Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart

More fall flavors are featured in this butternut squash tart with caramelized onion. This makes a great Thanksgiving appetizer and is surprisingly easy to prepare thanks to frozen puff pastry sheets. Feel free to switch it up with a different variety of cheese. I used fontina and a cinnamon-dusted toscana cheese (similar to parmesan) from Trader Joe's. I know, cheese and cinnamon? It sounds like a strange combination, but I assure you that it pairs very well with the squash. A few fried sage leaves on top add color and earthy flavor to this delicious squash tart.

Ingredients 

2 square sheets of frozen puff pastry (I used Trader Joe's)

1 small butternut squash

1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

Salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 cup shredded fontina cheese

1/2 cup grated toscana cheese (try the cinnamon-dusted variety from TJ's...parmesan will also work here)

Sage leaves

Oil for frying

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and peel the outer layer of skin. I just used the neck portion of the squash so that my pieces were the same size. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer, slice the squash into uniform 1/4-inch slices. On a foil lined pan, toss the squash with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.

While the squash roasts, caramelize your onions. In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter and add the onions. Season with salt, pepper, and the other 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and soft. While the onions cook, prepare your pastry.  Place on of the squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut four two-inch strips from the second piece of pastry and place the strips around the outer edges of the pastry square. 

To assemble the tart, place the caramelized onions on the pastry dough and top with the shredded fontina. Arrange cooled squash slices in a concentric layered pattern on top of the cheese. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. While the tart is baking, fry your sage leaves. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, warm some olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sage leaves and fry until they are crispy (about one minute). When the tart is finished baking, remove from the oven and top with the shredded toscana cheese and the fried sage leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rustic Apple Tart with Fleur de Sel Caramel

Impress your dinner guests with a decadent dessert that is surprisingly simple to prepare. Thanks to some of my favorite Trader Joe's products, this flaky apple tart can be assembled in a matter of minutes. The most effortful step is the peeling and slicing of the apples. The result is a truly authentic tasting French pastry. Nobody will know it is semi-homemade!

   Ingredients

2 sheets of Trader Joe's frozen puff pastry

3 apples (I used Granny Smith)

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 jar of Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel caramel sauce

2 tablespoons butter 

   Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and remove the puff pastry from the freezer to defrost for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, core and peel your apples, and then slice them into very thin uniform slices. If you have one, a mandoline slicer makes this step a breeze! I used the 1/8-inch thickness setting. In a large bowl, gently toss the apple slices with the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Place one sheet of puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut four one-inch strips from the other sheet of puff pastry.* Place the strips on the outer edges of the large puff pastry sheet. Lightly drizzle the pastry with some of the caramel sauce. Arrange the apple slices in a pretty design on top of the caramel sauce. Place dabs of butter on top of the apples. Gently brush the edges of the tart with the beaten egg. Bake the tart in the oven for 15 minutes, rotating it as necessary to avoid uneven browning due to hotspots in the oven. While the tart is baking, slightly warm more of the caramel sauce in the microwave. Removed the tart from the oven and drizzle with more caramel. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the pastry edges are golden brown and the filling is bubbly and starts to thicken. Cool slightly before cutting and serve with fresh whipped cream. C'est très bon!

*There will be some leftover puff pastry. Cut it into small squares, brush with melted butter and dust with cinnamon sugar. Bake the squares along with your apple tart and remove when they are puffy and golden brown, around the time you'd add the caramel topping to the tart. Voila! Elephant ears! I loved when my mom did this with pie crust scraps when I was little.

Pumpkin Spice Bread (Grain- and Gluten-Free)

More adventures in paleo baking with everyone's favorite fall ingredient, pumpkin! This recipe combines the dense richness of almond meal with the lighter texture of coconut flour for a healthy quick bread that's sure to satisfy your pumpkin spice cravings.

   Ingredients

Dry:

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup almond meal

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon arrowroot starch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Wet:

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon pasture butter, melted

3 eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup agave nectar (more or less, to taste)

4 drops liquid vanilla stevia

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut milk

    Directions

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Using a whisk or fork, blend all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Blend well, and then fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Grease a 5x3 inch loaf pan with coconut oil. Add the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and enjoy with a slab of butter and a drizzle of honey.

Curried Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Cumin Yogurt Sauce and Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Delicious and healthy, this soup is rather simple to prepare and is hearty enough to serve as a meal. It would also make an excellent start to your next Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Soup:

1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil

2 tablespoons pasture butter

1 bay leaf

3 stalks celery, chopped 

1 yellow onion, chopped

Sea salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

2 tablespoons yellow curry powder, or more to taste

2 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce, or more to taste

6 cups chicken stock (use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)

2 (15-ounce) cans cooked pumpkin puree

1 can coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Cumin Yogurt Sauce:

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt, to taste

Relish:

1/2 crisp apple (I used Honeycrisp, my favorite), chopped

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon agave nectar (or honey)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of sea salt

 Directions:

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the coconut oil and melt the butter. Add bay leaf, celery, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add thyme, sage, curry powder, and hot sauce, to taste, then cook a minute. Add chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Stir in the pumpkin puree and coconut milk. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit. Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to desired smoothness (can also use a blender and blend the soup in small batches).  Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve. 

While soup cooks, assemble the relish by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.  Do the same for the yogurt sauce. 

Adjust seasonings in soup to your liking and serve soup in shallow bowls with a drizzle of yogurt sauce and few spoonfuls of relish. 

Adapted from: Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Herbed Yogurt Cheese

A super easy way to make a creamy "Boursin" style cheese perfect for topping bagels and baked potatoes or for dipping crudités.  Yogurt cheese has the same consistency and almost the same flavor as cream cheese, but with power-packed probiotics for good digestion and more.  

 Ingredients:

1 16-ounce container of plain organic yogurt (whole milk or low-fat)  

Cheesecloth  

1 tablespoon minced chives

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1-2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

To make the yogurt cheese, place a cheesecloth-lined colander over a large bowl.  Add the yogurt to the colander.  Let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, longer if you want a thicker spread.  The yellowish liquid that you will find in the bowl is whey -- don't throw this out!  Keep it in the fridge to add protein to your smoothies or use it as the acidic medium to soak your oatmeal.  When properly stored in the refrigerator, whey should last for about 6 months.

When the yogurt has reached your desired consistency, add the herbs and seasonings to taste.  Another variation (excellent on Greek food like gyros or souvlaki) is to add 1/3 cup chopped cucumber and 1/2 teaspoon dill weed in place of the chives and Italian seasoning. Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Spicy Cilantro Vinaigrette

A healthy salad that makes a perfect summer dinner with the addition of grilled chicken or salmon.  

Salad:
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch rings
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 avocado, sliced
Mixed greens
Optional: feta cheese, grilled chicken, toasted pepitas

Dressing:
1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a roasting pan with foil and then add the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil, season liberally with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Toss to coat. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven until they are browned on the bottom and softened, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the dressing. Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

To make the salad, place a bed of mixed greens onto a plate. Top with roasted vegetables and sliced avocado.  Add feta cheese or grilled chicken, if desired.  Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!