Baked Squash With Wild Rice

Adapted From: Sarah Brown’s World Vegetarian Cookbook

Serve this rich, elegant winter dish at a dinner party and they’ll never notice that it’s healthy & vegetarian. Instead of cooking the small amount of wild rice, I cook a large amount and use the leftovers for meals later in the week.

Serves: 4

2oz (50g)                   wild rice

4 small or 1 large    squash

2 TBSP                      vegetable oil

12oz (350g)              leeks, cleaned and finely chopped

1oz (25g)                   walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped

pinch                          nutmeg

300mL                       double cream

salt & pepper

1.    Cook the wild rice in plenty of boiling water for 35 – 40 minutes or until the grains have cracked and curled. Drain and leave to cool.

2.    Slice the lid off of each small squash and remove the seeds and cut away a little of the flesh, leaving a thick shell. If using a large squash, cut in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds. Cut away a little of the flesh.

3.    Reserve the squash flesh. Cut a little slice off the base of each squash so that the shells do not wobble.

4.    Season the inside of each shell.

5.    Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the leeks for a few minutes, then stir in the squash flesh, chopped walnuts/hazelnuts, nutmeg and cooked wild rice. Season well.

6.    Divide the vegetables into the squash shells and pour over the cream. Cover with lids and/or foil.

7.    Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 – 60 minutes (until the squash is cooked).

8.    Serve hot & ENJOY!

Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD helps moms and dads support your picky kids to get good nutrition today…and instill a life-long love of healthy eating. After 7 years of moms asking for help with their eating too, Kristen created 40 Days to a Healthier, Happier You women’s weight loss program. Find out more at www.KristenYarker.com

www.KristenYarker.com

www.Facebook.com/KristenYarkerNutrition

Instagram: @KristenYarker

Twitter: @KristenYarker

Pinterest: KristenYarker

Braised Leeks

Adapted from Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

6 leeks
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
 

DIRECTIONS

Cut off the very roots and tops of the leeks, then slice through the shank of the leek lengthwise. Rinse the two long pieces of leek under cold running water to get rid of any dirt or grit.

In a large pan, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted and foamy, then turn down to medium and add minced garlic and the leeks, cut side down. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn over and sprinkle with salt, then cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Turn the leeks back over so the cut side is down, sprinkle the leeks with the honey or maple syrup, the thyme leaves and a touch more salt. Add the white wine, vegetable stock, and bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 35-45 minutes over medium-low heat.

When the leeks are tender enough so that a knife blade pierces them easily, uncover the pot and bring the braising liquid to a rolling boil. Let this reduce by half, then turn off the heat. Add the parsley, swirl it around and serve.

Mushroom Leek Risotto

Adapted from The Kitchn

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek, washed thoroughly and sliced
1/2 shallot or 1/4 small onion, finely diced
2 cups roughly chopped fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (1 pound) white arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups broth
Parmesan cheese, to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add chopped leek and shallot and sauté until soft, about ten minutes.

Push the leek and shallot to the edge of the pan, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the mushrooms to the center of the pan. Cook for several minutes without stirring, then flip them over and cook until nicely browned. Stir in the thyme leaves and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Add the rice and stir to coat evenly with the butter and vegetables. Sauté for several minutes, until the rice begins to turn translucent. Add white wine and stir until cooked off.

Add one cup of the broth and stir occasionally, until no liquid left. Continue to add the remaining broth one cup at a time, stirring frequently. Add broth until the rice is cooked to al dente, cooked-through completely but still with a bit of a bite. Taste and season if necessary with additional salt and pepper.

Serve with grated Parmesan on top.

Creamy Yam Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 small celery stalks, chopped
1 medium leek, sliced (white and pale green parts only)
1 large garlic clove, chopped
5 cups cubed, peeled yams
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cereal cream
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery stalks and leek, and then saute for about 5 more minutes. Finally, add the garlic and saute 2 minutes.

