My Lavender Blues

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Savory Butternut Squash, Sage & Tahini Gluten Free Bread

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i’m currently in mourning over celebrating my twenty-first birthday for the ninth time.

my age bracket on paper has officially changed and i’ve been having thoughts of impending doom since my d-day. i wish i could say this was an exaggeration of my current thoughts, but it’s not. however. I’ve also been watching “The Man in the High Castle” right before I go to bed while sipping on Elderberry infused tea and I’m pretty sure this may or may not have something to do with it…..

that elderberry is nothing but a bad trip after a dark show, yet somehow i put myself through this self torture knowing the potential outcome: complete insomnia paired with sweaty palms and self induced heart palpitations.

talking about ringing in a new decade with grace, no such thing, womp.

On a lighter note. IT’s FINALLY FALLISH. And I couldn’t be more pumped. and I can continue to embrace my butternut squash addiction. yet now it is a little more justified. i hope you love it as much as i do………………. because that’s basically all i use in my recipes. also because i’m on this thing called “eating better so I can fit into last years winter wardrobe because broke girls broke” and butternut squash literally slays in that department (and keeps me feeling full and satisfied).

SO. This bread: Savory Butternut Squash, Sage & Tahini Gluten Free Bread. AND ITS MOIST. Apologies if you despise that word, so let me say it again a little more slowwwly, moooiiiiiiissssssssssssssssssst.

Recipe Notes:

I have a hard time with gluten free bread because of texture. When I eat bread, or like a speciality bread, the first thing i look for is its density, crumb and moisture content. Weird probably but I’m a sensory child and something can have the best flavor in the world but if the texture is not there, I’m out.

I was looking for a texture comparable to zucchini bread/banana bread, etc. I used shredded raw butternut squash (actually ended up processing it with my vitamix to cut the time in half). Olive oil for my fat (because of health and flavor) And then my favorite mix of gluten free rolled oats (processed myself), flax seed meal & almond flour.

I also used tahini paste for extra protein and nutty flavor that would compliment the butternut squash.

I also used ground sage to give a little more worth and dynamic in this bread. I wanted bold yet subtle hints of flavor with every bite.

ALSO: You can serve this with savory and sweet toppings. Sweet as in fig jam, honey, dates, etc. Something probably in that department. And then butter, hummus spread, really anything you name here would be great on top as well! It is wonderful at room temperature or toasted in the broiler for continual eating (if you have any leftovers). I like mine with a hint of sweetness in the morning and savory in the evening.

Savory Butternut Squash, Sage & Tahini Gluten Free Bread
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 8 slices
  • Serving size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 285
  • Fat: 25g
  • Saturated fat: 3.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.3g
  • Fiber: 3.4g
  • Protein: 6g
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Gluten Free savory butternut squash bread made with tahini and sage makes for a high protein and nutritious breakfast or wonderful snack alongside lunch and dinner. Healthy and delicious!
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups butternut squash cubes
  • ⅓ cup olive oil + ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 cups gluten free rolled oats
  • ¼ cup flax seed meal
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp ground sage
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ cup tahini paste
  • 2 large eggs
  • Optional Toppings:
  • 1 tbsp pepitas
  • 1 tbsp shredded sharp cheese (parmesan, asiago, etc)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 and line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a high powered blender add your two cups of butternut squash and ⅓ cup olive oil and blend until almost fine pieces are mixed. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same blender (you may rinse real quick) add your oats and pulse until grounded. Next add your flax seed meal, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground sage, garlic powder and salt. Blend until mixed together.
  4. Next add your tahini, butternut squash shreds, remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and eggs.
  5. Blend until all ingredients are combined.
  6. Pour ingredients to prepared loaf pan. Top with optional Pepitas and cheese.
  7. Place into oven for 45 - 50 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and let cool on a wired rack.
  9. Eat alone or with a sweet or savory spread.

