Author Archive | Kristen Desmond

Red Chili

Yield: 6 servings When you don’t want it fancy and you just want it good – turn to this recipe. It’s quick – definitely week night fare. It’s also delicious served as a Chili Mac, over whole wheat spaghetti, topped with cheddar cheese and chopped onions. Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork 1 pound ground beef […]

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Fall = Butternut Squash!

This week I bought my first butternut squash of the season. I love it – it’s so versatile. It’s great roasted on its own, tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. I also love it in soup, like in this Butternut Apple Bisque or this Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup. It also works really well as a vegetarian main dish or as a hearty side dish in Bulgur Pilaf with Roasted Squash and Mint or in this week’s recipe ~ Butternut Barley Pilaf. Barley gets tossed with roasted red onions and butternut squash. Add some fresh chopped parsley and toss in a bit of walnut oil, and wow – it’s delicious…

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Butternut Barley Pilaf

Yield: 6-8 side servings I adapted this recipe from Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks website – a great source for recipes focused on healthy, natural foods. Ingredients: 2 cups pearled barley 3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1/2 red onion, sliced thin 1 teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar […]

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Rosemary Orange Zucchini Bread

Yield: 4 mini loaves or 2 standard loaves The orange zest, fresh orange juice and chopped fresh rosemary make this unlike any other zucchini bread you’ve tasted! 3 large eggs 1/2 cup of plain yogurt 1/2 cup of olive oil 1 3/4 cup of sugar 2 cups of shredded zucchini 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary Zest of one orange […]

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Mushroom Barley Soup

Yield: 4 servings I sought out a recipe for Mushroom Barley Soup because I was craving it. When I found this recipe, I was highly skeptical of the process but figured I’d try it anyway. Typically when you make soup, you start by sauteing vegetables, most often onion, carrot and celery. Then you add some seasonings to […]

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Thai Beef Cabbage Cups

Yield: 4 servings This is a delicious and satisfying meal. If you prefer using tortillas instead of cabbage cups, simply use them and top the beef mixture with zesty coleslaw. Yum. This dish contains peanuts for garnish. If there is a known allergy, simply skip them. Ingredients: 2 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided 2 teaspoons minced […]

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are here!

These beauties are gluten-free (pictured below with our dairy-free, egg-free cranberry walnut scones). We use our own mix of rice, potato starch and tapioca flours in place of wheat flour. Pure pumpkin and Santa Barbara Chocolate Company chocolate chips (fair trade, organic) make these muffins a seasonal treat not to be missed. Get them at Handlebar Coffee Roasters – […]

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Dan Dan Noodles

Yield: 4 servings One thing I really love about this recipe is that it uses tahini (sesame paste) as a base for a nutty, spicy, flavorful sauce. You control the heat in this dish with the hot sauce. I use Sriracha, but any will do.  And remember – you can freeze fresh ginger. Buy a stick […]

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