🍲📖🥣 Recipe Sharing~Weeks 4 and 5

Ceriusly1

In case you haven't heard, you will be cooking up two new-to-you recipes—one each week—and making modifications to the dishes you usually cook each day for the next two weeks.

Let's help each other by sharing our faves here!

DNjoys

I recently discovered Honeynut Squash (at Aldi's). They look like mini butternut squash but the flesh is a bit darker orange and a little sweeter. I cut mine in half, scooped out the seeds and placed flesh side down in a baking dish with just a little water to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Baked 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. As soon as I took them out of the oven, I turned them over so not still sitting in water as they cooled, then scooped out the pulp. It was so moist and yummy that I didn't need to add anything to it and ate it plain. It's my new favorite squash variety. (Note: the flesh, being thinner than other squash, is edible. However, I found the texture unpleasant and prefer mine dishes without the skin.)

Then a member of another group posted this Skinny Taste recipe, Honeynut Squash with Maple and Pecans.

I'm not a fan of maple, but I did take one serving of my baked squash and stirred in some cinnamon (actually quite a bit because I meant to sprinkle it and ended up dumping more than planned) and sprinkled with chopped pecans. It tasted like I was eating a holiday dessert - and on plan without added sugar!

I'm so hoping the store still has some Honeynut available when I go there on Monday. I'd love to have more of it. With it being Thanksgiving month, I wouldn't mind more of the cinnamon and pecans, and it also makes great soup (one of my family members made soup out of it this week).

If they don't have it, I'll probably settle for Butternut as a runner up. I've never tried that one with cinnamon and pecans, so will start out with one serving, because it may need sugar to be as good, and sugar isn't on my plan.

DNjoys

In the next day or two I plan to make my pumpkin soup. It's not one I eat often, but I like to make it once every fall.

Dee's EZ Pumpkin Curry Soup

4 cups chicken broth
3 (15 oz) cans pumpkin (about 5-1/4 cups)
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk (1-2/3 cup)
2 TBL coconut aminos (a soy sauce substitute)
1/2 tsp Stevita Spoonable stevia (equivalent to 1 TBL sugar)
1 TBL + 1 tsp curry powder

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring just to a boil, remove from heat and serve. Makes about 12 cups.

Note: For a mild curry flavor, only use 1 TBL
For medium curry (my choice), use 1 TBL + 1 tsp
For spicy curry, use 2 TBL
If you're not experienced with curry, start out with less and taste - you can always add more.

Dianedoessmiles1

Rich and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

• 4 medium ripe tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced
• 4 cups tomato juice
• 14 leaves fresh basil
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup butter
• salt and pepper to taste

1 )Gather all ingredients.
2) Place tomatoes and juice in a stockpot(any heavier pan you have will work. If using a regular pan, you may wish to reduce the heat. I DO NOT have a stockpot) over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cook until tomatoes have softened, about 30 minutes.
3) Remove the pot from the heat. Add basil leaves to the pot.
4) Use an immersion blender to purée soup until smooth. (Blender will also work, be careful if it's a glass one)
5) Stir in heavy cream and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Cream Basil Tomato soup

@DNjoys , that looks so good! TY for sharing.
@Ceriusly1 I have posted it on PS4L

deskjockey925

ROASTED EGGPLANT
My friend gave me some last fresh eggplants from her garden last week and I didn't want the calories that come along with the breadcrumbs and thick cheese with eggplant parmesan.

Instead, I made this recipe as a Vegetarian Main Dish with a small Eggplant for each person. However, it would also make a nice side dish for a meal and probably a single eggplant could be used for 2-4 people.

You can use whatever combination of spices suit you - but I like "everything bagel seasoning."

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/roasted-eggplant-recipe/

deskjockey925

Cucumber Vinegar Salad

I sometimes eat this alone for lunch, and also makes a great side dish with pork.
I frequently make a large bowl to have leftovers.

