Cranberry Lentil Salad with Dill & Toasted Walnuts

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This combination of flavors and textures popped into my head one day when I was thinking of a way to make a lentil salad but also wanting to use Dill. For years, I've enjoyed cold lentils with a squeeze of lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Just the way my Uncle Gerardo made it for family when we journeyed to Spain to visit my sister.

It's scientifically proven that scent builds strong pathways to memories. I argue food is the second strongest. Food sets the mood. The smells. The experience. The previously mentioned cold lentil salad made its way into my cooking repertoire, not because it was super fancy, but because it was super simple and tasty. And because of the strong correlation I had between it and some very relaxing and fun moments in Spain. I wanted something to brighten the recipe, make it a little more fancy with unique flavors and this was born. This salad is a wonderful combination of both taste - tart, savory, herby bright, nutty and texture - crunchy walnuts, popping cranberries and soft and chewy lentils.

And I thought it's either going to be really good or really weird.

But I liked it. My neighbor liked it. My sister enjoyed it. Just like the sweet potato fennel soup, she even called asking for the recipe and made it twice within the following week.

 

 

Dill is a bright and flavorful herb. It's normally seen baked on fish, stirred into cold potato salad (I guess lentil salad doesn't seem as strange now), and used as pickle seasoning. This herb helps to relieve gas, lack of appetite, and headaches. In Ancient Greece, athletes made an infused oil with dill and rubbed it all over their body to help tone muscles. Quite intriguing, indeed.

Although I'm not going to tell you to rub dill all over your body like some Ancient Greek athletes, I will encourage you to make this salad. Fresh dill is imperative to the salad's flavor. It's tasty with dried dill but FRESH is where the Wow factor steps in. Also leave the fresh cranberries whole. They will soften in the pan a bit and then pop in your mouth when consumed.

 

For a non-vegetarian side dish add cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage. Otherwise the recipe is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and can be nut-free if walnuts are omitted.

Cranberry Lentil Salad with Dill & Toasted Walnuts
1 cup lentils, small green
1 cup shredded frozen carrots *
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, whole
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
bunch of fresh dill
1 cup toasted walnuts**
2 cups broth, sodium free (or use water and add Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with herbs to pot after lentils are cooked)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Lemon, for serving

1. Soak lentils in hot water for at least four hours (or overnight).
2. Add lentils, frozen grated carrot, and water (or broth if using) to pot. Boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, chop dried cranberries, fresh dill, and toasted walnuts.
4. Once lentils are cooked, add bouillon (if using instead of liquid broth), whole fresh cranberries, and dried cranberries. Cover and let sit on medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes. This is will soften cranberries (which will pop in your mouth!).
5. Plate 3-4 servings. Add toasted walnuts, fresh dill, and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.

Serve hot or cold! And more importantly - Enjoy!

*If using freshly grated, add to pot halfway into cooking.
*Toast walnuts in a pan on medium-low heat, stirring every minute for 4-6 minutes. Remove pan and let cool.

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Sweet Potato Fennel Soup

With 3 ingredients, this blended soup is comforting to the soul and easy in the kitchen. Fennel adds a lovely herb flavor to these beta-carotene rich potatoes.

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Initially, I wanted to make a soup that would be nourishing for new moms. My sister and a few friends have had new babies this Fall. It must be the season! And I wanted something that would be delicious and comforting to these ladies and their bundles of breastfed blessings.

Fennel (as mentioned here) is really great for digestion. As an added benefit for new mommies intent on breastfeeding, it can also help calm fussy babies (as carried in the breastmilk). Cinnamon, heavy spices and dairy can be extra-aggravating for breastfed infants but thankfully herbs like fennel can be soothing.

Having a surplus of sweet potatoes in my pantry and fennel on the brain (from another recipe I hope to post soon), I knew these flavors were destined for one great soup and was I ever right! I brought this soup with a lentil salad to my sisters and the next day she called for the recipe.

It also travels well. When using the bouillon cubes, I use three cups of water when blending and store in large mason jars. When reheating, add another cup of water to the jar and swirl around to get the extra soup clinging to the sides.

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Sweet Potato Fennel Soup
4 sweet potatoes (which I think are technically yams if they are bright orange in color)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, whole *
2 cubes Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with herbs** + 4 cups boiling water
      or 4 cups vegetable broth

1. Roast sweet potatoes in preheated 450 degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until completely tender.
2. Scoop the sweet potato out of the flesh and add to high speed blender with fennel seeds and broth. Blend and serve!

