This will not only warm your body and soul, but makes your home smell like the holidays along the way… once I start making this Hygge season has officially arrived on our homestead.
Simple and completely able to tailor to your tastes, this recipe lets you add more or less of ingredients as you like.
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, ginger root, peppercorns and a nutmeg pod.
Ingredients
3-4” of fresh ginger, chopped or grated 3 Sticks of Cinnamon (ground cinnamon will make the tea gritty) 2 tsp Whole Cloves (or 1/2 tsp ground) 1/2 of a Whole Nutmeg (or 1 tsp ground) 1 tsp Peppercorns ( do not substitute ground) 2 tsp Allspice Optional: 6-8 cardamom pods or 2-4 Star Anise 1 Vanilla Bean (or add 2 tsp vanilla extract after you take off heat)
Directions
Simmer all the above in a medium pot with 3-4 cups of water for 15-20 minutes.
Add 6-8 black tea bags, turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes.
Strain into a heat proof container. Store in refrigerator for up to a week.
To serve, heat tea concentrate and then add milk, or milk with a splash of cream , or half and half- yum! Up to a 50/50 ratio. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup.
I will often keep the strained ingredients in a pot on the stove, and keep simmering in water like a stovetop potpourri!
A little crisp on the top layer, dense and perfectly spiced with chunks of warm apple throughout… This baked apple oatmeal recipe is so easy, uses a single bowl and can feel like a hearty breakfast or delicious dessert depending on how you dress it up!
I love the ‘idea’ of baked oatmeal but so many recipes can fall apart and feel like a good attempt gone wrong. This recipe teeters between baked oatmeal and oat cake/muffins, but I’m 100% comfortable with rocking the oat boat like this- because these are absolutely delicious!
Oat Power
Oat Comparison- fresh ground flour on the left, and whole on the right.
I love making oat flour out of my oats and think this is my second favorite gluten free flour of all time. So, this recipe uses the humble oat in three ways. We use whole rolled oats (not the instant kind please), oat bran and then more of the rolled oats, pulverized to a flour to bring all the health benefits of oats but help it hold this dish together like a flour. Because it only uses oats, it is also naturally gluten free!
I don’t want to call this a health food, because there is maple syrup (or brown sugar) and butter (or coconut oil) in it- but the oat’s naturally high amounts of soluble fiber (specifically called beta glucan) lowers blood glucose and cholesterol levels. The oat bran also provides high levels of antioxidants. Oat groats and steel cut oats both naturally contain oat bran. But oat bran is also sold on its own, usually in the bulk bins from your local coop.
And I’ll give a shout out here to farmers growing grains sustainably and organically. It takes a lot more land to grow marketable amounts of these grains compared to vegetable farming operations. I see you and appreciate you!
Back to the Apples
It’s the perfect pairing of the nutty oats with a spiced fall apple flavor. I am not an apple snob, so I say use whatever apples you have on hand, but I do prefer a slightly tart apple in these.
Granny Smith is the classic, but I prefer Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macintosh or if you can find them Northern Spy. Whatever apple you use, these will be simply satisfying.
I’ve also baked these in a 9X12” (lots of crispy edges and tops), a 9” round (almost overflows), and muffins (this makes a slightly awkward 18 muffins) – all are delicious. I will suggest you steer clear of paper muffin liners because this is such a wet batter going in that half the muffin will stick to the liner when you’re trying to eat them.
Baked Apple Oatmeal Cake Recipe
Ingredients
2 ½ c. rolled oats – 1 cup pulverized into flour
½ c. oat bran (or another ½ cut rolled oats)
1tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2tsp. kosher salt
1/8tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground (or 1/2 tsp fresh) ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves +/or cardamom *optional
2 large eggs
2c. milk (2% or whole)
1tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4c. maple syrup (or brown sugar)
2 small apples cored, peeled, and chopped (about 2 c.)
4tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter (or coconut oil) melted, plus more, softened, for pan
1/2c. chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts) *optional
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease pan of choice with coconut oil
Start by mixing the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Measure 2 cups of milk into a 2 cup measurer- then you can crack and beat two eggs (gently) and add the vanilla, pour and then measure the maple syrup all in the same measurer before pouring into the dry ingredients. Melt the butter (I use same now empty measuring cup) and add to batter.
Mix and let that mixture soak up the liquids while you peel, core and chop enough apples to make around 2 cups. Chop and add nuts if using. Mix with the other ingredients.
Grease your pan or muffin tins with coconut oil. and fill to just under the rim. These do not expand much.
