Tuesday 30 October 2012

How to roast a Pumpkin


Pumpkin roasting is more time consuming than difficult, it is worth it in the end. Don't use the large pumpkins sold for carving, I have been told they are stringy and bitter (I personally have never tried to roast them so I have no idea what they would taste like, Have you? If so I would love to hear about it!)


How to roast a pumpkin


Pie pumpkin medium size (I used a sugar pie pumpkin)


Preheat oven to 400f

Nice medium size pie pumpkin


Wash pumpkin, dry pumpkin,
Break off stem or slice top off pumpkin.
Pumpkin sliced in half


With a serrated knife cut pumpkin in half.
Scoop out all the seeds and pulp, I first tried using a grapefruit spoon but found that the ice cream scoop worked MUCH better

Put pumpkin skin side down in a pan and roast for one hour until a knife slides in smoothly and it smells done.



Roasted Pumpkin



















How to roast a pumpkin


Pie pumpkin medium size (I used a sugar pie pumpkin)



1) Preheat oven to 400F
2) Wash pumpkin, dry pumpkin,
3) Break off stem
4) With a serrated knife cut pumpkin in half
5) Scoop out all the seeds and pulp, I first tried using a grapefruit spoon but found that the ice cream scoop worked MUCH better
6) Put pumpkin skin side down in a pan and roast for one hour until a knife slides in smoothly and it smells done.
7) Let pumpkin cool 10 minutes
8) Now you are ready to use it in a recipe or Puree it.

You can puree a pumpkin by dicing it into 2 inch square pieces and processing in a Victorio food strainer. If you don't have a food strainer you can peel the pumpkin and process it in a blender or food processor.

Pumpkin Bacon Soup



I love pumpkin, I love pumpkin granola, pumpkin spice lattes (I have been making them all season long at home with real pumpkin) I love pumpkin baked goods and especially love pumpkin seeds. Surprisingly enough I have never made a pumpkin soup. I decided to branch out and create a recipe that my family would enjoy. Orion loved his pumpkin soup, I don't think he has ever met a soup he hasn't enjoyed. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did  :)

How do you like your pumpkin?






Pumpkin Bacon Soup


1 apple (I used ambrosia) (Halved and cored)
Yes, I realize that I am missing ingredients in the
picture, I made this recipe up as I went.
1 small pie pumpkin (Mine are called sugar pie) or 3 cups of puree
1 head garlic minced
1 medium onion minced
1 cup organic baby carrots


7 slices low sodium bacon, diced
4 cups chicken broth ( I use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Chicken broth)

3 tsp Epicure Gingerbread spice
1 tsp Himalayan fine ground salt
1\2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground thyme

1 1/2 cups Quiona Milk (Or your favourite non dairy milk)



Roast pumpkin according to pumpkin roasting directions. Meanwhile in a glass pan, place carrots and apples roast  at 400f  for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Roasted pumpkin, apple and carrots














Remove apple, pumpkin and carrots from oven. Let cool 10 min,



Process  apples and carrots through Victorio food strainer.


Pumpkin ready for the strainer

Dice pumpkin into 2 inch squares,
 Process through Victorio food strainer, (No need to peel if using the food strainer) (If you do not have a food strainer, peel pumpkin then process in a food processor)
Pumpkin processed through the Victorio





















Mmm, crispy bacon!


In your soup pot fry bacon until crispy on medium heat, remove bacon, drain most of the fat leave about 2 tbsp, fry onions and garlic until translucent.














First cup of broth added





Pour 1 cup chicken broth in  pot  over medium low heat scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the bits off.











Put apple carrot mixture with bacon in pot, stir well, add spices.
Add rest of chicken broth, pumpkin and maple syrup, Stir well.
 Simmer for 20 min stirring occasionally.

Mix in Quiona Milk and bring to simmer again for 5 min. . Serve with freshly ground pepper and salt.
Yum!






Pumpkin Bacon Soup


1 apple (I used ambrosia) (Halved and cored)
1 small pie pumpkin (Mine are called sugar pie) or 3 cups of puree
1 head garlic minced
1 medium onion minced
1 cup organic baby carrots


7 slices low sodium bacon, diced
4 cups chicken broth ( I use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Chicken broth)

3 tsp Epicure Gingerbread spice
1 tsp Himalayan fine ground salt
1\2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground thyme

1 1/2 cups Quiona Milk (Or your favourite non dairy milk)





1) Roast pumpkin according to pumpkin roasting directions. Meanwhile in a glass pan, place carrots and apples roast  at 400f  for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2) Remove apple, pumpkin and carrots from oven. Let cool 10 min,

Process  apples and carrots through Victorio food strainer.