Enjoy!

*This soup may also be made with fennel bulb for a richer fennel flavor. Roast the fennel bulb with the sweet potatoes and add 1/4 tsp fennel seeds instead of the 1/2 tsp.

**I've bought Rapunzel vegetable bouillon from Azure Standard and Vitacost (here's a $10 credit for your first purchase). I buy my fennel seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs.

I'm finishing up shopping and DIYing for Christmas. We just do stockings at our house and it's been fun to find healthy stocking stuffers. If you're looking for some more stocking stuffers consider checking out your local health food store or shopping online at amazon. Some fun and healthy ideas are Arnica Gel(which is only $4.67 when coupon is clipped below price listed - almost half the price of your local drug store), Cranberry Tablets, Astragalus Root Capsules (thankfully this comes in a pack of four so can fill many stockings), Rescue Remedy, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil(comes in pack of 2), and soy candles.

Rustic Pear Tart

There are some recipes you make simply because someone you love likes it with their bacon.

Not that I don’t love a fruit tart for breakfast. I do! But when I’m working on recipes, I sometimes feel my husband gets the short end of the stick. So this is for you, babe.

This oat crust is hearty and crisp underneath the soft and slightly cinnamon-scented pears. Perfect for Fall! And easy for any gathering or holiday! It's also is great served cold the next day with a hot cup of tea.

This is another of Witty Husband’s favorites, another one being the chocolate chip breakfast rug. He also loves the baked oatmeal here on the blog if you are looking for more gluten-free and dairy-free recipes that gluten&dairy-lovers will enjoy. Recipes the whole table will enjoy!

The oat crust for this pear tart is made solely in a food processor. No need to get any bowls dirty! Here are directions if you don't have a food processor: (1) Grind the oats in a spice/coffee grinder. (2) Stir in the remaining dry ingredients. (3) Using a potato masher, cut coconut oil into the flour ingredients until it becomes gritty like biscuit batter. (4) Add liquid and stir well.

Rustic Pear Tart
2 1/2 cup oats
3 TB chia seeds
2 TB evaporated cane juice sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 TB coconut oil
3/4 cup liquid + extra for spreading dough *

3-4 Bartlett
1-2 TB Fresh Lemon Juice
2-3 TB evaporated cane juice sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Pulse the oats and chia seeds in a food processor until sandy flour texture is achieved.
2. Add sugar, bakind soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Pulse until incorporated.
3. Add coconut oil until it is incorporated and the mixture may have little clumps. Add liquid and process until dough forms.
4. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread dough with a wet spatula (keep spatula wet to prevent dough from sticking to it). Spread dough until it is about 1/3" thick.
5. Slice Bartlett pears (remove stems, core and seeds) and layer all over the crust. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon.
6. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 35-40 minutes or until edges have browned and pears are soft.
Cool 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

*For the liquid, I've used tea, water, unsweetened almond milk, apple juice and even leftover canned pear juice (from when I canned my own pears).

Autumn Fruit Salad with Fresh Cranberry Orange Dressing

This jeweled salad is sure to impress with its rainbow of color meaning it's rich in antioxidants, high in fiber and soaring in flavor. A great addition to any holiday dinner or brunch!

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Rarely do we ever associate Autumn and Fall produce with the words fresh. Normally we consume this seasonal produce roasted, steamed, blended into hot soups, or sautéed in oil. But this salad really is fresh and invigorating all thanks to the vibrant array of fresh fruit available in Autumn.

Because we so often want to warm our bodies with hot liquids, a cold or room-temperature salad may not seem appealing but once you catch a whiff of this majesty, you'll change your mind. Forget about cold fingers! The ginger and cinnamon in the dressing spice it up and aid your body's circulation. My tummy felt surprisingly warm after eating this and I couldn't wait to have a second serving with dinner.

The fresh Cranberry Orange Dressing can be doubled and half saved for a green salad. It's very yummy and I plan on making some in the future to have on a big plate of greens (maybe minus the vanilla bean). Feel free to double the spices if you want it spicier!

We keep cranberry extract in our health cabinet throughout the year but you can often find me taking it through these cold months. Cranberry is a natural antibiotic and it helps to prevent urinary tract infections, stomach ulcers, gum disease, heart disease, sinus infection, and hypertension. The berries are high in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. Also they lend to an incredible looking salad dressing as pictured below.