 

Butternut Squash, Pear & Pepper Soup

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He is not soup, but guys just look at this cutie patootie.

So you know how on my last post I said I hated bug bites

umm…. julia…. name a person who loves them?

Yes we all share the same hatred, but I can guarantee you mine is stronger.

the damn bite gave me cellulitis. what the ell man. I’m talking a red tender bump that is now the size of my thigh which if you have seen my thighs, probably takes up the most real-estate on my body. its horrifying. thank god we in pant season.

the hypochondriac in me is just waiting for the bacterial infection to turn full blown MRSA and my whole leg will need immediate amputation. ((insert nervous laugh here)).

but for real you guys. i’m the absolute worse when it comes to any diagnosis, no matter what the case is (paper cuts / scraped knee / bad haircut, etc) my google results always end in “death, you are going to die, so just crawl into a hole pronto”.

And on a side note: which one of you freaks is googling “can cellulitis kill me” !?

i mean you’re just forcing my hand to click on the link and putting me into full blown panic mode.

dear google, please block all negativity so i don’t feel like i am on a one way ticket to a permanent sleep.

anyways. thank the Lard that i am one of those millions of people that are immediately comforted by a good meal.

and in this case, a warm bowl of shut the hell up.

Butternut Squash, Pear & Pepper Soup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe Notes:

You guys. This recipe is SO simple and incredibly raw ingredients. I guess most of my recipes incorporate raw ingredients but I mean… that cream!? yeah. no cream involved. You can blame the beautiful squash for the awesome texture.

You don’t have to chop everything into 1/2″ pieces… because you are going to be blending your ingredients once they have finished cooking….. butttt this just helps speed up the cooking process (as the smaller the pieces, the more quickly it’ll cook).

TIP::::::: IF YOU ARE MAKING THIS FOR A PARTY::::::::

I always feel it is important to have a meat option, especially if this soup happens to be a main course, and it totally can be. SO in a separate pan while the soup is boiling away, go ahead and brown up about 1lb of sweet or spicy (dependent on the crowd) italian sausage (casings removed). And then remove from heat and cover until you’re ready to serve. I did that and it was a hit! All the guests have to do is spoon about 1/4 cup of meat into their soup per serving (or more…..)

NUTRITIONAL FACTS ARE AMAZEBALLS. under 200 calories per serving. hummudahumuda-ha.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Butternut Squash, Pear & Pepper Soup
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 4
  • Serving size: 3 cups
  • Calories: 196
  • Fat: 3.1g
  • Saturated fat: .4g
  • Carbohydrates: 40.4g
  • Fiber: 7.5g
  • Protein: 6.3g
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Creamy butternut Squash soup with notes of pears and peppers made incredibly healthy and very delicious!
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped into ½" pieces
  • 2 yellow peppers, chopped into ½" pieces
  • 4 cups butternut squash cubed ½" (or one large squash roughly)
  • 2 cups pears, chopped into ½" pieces
  • 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp coarse black pepper
  • 4 springs fresh thyme
  • ¼ cup pepitas for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat add your olive oil.
  2. Once olive oil is heated up add your minced garlic and ginger. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds
  3. Next add your onion, peppers, butternut squash and pears.
  4. Saute for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add your chicken broth, curry powder, paprika, kosher salt and black pepper.
  6. Stir & bring to a boil.
  7. Lower temperature down to medium low heat, add your fresh thyme on top of soup. Cover with lid and let soup continue to cook for about another 25 minutes or until butternut squash cubes are fork tender.
  8. Remove soup from heat and let cool down for about 10 minutes. Next very carefully pour your soup into a high-speed blender. Cover and blend on high until soup is a creamy puree.
  9. Pour soup back into pot and cover with lid (slightly) May simmer (stirring occasionally as not to burn the bottom of soup).
  10. Serve and top with pepitas (optional)

 

 

a little dose of reality. here is how i pretend.

