Chewy Teff Ginger Molasses Cookies

Makes 32 small cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups teff flour

• ½ cup buckwheat flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• ½ tsp mustard powder

• ½ cup creamy unsalted almond butter

• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted

• 2 tsp tamari

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

• ½ cup maple syrup

• ½ cup blackstrap molasses

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add the teff flour, buckwheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and mustard powder to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter, coconut oil, tamari, vanilla extract, ginger, maple syrup, and molasses to another bowl and stir to combine.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Try not to over mix. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter and drop onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until brown on the bottom. Remove from oven and place onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters. Photo and adaptation by Natalie Bickford.

Quinoa Blood Orange Delicata Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1-2 large onions, cut into long thin slices

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• pinch of salt

• ½ cup quinoa, cooked

• 1 medium delicata squash, cut into ½ inch wedges

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil

• ¼ tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

• 2 blood oranges, sliced into rounds

• 1 medium avocado, sliced into 1 inch cubes

• 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

• ½ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• ¼ tsp salt

• fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until onions soften, then turn the heat down so the onions are simmering gently in the oil. Let it simmer on low for about 30-45 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Onions are done when softened, golden brown, and slightly sweet.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a bowl, combine the squash, oil, and salt and toss to coat. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, flipping about half way through. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, delicata squash, blood orange, avocado, spinach, almonds, and ¼ cup of the caramelized onions. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tbsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the quinoa and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Natalie Bickford.

Jerry Traunfeld’s Root Ribbons with Sage

Ingredients

• 2 lbs root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, burdock, rutabagas, yams (avoid beets)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped sage

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Wash and peel the roots and discard the peelings. Continue to peel the vegetables from their tops to the root tips to produce ribbons, rotating the roots on their axis a quarter turn after each strip is peeled, until you're left with cores that are too small to work with. (You can snack on these or save them for stock.) Alternately, you may use a mandolin.

Melt the butter with the sage in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir for a minute to partially cook the sage. Add the root ribbons and toss them with tongs until they begin to wilt. Add the salt, a good grinding of black pepper, the maple syrup, lemon juice, and about 3/4 cup of water.

Continue to cook the vegetables over medium heat, turning them with tongs every minute or so, until all the liquid boils away and the ribbons are glazed and tender, about 10 minutes total. Serve right away, or cool and reheat in the skillet when ready to serve.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford adapted from Food52

Butternut Squash Soup with Miso and Coconut

Serves 6-8, perfect for leftovers throughout the week. 

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 4 ½ cups water

• 4 tbsp plus 1 tsp white miso paste

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated

• 2 ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• one 3 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk

• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Directions

First, make your miso stock. Put 4 cups of water into a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of water together with the miso, and pour that into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, but don't let it boil.

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a large, heavy pot. When it's hot, add the onion and sweat it until it's translucent. Stir in the ginger, cumin, and cayenne, and toast spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Deglaze with a ladle-full of your miso stock.

Add the cubed butternut squash and the salt, mixing everything to combine, and then pour in the rest of the miso stock. Simmer until the squash is completely tender, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and purée the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender, being careful of the hot liquid. At this point you can strain for a super-smooth soup, or you can leave it how it is -- up to you!

Return the puréed soup back to the pot, and stir in the coconut milk. Taste, adjust for seasoning and spice. 

Serve warm, with bread on the side.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Hazelnut Crusted Miso Delicata Squash

Ingredients

• 1 delicata squash, halved and cut into ½ inch wedges

• 2 tbsp miso paste

• 2 tbsp hot water

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

• ¼ cup hazelnuts, ground (1/3 cup ground)

• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

• pinch of salt

• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine miso paste and hot water in a medium bowl and whisk to dissolve the miso paste, until smooth. Add in the olive oil and vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the squash to the bowl and toss to coat. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

In a food processor, add the ground hazelnuts, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the nut mixture onto the squash, doing your best to evenly coat them. Once each wedge is covered, gently press the mixture down with your fingers so that it sticks. Carefully flip the squash over and repeat on the other side. A bit tedious, but so worth it!

Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, carefully flipping each wedge half way through. Squash is done when easily pierced with a fork and crust is browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some fresh chopped parsley, if you please! This is great as a side or on top of a salad. Enjoy!

