, my refrigerator was still bare, with the exception of the apples, which I wished would just vanish or bake themselves.  I’d been living on frozen soups, late night omelettes and hot cocoa.  

One week later, I left town.  I traveled to Massachussetts to see some friends.  We ate, we drank, we talked, we laughed.  

One week after that visit, I left again.  I went to spend some time with my aunt, uncle and cousin.  We ate, we drank, we talked, we laughed.  

This weekend, I was no longer lost.  I found myself.  After weeks of feeling lackluster about an act that used to make me feel my happiest, I was inspired.  I channeled Christine and my aunt.  I put on my sneakers, took my shopping cart out of the closet and left my apartment.
 
I was finally ready to re-commit to cooking.  
I thought we were over, but we’re far from over.  

We’re only just beginning.   

It’s been months since I’ve seen my friend Melissa.  Between her travels to Europe and the unfortunate case of my broken body,  it’s been difficult to get together.  Melissa came by to celebrate the nom re-birth with a vegan harvest.

When Melissa comes for dinner I always sort of want to poop myself. Whenever I’m cooking I always know bacon, sausage, cheese and butter will make any soup, stuffing or sweet sing.  When I’m cooking vegan, I lose a fair share of my cooking sensibility.  I needed this first kitchen challenge.  I needed to be put back in my place to start thinking again.    

I went with a harvest theme, as I wanted to celebrate the bounty of squash, pumpkin and root vegetables that say fall.

Roasted Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup
makes 12 dinner servings
I cook big because I like leftovers to freeze 

1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. Earth Balance
3 large leeks (whites only and sliced)
4 c. onions (diced) 
2 lbs carrots (peeled and cut into even rounds)
*to roast, toss with 2 T. olive oil and bake in the oven @ 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, occasionally turning 
2 lbs sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into medium sized even cubes)
*to roast, toss with 2 T. olive oil and bake in the oven @ 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, occasionally turning
10 c. water
2 packets vegetable bullion
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)  

-To a larger stock pot, over medium high heat, add olive oil, butter leeks and onions and saute until sweating - about 7 minutes
-Add roasted carrots and roasted sweet potatoes tossing to coat
-Add water and bullion and bring to a boil, add black pepper and salt, lowering flame and simmer for an additional 90 minutes
-Remove soup from heat and puree, in batches, using a food processor or blender or using an immersion blender
-Serve with croutons and top with additional black pepper

*for non-vegans or vegetarians, finish each bowl with a teaspoon of heavy cream and swirl through

Maple Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash
serves 2-4 people 

2 small acorn squashes (halved and seeds removed)
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. pure maple syrup
2 shallots (diced)
1 box baby portobello mushrooms (quartered)
1 c. of Israeli couscous
1 1/4 c. water
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/3 c. chopped walnuts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Brush acorn squash (each half) with 1-2 tsp. of olive oil, then drizzle (each half) with 1-2 tsp. of maple syrup and sprinkle with salt
-Place acorn squash face down and roast on a baking sheet for 35-40 minutes until deep brown and caramelized  

-While acorn squash is roasting, being to prepare stuffing

-In a medium saute pan, over medium heat, place olive oil and shallots for 4-5 minutes
-Add portobello mushrooms and saute for an additional 10-12 minutes until mushrooms are tender - then salt
-Add 1 c. of dry Israeli couscous to the pan, coating with shallot and mushroom mixture and toast for 2-3 minutes
-Add water and cook couscous with the cover on for 10-12 minutes and let stand for 5-10 minutes (there should be no additional liquid in your pan, but the couscous should be soft and fluffy)
-Add cranberries and walnuts and toss together (check that you’ve added enough salt)

-Remove acorn squash from the oven and fill the hollow hole of each acorn squash  with stuffing
-Serve hot and finish with a drizzle of maple syrup on each  

*for non-vegans you may de-case spicy Italian sausage and saute the shallots and portobellos along with, as the pork will add a little extra kick of flavor to the stuffing and you may also top with a few crumbles of plain goat cheese - then drizzle with maple syrup

Pumpkin Pie

10-12 graham crackers
5 T. Earth Balance (melted)
1 can pure pumpkin puree
1 package of Silken tofu
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
I whole piece of fresh nutmeg (grated)
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 maple syrup

For Shell

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a food processor fit with a steel blade, pulse graham crackers with 1/4 c.  sugar until you have a fine powder
-Add melted butter and continue to pulse, until grahams are completely coated with butter
-Press crumbs, evenly, into a 9” Pyrex pie dish and bake in the oven for 15 minutes

For Filling 

-In a food processor fit with a steel blade, add pumpkin puree, tofu and remaining sugar and mix until completely incorporated
-Add all spices and continue to mix through
-Pour mixture into pre-baked graham cracker pie shell, drizzle with maple syrup and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour - or until pie is completely solid
-Serve sprinkled with confectioners sugar