 

Gluten Free Butternut Squash & Sausage Skillet

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Oh hey fall, it’s about time you decided to show up. Two days ago it was 90 degrees and I thought you took a plunge off a bridge and were never coming back.

but you’re here, you lil jokester.

and now i can finally post recipes for cooler weather without any bitterness.so stay awhile. i’m much better with you in it. boop.

but for real you guys. it was a little touch and go there earlier this week. was about to barrel roll myself out of my jeep on the highway, no joke. okay maybe a little joke. but there was a brief moment in the car where…..
okay no there wasn’t. or if there was i’ll spare you the details.

lets just say i was sweaty and gross, and there was a frizzy hair that kept getting in my eye and i was getting super frustrated. and all i could do was blame the heat. and not the fact that the doors of my jeep have been off and if they were on life wouldn’t have been a total struggle on my commute home from work.

okay. rant over. for now.

any who i’ve been super busy between work and wedding season that cooking and then posting immediately just hasn’t happened. i think mostly because the recipe development/cooking and taking pictures bit is my FAVORITE part of the process and then I constantly struggle with what to write on here. Not that I don’t have thoughts or want you to read them… But it’s always a fine line between what I want to share vs what I should share. Am I always truly upfront and honest with you on here?

yes.

but i don’t share everything.

mostly because if i start writing down my faults it makes me feel like they have won. and i don’t want my handicaps to define who i am as a person. anyone else have an issue of making yourself appear to be super vulnerable? or how do you deal (whether you have a blog or not, just life in general).

anyways. i feel like that’s as deep into my emotions as i am going to get today… because… well its FRIDAY. who needs a debbie downer when we can save that business for MONDAY!?

so i’m going to share this SUPER easy and semi healthy meal that i can eat for days. and it’s easy enough that i can make it at least once a week. and it’s tasty enough so i don’t feel guilty for making the same meal, multiple times a month.

ALSO. On a side note. I decided to share a couple more images from my trip to Shawnee National Forest, in Southern Illinois. If you live in the midwest and are super bored, i suggest taking a trip out there. Can easily be a day trip (thats what we did). You can also take a canoe tour, which we did, see here. Though if you have a small child who likes to wiggle around, I recommend skipping. Seriously. Skip and never look back. I didn’t skip, and I had instant regrets when David started complaining 20 seconds into our first paddle. talk about patience. i had none.

so the recipe. get you some and let me know your thoughts. because that helps me!

Recipe Notes:

You could easily buy precut butternut squash cubes (trader joes has the best deal) but if you decide to cut the squash into cubes on your own MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD SHARP KNIFE.

let me repeat.

make sure your knife isn’t a dull dawn or else you run the risk of losing a finger. or just losing your cool. one or the other, both no fun.

you don’t have to serve this over a bed of arugula but honestly i think it pairs really well together. baby spinach could work well here too. i’d stay away from kale. mostly because its gross in raw form. but that’s just me.

feel free to sub the sausage for a vegan alternative… or mushrooms. gag. i don’t eat mushrooms (in whole form, if they are minced and you can trick me into eating them, that’s fine) but meat haters always rave about mushrooms and their “meaty” comparison so i am just going to assume this substitute would work. let me know if you do it.

i kept it minimal on the spice addition because the italian sausage is heavily seasoned. IF you do decide to do a substitute i would recommend just adding italian seasoning… duh…. or some garlic powder + onion powder + maybe a coupe of toasted fennel seeds. the usual.