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Crust

Makes one personal pizza.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed, soaked 8 hours or overnight, drained, rinsed again

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 3 tbsp water

• cooking spray

Topping ideas

• Arugula pesto

• Fried eggplant

• Fresh tomatoes

• Goat cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat the parchment paper with oil spray or brush it on yourself

Add the soaked and rinsed quinoa, baking powder, salt, and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the batter onto the lined baking sheet and spread out evenly using a rubber spatula.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Removed and flip the crust over and bake for another 3 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

Add toppings and bake until heated through and cheese is melted, about 6 minutes.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Roasted Black Futsu Squash with Hazelnut Sage Pesto

Ingredients

For the pesto:

• 1 garlic clove

• ½ cup sage leaves (plus a few more for frying, optional)

• ¼ cup parsley

• ¼ cup hazelnuts

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tsp miso paste

• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

• ¼ cup olive oil

• salt and pepper, to taste

For the apple cider cranberries:

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1 cup unsweetened apple cider

For the squash:

• 1 black futsu squash (or other winter squash), cubed

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

For the pesto, in a food processor, pulse the garlic and herbs until coarsely chopped. Add in the hazelnuts and pulse again until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Add in the lemon juice, miso paste, red pepper flakes, and olive oil and pulse until incorporated. I like mine to still be a little chunky, but you could puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the squash is cooked through. 

(Optional) While the squash roasts, heat 3 tbsp of butter or oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once melted and sizzles when you drop a leaf in, add in the sage leaves and fry for about 10 seconds, or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to cool. 

For the cranberries, heat the apple cider and cranberries to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cranberries are rehydrated. 

Once the squash is done, transfer it to a bowl and generously toss with the hazelnut sage pesto. Top with chopped hazelnuts, apple cider cranberries and fried sage. Yum!

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Coconut Flour Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup grated zucchini

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 6 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/4 chopped pecans + 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional...but necessary)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a muffin pan (this makes 12 small muffins).

Mix the coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl.

Combine the zucchini, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup in a separate bowl and mix until uniform. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.

Young Garlic & Squash Blossom Risotto

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 cloves of the mild, young garlic with soft, wet skins, OR 3 cloves of pungent, cured summer garlic.

• one large or two smaller spring onions

• arborio rice (350 g, about 3 1/2 cups)

• white wine (200 ml- a little less than a cup)

• hot vegetable stock (1.25 litres- about 5 1/2 cups)

• butter (have a stick on hand, use your own judgement from there)

• olive oil

• squash blossoms (several, from your garden, or available at farmers markets)

Directions

Peel and slice, then chop the garlic and spring onions. 

Wash and set aside your squash blossoms.

Grate the parmesan cheese and set aside. 

Melt the butter and olive oil in the base of a good heavy bottom (half-height, if you have one) soup pot. I do feel strongly that a wide base is essential for good risotto. 

A good tool is also essential. Make sure your tool can safely scrape the bottom of your pan. A wooden flat spatula (just make sure its tip is thin enough) is good on enamel pots, a strong metal spatula on steel. 

In another soup pot or tall saucepan, heat your prepared stock. Ideally, make a good garlicky broth. You could also make a fresh young garlic stock by cooking some other cloves in butter, topping off with salt and water, then boiling/simmering (perhaps with a cheesecloth sachet of parsley stems) until the taste comes through. 

Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the arborio rice and cook for a minute or two more. Scrape out a circle in the center, then add the white wine. It should sizzle and steam on contact. Stir vigorously so the rice absorbs the alcohol. Cook this way for about 2 minutes, until the liquid is gone and the rice is just barely starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Make another circle with your tool. Add a ladleful of stock, then stir vigorously to incorporate. Repeat this process, taking progressively longer between ladlefuls. You'll notice the stock absorbs quite quickly at first, then as the rice cooks, it will slow. You don't want the rice to break down very much and become gummy, so the sweet spot is where you can feel whole grains on your tongue, but they are entirely tender. 

When most of the stock is absorbed (I almost always stop before I've reached the end of the pot) and the risotto is delicious, turn the heat off. Add the squash blossoms and parmesan and another good knob of butter. Stir to incorporate, then cover to let the squash blossoms delicately steam.