Bake in 350F oven for allotted time:
9X12 – 20-25 minutes
9” Round- 25-30 minutes
Muffin tins- 20 minutes
Enjoy it Your Way
And then we can dress it up. My one son LOVES whipped cream- and straight cream with a little vanilla extract whipped in is a delightful topper. I also push whole fats with my boys and paired with the oats this is a healthy way for them to eat them.
I prefer whole fat Greek yogurt spiced with vanilla, cinnamon and ginger, maybe cardamom too… the yogurt feels like a breakfast, but the whipped cream brings this fully into the dessert realm in our home.
For More Apple goodness check out my post An Apple A Day that has loads of delicious ways to cook with and preserve the fall apple bounty!
Zucchini Fritters are a healthy ‘fast food favorite’ in our home every summer! We all know how fast those zucchini can grow… so if you want a healthy + savory take on the good old pancake (and use up cups of shredded zucchini all at once)- Zucchini Fritters are for you!
I love the two different versions of this recipe equally, it just depends on what flavors I’m craving more, and if I happen to have some potatoes around as to which I make.
You can use a variety of zucchini in this recipe, and even summer squash too, just be aware of the different moisture content in each variety. Patty Pan are one of the ‘meatiest’ and dense/driest types, while Fordhook + Golden varieties tend to be wetter. If you shred the zucchini and can see extra water in the bowl, squeeze some out so you don’t have too thin of fritters.
More information on Growing Zucchini + More Ways to enjoy them on another post A Zillion Ways to Zucchini.
This vegetarian squash lasagna is comfort food and pantry cooking combined! Using large, thin slices of squash as noodles creates a hearty, satisfying lasagna without the carbs. Did you know that pasta has about SEVEN TIMES the carbs as squash! There’s also something that happens with the baked squash and cheese that makes it’s own sauce, so no need for extra cream here.
Fancy enough to impress guests but cozy for a small family meal – and it makes great leftovers. Hello “Meatless Monday”!
We use the old stand-by winter vegetables of butternut squash, potatoes, kale and red onion with a few tweaks. This recipe can also both work as vegan if you sub in some vegan cheese.
Squash
Using the top solid part of a butternut squash (or slices of Delicata, Autumn Frost or Kabocha) for this lasagna recipe will help it hold together better. You can use the bottom part that you scrape the seeds out of for the smaller chopped pieces for roasting, even adding to a warm winter salad.
You do have to start this process with a sharp knife, but the slicing effort pays off in the end.
My last harvest of curly kale, last week…
Kale
Another start ingredient in the recipe is kale. Yes, I’m obsessed; eating kale makes me feel good, so I’m not going to stop anytime soon- but my northern garden has stopped producing it now. While I still have one bag of the fresh stuff left, I have many bags (and pucks) of frozen kale just waiting for me. This recipe works well with either frozen or fresh kale. I like options… lots of kale options 😉
In the interest of keeping this recipe more local, you can try the hot house grown “Bushel Boys” during MN winters, Grown in Owatana- which is just around 19,000 miles closer than California, the largest producer of tomatoes in the US. I think the greenhouse grown versions are not great for eating raw but they are perfect for this recipe. Unless you have whole frozen or canned tomatoes waiting for you…
Let’s get cooking!
Winter Squash Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash 1/2 medium Red Onion 1 small bunch kale 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, 6-8 oz. provolone cheese 2 small tomatoes 1/2 C grated Parmesan *Optional – thin sliced ham or bacon EVOO, S&P
Directions
Heat oven to 425F
Get all the ingredients prepped: Peel and slice the butternut, (I like half circles) Slice potatoes into rounds Slice red onion into rounds, remove stems and shred or chop kale into bite size pieces
Slice provolone Slice tomatoes EVOO in bottom of pan and start layering:
Squash, then onion, then kale (optional meat) drizzle EVOO S&P Then Potatoes and half the provolone Then more kale, more EVOO S&P Then onion, tomatoes Top with rest of the squash and last of provolone
Bake for 30 minutes covered.
Drop temp to 400, and add parmesan to top. Bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.
This is a new favorites- Let me know what you think! I always love to hear when people substitute ingredients too!
Dig In to this cozy comfort food and let me know what you think! Michelle
Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Dig In to this cozy comfort food and let me know what you think! Michelle
Making your own infused spirits to add flair to your cocktails is simple and fun!
I love playing in the kitchen – being able to coax out intense or subtle flavors from high quality ingredients lets you taste the herbs and spices in new ways! infusing spirits feels like magic to me…
And magic is always a good gift to give!
Remember to save a jar or two so you can gift yourself as well 😉
I’ve gotten rave reviews from friends who’ve sipped the results of these infusions so far. They are simple to put together and fun to give- and better than the store-bought versions in so many ways (especially because you can pronounce all the ingredients!). Plus, they can shine bright in their presentation, or be as homey as you like!