Gluten Free Butternut Squash & Sausage Skillet
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 4-6
  • Serving size: 2 cups
  • Calories: 396
  • Fat: 18.6g
  • Saturated fat: 7.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 36.2g
  • Fiber: 7.4g
  • Protein: 27.3g
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Ingredients
  • 1 medium sized butternut squash (about 4 cups of squash cut up into ½" cubes)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp coarse black pepper
  • 1 lb sweet italian sausage (casings removed)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 can 8oz crushed roasted tomatoes
  • ½ cup cheddar pieces
  • 4 cups fresh arugula
Instructions
  1. First preheat your oven to 425.
  2. On a rimmed baking sheet add your butternut squash, sprinkle with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt & black pepper. Toss and place into oven for about 25 minutes, or until squash is roasted (you can pierce it w/ a fork).
  3. While the squash is roasting brown your italian sausage in a cast iron skillet, or any skillet that is oven safe.
  4. Once sausage is browned, remove into a separate container until needed, keeping at least ½ of the fat still in the pan.
  5. Over medium heat add your onion to the pan and cook in the fat for about 5 minutes.
  6. Next remove from heat and add your roasted tomatoes, cooked sausage and roasted butternut squash. Toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Next add your cheddar pieces on top of squash.
  8. Place back into preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese has completely melted.
  9. Remove from oven and serve over fresh arugula or a la carte!

Explorations: A Canoe & Bumble Bee Tuna Seasoned Pouch

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bumble Bee® Seasoned Tuna Pouch with Spoon.

Who knew the middle of the country had so much beauty to offer? I’ve been learning recently the true meaning of what it is to make the most of where you live, and I can 100 percent say, it works. Really.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” couldn’t ring truer. That Plato really knew a thing or two about life. Glad I can finally catch on at the ripe age of… well… let’s just say I’m pushing it when I say late 20’s.

Any who… this past three-day weekend (still currently in weekend mode) I went exploring with P & my little nug to southern parts of Illinois. Shawnee National Forest, to be more exact. Or somewhere in there… GPS was at an all-time low so I’m just going to safely assume we made it to the correct destination….

We ended up renting a canoe on the Cache River so we could look at the beautiful cypress trees that I thought only existed in storybooks and exotic places. They’re seriously one of the most beautiful pieces of nature I have ever seen. Or maybe here is when Plato’s saying chimes in…..

However, as per life of having a toddler, the lil guy had something else to say about the canoe.

“David isn’t this awesome!?” – me.

“Mommy, this is a very bad great idea” – David.

((insert eyeroll here)

Like I said, it has taken me a long time for that saying to ring true so for now, I’ll cut him a break and patiently wait for his turn.

What could have easily made this ‘very bad great idea’ even worse was if I forgot food. Halfway through the trip he was hungry, and me and P were paddling up stream and needed a total recharge. Thank goodness for my bumble bee tuna seasoned pouch with a spoon! No joke! I have ALWAYS been a huge fan of the Bumble Bee® Seasoned Tuna Pouch with spoon for at home or at work. But these seasoned pouches with a spoon are a serious game changer for the way I pack, especially on my weekend family adventures!

Not only are these Seasoned Tuna Pouches an excellent source of affordable protein, but they even come with a spoon to make it easier to live life healthier, in a very convenient way. No mess, no extra utensils, no extra seasoning or condiments needed, everything is right there in a tiny pouch. Rip, dip, and eat.

David’s’ mood was INSTANTLY changed and he was smiling and giggling the rest of the way back to our landing point. Perhaps beauty is in the eye of his belly, or in this case, Bumble Bee Tuna 😉

(I’m eating the Jalapeno, you know I’ll totally choose anything with a little kick!)

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bumble Bee® Seasoned Tuna Pouch with Spoon. Although this is a sponsored post, feelings are 100 percent my own. I will never accept a sponsorship that doesn’t represent my true thoughts/feelings. So thank you Bumble Bee® Seasoned Tuna Pouch with Spoon.

Fall Apple & Sage Meatloaf

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the simple joys of parenting and potty training

My Lavender Blues

yes my three year old boy is still in diapers and literally it’s not because he doesn’t know how to use the potty.

he does. he’s incredibly capable. i’ve seen him do it. and whenever he is around kids his own age he literally rolls his eyes at me and scoffs when i ask him if he needs assistance when going to the bathroom.

but the problem is when others are not around he is probably one of the laziest toddlers i’ve ever met. like i’ve seen the kid just take off his diaper and pee on the spot. funny/not funny at all. and he’s totally chill with it. he’ll continue to eat ham like nothing happened at all.