Serve with grilled summer vegetables, dressed with lemon zest and lemon juice, grassy olive oil, salt, and pepper. Top each serving of risotto with another sprinkling of parmesan and, if you have access, some herb flowers. 

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Barton, photo by Peter Schweitzer.

Chickpea, Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Chickpea, Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Tahini Lemon Sauce

Serves 4

Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tsp miso paste*

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 large tomato, chopped)

• 1 cup chickpeas

• ½ cup parsley, chopped

• ½ cup sheep’s milk feta (or any other kind of feta)

• ½ cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients into small bowl and whisk until uniform.

Combine the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley and feta into a large bowl. Pour dressing on top and mix until evenly coated. Top with additional feta and parsley and finish with fresh ground black pepper.

*If omitting miso paste, make sure to add salt, to taste.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Natalie Bickford.

Soba with Parsley Pea Pesto

Ingredients for the pesto:

2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 generous splashes of balsamic vinegar 
up to 1/2 cup olive oil 

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor and pulse until roughly combined.
2. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and continue pulsing until mixture comes together. Add more olive oil as needed, 1 Tbsp at a time, if pesto needs to be thinned out. You want it to be loose enough that it will lightly coat your noodles.

Ingredients for the noodles:

100g (or so) of dried soba noodles 
1 cup frozen peas, thawed 
2 cups kale, chopped
1/2 cup parsley pea pesto

Directions:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Once water has come to a boil, add dried soba noodles, give a good stir, turn off the heat and cover. Set aside for 5 minutes. I like my soba al dente and find that it is very easy to overcook. This method ensures that the noodles maintain their bite.
2. While noodles are cooking, heat frozen peas in the microwave (about 2.5 - 3 minutes on high, stirring halfway through). Add a small amount of water to the peas before microwaving them.
3. Once noodles and peas are cooked, drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and return to the pot. Drain the peas and add to the pot along with the chopped kale and pesto, toss to coat evenly.  Serves 2.

Recipe and photo by Natalie Bickford. 

Raw Mini Key Lime Pie

Ingredients (makes 4)

Crust:
1/2 cup raw walnuts
5 dates, pitted
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Filling:
1 medium avocado
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp honey (sub maple syrup to make vegan)
juice and zest of 2 limes (1/4 cup lime juice)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Put the crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until there are no chunks and you are able to mold the mixture in your hands. If it's not sticking then pulse a few more times or try adding a splash of water. Remove from the food processor and set aside in a bowl. Try not to eat all of it.
2. For the filling, put all the of ingredients into your food processor and process until smooth. Taste it and decide whether you'd like it more sweet (add honey) or more tart (add more lime juice).
3. Line a muffin tin with 4 muffin cups. Divide the date mixture evenly among the cups and press to create a mini compact crust. Then spoon the filling on to the crust. If you have extra filling then just pour it into another muffin cup for a crustless version...or just eat it right then and there with a spoon. Top with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and some lime zest, if desired.
4. Place in the freezer for at least a couple of hours or until solid. I like to let them sit out for 10 minutes to soften up a bit, but they are also good straight from the freezer.

Recipe and photo by Natalie Bickford.

Strawberry Coconut Pops

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen strawberries (you can mix and match different berries)

• 1 can (13.5 fl oz) unsweetened coconut milk

• 4 tbsp honey (or other sweetener)

Directions

Place about half of the frozen fruit in a food processor or blender and blend until the fruit is mostly pulverized.

Add coconut milk & honey, mix, add the remaining fruit and mix again until even.

Pour into popsicle molds or ice cube trays & refreeze.

This recipe is also really great with frozen orange slices. This is also a great way to use up honey that's crystalized. The little honey crystals are delicious mixed in the pops.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup hemp seeds

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder

• 6-8 pitted dates

• Pinch salt

• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions 

Blend ingredients until smooth. Add a splash of water if needed for blending. Refrigerate until cold & set, at least 30 minutes. Serves 2.

