Never mind! It’s autumn, and that means SOUPS. My family loves this butternut squash “chili,” and it’s a healthy, inexpensive meal for an autumnal weeknight. (The quotation marks are because I’m a Texan born and bred, and I have a moral objection to calling any stew-like creation that contains beans “chili.”) We’re trying to eat more plant-based meals, so it’s vegan. You can add ground turkey, ground beef, or ground lamb, if you like.

Butternut Squash Chili

Ingredients

2 10-ounce bags diced butternut squash or 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed (canned beans can contain a lot of sodium, hence the rinsing)
1 14-ounce can fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
2 poblano peppers, diced
1 bell pepper (any color) diced
1 red onion, diced
4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional toppings: Chopped cilantro, chopped onions, crushed tortilla chips, cheese (vegan or regular), sour cream or crema (vegan or otherwise), cornbread

Directions

Place all ingredients except for the optional toppings in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.

Cook on low for about 5 hours or until the butternut squash is softened. To thicken the chili, remove 2 cups from the stockpot and mash. Return to the pot and stir into the chili. Serve with a range of toppings so that people can customize their bowls of chili.

The post Healthy Waists, Healthy Wallets: Butternut Squash “Chili” first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
1 large shallot
4 to 6 cloves garlic, whole
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups (more or less) chicken or vegetable broth or stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ bunch fresh sage (if you don’t like sage, try tarragon or basil, but sage really, really works with butternut squash!)
a couple of dashes of hot sauce
salt and (lots of) freshly ground pepper to taste
For garnishes: crème fraiche, pepitas, fresh sage leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Cut the butternut squash in half vertically and scoop out the seeds. Peel the shallots. Do NOT peel the garlic cloves. Toss all with the olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Make sure the cut sides of the squash are down. Roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Remove from the oven and set aside until the squash is cool enough to handle.

From here on, you have two options as to how to proceed. You can either use an immersion blender or a stand blender.

If you use an immersion blender, scoop out the roasted squash into a large pot over medium heat. Add in the roasted shallot. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of their paper into the pot as well. Add in a little less than three cups of the broth and warm through. Using an immersion blender, blend until the soup is smooth. Add in the cream and stir. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add in the fresh sage, stems and all, and bring to the barest simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm with your desired garnish.

If you use a stand blender, scoop out the roasted squash into the pitcher of the blender, along with the roasted shallot. Squeeze the roasted garlic from their paper into the pitcher. Add in about 2 cups of the broth, cover the opening with a clean kitchen towel (do NOT use the lid if the squash is still warm), and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a pot over medium heat. Stir in the remaining cup of broth and the cream. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add in the fresh sage, stems and all, and bring to the barest simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm with your desired garnish.

This will serve four as a main meal with a lovely salad (try this salad) and some good bread.

The post Butternut Squash Soup for Cooler Autumn Nights first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

I don’t know about you, but after the rich foods and treats of the holiday season, I’ve been craving, absolutely craving salads. But as it’s winter, I’ve had to get creative. Fortunately, there are all sorts of gorgeous fruits and vegetables in season, and coupled with grains and lean protein, these can make a dinner that is not only healthy but is full of flavor!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Farro, Radicchio, and an Orange Vinaigrette

This is a lovely, hearty salad. Farro is hulled wheat and is deliciously nutty. You can substitute quinoa or brown rice if you want to be gluten-free. If you like, you can add a little bit of grate Gruyere or crumbled feta to add a bit of protein.

Ingredients

1 container diced butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked farro, cooked according to package directions (this will yield about 2 to 2 ½ cups cooked)
1 large or 2 small heads radicchio, leaves separated and torn into bite-sized pieces
3 ribs celery, with leaves, thinly sliced
4 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
1 bunch parsley leaves
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Juice of 1 (extra) orange
1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon smoked paprika (I use hot in this, but you can use sweet if you like)
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (optional)
Shredded Gruyere or crumbled feta (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°. Toss the butternut squash with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft and brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the vinaigrette by combining the sherry vinegar, orange juice, shallot, thyme, smoked paprika, honey, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well until the salt is dissolved.

To make the salad, toss the butternut squash, cooked farro, radicchio, celery, orange segments, red onion, and parsley leaves in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss again. Divide onto four plates and top with the seeds and/or cheese, if using. You can also add a piece of grilled chicken or fish to this if you like.

Salmon and Beet Salad with Pomegranate Seeds a Mustard Vinaigrette

I love this salad because it’s colorful and has beets, which are my absolute favorite vegetables. You can get pre-cooked beets in most supermarket produce sections these days, which makes preparation so much easier!