My Lavender Blues

what the ell.

he’s basically me (okay not literally, because i stopped peeing my pants a couple of years ago).

jokes.

your unsolicited parenting advice is actually welcomed here without a snarl.

gracias.

any who. i can also be pretty lazy with my cooking. which is why meatloaf is my jam. seriously. one of the tastiest laziest meals out there. and people love it. i love it. and if you don’t love it than you’re probably weird. or don’t eat meat or something, hence: weird.

kidding. anyone with self control is on a whole other level in my mind. show me your ways.

Fall Apple & Sage Meatloaf

Recipe Notes:

SOOO I learned this incredible tip on how to create the most perfectly shaped + cooked meatloaf every. single. time. And here’s the trick: Completely foil a rimmed baking sheet. Next place meat loaf in desired meat pan of choice. Pack in meat as to make sure it all stays together. Cover top with foil. Turn meatloaf over onto lined baking sheet. Place in preheated oven. Bake for thirty minutes. Remove from oven, and remove (give a gentle couple shakes if meatloaf isn’t coming out) the loaf pan carefully and ta-da. perfectly shaped meatloaf. Next dress meatloaf with desired toppings (like catsup/cheese/garnish) and place meatloaf back into oven until fully cooked (about another 30-40 minutes).

VOILA.

Anyways, you can always cook this meatloaf the way you usually do as well – however I suggest trying out this new method! It works great, helps get some of the fat out that your regularly cooked meatloaf would normally be swimming in and makes less of a mess in my opinion. I guess this part just depends on what you prefer to clean up.

SO back to the actual recipe: I use liquid aminos in replacement of soy sauce. Why? Because its a little healthier (hence, liquid amino acids in the title) and I use a lot of it in my day to day cooking. The taste is so incredibly similar that unless you’re a soy sauce connoisseur, you probably won’t notice the difference in your cooking. I suggest trying it out!

I like to stuff my meatloaf with cheese, which is incredibly easy. Add half of your meatloaf to loaf pan, add chunks of cheese directly down the middle of meat, add the remainder of meatloaf filling on top and pack together so no cheesy leaks during baking! If you don’t pack it down and you bake your meatloaf with the above method, chances are cheese will be pouring out the sides during baking time. You’ve been warned.

**ALSO. i have to look up how to spell ‘worchestire’ every. damn. time.

Fall Apple & Sage Meatloaf
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb sweet italian sausage (casings removed)
  • ¾ cup bread crumbs (or gluten free alt)
  • ⅔ cup 2% milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1½ cups peeled & diced green apple
  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp california garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped + 3 whole leaves for garnish
  • 2 tbsp liquid aminos (or low sodium soy)
  • 1 tbsp worchestire sauce
  • 1 tbsp ketchup + 1 tbsp for outside
  • 1 tsp coarse black pepper
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup sharp white cheddar slices + 2 tbsp shredded cheddar
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400.
  2. First in a large bowl combine your ground pork and sweet italian sausage, set aside.
  3. Next in a small bowl or cup mix your bread crumbs and milk together. Allow breadcrumbs to soak for 10 minutes and set aside.
  4. Next in a medium sized pan over medium heat add your butter. Melt and heat. Add your minced garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add your diced green apple & white onion. Cook until onion is almost translucent, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add your garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger and chopped sage leaves. Stir until fragrant, about a minute.
  7. Remove mix from heat and stir in your liquid mains, worchestire sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup, coarse black pepper and kosher salt. Set aside
  8. Next in in the large bowl of pork/sausage, add your soaked bread crumbs and beaten egg. Begin to mix together and then add your apple & onion mix.
  9. Using your hands mix until all ingredients just come together (you don't want to over do it here, but you also want to make sure the meat and the bread crumbs are not in massive chunks.
  10. Once mix has come together, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  11. Place ½ of your mix into a loaf pan. Add your cheddar slices down the middle of meat mix, making sure to leaven a ½" of meat surrounding the cheese (this way the cheese doesn't fully spill out when baking)
  12. Add the remainder of meatloaf mix on top and pack together. Add a piece of foil on top and turn over the meatloaf pan onto the baking sheet.
  13. Place meatloaf (still covered w/ pan and onto of lined baking sheet) into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  14. Lower oven temperature to 385 and remove baking sheet w/ pan from oven and very carefully (not to burn your hands) remove the bread pan from the meatloaf. Gently shake the pan if need be. Loaf should remain in perfect shape.
  15. Next dress the exterior of the partially cooked meatloaf w/ ketchup and sprinkle with the 2 tbsp shredded cheese and garnish with sage leaves (optional).
  16. Place meatloaf back into oven for another 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
  17. Remove loaf and pan from oven, let sit for 10 minutes and then slice and serve.