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms (or Portobello, white button, etc)

• 2 Tablespoons oil or fat of your choice

• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 loose Tablespoon fresh rosemary

• 1 loose Tablespoon fresh thyme

• pinch sea salt & crushed black pepper

• 3/4 cup almond milk (or coconut milk, or water)

• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos (or tamari)

• 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

Chop up mushrooms and sauté in oil over medium high heat for about 8 minutes.  Then add in garlic and herbs, sauté for another minute or two.  Toss all ingredients including almond milk and coconut aminos into a blender, and blend on high until creamy.  Return to the sauté pan to warm up before serving. Optional: Simply add more almond milk to turn it into a soup instead of a gravy. 

This gravy also makes an excellent “cream of mushroom soup” replacement in your green bean casseroles! If making a green bean casserole,  toss in some sliced mushrooms, and bake just as you would normally. Top it off with sliced almonds instead of fried onions for a healthy twist. This gravy also makes a great base for a cream of mushroom soup, just thin it out the right consistency, and top with sautéed mushrooms and fresh herbs. 

Recipe courtesy of www.bettyrawker.com

Dark Cherry BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark sweet cherries (pits removed)

• 2 Tablespoons blackberry vinegar (red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos (or tamari)

• 1 Tablespoon minced dried onion (1 teaspoon onion powder)

• 1 Tablespoon black strap molasses

• ½ teaspoon mustard

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/4 teaspoon ginger extract (or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root)

• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (can be omitted)

• Sea salt & black pepper

• Optional: 1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

Blend ingredients together in a high speed blender.  Add more vinegar, molasses, or mustard to taste.  You can enjoy this BBQ Sauce raw, or simmer it down on the stove top.

Coat fruit or veggie kabobs with this BBQ sauce and warm then toss them on the grill for a few minutes. 

Recipe by Andrea Wyckoff of bettyrawker.com. Photo by Mercedes G Photography. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Serves 2.

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 cups spinach

• 1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced thin

• 1 small avocado, chopped

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1 batch of Poppy Seed Dressing

Poppy Seed Dressing

• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• ½ teaspoon mustard

• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

• small pinch sea salt

• ½ tsp honey or coconut nectar

Instructions

Whisk poppy seed dressing together in a small jar.  In large salad bowl, toss spinach, strawberries, and avocado in poppy seed dressing. Top with sliced almonds. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from pureandsimplerecipes.com.

Raspberry Sorbet

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen raspberries

• 1/3 cup fresh avocado, packed

• Juice from 1 lime

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (or a few drops of stevia to taste)

• Optional: 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon rum (for softer sorbet if you plan to freeze it for very long, like overnight or a couple days. Do not add rum if making to serve right away)

Directions

Mash avocado and lime juice in a bowl until creamy.

Blend frozen raspberries in a food processor until they break down into icy raspberry bits. Add creamy avocado mash, vanilla, and sweetener, to the raspberries in the food processor, and blend into a creamy sorbet. Be careful not to over blend for too long, as you want this to stay cold and creamy.

Serve right away or put into a Tupperware container to firm up and enjoy later. 

Garnish with fresh raspberries, edible flowers, and mint leaves, if you would like.

Recipe and photo from Pure and Simple Recipes.

Moroccan Lentils

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 1/2 cups green lentils, rinsed and drained

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• Pinch each of salt and black pepper

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, then stir in the spices and cook another minute. Add the lentils, broth and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir in the cilantro just before serving and taste for salt and pepper.

Add 1⁄3 cup of cooked brown rice to each serving for a hearty vegetarian meal. You can adjust the heat of this dish by increasing the cayenne to 1/2 teaspoon. The lentils also make a great party appetizer, served with fresh pita bread for scooping

Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic Dip

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, halved and seeds scooped

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• Coarse salt

• 1 large head garlic, halved crosswise

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 2 Tbsp tahini

• 1 tsp turmeric

• Cayenne, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drizzle cut sides of squash with oil and season with salt. Arrange cut side down on a baking sheet. Arrange garlic head halves in the center of parchment-lined foil. Drizzle with oil, sandwich, and wrap tightly.

Transfer to baking sheet with squash and roast until squash and garlic are tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop squash flesh and squeeze each clove of roasted garlic.

Transfer to a food processor with oil, lemon juice, tahini, and turmeric and process until smooth. Season with salt and cayenne. Store dip in an airtight container up to five days.

Try adding a little rubbed sage or ground rosemary to this—delicious!

Recipe adapted from WholeLiving.com.