 

This salad also seems to be just as good the second day. I would not recommend leaving it longer as the fruit will brown and loose texture, flavor and antioxidants.

It was spectacular having this array of fresh fruit on my marble cutting board yesterday morning!

 

 

 

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If you have a mandolin slice like this one, you can slice all the persimmon, apple, and pear horizontally and make a very pretty layered salad.

The directions make the recipe look lengthy but I'm just be thorough in how to cut everything so less mess on your hands. This is actually one of the easiest fruit salads I've prepared.

Autumn Fruit Salad
2 Persimmons
1 Bartlett pear, ripe but not squishy
1 large granny smith apple
1 pomegranate
1/2 cup chopped and lightly toasted hazelnuts, optional
Juice of half lemon

Fresh Cranberry Orange Dressing
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled
1/4 tsp ground ginger or 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, minced (I've used garlic press)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
2 glugs of maple syrup

1. Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender (I used my vitamix).
1. Rip the stem from persimmons by prying fingers under the leaves (if ripe they will pop off very nicely). Cut into quarters and slice those in half.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cup water and the lemon juice in a medium size bowl. Core, slice and then chop segments of the pear and apple and put in lemon water to prevent browning.
3. Slice pomegranate in half. Take a large bowl and hold your pomegranate cut-side-down in your hand over the bowl. Take a wooden spoon and whack the pomegranate so seeds will fall into the bowl. This is pretty mess-free and easy way of removing the seeds compared to other ways. You may need to peel back a little bit of the skin to remove all of them but not much.
4. Layer everything in a short bowl (or glass pie plate as I've used). Top with dressing and hazelnuts. Serve!

Find me and this recipe on pinterest.

I've really enjoyed this salad and I hope you do too, my sweet readers! Great with a cup of tea and a good conversation!

Spiced Caramel Pumpkin Butter (Paleo friendly, vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free)

Happy Autumn, my fellow sweet readers!

Today we have a recipe that celebrates Fall wonderfully. Made in your slow cooker so you can delight in the spices all day long!

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This idea came to me last year when I thought it would be great to sweeten pumpkin butter solely with dates. And then my lovely neighbor Pattie (mentioned here and here) shared a caramel pumpkin butter recipe made in the slow cooker by the blog Inspired by Family found via Babble. From then on, I knew it was destiny, a spicy and sweet one at that. I knew I needed to make my own healthier version using the aforementioned dates.

Full of spices, yummy pumpkin, and caramel-y dates, this butter makes a great treat for any cold windy day and it's friendly for practically anyone - free of eggs, refined cane sugar (sweetened only with dates and spices), nuts, gluten, grain, and dairy. It's paleo and vegan friendly! It would look lovely in a nut crust as a tart, in a bowl with cut apples and carrots, piled on biscuits, or in jars to give away as friends (it will need refrigeration).

If you're looking to make more of a pumpkin butter instead of caramel-flavored pumpkin butter, use 1 1/2 to 2 cups depending on the sweetness desired.

I'll be updating this recipe in the next week or two using canned pumpkin if anyone is interested. It's a bit of work to peel the pumpkin yourself and I know the holidays don't always permit extra time. Let me know if you would like to know instructions for that!

This is great served with apple slices, carrots, or even banana. In fact, for dessert I dipped a banana in it tonight!

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Spiced Caramel Pumpkin Butter
3 cup dates, pits and stems removed
1 small or medium pumpkin - seeds removed, peeled, and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cup apple juice (for a creamier butter use unsweetened coconut or almond milk)
1 TB cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove spice
Pinch of salt (brings out sweetness)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours or low 7-8 until pumpkin is soft. Using an immersion blender (I used my Cuisinart hand blender) or high speed blender such as a Vitamix (this will make it even smoother). Once cool, refridgerate. Enjoy!

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Question of the Day: What do you love about Autumn?

I love wearing a scarf and boots, running outside in the wind with my Big Blue Eyes, having a great breakfast with Witty Husband, and snuggling up with a good book and a cup of tea. I'm currently enjoying re-reading On Fallen Wings by Jamie McHenry because the third book Wings of my Enemy came out and drinking Dandy Blend brew which is ultra delicious. Although I've put this book The Artful Parent by Jean Van't Hul on my Christmas wish list. There is one other thing I love about Autumn and that's having excuses to stay inside and make one more craft with my daughter. That book looks really inspiring. Any books that you've enjoyed this year? I would love to hear recommendations!