 

 

Fall Apples & Roasted Grape & Cauli Salad

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My Lavender BluesMy Lavender Blues

Approaching my thirties and i keep having to tell myself that age ain’t nothin’ but a number.

OR so they say…..

But I’m pretty sure anyone under the ripe age of 24 says that, when they have yet to experience a hangover that lingers on for days, forehead wrinkles, and a spare tire that is meant for a monster truck.

All I keep hearing in my head is Wooderson’s (dazed and confused) – “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man, I get older and they stay the same age”. 

Real Life. Gashhh Darnett.

But you know what? I would totally choose my current reality. I’ll trade in my Abercrombie and Fitch wearing days, drinking out of a solo cup (okay that has never changed) filled with boones farm and a fast food burger (now currently reserved for road trips only… in which case I try to take those OFTEN) for my current morning pants dance with an enjoyable glass of red and some good food, perhaps this salad. because i obviously made it for this post 😉

“…..the older you do get the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’ man, L-I-V-I-N”

perhaps Wooderson’s character wasn’t a total waste of life.

Fall Roasted Grape & Cauli Salad.

My Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender Blues

Recipe Notes:

For my apples I used the Golden Delicious variety that I purchased from Eckerts Farm, a local farm that is nearby St. Louis. The coolest part about buying local from Eckerts is that they have a “pick yourself” orchard! Nothing screams fall and family fun time than good ol’ fashioned apple picking. That is absolutely a childhood favorite memory of mine with my family. Picking apples, buying cider, and then coming up with fun ways to eat them (as we would buy in BULK so pies and crips were always a fun way to use our whole lot) Except this time I obviously wanted to do something a little more on the savory side, as I said above, my body has changed QUITE a bit since younger me so keeping this apple close to its nutritious delight is important for me these days (okay except holidays, and like maybe fridays, and then i guess saturday & sundays, and happy hours too).

For this salad I use my roasted pumpkin seed recipe, but you must make sure that your pumpkin seeds are 100 percent crispy or this simply WILL NOT WORK. The moment a little bit of juice hits the seed it will be a chewy monster, and the last thing you want in your mouth is an angry seed. Gag. So if you’re not feeling confident, purchase pepitas at your local grocers. They work just as well here.

That’s it. This salad is so simple. Yay.

5.0 from 4 reviews
Fall Roasted Grape & Cauli Salad
Prep time: 
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Ingredients
Salad:
  • ½ head of cauliflower, chopped into smaller florets
  • 1.5 cups red seedless grapes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 apple, chopped into ¼" pieces
  • ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds / pepitas (may sub w slithered almond slices)
Dressing:
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
Instructions
  1. First preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Next in a bowl add your cauliflower floret and toss with 1.5 tbsp olive oil. Place on baking sheet. In same bowl, add your grapes and toss with remaining olive oil. Place also on baking sheet (but keep grapes and cauliflower separated as you'll need to remove grapes early)
  3. Place in oven and remove the grapes after 12 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Toss the cauliflower and continue to roast in oven for another 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
  5. Remove from oven and bring to room temperature.
  6. Next in a large bowl add your roasted cauliflower, grapes (and juices) and apple slices. Add your dressing (recipe below) and toss. Salt & Pepper to taste. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve.
Salad Dressing:
  1. Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until ready to serve. Make sure to shake well before drizzling. Additional Salt & Pepper to taste.