 3) Dice pumpkin into 2 inch squares, Process through victorio food strainer, (No need to peel if using the food strainer) (If you do not have a food strainer, peel pumpkin then process in a food processor)

4) In your soup pot, fry bacon until crispy on medium heat, remove bacon, drain most of the fat leaving about 2 tbsp, fry onions and garlic until translucent.

 5) Pour 1 cup chicken broth in  pot  over medium low heat scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the bits off.

6) Put apple carrot mixture with bacon in pot, stir well, add spices.

7) Add rest of chicken broth, pumpkin and maple syrup, Stir well.

8) Simmer for 20 min stirring occasionally.

9) Mix in Quiona Milk and bring to simmer again for 5 min.

10) Serve with freshly ground pepper and salt.

To make Gluten free do not use Quiona milk as it contains oats, use your favourite GF milk.

The bacon in this soup does not stay crispy, if you would like in step 4 when you remove your bacon do not add it back in in step 6. Save your bacon until just before you serve and use it as a garnish.





Monday 29 October 2012

Cooking Pinto Beans in a rice cooker

I will be making Mexican turkey lasagna for dinner tonight. One of the key elements of it is beans. When I have time I like to skip the tinned beans and make them from dried beans.  Some benefits of making your own are; the salt content can be lowered, I know exactly what is in them, they are much cheaper, last but not least they just taste better :) I just love the look of dried pinto beans, they are such a pretty bean.

Beans are such a versatile food, what is your favourite way to use beans?



Before you start anything else, wash your beans, dig through them and pick out any items that do not belong.
Next you need to soak your beans

You can either soak them overnight or do the quick soak method. To soak overnight you take your beans, put them in a bowl cover them with 3 parts water 1 part beans, cover and leave them for 12 hours.


I have a habit of never remembering to soak my beans overnight so I do the quick soak method.Take your beans put them in a pot, pour in the water for soaking. Bring to a boil, boil for 3 minutes. Turn off burner, let beans soak for one hour.
Beans should be nicely plumped by now, strain and RINSE well. (I find that if I forget to rinse, the beans are more gas causing)

Beans after the quick soak method, look how nice and plump they are!
Rinsed beans ready for the Rice Cooker!



 Place in rice cooker with water for cooking, garlic and onion powder, Stir.
Beans ready to be cooked


Turn rice cooker to "Cook" (this is important, I have forgotten to flip the switch from warm to cook, you end up with well soaked crunchy beans when you are ready to eat ;) )



Keep an eye on it stirring occasionally add more water if needed.

Cook until beans are soft, the time really depends on how fresh your dried beans are. My beans are fairly fresh and usually take about 45min- 1 1/2 hours.
They are done when they are soft all the way through, with no crunch. I always eat one to check. Add Salt, Pepper and Chipotle chili powder to taste.
Cooked Pinto Beans Ready to eat or use in your recipes.




Rice Cooker Pinto Beans
Yield: 2 cups cooked pinto beans
3/4 cup pinto beans
3 cup water for soaking
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
3 cups water for cooking
Salt and pepper to taste
Chipotle Chili powder to taste

Wash and sort your beans.

1) Take your beans put them in a pot, pour in the water for soaking. Bring to a boil, boil for 3 minutes. Turn off burner, let beans soak for one hour.


2) Beans should be nicely plumped by now, strain and RINSE well. (I find that if I forget to rinse, the beans are more gas causing)

3) Place in rice cooker with water for cooking, garlic and onion powder, Stir.

4) Turn rice cooker to "Cook" (this is important, I have forgotten to flip the switch from warm to cook)

5) Keep an on it stirring occasionally add more water if needed.

6) Cook until beans are soft, the time really depends on how fresh your dried beans are. My beans are fairly fresh and usually take about 45min- 1 1/2 hours.
They are done when they are soft all the way through, with no crunch. I always eat one to check. Add Salt, Pepper and Chipotle chili powder to taste.

Alternate: You can add the salt in step 3, I don't because I have  a tendency to over salt this way. I have found that adding salt when they are cooking does not make them tough.



First post on a new blog!

Welcome to my new blog!

After much discussion with my husband I have decided to  create a blog to document my cooking adventures. We have some pretty severe allergies in our house which makes cooking a challenge sometimes. I have been forced to get creative and adapt recipes to suit our needs. My bookmarks list is getting a little too long and my pinterest board is a jumble of mislabelled delicious pictures. I know much of my inspiration comes from reading various blogs, therefore I decided to put myself out there with my own blog. Some topics I hope to cover here are; Cooking with allergies (O has serious allergies to dairy, eggs, sesame, fish and nuts.) (I am allergic to most nuts and fish, with a mild dairy allergy) Exciting new product option I find that work well with our multiple allergies, How to eat within your means (But still allergy safe), Preserving food. I aspire to have a searchable library of safe recipes. Thank you for taking to time to read my blog and I hope you and yours will benefit in some manner from it!

-Marika