Butternut Squash, Quinoa & Kale Bake
I have embraced it: summer is over. I love this time of year. Windows open, crisp mornings, leaves unraveling their colors, pumpkin patches, wrapped up in a blanket couch cuddling. But, I wasn’t ready for it this year. Life has been busy…good busy…but BUSY. The summer raced by and I found myself on the other end of it, greeting autumn with full on denial slight hesitation. I’ve tried a half dozen PSLs (I know, but admit it– you long for them each year too…). I tossed a scarf around my neck. Nothing. I just wasn’t feeling it. But, if there is one thing I look forward to this time of year… it is certainly an autumn menu. I knew transition would find me there. Soups, chilis, roasted roots, squashes and pumpkins, apple pies and homemade breads, a house full of fresh-baked scents, spices and cinnamon. This is the time of year when menus get cozy. This is when comfort food is less a guilty pleasure and more just something you sink into with complete abandon. Because.You.Can…
I am adoring Dana Shultz’, aka the Minimalist Baker’s, Everyday Cooking. What’s not to adore about simple, healthy, creative cooking?… She brings butternut squash, kale and quinoa together in a gorgeous combination. But, there’s an earthy richness with the onions, mushrooms and walnuts that really weave all the ingredients together. Bright pops of color and a texture you can sink your teeth into. This dish did it for me. It’s fall and I’m embracing it.
If you’re looking to serve up a side of autumn, this recipe is for you.
- 3 cups butternut squash, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons grape seed oil, divided
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces crimini, button or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 cups loosely packed kale, chopped
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (or vegan parm), divided
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- Lightly grease an 8×8-inch (or comparable size) baking dish and preheat oven to 400°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cubed butternut squash and toss with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
- While the squash is baking, rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer. Add to small saucepan with vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is fully absorbed and quinoa is fork-tender (15-20 minutes). Once quinoa is finished cooking, season with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper and half of the vegan Parmesan cheese. Stir, sample and adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from heat and leave covered.
- Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion and garlic. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent (about 4 - 5 minutes) stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and walnuts and season once more with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned.
- Make room in the pan and add kale. Season once more with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Cook until kale is just tender (about 3 - 5 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375 and add cooked quinoa to prepared baking dish. Top with vegetable-walnut mixture and roasted butternut squash. Lightly stir to combine. Top with remaining vegan Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes to warm through. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep covered for up to 3 days.
Tomato Galette with Goat Cheese, Honey & Thyme
Sometimes it’s hard to decide what’s more perfect: a weekend morning strolling the farmer’s market or the post-market creations… Life is full of hard choices. But, making this tomato galette should not be one of them… Galette’s are so easy, so versatile, so lunch, brunch, dinner with a side salad, served hot, cold…so midnight snack.
This galette recipe caught my eye on Bloglovin. Tomatoes, goat cheese, thyme …and honey. Oh honey, does this ever magically come together with the honey. I had no idea why the author of Wry Toast spent so much time talking about the honey in this recipe. Until.I.Tried.It… Savory, sweet, the richness of the goat cheese, tangy tomatoes, and the honey unifies the flavors in a unique and delightful way. Do you have those dishes you just want to bury your face in? This is it.
This galette was lovingly filled with yellow, orange and red tomatoes I picked up from the Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market this weekend. Ahhh, a tomato rainbow. I felt like their beauty deserved to be framed, wrapped in love. What better than a galette. Summer’s gift in a light and crispy pastry. Now, that’s a gift worth giving.
Bon appetit mon amour….
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- pinch of salt
- pinch of sugar
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 4 shallots, diced (approximately 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
- 8 ounces goat cheese
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 – 4 heirloom or variety of tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Start first by preparing the dough. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into a small bowl and freeze for 10 minutes. While butter freezes, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the cold grated butter into the flour mixture until a mealy texture forms, then slowly add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough takes shape. Form the dough in a ball, transfer to a lightly floured surface, and shape into a flattened round. Tightly wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes until the dough is firm and cold.
- While the dough chills, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the diced shallots until lightly caramelized (approximately 10 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly sprinkle with flour. With a floured rolling-pin, roll out the chilled dough into a 1/8″ thick round and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet. It's easiest to transfer the dough by rolling it onto the pin and then lifting it onto the baking sheet.
- Crumble the goat cheese over the rolled-out dough, leaving a 2-inch border along the edges. Drizzle a heavy serving of honey over goat cheese (don't be shy), then evenly top with caramelized shallots.
- Next, season the sliced tomatoes with salt & pepper and layer over the goat cheese and shallots. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and, finally, sprinkle with fresh thyme.
- Fold the 2-inch border of the dough over the edges of the tomatoes, then brush the crust with beaten egg.
- Bake the galette for 45-60 minutes until the crust is golden and the tomatoes have begun to char.
- Cool for a few minutes before serving.
