Fall vegetables are heartier than summer and spring bounty, and hold up well when cooked or included in soups and stews.  Remember to avoid refined sugars, which deplete the immune system, and allow the natural sweetness of fall foods to emerge.

Healing Soup: To head off that Fall Cold

Put two quarts of water or chicken stock in a pot and add 1/2 head cabbage, chopped; 1 onion chopped; 1 head of garlic, chopped; 3 carrots, sliced; 3 pieces celery, diced. Boil for 30 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons grated ginger and boil for 5 more minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup miso (soybean paste), and squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Don't boil after Miso is added.


Coconut Curry  Quinoa Stew

2 TB of olive oil
1 medium leek
1 small zucchini, winter squash or carrots
2 celery stalks
1/2 small yellow pepper
1 tsp of curry
2 tsp of cumin
1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 tsp sea salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/3 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup of light coconut milk
Fresh parsley or cilantro

Cut vegetables for a stew into medium large pieces. Heat a heavy bottom soup or casserole pot. Add the oil and leek. When the leek is shiny, begin mixing in remaining vegetables. Mix ground spices into vegetables. Mix the quiona with the vegetables, and then add water, salt, cinnamon, beans , and coconut milk. Cover and simmer until quinoa drinks up liquid, and vegetables are soft. Remove the cinnamon, garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley. Serves 4.

I added chicken stock to create more of a stew effect. I would also double this as it is so delicious. I used butternut squash and it was divine!

Baked Sweet Potatoes
(adapted from Eating Well)

A perfect rendition of an old favorite, excluding refined sugar.

SERVES 12

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter or earth balance melted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
  Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes.
4.  Uncover, stir and cook, and continue stirring every 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender and starting to turn brown, about 45 to 50 minutes more.

Turkey-Tomato Stew with Onions and Raisins
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

An interesting version of a picadillo, a typical Spanish stew, this dish presents a handy way to use up the typically less popular dark meat from the turkey. Steamed rice, a basket of warm tortillas, and an arugula and red onion salad complement the nourishing stew well.

SERVES 6

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped onions
3 cups 1/2-inch pieces cooked turkey (preferably dark meat)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green peppers
1 cup water
2/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
3. Add turkey, chili powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Sauté 3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes with juices, 1 cup water, raisins, and vinegar.
5. Increase heat to high and bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
7. Uncover and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Cooked Greens with Dressing of Your Choice

Ingredients

1 bunch swiss chard, kale, collard greens or spinach
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp water

Directions

1.    Cut stem out of leafy greens (unless it's baby spinach).  Stack 5 leaves and roll them up like a cigar and cut in 1/2 inch thin strips.  Repeat with the remaining leafy greens.
2.    Heat water, garlic and olive oil in a large skillet.  Stir in the leafy greens, cover and saute over medium heat until greens are wilted.  
3.    Toss with your favorite dressing.  This can be just as simple as drizzling balsamic vinegar or lemon over the greens or you can try one of the following:  

Dressing

Balsamic Vinegar and Shallot Reduction
Blend 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar with 1 Tbsp chopped shallots.  Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until syrupy.  Remove from the heat and add 2 Tbsp raisins or dried cranberries and 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.  Toss with cooked swiss chard, kale, or spinach.

Peanut Dressing
Blend 1/4 cup peanut with 2 Tbsp hot green tea.  To this, add 1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp honey, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1 small clove minced garlic, and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.  Use as a dressing for any cooked greens.


Apple-Pear Crisp

This delicious dish can also be seasonal.  In summer, try peaches and berries for a tasty dessert

Ingredients

4 apples
2 pears
4 Tbsp apple juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
12 Tbsp flour or tapioca

Topping

4 Tbsp flour
1/2 Cup rolled oats
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter or earth balance and 2 Tbsp canola oil

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking dish.
2.  In a large bowl, stir together the apples, pears, apple juice, lemon juice and tapioca.  Pour into the baking dish.
3.  In a medium bowl, combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over fruit.
4.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
5.  Let cool. Top w/ vanilla frozen yogurt (optional)

Meatless Mondays

Meatless Monday is a national health campaign to help Americans prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer - four of the leading causes of death in America- by reducing their consumption of meat

Meatless Monday provides information and reminders to help people eat healthy food in moderation. Starting  on Monday sets a healthy tone, and helps promote good choices for the whole week.

Reverse Trick or Treat!

This year, Trick-or-Treaters across the US will unite to help end poverty among cocoa farmers and promote Fair Trade by giving Fair Trade chocolate to adults while Trick-or-Treating door-to-door in their communities. 

Each chocolate has an attached card informing recipients of poverty and child labor problems in the cocoa industry, affecting mainstream candy enjoyed at Halloween and around the year, and how Fair Trade certified chocolate provides a solution.

Parents of last year's youngest participants raved about how Reverse Trick-or-Treating transformed Halloween into a meaningful event when youthful activists can give back to their neighbors and to cocoa growing communities.

Other Interesting Links:
Want a healthy corporate lunch brought in?

Organic To Go is a Café and Catering Company that Serves Delicious Meals Made to a New Standard with Organic and Natural Ingredients

We believe that healthy plants and animals raised with care and integrity provide the finest tasting, most flavorful and nutritious food available. Our inspiration comes from traditional American fare and our cafes and catering kitchens offer a delicious and convenient alternative without harmful additives such as antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides.

 

KUDOS TO ONE OF MY NEWEST CLIENTS:

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (NACo)




The leadership in this forward thinking organization has invested in
Wellness for their employees .

They signed on for
 A Four Class
Wellness Series  to begin this month!