My Lavender Blues

*** Thank you to Eckerts farm for sponsoring this post because I am absolutely a huge fan. All words and feelings are truly my own. So please check them out!

Brandied Peaches // A Film, A First

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My Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender Blues

so for those of you reading my blog for the very first time, i did this dinner thing a couple of weeks ago at Eckerts Farm and am now putting up recipes for some of dishes that my brother in law & I created!

This particular post is for the brandied peaches that we poured over a GIGUNDO pork chop which we served on top of a bed of pea tendrils (yes those are a thing, and they’re quite delicious) and cheesy grits!

One of my FAVORITE things about brandied peaches is that they are SO incredibly versatile and take absolutely no time to throw together. You can change spices depending on the dish (sweet vs savory) or make a half batch sweet and a half batch savory all at once. win-win.

My Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender BluesMy Lavender Blues

 

My Lavender BluesMy Lavender Blues

any who, i went back to eckerts farm with my people and creepily followed them around with a camera. see below.

and speaking of which: you guys i did something. it’s called video. say it with me. vi-dee-ohhhhh. and i seriously enjoyed myself way more than one should probably admit.

and i didn’t do it by myself either. the boyf helped me. and he helped me edit it. and no, it’s not perfect, but we are for sure going to keep on doing these lil do-dads. stay tuned.

so for now, take a look-see and let me know what you think. and if your thoughts are incredibly negative…….

.My Lavender Blues

kidding (sort of)

 

Recipe Notes:

If your peaches are not fully ripe – don’t fret! The peaches in my video were day of peaches, I didn’t let the ripen as I normally would since I knew I would be cooking them down and adding sweet peach preserves and a little brown sugar. And if they are in true ripened form, then that is just a bonus!

I served my brandied peaches over a cheesy stuffed pork loin wrapped in bacon that I purchased from Eckerts to save me some time 🙂 HOWEVER, I think this would be reeeealllyyy good served over my butternut squash and prosciutto stuffed pork loin

 

Brandied Peaches
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Ingredients
  • 5 peaches, outer skin removed, and chopped into ½" pieces
  • ⅓ cup peach preserves
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 2 tsp california garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp brandy
Instructions
  1. First in a small pan over medium heat add your peaches, butter and peach preserves
  2. Place pan over medium heat and cover with lid, stirring every couple minutes. Do this for about 6 minutes.
  3. Next add your thyme, garlic powder, brown sugar & brandy.
  4. Mix together and place back over medium heat.
  5. Cover with lid and allow to cook for about 6 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Eat alone or serve over some pork chops & cheesy grits!

My Lavender BluesMy Lavender Blues

 

Chilled Curried Coconut Sweet Corn Soup // Scenes from my Dinner in The Orchard

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Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Butter my buns and call me a biscuit, What in the world did I just agree to?

The exact thoughts (except insert profanity where needed) that ran through my head when I responded “yes” to a dinner proposal from Eckerts Farm asking if I would be willing to put together a pop up meal along with a concept / design for thirty guests of their choice.

Who am I?

Not a professional, i can tell ya’ll that much. Little restaurant experience (however I DID cater in HS for some extra cash) and then making food appear to be (mostly) edible at the studio I work at here in St. Louis. My experience with cooking has always been enjoyed in the comfort of my own home. I’m at ease there, I also am comforted by the fact that I know if my recipe development goes to hell there is a local pizza delivery place that I have on speed dial. Or some blue box blues. Oh and wine. Always wine.

