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

Red Cabbage with Apples and Cloves

This sweet tasting cabbage dish tastes more like dessert than a side-dish.
From: Sarah Brown’s World Vegetarian Cookbook
 
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1lb red cabbage
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 sweet apples, peeled and finely chopped
3-4 cloves, ground with a mortar & pestle
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
salt

Directions

1. Shred the cabbage.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over low-medium heat and fry the onion until just soft.
3. Increase the heat and add the cabbage and apples. Mix well. Then add the remaining ingredients.
4. Cover the pan and simmer mixture for 35 – 40 minutes, until the cabbage is really soft.
5. Serve hot & ENJOY!

Glory Bowl

Ingredients:

1 Cup Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Beets
1/2 Cup Carrots
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 Cup Spinach
1/4 Cup Alfalfa
1 Avocado
1/2 Cup Tofu or Chicken
1/4 Cup Cilantro

Dressing:
1/4 Cup Miso
1 Lime
1/8 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
1 Clove Garlic
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/3 Cup Tahini
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

Directions

1. In small pot, start cooking the brown rice with 2 Cups water and 1 Cup of brown rice.

2.  While Rice is cooking, Grate the raw beets and carrots
3. Finely shred the spinach and dice the avocado.

4. In a blender, blend together the miso, lime juice, vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, garlic, soy sauce and tahini.  Slowly drizzle in the Vegetable oil as it can get too thick.

5. Once your rice is done cooking, layer the ingredients as follows:  Rice, a little of your dressing, Beets, Carrots, Spinach, Avocado, Alfalfa, Chopped Cilantro, Sunflower Seeds, and the rest of your dressing. 

Making Scents at Lakewood Lye

Growing up, dad was always telling us “never wash the car with anything that has harmful chemicals, it goes straight to the ocean.” For some reason, that never seemed to equate to hand soap as well until long after I was already an adult. After that, it was a long and arduous search for soaps I could use without hurting either the environment or my own skin. This last November I had the great fortune of being hired at Green Earth Organics and discovered Lakewood Lye’s products. Three different bars have already made their way home with me and I’m eager to try the rest as well.

Nicole has been making soap for over 10 years now, ever since she took a class from an experienced soap maker in her community. She began selling locally almost immediately and, two years ago, officially registered Lakewood Lye as a business. “I wanted to see if I could work from home and turn my soap making “hobby” into a viable business that would allow me to have time for my 3 children.” Soap making at home has even turned into a family project, with her eldest daughter helping to cut the soaps, package them for market, and even wash the dishes! I imagine washing soap making dishes must be a bit easier more interesting than doing the dinner dishes.

Lakewood Lye’s products are always “100% natural” and contain only 4-6 ingredients. Usually, 3 types of vegetable oils, one essential oil (or a blend, but NEVER any fragrance or artificial scent mixed in), and natural earth clay as a mineral and detoxifyer, and sometimes a small amount of oatmeal, almonds, honey, or goat's milk. “I believe the clays I use make my product very unique - other soap makers make one or two types of soap with clay in them, but each and every type of soap I make contains a different type of clay, to both mineralize the skin, and act as a draw for toxins and impurities, which are absorbed daily through our skin from the environment.  So they take out the bad, and deposit the good.”

My personal favourite (so far!) is the cinnamon spice, which uses red clay and ground coffee for a nice exfoliating effect with cinnamon essential oil to provide its signature scent. Nicole also does seasonal soaps; I recall a lovely orange and black swirled one which was inspired for Halloween. (I took that one home too!) When asked what was on the line-up for spring and summer she shared, “right now it’s Coconut Lime, a very fresh bar loaded with green clay, lime essential oil, and shredded coconut.” Another popular product line not currently listed on her website is her bath salts. “There's one called Lemon Lime Escape that customers have been really loving - It's a combination of Epsom salts, Sea Salts, and Lemon and Lime essential oils.”

Considering that her customer base is almost 100% local, it comes as no surprise that she spends quite a bit of time giving back to her community. Nicole often donates soap to local women’s shelters and various other charities, as well as partners with “Mis’ cel’ la ‘ny” a charity organization that runs a thrift shop on Hastings Street to raise money for re-training women who have come out of substance abuse programs and women’s shelters. 40% of all profits from Lakewood Lye soap sold on site at the thrift shop go straight to “Mis’ cel’ la ‘ny.”

Green Earth Organics is eager to hear from you, if there are any Lakewood Lye products you are interested in that we do not carry, please let us know!