Food For Thought


Sunny, rustic autumn decorations with pumpkins, a small Jack O'Lantern and golden leaves on a wooden surface

Happy Healthy Halloween

Lauren Wagner, 10/27/2014

The holidays are approaching fast. With so many tempting “bad” foods, how can you stay healthy? Here is a breakfast and dinner menu from our recipe list to get you through Halloween.

Breakfast: Hearty Oatmeal

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Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 cup old fashioned rolled oat.
  • 2 large carrot, finely grated.
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground.
  • 2/3 teaspoon nutmeg, ground.
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground.
  • 2/3 teaspoon ginger, ground.
  • 2 tablespoon oat seed, ground.
  • 2 cup almond milk.
  • 1 cup pineapple, fresh or frozen chunks.
  • 1 cup pumpkin, canned.
  • 1/2 cup raisin.
  • 2 teaspoon chopped pecans.
  • Cinnamon, for garnish.

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the spices, oatmeal, flax seed and carrot.
  2. Combine almond milk, pineapple and pumpkin in a blender. Puree briefly (the mixture should be combined but still chunky).
  3. Whisk the almond milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir in the raisins. Microwave, covered, for 6 minutes.
  4. Garnish each serving with chopped pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

 

Appetizer: Squash and Kale with Pumpkin Seeds

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Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 cup vegetable stock.
  • 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed.
  • 2 medium red onion, coarsely chopped.
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced.
  • 2 tablespoon no salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste.
  • 2 bunch kale, tough stems removed, center ribs removed, and leaves chopped.
  • 1/2 cup golden raisin.
  • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seed, lightly toasted.

Instructions

  1. Place the vegetable stock and balsamic vinegar with the squash, onions, garlic and no salt seasoning, and saute for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Add kale, and cook an additional ten minutes, finish by adding raisins and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

 

Salad: Garbanzo Bean and Apple Salad with a Fall Twist

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Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon lemon juice.
  • 2 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped.
  • 16 cup Doylestown Fresh Lettuce, organic.
  • 2 15 oz cans garbanzo bean, drained and rinsed.
  • 48 cherry tomato, washed.
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled and chopped.
  • 2 cucumber, chopped.
  • 1 red onion, chopped.
  • 4 tablespoon cilantro, chopped.
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds.

Instructions

  1. Mix lemon with 1/2 cup water and soak green apple (3 min) to prevent browning/discoloration.
  2. Layer all ingredients on salad greens and garnish with 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds.

 

Soup: Papa's Pumpkin Soup

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Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon no-salt-added vegetable stock.
  • 1 large onion, chopped.
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped.
  • 5 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth.
  • 2 15 oz can pumpkin, 100% pure not pumpkin mix.
  • 1 cup unsweetened soy milk.
  • 6 date, pitted.
  • 4 tablespoon cashew butter.
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder.
  • 1 tablespoon water.
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
  • 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped.

Instructions

  1. Water saute onion and garlic until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Place all ingredients in the soup pot, bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft or approximately 10-15 minutes.
  2. In a high speed blender or with blender stick, puree until smooth and creamy.

 

Entrée: Veggie Tossed Spaghetti Squash

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Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth.
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash.
  • 2 carrot, diagonally sliced.
  • 1/2 cup celery, diagonally sliced.
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced.
  • 1 1/2 cup cabbage, shredded.
  • 1 small zucchini, chopped into small pieces.
  • 1 15 oz can pinto bean, rinsed and drained.
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomato, drained no-salt-added.
  • 1 cup HFN tomato sauce.
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place both halves upside down on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.
  3. Meanwhile, cook carrots and celery in 2 tablespoons of water in a covered pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water if needed. Add garlic, cabbage, and zucchini and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients, except for pasta sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.
  4. When squash is done, remove from oven and using a fork, scrape spaghetti-like strands from squash into a bowl. Add pasta sauce and combine by mixing thoroughly.
  5. Mix the vegetables, beans and herbs with the squash/pasta sauce mixture and serve.

 

Dessert: Healthy Pumpkin Pie

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Serves: 16

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oat, for crust.
  • 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour, for crust.
  • 1/2 cup ground almond, for crust.
  • 2 tablespoon water, for crust, as needed.
  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin, for filling.
  • 1/2 cup date sugar, for filling.
  • 1/2 cup raisin, for filling.
  • 1 10 oz package soft tofu, for filling.
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, for filling.
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, for filling.
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, for filling.
  • 2 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot powder, for filling.
  • 1 1/3 cup raw cashew, for cream.
  • 3/4 cup vanilla soy milk, for cream.
  • 2/3 cup dates, for cream.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Pie Crust: Mix oats, almonds, flour, and date sugar. Add water to dry ingredients and mix until it holds together. You may need to add a little more water.
  3. Spray 9-inch pie dish lightly with cooking spray and press the crust to thinly cover the bottom and sides of the pie dish.
  4. Pie Filling: In a blender combine the pumpkin and date sugar. Add raisins, spices, arrowroot powder, and tofu. Blend until smooth.
  5. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes then lower heat to 350 degrees. Cover crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning, and bake for an additional 35 minutes.
  6. While pie is in the oven make the Cashew Cream. Blend all ingredients together in a Vita-Mix or other powerful blender.
  7. Serve slightly warm or cold with a dollop of Cashew Cream.

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