6 Total Ingredients - 10 Minutes total Prep time.

Link Here → Cucumber Vinegar Salad

Dianedoessmiles1

@deskjockey925 My Mom used to eat a lot of vinegar salad. It was one of her favorite fall foods.

deskjockey925

I am making this one this week - Roasted Leeks as a side dish for a Roast Beef. For Delaware, this is Fresh, Seasonal, AND a new recipe!

Roasted Leeks Recipe

Ceriusly1

This soup was good and easy to make using canned pumpkin. I only had a 29-ounce can, so I doubled the recipe. It was savory. I used Better Than Bouillon to replace the chicken stock, so the sodium was high. Neither Mom nor I needs to watch sodium, so it was ok for us. If I were to make it again, I would use vegetable broth or plain water as a stock.

Mom wasn't thrilled with the savory, so I added some maple syrup to hers to satisfy her sweet tooth.

I'm looking forward to leftovers. I'm pretty sure this is one of those things that will be better the second day.

1. Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Soup Recipe (Yield: 6 Servings)

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil for a dairy-free option)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed (or 2 cups canned pumpkin purée, about 1 can [15 oz])
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional, for a hint of warmth)
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for a dairy-free version)

For Garnish (Optional):

• Toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• Croutons
• Fresh parsley or chives, chopped
• A drizzle of cream or olive oil
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional for extra creaminess)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pumpkin

If you’re using fresh pumpkin, start by peeling, seeding, and cubing it into small chunks. Aim for even-sized pieces so they cook evenly. If using canned pumpkin purée, you can skip this step entirely.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for about 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to release its aroma, being careful not to let it brown.

Step 3: Cook the Pumpkin

Add the pumpkin cubes (or canned purée) to the pot. Stir to coat the pumpkin in the butter and onion mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing the pumpkin to soften slightly and absorb some flavor from the aromatics.

Step 4: Add the Broth and Spices

Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the pumpkin pieces are very soft and easy to mash with a spoon.

Step 5: Blend Until Smooth

Once the pumpkin is tender, remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until it becomes smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender, puree until silky, and return it to the pot. Be cautious with hot liquids—blend in small portions and allow some steam to escape.

Step 6: Add the Cream

Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk) and return the pot to low heat. Warm the soup gently for another 5 minutes, but do not let it boil after adding the cream to prevent curdling. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—add more salt, pepper, or a pinch of nutmeg for depth.

Step 7: Serve and Garnish

Ladle the hot pumpkin soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with your favorite toppings—try a drizzle of cream, a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds, crunchy croutons, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt for extra richness. Finish with a few chopped herbs for color and freshness.

Sparkuvu

I'm probably going to fail miserably at this, hubby is gone on a trip, and I'm not willing to give up my infrequent freedom of heat n eat, slice n eat, pop it and eat (yes, popcorn is for dinner)......

Dianedoessmiles1

@Sparkuvu You can still heat n eat, slice n eat, pop it n eat. Just add a freggie on the side. Even an apple and put some type of spice on it you do not usually do so it's new to you. Or whatever you can think of.

Sparkuvu

Yeppers, I re read and did that.

Here's my new recipe: I was having taco salad for dinner, with a dole taco salad and a bitsy bowl of venison taco burger I had frozen....so I added the itsy bit of fajita chicken breast I also had in the freezer and cut up some cherry tomato (FALL GARDEN BED CLEANOUT SO A FALL FOOD 😉) that I don't like into it , too. It was very good, even the 🍅!

DNjoys

I've made a couple of experimental tweaks this week:

.1) I miss yummy candy - like fudge or chocolate with nuts and coconut. I've restricted myself to Lily's Dark Chocolate which is ok, but not like the "good" stuff that contains sugar. However, because it doesn't have the sugar, I can eat one row of a bar and be satisfied (that's 57 calories), where the candy with sugar I tend to eat till it's gone. I recently was given a chocolate warmer (long story I won't go into here) but I decided to test it melting 1/2 Lily's chocolate bar (that's normally 3 servings for me) and when melted, stirred in some chopped pecans, then spooned out 3 mounds onto waxed paper. So good! And I can do that even low energy, unlike standing at the stove. I only need to stir it once and it takes about 1/2 hour to fully melt.