Ingredients

4 4-ounce wild-caught salmon fillets, skin removed
2 bags or clamshells of arugula (10 ounces)
1 pound of pre-cooked beets, diced
4 to 5 radishes, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, with leaves, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons sunflower seeds
4 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
2 teaspoons whole-grained mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon (divided use)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Directions

Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the salmon on one side for about 2 minutes or until the edges are opaque and the salmon moves easily. Flip over and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, more or less depending on how well done you like your salmon. Remove from the pan and let rest while you assemble the rest of the salad.

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole-grained mustard, minced garlic, and white wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. While whisking frantically, slowly drizzle in the rest of the olive oil to make an emulsion. Then add the arugula, beets, radishes, and celery and toss to coat with the dressing.

To serve, divide the salad onto four plates. Top each with a salmon fillet and then top with the sunflower seeds, pomegranate seeds, and goat cheese, if using.

Lemon Chicken and Avocado Salad with Dried Fruits

Nomnomnomnom!

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

10 ounces of baby spinach
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and drained again
1 bunch parsley leaves
1 cup mixed dried fruits (sweetened cranberries, diced dried apricots, dried cherries, diced dried apples, etc.)
2 avocados, sliced

For the dressing:

¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

For the chicken:

Combine the chicken breasts, lemon juice and zest, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl or zippered plastic bag and marinate for about 30 minutes. To cook, sear in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes a side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool while you assemble the salad.

For the salad:

Divide the spinach, red onion, chickpeas, parsley leaves, and mixed fruits among four plates. Slice the chicken and divide among the salad, and top with the avocado slices.

For the dressing:

Combine the vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, tarragon, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until the salt is dissolved. Drizzle over the salads and serve.

The post Delicious Winter Salads to Help Keep Your Resolutions first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Before you rush out to stock the pantry before the Polar Vortex, take a look at these easy, healthy slow cooker soup recipes that my family loves. They’re warm and hearty, and because they’re made in a slow cooker, they’re about as easy as you can get!

Southwestern Butternut Squash Bisque

You can make this with sweet potatoes if you like, but the packaged butternut squash cubes in the produce section make this as easy as can be!

Ingredients

2 packages butternut squash cubes from the produce department
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (if you can’t find Mexican oregano, just leave it out!)
4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium chicken broth, or water
1 to 2 canned chipotles in adobo
salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream or crema and cilantro to serve

Directions

Place the squash, onion, carrots, garlic, spices, and broth or water in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 2 ½. Before serving, add in the chipotles and season with salt and pepper. You can either use an immersion blender to blend this smooth or you can use a potato masher or pastry cutter to mash it so that it stays chunky. If you want to thin it out, stir in a little more broth or water. Serve with the sour cream or crema and cilantro. Makes enough for 4 hungry people with a little leftover!

White Bean, Quinoa, and Kale Soup

Parmesan rinds are wonderful for adding an umami kick to vegetarian soups. This is my healthier take on that poor, overworked “Zuppa Toscana.”

Ingredients

½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 parmesan rind
2 stalks fresh rosemary
¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lemon, thickly sliced
6 cups vegetable broth or water
2 14-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch Lacinato kale (also known as black or Tuscan kale; you can substitute curly kale for this), ribs removed and roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Basil pesto and grated parmesan cheese to serve

Directions

Combine the quinoa, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, parmesan rind, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon, and broth or water in your slow cooker. Cook on low for about 5 hours or on high for about 2 ½ hours. Add in the drained and rinsed beans, kale, and salt and pepper, and warm through for about 30 minutes. Remove the lemon slices and serve with a dollop of pesto and grated parmesan cheese. Makes enough for 4 with leftovers (and this is AMAZING the next day!).

Oh-So-Easy Black Bean Soup

This is one of our favorites. Not only is it easy and healthy, it’s really inexpensive!

Ingredients

1 16-ounce bag black beans, rinsed and picked over
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 16-ounce jar medium salsa verde
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (in this recipe, if you can’t find Mexican oregano, you can substitute regular)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream or crema, diced red onions, diced avocados, cilantro, and lime wedges to serve

Directions

Combine the black beans, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salsa, cumin, oregano, coriander, paprika, and broth in your slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for about 7 hours (gotta get those beans soft!). You can either use an immersion blender to blend this smooth or you can use a potato masher or pastry cutter to mash it so that it stays chunky. If you want to thin it out, stir in a little more broth. Season with salt and pepper and serve with sour cream or crema, red onions, avocados, cilantro, and lime wedges. Makes enough for 6 with leftovers.

The post Three Healthy, Hearty Slow Cooker Soups for Cold Winter Nights first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.