But how could i turn down Eckerts? Sinfully sweet corn, the juiciest peaches in all the land (no joke), the most scrumdiddilyumptious blackberries and the list goes on, and on, and on… andonandonandonandon. And on top of that? Chris & Angie Eckert just happen to be the most hardworking / hospitable people I have ever met. Saying yes was basically my only option. So began the night sweats and nausea leading up to the big day. (let’s just say i absolutely have no idea how to actually ‘play it cool’)

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo By Elizabeth Wiseman

Photo by Elizabeth Wiseman

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo by Spencer Pernikoff

Photo by Elizabeth Wiseman

The evening began with a signature cocktail provided by Eckerts and then began a wagon ride through the farm where the guests stopped in the cornfield and were able to pick & try some of Eckerts sweet corn. They next continued their way by wagon, up until they landed in Chris & Angie Eckerts orchard with a vineyard view, talk about living, l-i-v-i-n. Then began the meal starting with a chilled curried coconut sweet corn & apple soup with some fresh beet hummus on the side, followed by a broiled leafy green salad topped with pancetta, caramelized onions, walnuts and shaved parmesan, next brandied peaches over pork chops that laid upon a bed of cheesy grits and pea tendrils, and ended with creme fraiche and white chocolate puddincotta (panna cotta meets pudding) with a brandied blackberry sauce and fresh blackberries.

Needless to say, I don’t think anyone went home hungry (or at least i hope not).

One of my favorites of the evening was the Chilled Curried Coconut Sweet Corn Soup which I am especially happy to share with ya’ll fine folks. Seriously. So good. In fact I am gonna curry up and stop talking, corn you believe it?

okay i’ll stop. those puns were horrifyingly awful. but i tried. hush child.

Recipe Notes:

Sweet corn is key for the ultimate flavor high. Without it… it just ain’t so sweet.

A little coconut milk goes a looooong way. trust me on this. i made this recipe several times until i finally got the right amount down. as the soup chills all flavors become more bold, but the coconut milk literally takes over. we want to taste the corn here, the star of the show, with just subtle notes of coconut. duhz

a high powered blender is the key for complete laziness with this recipe (i use a vita mixer) HOWEVER it is NOT necessary. you can blend this with a regular ol’ blender and then push ingredients through a fine sieve. however you’ll come out with a little less (so recipe will be more for 6 vs 8 people).

yes, you may eat this soup hot. it tastes pretty damn good. i served mine with a side of beet hummus over a toasted baguette. that recipe will come another time. just be patient. thank you. kindly.

Chilled Curried Coconut Sweet Corn Soup // Scenes from my Dinner in The Orchard
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Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 head of garlic, minced
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped into small pieces
  • 2 apples, chopped into small pieces
  • 3 cups chicken stock (lower sodium)
  • 8 ears sweet corn, off the cob
  • 3 tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • 3 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ¼ cup coconut milk
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • Optional:
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Paprika
  • Cream
Instructions
  1. First in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat add your olive oil.
  2. Next add your minced garlic, saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds
  3. Add your chopped onion, cook until almost translucent, about 5 minutes
  4. Next add your apples and cook for an additional 5 minutes
  5. Add your chicken stock and corn off the cob, kosher salt, ginger, curry powder, pepper, and paprika
  6. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer
  7. Stir in coconut milk & whole milk
  8. remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes
  9. Next add soup to a high powered blender (you may need to do this in batches) until soup is completely smooth into a creamy like consistency
  10. if your blender is not powerful enough to completely turn the soup into a creamy texture then you'll need to strain through a fine sieve
  11. Pour into a container and place in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours before serving.
  12. Serve chilled and garnish with fresh cilantro, a sprinkle of paprika and optional drizzle of heavy cream

 

*Thank you Eckerts Farm for sponsoring this post, ALL thoughts and feelings are completely my own and am only hoping I can work with them again in the near future!