So, tonight I melted an entire bar, then added a bunch of unsweetened coconut and a cup of chopped walnuts. It made 6-1/2 mounds (a bar is 6 rows or 6 servings for me). So 1-2 pieces of that candy makes an on plan snack treat. With the holidays coming up, this is going to be huge for me. I can stay on plan and still have treats and not feel so deprived.

If you want to try it, Lily's chocolate chips might be a cheaper option, but they are not as dark as the bars I now eat, and have become too sweet for me. I no longer enjoy anything less than 70% cacao.

.2) I was given a small spaghetti squash which I baked yesterday and then to half of it, I stirred in some cinnamon and pecans. Not sweet enough so added a little coconut sugar. It was ok but not special, so probably won't do it again. Honeynut Squash on the other hand (or maybe pumpkin would work too) is the squash that is wonderful made into a dessert. I was able to get some more this week, so am going to freeze a portion of it to eat with cinnamon and pecans on Thanksgiving Day.

Wasn't sure what to do with the other half of spaghetti squash as normally I'd make some kind of sauce, but there wasn't much there, and it's kind of bland plain. So, I had made some unstuffed cabbage (cabbage, hamburger, tomato sauce) and the ratios of cabbage to sauce was a bit off so there was extra sauce. For supper I put the spaghetti squash in the bottom of my warming dish and then covered it with unstuffed cabbage. It was an interesting combination, but pleasant. I'd combine them again if I had those ingredients to use up.

.3) I was given a bunch of fresh kale yesterday. I've only cooked with it once before, making it into a soup. But instead of making that recipe, I think I'll just combine it with the broth from cooking some chicken in the crockpot and some cut up chicken and the spices I put in my usual chicken soup. While I've had kale once, and make chicken soup, I've not had them combined before. Already claimed my new recipe points for this week, but the experimentation goes on, sometimes in small ways, but I am discovering what I will (or won't) try again.

Dianedoessmiles1

FINALLY on the last day of week 4 I made my new recipe.

The reason I wanted to make my own is in I am on a low sodium diet. At Panera's, the sodium is 820 mg!! SAVED 630 calories!!

DNjoys

When I went for my chiropractic appointment today, they had samples of homemade cranberry sauce. Texturally, I prefer the canned jellied cranberry sauce, but can no longer eat that because it contains corn syrup which really messes me up. But their version isn't bad. Both my sister and I weren't a fan of the strong orange flavor and will try it without the orange zest. I do like that the blender breaks it up so it's not as chunky as most homemade (and I may try to take it farther than she did). If I'd seen this on-line, I'd have ignored it, but one of my chiro's specialties is diet (a whole person approach) and they say this helps gut health by providing good bacteria. She said it looks more brown when first made but as it sits, becomes brighter and tastes better. The sample I tried (I think she said it sat out a week) was normal cranberry color in appearance. I bought some cranberries today to try making my own (minus the orange zest). She suggested if you want to try it later, still buy the cranberries now while fresh are available, then freeze them until you're ready. My sister bought some to freeze to try for Christmas since she's going to be out of town for Thanksgiving.

Fermented Cranberries

12 ounces whole cranberries
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup raw honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBLs orange zest (optional)

Rough chop/blend cranberries in a blender. Place all ingredients in a quart size jar, mix around, cover with lid and allow to sit on the counter for 4 days and then taste. You can let it sit for up to 1-2 weeks depending on your taste.

Dianedoessmiles1

@DNjoys When you make it, please let us know how it came out. I also really like cranberry sauce because I do not care for the whole berries. I am curious how this will turn out.