For more holiday gift ideas visit my Gift Guide to give from the heart
Gather Ingredients
Similar to mixing and matching herbs for teas from dried-up leaves, Infusing imparts flavors (or healing properties like in calendula oil for making salve.) without the heat. Letting herbs and spices impart their flavor at room temperature takes longer- but also brings with it subtler scents and layers of flavor.
I have just started seeing these kits in a few specialty shops and farmers markets and they are not cheap! But luckily, making them at home is quite inexpensive.
If making for yourself, you can use fresh ingredients (fresh orange or apple slices and cherries) but these make really fun gifts when fully dehydrated ingredients are added to the jars. Gifting dehydrated ingredients let’s the person who receives the gift choose when they want to make the infusion themselves. You can gift with a bottle of spirits or without.
I love a versatile soup – and this broccoli soup can be tweaked so many ways, from silky smooth puree to a hearty chunky pottage, to cheesy and creamy decadence –but it all starts with some beautiful broccoli!
Start with the Best Broccoli
Broccoli is one of our family’s favorite garden veggies to grow. So much so that my boys will even go patrol for cabbage worms, the little green guys that can ravage this plant if left to their own munching.
I also love that when we eat broccoli, we’re eating the immature flower buds! I used to tell my boys they were eating broccoli bouquets, and I like to think that helped them grow in their love for this powerhouse veggie.
I’ve had good luck growing Bellstar, Emerald Crown and Green Magic varieties of broccoli in our zone 4 gardens (all from Johnny’s Seeds).
Harvesting Tip** Soak your broccoli florets in salty water (1 TBSP in a bowl of water) for a few minutes so any creepy crawlies float to the top!
Because it is a family favorite veggie, we grow a lot of broccoli and usually have some frozen to use during the winter months. And while we love many veggies from green beans to corn simply heated and eaten as side dishes straight from the freezer, I find broccoli needs a little extra love once frozen.
Soup is the perfect spin!
In addition to the blanched and frozen broccoli from the garden, I’m also saving broccoli stems all season to use in this broccoli soup. To make the best use of them, peel the ‘skin’ from the tender part of the stems closer to the buds. Toss the woody part (further down the stem) into the compost. These add great bulk and flavor to soups. And by peeling, you’ll get rid of the most gas-inducing part of the broccoli!
My secret ingredient in so many pureed soups is a little cream cheese, it adds such a depth of flavor and pairs well with broccoli.
You can keep it really simple, and even skip the pureeing, if you like it chunky. If leaving this kind of soup chunky, make sure to not overcook the vegetables. You can also add up to half cauliflower if preferred. See, super flexible soups really are the best!
I’ve added the white beans and/or potatoes as a way to thicken this soup without adding gluten, and I like the flavor better too. Leave out the cream/cheese if you want to keep it dairy free or vegan.
Best Broccoli Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 celery ribs, chopped
1-2 Yellow/White Carrots (optional)
1 tsp thyme
1-2 cups shredded zucchini (optional but great thickener)
2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
4-5 cups broccoli stems and florets (frozen is fine)
6 cups chicken (or Veggie) stock
½ cup white beans (optional)
1 cup milk or, ½ cup of half and half, or ¼ cup of cream cheese
Salt + pepper to taste
Olive oil to sauté
Our family’s favorite garnishes for this best broccoli soup are roasted chickpeas, pea shoots, green onion- and of course always served with toasted bread.
Directions:
Chop veggies into desired sizes, considering if you’ll be pureeing.
Sauté onions for a few minutes, then add garlic, thyme + celery.
A few minutes later add the shredded zucchini, potatoes and stock, and if you have lots of good broccoli stems, add those in now as well, simmer for 10 minutes.
Then add in broccoli florets and cook for another 5-10. Or if pureeing, add florets at same time, cooking for 10-15 minutes total.
You can puree some stock with the white beans to thicken, or add milk, half and half or cream cheese while pureeing as well.
Have fun garnishing, we love to sprinkle microgreens on top of our soups! And make sure that bread is extra toasty!
For more Very Veggie Soup Recipes, check out my RECIPE page. I’m also perfecting a “Broccoli Leaf Soup” recipe – stay tuned for that deeply flavorful and nutrient packed recipe!
This makes excellent leftovers and keeps in the fridge for a few days.
Welcome to summer at its best – Fresh Garden to Table Eating that celebrates so many of our favorite flavors of the season!
This is a great flexible recipe that can be changed to what you have on hand.
