Healthy Holiday Recipes
Chattanooga Chef and Blogger @TheFriendlyFeast contributed these recipes to our blog. They feature seasonal veggies that are filling and hearty to use all winter long.
Roasted Delicata Squash with Balsamic Glaze by Kate Veltkamp (@friendlyfeasting)
1 delicata squash, cut into rings with seeds removed using a spoon
2 T olive oil
1 ½ cups balsamic vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
1 T nondairy butter (I like Country Crock brand best)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach
¼ cup vegan feta cheese crumbles (I like Follow Your Heart brand best)
¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F while you prepare your ingredients.
Coat the delicata squash rings in olive oil using a pastry brush. Top with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Place the rings onto a cookie sheet and pop them into the oven for 18 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Both sides should be brown and the edges should be a little crisp.
While the squash is baking, begin your glaze by whisking the vinegar and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat, allowing it to simmer for the remainder of the time. (this step can be done ahead of time to achieve an even thicker glaze if it is cooled after cooking)
Melt butter in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat and then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, making sure it doesn’t brown. Toss spinach into the pan and allow it to wilt, stirring to ensure the garlic butter coats all of it. This process should only take a max of 3 minutes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the sauteed spinach and stir, then taste to see if more salt is needed.
Plate the dish by arranging the squash rings slightly on top of one another and then topping them with sauteed spinach, vegan feta, and chopped pecans. Finish by drizzling the balsamic glaze over the whole dish. I like to give it one more sprinkle of salt and pepper at the end. This recipe is easily doubled but you won’t need to double the glaze portion; it makes a lot!
Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque by Kate Veltkamp (@friendlyfeasting)
INGREDIENTS
3 cups butternut squash, cubed (alternatively, use 1 can of precooked squash)
3 T butter
1 large onion chopped
1/2 cup Honeycrisp or other sweet apple cubed
3 cloves garlic minced
1 T Bragg’s liquid aminos or Soy Sauce
3 cups vegetable stock/no-chicken broth
2 T nutritional yeast
1/2 cup cashew creme
1 T parsley chopped
ground nutmeg
Cook the butternut squash in a pressure cooker //or on a regular stove top. For a pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and squash and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, quick release the pressure valve. //For regular stovetop, add squash to large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Drain.
In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat and add onions and apple pieces. Cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook 1 minute. Splash with the bragg’s aminos/soy sauce. Simmer 1 minute more, then add broth/stock and stir. Add in the pre-cooked butternut squash and nutritional yeast and cook 2 minutes on high heat.
Using an immersion blender, blend thoroughly until smooth or if you prefer the chunkiness of a bisque, pulse the blender a few times to combine. (Alternatively, blend in batches in a traditional blender) Add in the cashew creme, reserving a few spoonfuls for adding to the top of each bowl. Simmer 1 more minute in the pot and then divvy out the portions into soup bowls. Top with creme, parsley and a dash of nutmeg, if desired.
Happy Holidays!
Kate Velcamp
The Friendly Feast