Add yams, vegetable broth, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the yams are tender.

Discard the cinnamon stick. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Return blended soup to the pot.

Add the cream and maple syrup and heat at medium-low, stirring constantly. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8.

Russet Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, medium dice
1 leek, halved, washed, thin sliced
4 celery spears, thin sliced
1 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 carton vegetable broth
4 russet potatoes, large dice
2 Tbsp parsley or chives, coarse chop (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, and celery and saute till the onion is translucent in color.
Add the celery seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper and stir well.

Add 4 cups of water and the vegetable broth to the pot with the onions, leeks and celery and turn the burner on high. Add the diced potatoes. Once the pot comes to a boil, turn the burner to medium and cook till the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork.

Blend until smooth and creamy in a blender or food processor. Return to pot to reheat if needed. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with parsley or chives if desired.

Taste and add sea salt or black pepper to taste.

Hearty Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 carrot, diced
1 parsnip, scrubbed and diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1/2 can crushed tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 dash tamari
2 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, carrot, parsnip, potato, and celery. Cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add lentils, tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, and wine to the saucepan. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked.

Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Root Vegetable Gratin

INGREDIENTS

4 medium turnips
1 large sweet potato or yam
1 lb carrots
2 large leeks
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup apple cider
1/4 lb good melting cheese such as Swiss, cut into chunks
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Trim the root vegetables, peel them, and cut them into chunks.

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the turnips, sweet potato, and carrots and boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Cut the leek where the white part meets the green part and cut the white part in half lengthwise. Wash each half under running water, using your hand to loosely separate but still gather the layers. Cut leek halves crosswise into 1/2 inch half-rounds for sauteeing. Then, take the green part and remove the outer layer or two. Inside you'll find a tender 'light green' part that can also be cut into half-rounds for sauteeing.

In a large skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft. Set the leeks aside.

In the same skillet, melt the other tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until there are no lumps. Slowly stir in the milk one spoonful at a time, stirring all the time and not adding more until the lumps are stirred out. Add the apple cider. Cook until the sauce thickens, stirring often. Stir in the cheese, the sauteed leeks, and the cooked root vegetables. Transfer to a baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout. Top with Parmesan and bake for another 15 minutes.

TO MAKE AHEAD

The day before, assemble the entire gratin, except the Parmesan topping, and cover and refrigerate before baking. Return to room temperature before baking.

Grilled Leeks

INGREDIENTS

3 leeks
Extra virgin olive oil
Splash of white wine vinegar
Sea salt
Black pepper
Small handful of fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Start by washing the leeks. Leeks can hold a lot of dirt, so it is best to leave them sitting in cold water for 10 minutes, agitating them every couple of minutes to help get the dirt out.

Cut off the root and cut the leeks in half lengthwise. Discard the tough outer layer of mature leeks.

Get a pot of boiling water on the go, and boil the leeks for a couple of minutes - until softened. Prepare an ice bath. Plunge the leeks into the ice bath, to stop further cooking.

Heat up the BBQ, grill pan, or oven broiler to high.

Drain the now cold leeks, and dry gently. Toss with a little olive oil and place on the grill or under the broiler. Grill just for a couple of minutes, until lightly browned, and the grill lines appear.

Toss them into a bowl and add another splash of olive oil and a smaller splash of white wine vinegar. Add a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

Cut the basil leaves into thin slices (chiffonade), and add those into the bowl of leeks. Gently toss to combine and serve immediately.

Angela's Potato and Leek Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
3 large leeks (long green parts only), chopped and rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 lb of potatoes, peeled and diced
Vegetable stock
1/2 - 1 cup milk (or soy milk)
Sea salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Heat butter, saute leeks, onions and bay leaf. Cover, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich green colour.

Add the potatoes and just enough stock to cover them. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer.

Add the milk and mash. Add more milk to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Sprinkle parsley on each bowl just prior to serving.

Make this soup in advance; it is even better when reheated the next day!