We eat this is as a chilled meal during high summer. While some might call it a salad, I see it as more of a base to add other things to; from leftover grilled chicken, some sourdough slathered with pesto… We’ve also added cooked and cooled cannellini beans to this for a protein boost. If you add beans, plan to add more dressing to keep the flavors balanced.
We’ve garnished with balsamic vinegar, pesto, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, olives, or whatever Italian flavors feel right that night. The main idea with this meal is to let the flavors from the garden shine. All the herbs in this recipe are easy to grow.
You can make this with regular pasta or use zucchini noodles (zoodles) or both if you have split family preferences like we do.
As sunlight hours (if not warmer temps) return to Minnesota, so do the backyard eggs. This gluten free Strata recipe is a beautiful way celebrate the return of spring and fresh eggs. It is also a healthy family favorite, and a great way to sneak in all kinds of veggies.
On Our Suburban Homestead
I love how our chickens help keep us in tune with nature’s cycles. If you’ve been interested in starting a backyard flock of your own, or want to learn where you can buy local farm fresh eggs, I’ve got you covered. This is a family favorite for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Especially when the boys go and collect the eggs then crack them right into the mixing bowl!
Soup Season is here and we couldn’t be more ready!
Leeks are a favorite late season crop that add so much depth of flavor to everything they touch, especially soup! We had a bumper crop this year so I’m excited to experiment with leeks this winter…
Straight up Potato Leek soup is divine, so I wasn’t sure if I should mess with it… but I did because I can’t help hiding extra veggies in all my meals.
So, here’s a soup that’s every bit as delicious with some added protein and veggie power. But it all starts with bacon, so don’t worry, this is definitely scores high on the flavor meter.
Ingredients
Bacon- 1 lb locally raised Leeks- Three large or four medium leeks Thyme- few fresh sprigs or 2 tsp dry Bay Leaf- 1-2 Potatoes- 4 medium-sized, peeled and cubed Cauliflower- half to a full head, cut up (or 2 cups Zucchini, shredded) Any White Beans- ~ 1 cup Chicken Stock- 3-4 Cups Salt + White Pepper to taste 2 Tbsp Cream Cheese – optional
Directions
Soak and cook beans until soft (or used canned). Fry the bacon on low until crispy. Set bacon to drain. Use bacon fat to sauté leeks, on medium low for 5-7 minutes. Add in potatoes, cauliflower or zucchini, thyme and bay leaves. Pour in chicken stock. Simmer until everything is well cooked, 20+ minutes. Fish out bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Add in cream cheese. Use an immersion blender (or blender) to puree soup, or leave chunky if preferred.
Garnish with cream, microgreens, fried leeks, bacon, kale chips, etc… Delicious with homemade sourdough!
I’ve got more Forks in the Dirt “Veggie Heavy” Recipes over on my RECIPES PAGE. I hope you love this soup as much as we do, let me know what you think of the added cauliflower and white beans.
This is my husband’s favorite hearty winter soup; a hearty blend of locally grown goodness that somehow becomes much more than the sum of its parts. Specifically this is a potage; which sounds really fancy but simply means a really thick soup.
I could go on and on about how much I love soups, and I’ve already compiled a few of my other favorite soups in a blog a while back, “Simmering Through Winter: Soup Suite”. It takes you through making “Very Veggie Zuppa Toscana, my take on a Basic Veggie Soup and a Ham + Lentil (way better than your split pea soup!!) plus some tips and tricks to making amazing soups- like getting the herbs and spices you add to “bloom”, stock vs broth, etc.
But back to this amazing simple yet sublime soup.
Sausage, Kale + Potato Potage
1 lb pork sausage (local makes a huge difference here!)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Oregano dried
1-2 tsp Thyme dried
2 tsp Celery leaf dried
2 cups shredded zucchini (I use frozen)
4 small or one huge russet style potato
4-6 Cups torn Kale (I use frozen too)
6 cups chicken stock
Fresh parsley for serving (or any microgreens you happen to have)
Instructions: Sautée Italian pork sausage until fully cooked, can spoon off some of the fat if desired (I find that locally raised pork products don’t have nearly as much fat as commercially raised kinds). Then add onions and sautée a few minutes, then garlic, then herbs.
Let the herbs ‘bloom’; this is when you let the dried herbs cook in fat before adding liquid to the pot – this is soup MAGIC!
Once you enjoy the aromas of all the herbs, add in the ‘wet’ ingredients; kale, zucchini, then potatoes and stock. This simmers only as long as the potatoes need to cook.
Serve with warm crusty bread, adding fresh greens, cheese or roasted squash/pumpkin seeds to the bowl just before serving. Or, you know, eat it right out of the pot…
