I have Halloween on the brain. It is kind of hard not to be in the spirit with all the costumes and pumpkins everywhere. I have an obsession with pumpkin flavored everything too. I try to adapt a lot of recipes to incorporate pumpkin. I cannot wait to share them with you. This weekend however, I will be focusing on dishes that are family friendly and are easy to prepare.

Our bin this weekend includes: Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, Acorn Squash (Lancaster), Eggs (Cockadoodle Ewe), Leeks, Eggplant, Mixed Greens, Celery, Kale, Potatoes (Salvaterra).

Broccoli and Celery

Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Sauce:

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 large cloves garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

Stir-fry:

1 pound chicken tender cut into cubes

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons corn starch

4 cups chopped vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, celery, mushroom, snap peas, etc.

olive oil

1/2 cup medium yellow onion, chopped

Blend all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender or food processor for 10 seconds. Taste the sauce and add your choice of sweetener to your liking. Blend again for a few more seconds. Heat the sauce in a large skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the sauce to a heat proof bowl. Rinse the skillet clean. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the corn starch and massage the chicken with your hands. If using fresh broccoli or green beans, boil the broccoli for 3-5 minutes until soft enough to pierce with a fork yet firm. Transfer the vegetables to a plate lined with a paper towel. Wipe down the skillet until dry. Heat approximately 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the onion and chicken until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry them together for 2 minutes. Slowly add a few tablespoons of sauce while stirring the vegetables and chicken. Continue to add the sauce a few tablespoons at a time, allowing about 15 seconds between each addition to allow sauce to slightly cook down. Spoon the stir-fry over a bowl of hot rice. Serve immediately.

Acorn Squash, Greens, Kale

Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Greens

1 acorn squash

1/2 cup red or white quinoa

mixed greens  (kale)

1-2 Tbs Lemon Vinaigrette

sea salt to taste

fresh cracked pepper to taste

cojita cheese or any cheese you like, feta would be really lovely too.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.

Then lay your squash face down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place on the middle oven rack and bake for 20-30 mins or until soft. The time will vary depending on the size of your squash.

While your squash is cooking you can prepare the stuffing. Quinoa cooks just like rice so if you have a rice cooker you may use that or you can use a medium size pot with lid.

Add 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup quinoa, and a little sea salt to your pot. Bring water to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to med-high. Cook for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed into the grains. Remove your pot from heat and allow to sit five minutes with the lid on.

Next, add your greens, vinaigrette, salt and pepper to taste. Put it right in the pot and stir with a wooden spoon to mix well; the heat from the cooked quinoa will wilt the greens nicely.Remove cooked squash from the oven and scoop the quinoa and greens right into the shells. Top with cheese and serve!

Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe:

1/4 cup minced shallots or red onion

juice of 3 lemons

1 – 2 Tbs White Wine vinegar

1/2 – 1 cup olive oil

1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)

1 tsp sea salt or more to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

4 Tbs minced cilantro or herb(s) of choice – optional

Combine the shallots, lemon juice, vinegar and salt in a small bowl or mason jar. Set aside to marinate for 5-10 mins. This step is KEY! The marinated shallots are what make this dressing really POP! Next add the rest of the ingredients and shake/wisk together thoroughly. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

Sweet Potato, Eggs, Potatoes, and Leek

Breakfast!!

Sweet Potato Leek Hash Browns

1/2 leek, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1 large sweet potato, grated
1 large russet potato, grated and squeezed of excess water
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Sea Salt & Pepper

Peel and rinse each potato. Pour the oil into a non-stick pan and heat over medium high. While the oil is heating, grate the russet potato and roll the potato up in a clean kitchen towel and set aside. Grate the sweet potato and slice the leek. Toss the leeks into the pan and allow to cook while you unwrap the russet potato. Add the sweet potato, russet potato and garlic to the pan and turn the heat down slightly. Toss with the leeks and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Toss again and set aside for 2-3 minutes and then repeat once more. Total cooking time 9-10 minutes. Season to taste.