Pumpkin Time!

Pumpkin Season is Here!

It's that time of year again - autumn has begun and that means pumpkins are coming into their prime. Pumpkin is such a great ingredient to use, because you can actually use the whole thing - seeds and all! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a great snack and super easy to make...but they go fast! If you aren't using your pumpkin to make a crazy jack o'lantern, you can cook off the pumpkin flesh and have it as a yummy side dish with grilled chicken or a juicy steak! Don't go to the grocery store to get your pumpkin - head over to a pick your own pumpkin farm, like Whittamore's, so you know it's farm fresh, plus it's fun!

 

 



Ingredients:

Seeds from one Pumpkin, pulp removed, especially the big chunks
2 Tbsp Avocado Oil, you can also use butter if you prefer
1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Sea Salt to taste

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and heat your oven to 350F.
2. In a bowl, toss the avocado oil and seeds, coating evenly. Add in your spices and salt and combine thoroughly.
3. Spread the seeds onto the baking sheet in a single layer and place in oven.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes tossing the seeds to ensure they are baking to an even golden colour and not burning.
5. Remove from oven and cool before eating. Place in an airtight container if not consuming at one time.

NOTE** If you want to bake the pumpkin flesh, treat it like squash. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper. Clean the pumpkin to ensure any dirt is off of the outer shell. Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with avocado oil and place face down on the baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven until you are able to poke a fork through the shell, usually about 45-60 minutes depending on how big your pumpkin is. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool, then scrape out the cooked pumpkin and season to your liking!

Chili Season Ahead!

Ch-ch-chili!

Well it's that time of year again...the season is changing to one of the most colourful times of the year, but that also means, it's going to get chilly again! That's okay though, the fall and winter season is full of comforting and yummy foods. Try this hearty chili to warm you and your family up on a one of the many cool days we have in store! If you canned your own tomatoes this season, use them in this recipe - I did!



Ingredients:

2lb Ground Beef, browned (Use Bison meat if you want a super lean chili)
2 Cups Sweet Potato, cut into small chunks
1 Cup Carrots, diced small
1 Cup Red Onions, diced small
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Fresh Jalapeno, seeded, and minced
1 Can Whole Tomatoes (Homemade Canned Tomatoes work)
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
2-3 Cups Beef Stock (Depending how thick you want your chili)
3 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Cayenne (optional if you want to spice it up more)
Avocado and Bacon for Garnish

Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste 

1. In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat; add the ground beef to brown.
2. Add in the garlic, onions, carrots, sweet potato and continue to cook until meat is browned through and vegetables are just tender. Drain any excess fat if needed.
3. Add in the spices and mix thoroughly; add in the tomatoes and continue to stir. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring the chili to a boil and cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes for flavours to infuse.
5. Remove from heat and top with crisped bacon and avocado chunks when ready to serve!

Sweet Potato Hummus!

Sweet Fancy Hummus!

If you were at the Canuck Games, you got to taste Whisked Gluten Free's awesome flax seed bread...vegan-friendly and gluten-free...AND it tasted like REAL BREAD! Our very own Canuck Melanie L, who owns WGF, had us try this awesome bread with some tasty homemade hummus spreads. It is a perfect pairing, so I tried making my own...with Sweet Potato! The trial run turned out okay, so hopefully it will work for you too! You can pair this spread with veggies for a great quick snack, or you can order that awesome flax seed bread online at www.whiskedglutenfree.com/bakery and they will deliver it right to the box! Remember, they have other great, healthy treats for you to try! But first...make the Sweet Potato Hummus! 

Ingredients:

1lb Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes (this helps with processing)
1 Can Chick Peas, rinsed thoroughly
Juice of 1 Lemon (no seeds!)
1/4 Cup Tahini
2 Tbsp Avocado Oil, or good quality Olive Oil
2 Tsp Ground Cumin
Pinch Cayenne (depends on how much kick you want)
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper (Or you can use white pepper so you don't see any specks in the hummus)

1. In a large pot, steam cook the sweet potatoes. They are done when they are tender - around 12-15 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are cut. Bigger pieces may take longer than smaller pieces.
2. Place the potatoes into a food processor, along with the remaining ingredients, except for the salt and pepper. Puree for approximately 1 minute. If it is too thick, you can add a little water to thin it out, but probably is not necessary.
3. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to use. This will last approximately a week....if you don't eat it all within the first couple of days!

One Pan Breakfast!

5 Ingredient Breakfast!

Breakfast is very important, and many people find it hard to get this meal in first thing because of time constraints or they can't think of what to make. Here's an easy one shot breakfast that contains everything you need to start your day off right - some dark, leafy greens, eggs, sweet potato and protein! You can mix and match your type of greens, I used Kale, but spinach or Swiss Chard will do the trick. The protein can be swapped out as well - instead of sausage, you can use bacon, ground beef, or even ground chicken if you prefer a white meat. You can even make this at one time and then pack them up in meals for the entire week - just reheat and go!

Ingredients:

12 Eggs, free-range preferred
2 Cups Kale leaves, torn and thoroughly cleaned and dried
3 Small Sweet Potatoes, peeled, washed and diced small
1 lb Sausage Meat, from a quality source
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

1. In a large pan over medium-high heat, break up the sausage meat and cook through.
2. Add in the sweet potato, stirring to prevent burning, and cook until tender.
3. Add in the kale leaves until they are just wilted; add in the eggs and scramble until egg is cooked out.
4. Season with salt and pepper - voila, done!