SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP

ingredients

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 onion, chopped

· 2 garlic cloves, chopped

· 1 inch fresh ginger, grated (2 tablespoons)

· 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

· 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1/8 teaspoon cardamom

· Dash ground cloves

· 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

· 1 tart apple, peeled, quartered, and chopped

· 4 cups chopped butternut squash

· Coarse salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, apple, squash, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover partially and reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3. Working in batches, puree until smooth in a blender. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

How to Store Fruit

Apples‐ store on a cool counter or shelf for up to two weeks. For longer storage in a cardboard box in the fridge.
Citrus‐ store in a cool place, with good airflow, never in an air‐tight container.
Apricots‐ on a cool counter to room temperature or fridge if fully ripe
Cherries‐store in an airtight container. Don’t wash cherries until ready to eat, any added moisture encourages mold.
Berries-Don’t forget, they’re fragile. When storing be careful not to stack too many high, a single layer if possible. A paper bag works well, only wash before you plan on eating them.
Dates‐dryer dates (like Deglet Noor) are fine stored out on the counter in a bowl or the paper bag they were bought in. Moist dates (like Medjool) need a bit of refrigeration if they’re going to be stored over a week, either in cloth or a paper bag‐ as long as it’s porous to keeping the moisture away from the skin of the dates.
Figs‐ Don’t like humidity, so, no closed containers. A paper bag works to absorb excess moisture, but a plate works best in the fridge up to a week un‐stacked.
Melons‐ uncut in a cool dry place, out of the sun up to a couple weeks. Cut melons should be in the fridge, an open container is fine.
Nectarines‐ (similar to apricots) store in the fridge is okay if ripe, but best taken out a day or two before you plan on eating them so they soften to room temperature.
Peaches(and most stone fruit)‐ refrigerate only when fully ripe. More firm fruit will ripen on the counter.
Pears‐ will keep for a few weeks on a cool counter, but fine in a paper bag. To hasten the ripening put an apple in with them.
Persimmon –Fuyu‐(shorter/pumpkin shaped): store at room temperature.
–Hachiya‐ (longer/pointed end): room temperature until completely mushy. The astringentness of them only subsides when they are completely ripe. To hasten the ripening process place in a paper bag with a few apples for a week, check now and then, but don’t stack‐they get very fragile when really ripe.
Pomegranates‐ keep up to a month stored on a cool counter.
Strawberries‐ Don’t like to be wet. Do best in a paper bag in the fridge for up to a week. Check the bag for moisture every other day.

15 MINUTE CREAMY AVOCADO PASTA

Ingredients:

1 medium sized ripe avocado, pitted

1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish

1-3 garlic cloves, to taste

1/2 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt or to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil (optional)

2 Tbs California Olive Ranch, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 oz , Whole Wheat Pasta or your choice of pasta

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes or follow directions on package.

2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.

3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Please note: This dish does not reheat well due to the avocado in the sauce. Please serve immediately.

Refried Beans

Until I found this refried beans recipe, I always bought canned refried beans to use in quesadillas. Now that I know how easy it is to make them from scratch, I prefer making my own. They are much tastier - and they are healthier and more economical too! Unlike canned refried beans, these make a hearty meal. Try serving them with rice, salsa and a salad.

If you are in a rush, use 2 cans (each 19 oz) of cooked pinto beans instead of cooking your own.

ingredients

3 Tbs olive oil

2 cups minced onion

4 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 cups cooked pinto beans

directions

In a large skillet, heat the oil.
Add the onion, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.
Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.
Turn heat to low.
Add the beans. Mix well. Mash the beans with a fork or a potato masher. Cook for a few more minutes until heated through.

½ cup serving = 185 calories

Dipping Blue Berries in Yogurt, freezing them over night for a healthy snack the next day. You could do this virtually with any type of fruit!