Farmer’s Market: Dupont Circle, Washington DC
The Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market is a lively spot! I’ve been meaning to visit and decided today was the day! I love Dupont. It’s quirky and fun. Now one more reason to go: the FARMFRESH farmer’s market …and it’s year round. Year round! During the peak season, there are more than 50 farmers with fruits and vegetables, pastured meat, poultry and eggs, cheeses, baked goods, fresh pasta, pickled everything, jams, locally roasted coffee, local beers, wood-fired pizza, dumplings, soups and sandwiches, cut flowers, soaps, and so much more. Did I mention the Red Basil and Tarragon infused lemonade? Ohyesplease…
The Dupont Farmer’s Market is held on Sundays, 8:30 am to 1:30 pm (Apr through Dec) and Sundays, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (Jan through Mar). Get out there!
Getting to the Dupont Farmer’s Market is surprisingly easy. The Dupont metro stop drops you right in the center of the market. I gathered up the courage to drive into the city and was pleasantly surprised with the parking situation. Parking is free in the city on Sundays.
Eat your fruits and veggies…
Dupont Circle: a vibrant city space.
Farmer’s Market: Del Ray Neighborhood, Alexandria, Virginia
Tucked away on the north end of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, is the cutest darn little neighborhood you could imagine. Craftsman style homes, generous porches, young urban couples pushing babies in strollers, dogs playfully walking alongside their owners, coffee shops, “unchained” restaurants, and a charming little farmer’s market. Del Ray: fun, quirky, lovable.
The Del Ray Farmer’s Market is open EVERY Saturday 08:00 am – 12:00 pm. It’s located at 203 East Oxford Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia at the corner of Mount Vernon and Oxford Avenues.
At the height of the season, there are around 20 farmers and vendors selling fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheeses, breads, fresh pasta, baked goods, cut flowers and home-made dog treats. You can grab your Saturday morning coffee there, and a young man on the north end of the lot sells incredible Salteñas, a Bolivian baked empanada. The Salteña is a little different than the empanada though. Inside a perfectly crisp pastry shell is a stew-like filling of meats, peas, and potatoes with a slightly sweet flavor. Mine was a breakfast Salteña, so there was also a bit of scrambled eggs inside. It’s slurpy. Hold it upright, nibble the edge, and get lots of napkins from the Salteña guy. I sat under a tree and got lost in my Salteña and iced coffee. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand for effect…
If you drive, there is street parking on Mount Vernon and the side streets (you’ll be better off looking on the side streets). There is a paid parking lot across Oxford Avenue behind the Virginia Commerce Bank. You can also take the bus; there is a bus stop at the market (Mount Vernon and East Oxford) for both Metro and DASH buses. You could also take the metro to the Braddock Road Metro stop, but you’ll have a fairly decent 20-minute walk.
For additional information, and to check out the list of vendors, take a look at the Del Ray Farmer’s Market website.
Farmer’s Market: Baltimore, Maryland
It’s my favorite time of year: farmer’s market season. It’s a thing. Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring, Farmer’s Market.
The Baltimore’s Farmer’s Market is certainly worth a visit. It’s filled to the brim with seasonal fruits, vegetables, poultry, seafood, beef, pork, lamb, bison, goat, rabbit, fresh baked goods, flavorful herbs, organically produced milk, yogurt, butter, eggs, cheeses, flowers and vegetable seedlings for your garden. It’s literally a cornucopia as far as farmer’s markets go. To top this, there are numerous food vendors dotted throughout the market. Pit beef sandwiches, omelets, breakfast burritos, crepes, wood-fired pizzas, pies, quiches, soups, noodles, dumplings and mushrooms (more on this later). Vegan items are sold as well, which may not have been obvious yet… Crafts, candles, organic dog treats, art, retro clothing, kombucha and kimchi.
It’s the largest producers-only market in Maryland. The market is sprawling and, interestingly, located underneath the highway overpass. Great for a rainy day, shielding from the summer sun, and adding an edgy, if not gritty, Baltimore feel to the market.
Eat, shop, be merry. What are you waiting for?…
The market is held on Sundays from 7:00 am – 12:00 pm between April – December. Many Sundays also feature live music performances and cooking demonstrations. The market is located below the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga streets.
Parking is surprisingly convenient and free (for 2 hours) at the Mercy Medical Center across the street in the Mary Catherine Bunting Garage at 330 Guilford Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202. Ensure you bring your ticket to the Market’s Welcome Tent to get a validation stamp. Without the stamp you will find yourself sweet-talking the garage attendant out of a $10 parking fee. Yeah, I still got it…
Art at the Farmer’s Market … it’s a permanent collection
Amazing food at The Mushroom Stand
What’s to eat at The Mushroom Stand? Your favorite fungi, baby!
More specifically,…..
Oyster Mush Fritters. Blue Oyster mushrooms dipped in beer batter and fried in peanut oil, topped with hot sauce and a healthy dose of feta cheese, served on a bed of lettuce.
Portabella Salad. Marinated and smoked portabella served over mixed greens and topped with feta and hot sauce.
The Portabella Sandwich. Marinated and smoked portabella with mixed greens in a toasted pita and topped with feta cheese and hot sauce.
Three choices; one hard decision. I opted for the Oyster Fritters. F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.
Bread at the Farmer’s Market … plenty of carb-lovin’ options
Veggies at the Farmer’s Market
