Apple Crisp video

  Ingredients

·      4-5 medium granny smith apples
·      1 1/2 cups oats
·      1 1/4 cup maple syrup
·      2 2 TB lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
·      12 TB brown sugar or Date sugar (optional)
·      1 1/2 TB cinnamon or to taste
·      11 tsp. vanilla
·      1 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
·      3 3/4 cup walnuts; chopped
·      HOLIDAY variation: add ½ cup dried cranberries

Intructions
Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Cut in halves or quarters and layer into a 9×9 or larger oven-safe baking dish.  Mix lemon juice, optional brown sugar and cinnamon together. Mix into apples. Next mix oatmeal, vanilla, salt, walnuts and syrup. Spread on top of apple mixture. Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Autumn Risotto with PORTABELLA & CRANBERRIES

Ingredients

·     1 acorn squash per person being served
·     1 cup of dried cranberries
·     2 c. hot water
·     1 medium onion; chopped
·     1 cup uncooked Arborio rice*
·     2 3/4 c. low-sodium vegetable broth**
·     3/4 c. dry white wine (Chardonnay) OR add’l water
·     1/2 tsp. black pepper + light salt to taste
·     2 stalks celery
·     2 oz. Silk Creamer or unsweetened non-dairy milk
·     2 c. diced portabella mushrooms
·     1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley (or spinach, baby kale… something green!)
·     optional: ½ c. slivered almonds or walnuts

Instructions

Cut acorn squash in half; remove seeds, and cook, cut side down, on a (non-aluminum) baking sheet or baking stone at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until soft.

1. Combine cranberries and hot water in a small bowl; set aside. (soaking the cranberries, leaches the color from them, so your rice doesn’t turn pink)  Coarsely chop onion. In 3-4 Qt saucepan (ideally ceramic or stainless), cook onion & 1 TB water, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add rice, veg broth, wine, pepper, and cook covered for 40 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, toast almonds in 8” Sauté pan over medium heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice the celery. Drain the water off of the cranberries; set aside.
3. Dice or slice mushrooms. Add mushrooms and celery to the rice mixture; stir; cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until risotto appears creamy.
4. Stir in Silk Creamer, parsley, almonds if using, and drained cranberries. This risotto is great alone or used as filling for your squash. Spoon filling into the softened, cooked squash, and enjoy this blend of flavors. The squash should be soft enough to easily carve away with a fork, so you can get a taste of both the squash and risotto in every bite.

*Arborio rice is an Italian short grain rice that can be found in the rice or ethnic section of most grocery stores. For a higher fiber dish, use short-grain brown rice.

** Make your own sodium-free vegetable broth by saving your veggie scraps throughout the week. (I keep mine in a freezer bag in the freezer.) When I have a bag full, I empty the scraps into a pot of water, and simmer for 45 min to an hour, covered. Strain into a glass bowl, and you have beautiful, home-made, sodium-free broth! Never buy broth again! (add poultry seasoning to your broth for recipes that call for chicken broth)

Salsa

Ingredients

·     3 ripe tomatoes
·     small bunch of cilantro; chopped
·     2-3 cloves of fresh garlic (or more, to taste)
·     1 medium onion; chopped
·     juice of 1/2 lime
·     1/2 tsp. chipotle seasoning or seasoning of choice
·     optional add ins: chopped jalapeno, diced mango or peach, red or green bell pepper, fresh organic corn, 1/2 cup black beans.

Intructions

Combine all chopped ingredients; add lime juice and seasoning; stir together and devour with your favorite organic corn chips or as a topping on baked potato or salad or greens.