Autumn Roasted Vegetables and Farro Salad

Last weekend was a weekend of firsts for me: my first California football game – Cal vs. UCLA, my first tailgating experience, my first time at the Rose Bowl. It was so much fun! The Rose Bowl is not your typical tailgating experience. Essentially it’s like a big park (beautiful green space!) with A LOT of people picnicking. We had a few “yard” games to play like beanbags and yard golf and of course plenty of food…including this yummy salad.

As much as I love quinoa, a girl just has to spice things up from time to time to add variety and excitement to cooking and eating. And so, with that in mind, I decided on farro tossed with a few of my fall favorites.

Farro is an ancient grain with a lovely texture, nuttiness and elegance that exceeds many common grains. It is also the perfect substitute for Arborio rice in a risotto dish. Though farro is much lower in gluten and easily digested, it should still be avoided by those with celiac disease or a wheat sensitivity. Farro is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and unlike other whole grains, it contains cyanogenic glucosides, which have been found to stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol and help maintain blood sugar levels. It is also high in fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E.      

There are different types of farro (pearled, semi-pearled and un-pearled) so make sure you prepare your farro according to the label.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of uncooked farro

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed

3-4 cups of Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
3 tablespoons of fresh sage, chopped finely

½ cup of raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Sea salt

* dried cranberries - optional

Vinaigrette Ingredients

¾ cup EVOO (plus a little extra)

¼ cup apple cider vinegar (plus a little extra)

1-2 tablespoons of honey

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Sea salt

* Vinaigrette recipe makes one cup.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Toss the butternut squash and Brussels sprouts (separately) in a large bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt. Line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper (easier clean up) and transfer the squash cubes and Brussels sprouts to the separate pans. Shake the pans to evenly distribute the veggies.

Roast the Brussels sprouts for approximately 15-20 minutes and the squash for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until tender.

Prepare the farro according to the package or label. When it has finished cooking, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a small skillet. Add the finely chopped sage and fry until slightly crispy.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt until emulsified and somewhat opaque.

Add the farro, squash, Brussels sprouts and fried sage to a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and toss well. Top with pepitas, dried cranberries (optional) and serve!

Note, you will have left-over vinaigrette. Seal it in a jar and keep for up to two weeks.

Rich & Creamy Butternut Squash Smoothie

Nothing screams fall like heaping baskets of various winter squash. And though I don’t usually discriminate when it comes to squash, butternut…well, lets just say it holds a very special place in my heart. The smooth creamy color on the outside gives way to the rich buttery flesh on the inside. You can count on almost anything with the word butternut in it to be delicious, including this beautiful velvety butternut squash smoothie.

When buying squash, look for those with a nice firm healthy stem, with even shiny skin free from dents, dings, blemishes and soft spots. Store your squash in a cool dry place (around 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit) and it will keep for weeks, possibly even months.

The hardest part of roasting squash is cutting it open. First, rinse (with water only) the outside of the squash and dry it off. Next trim both ends, slice the squash in half length-wise (keep your fingers out of the way!) and use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds. Drizzle a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil on the flesh and use your fingers to coat it evenly. Place the squash flesh side down on a rimmed baking sheet and you’re ready to roast!

Suggestion, buy more than one butternut squash because you’ll want to enjoy this again ASAP after slurping it down the first time around. Can you say addicting?

Ingredients

1 small to medium butternut squash

1 ½ cups of unsweetened almond milk

3-4 dates, pits removed

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon (your choice!)

½ teaspoon of nutmeg

½ teaspoon of ginger

¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

1 large handful of ice

* If you want to add some superfoods, try either 1 tablespoon of lucuma or chia seeds. This is completely optional J and doesn’t change the flavor of the smoothie at all.

Directions

Following the squash prep advice above, roast the squash at 350°F for approximately 40-45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and let cool.

Scoop out all the squash flesh and toss it into a high-speed blender. Add all remaining ingredients and blend on high until velvety smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses or jars and enjoy immediately! Enjoy this dreamy deliciousness with a cinnamon stick for an extra special touch.

Fresh & Tangy Goat's Milk Yogurt

The other day I met a friend for tea and naturally we started chit chatting about food and nutrition, two of my favorite topics. The discussion was primarily around how corrupt our food system is and how easy it is to make many things at home, for example yogurt! Susan, my friend, was kind enough to let me try a bite of her homemade soy yogurt and explained how easy it was to make. Making yogurt has been top of mind for a while now; however, there has always been some intimidating aspect of this process. I left her house that day with the intention and motivation to make my very own yogurt…the following weekend. And voila! I did it!

For my first batch I decided on a goat’s milk yogurt using Summerhill Goats Milk from Trader Joes. A client of mine took a cheese-making class at a local goat farm and the farmers suggested using Summerhill because they treat their goats very well, the milk is free from antibiotics and added hormones and it does not undergo ultra pasteurization. Perfect! Now, if you don’t care for the flavor of goat’s milk or cheese, you can always use cow’s milk or any other milk alternative. Next weekend I am going to try cultured almond milk (I’ll keep you posted!).

You may be thinking, but I don’t have one of those fancy yogurt makers. I have great news for you - you do not need one! In fact all you need is a cooking thermometer, saucepan, a stove and a crock-pot, besides the obvious ingredients of course. One thing you will need to decide is whether you would like to use the live bacteria strains from an existing plain yogurt (make sure it lists live bacteria cultures in the ingredients) or the bacteria from a probiotic supplement as your yogurt starter. You can also find yogurt starter packages (by the gelatin) in some stores. I just so happened to have a PLAIN (you’ll want to use plain) organic Greek yogurt in my fridge so I used that for this batch; however, next weekend I plan to use a probiotic supplement for my cultured almond milk. If you choose to use a probiotic supplement it needs to contain live bacteria so it must be one that is kept under refrigeration. You would simply pull the capsule apart and sprinkle the powder in your milk (when the directions tell you to do so).

*Note, due to the length of time the yogurt needs in order to thicken, I suggest starting this process in the late afternoon so it is ready for breakfast the following morning!

Ingredients

1 quart of goat’s milk or 4 cups (cow’s milk, almond, soy, etc.)

½ cup of yogurt starter (or the powder from one probiotic supplement)

Directions

Plug in your crock-pot and turn it to high.

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 180°F (or 110°F if using raw milk). The milk will get frothy but should not boil. Remove from heat and let it cool until it reaches 100-110°F. This part should only take about 30 minutes.

While the milk is cooling, remove your yogurt starter from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.

Remove approximately one cup of milk from the saucepan and mix it with your yogurt starter. Whisk until no lumps remain. Then add it back in with the remaining milk.

*If you are using a probiotic supplement, remove approximately one cup of milk add in the probiotic powder, stir and add it back to the remaining milk.

Turn off your crockpot. Transfer the milk into small jars (that can fit beneath the lid of the crock-pot.

Top the jars with lids and seal them loosely. Place them in the crock-pot.

Put the lid on the crock-pot and wrap the entire crock-pot, including the base, in blankets or towels to create a warm, dark incubating environment. 

Keep it covered overnight for approximately 8-12 hours so the yogurt thickens. In the morning transfer the yogurt cups to the refrigerator and enjoy!

I sprinkled mine with granola, click here for the recipe, cranberries and chia seeds. Yum!!