I hope everyone had a nice holiday. I had the honor of cooking dinner for a small group of four people. The meal was vegetarian (actually vegan, except for one dessert), mostly organic, with no added sugar and nothing refined.

The appetizer was root vegetable soup and pumpkin biscuits.

Root Vegetable Soup was made by steaming one large sweet potato, parsnips, and carrots, and sautéeing onions and garlic. All were combined with vegetable broth in a blender, adding some sesame tahini and salt to taste. Then it's transferred to a pot on the stove and I added thyme and basil. I make a soup like this about once a week and experiment with different combinations of vegetables and herbs.
The recipe for Pumpkin Biscuits was taken from Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson. I adjusted it slightly.
- 2 cups alternative flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)'
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup soy milk or milk alternative
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar and 1 teaspoon maple flavoring, or 1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees; oil a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients and combine wet ingredients separately.
3. Combine dry and wet; do not overmix.
4. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use biscuit cutter or small drinking glass to cut into 2-inch rounds and place on baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and make more until dough is finished.
5. Bake on center oven rack about 12 to 14 minutes.

Dinner was (starting from top right) rosemary roasted vegetables, mashed yams, sautéed swiss chard and kale, green beans and asparagus with pine nuts, walnut avocado salad, and qunioa.

Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

This is a great, simple way to use all the delicious root vegetables that are in season right now. I used a combination of sweet potato, parsnips, carrots, zucchini, and onion. I pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, chop the vegetables to desired size, and coat in olive oil, salt, and rosemary. The easiest way to do this is by putting a few chopped vegetables in a plastic bag and adding the oil, salt, and rosemary. Seal the bag and shake it around to ensure the vegetables are fully-coated. Put on baking sheet and bake for 10-25 minutes to desired browness.

Mashed Yams

Yams and sweet potatoes, surprisingly, are much healthier than white or red potatoes. They are a greater source of vitamin K and provide more fiber. Their glycemic load is much smaller which means they keep blood sugar levels balanced. I chop and steam garnet yams for about 20-25 minutes, until tender. You can also boil them, but some nutrients are lost in the water by this method. Once done, I mash and add a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, cinnamon, and fresh sage. The sage is a nice touch, but these are sweet and delicious without it as well. I leave the skins on as they are a good source of fiber and nutrients.

Sautéed Kale and Swiss Chard

Leafy greens are one of the healthiest, most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This is an easy way to prepare them and is quite delicious, even to those who aren't vegetable lovers. Chop swiss chard and/or kale, and sauté in olive oil with chopped onion and 2-3 pressed cloves of garlic. Cook until leaves have softened and reduced (but don't overcook) and add sea salt.

Green Beans and Asparagus with Pine Nuts

Pine nuts are a delicious addition to this dish, but they are quite expensive. Slivered almonds would be a fine substitute. Trim green beans and break off white bottoms of asparagus. Steam for about 10 minutes, just until slightly softened. Transfer to a pan with toasted sesame oil, add pine nuts, and cook until lightly browned. Spray with Bragg's Liquid Aminos (a soy sauce substitute sold at health food stores) or add sea salt once cooked.

Walnut Avocado Salad
This salad was made with baby spinach as the leafy base. You could substitute any dark lettuce. Dark greens are more nutritious than light lettuces like iceberg. Then add chopped onion, shredded carrot, cherry tomatoes, cubed avocado, walnuts, and top with walnut oil and lemon juice. If you can't find walnut oil, olive oil works well, too.

Quinoa
Quinoa, once a mysterious grain, is gaining in popularity. It has a texture like ultrafine couscous, but it is truly superior. It has a very high concentration of protein and fiber, and is gluten-free. It is technically not a grain, so those who limit their carbohydrates or grain intake can enjoy quinoa in moderation. It is cooked 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water or broth for about 12 minutes. I topped with olive oil and sea salt.

Dessert was pumpkin pie, mixed berry pie, carrot cake, and date bites.

Pumpkin Pie

This is so simple to make and a much healthier alternative to sugar-laden pumpkin pies. Powdered stevias vary in strength; in this recipe I used SteviaPlus brand. I also use pre-made spelt pie crusts, available at health food stores. A pre-made whole wheat crust would work, too.

Combine all ingredients in the blender. Pour into pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely and refrigerate.

Mixed Berry Pie

This pie also uses SteviaPlus powdered stevia and a pre-made spelt pie crust. This pie is deliciously rich and intense with berries. I buy frozen berries because they're just as good and far less expensive; just be sure to let them thaw.

1. Combine 3 1/2 cups of berries with flour, almond milk, stevia, and cinnamon and blend in blender. Add more almond milk if mixture does not seem wet enough.
2. Once it reaches a homogeneous consistency, add mixture to pie crust and use extra 1/2 cup of berries to cover. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes and let cool.

Carrot Cake

This recipe uses cashews to make an incredible, sweet frosting. It also uses stevia concentrate powder, which is the most concentrated stevia powder available.

1. In a food processor, grind cashews finely.
2. Add liquid and continue to process. Add a few drops liquid stevia or drizzle agave nectar to taste.
3. Purée to desired texture and spread on cake.

Sesame Date Bites and Chocolate Coconut Date Bites
These are an easy, no cook dessert.

Combine tahini, agave, and sprinkle cinnamon. Place a raw almond inside a pitted date. Roll in tahini mixture and roll in sesame seeds. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Chocolate Coconut Date Bites
- pitted dates
- 2 TBS coconut butter
- 1 TBS (or less) agave nectar
- unsweetened cocoa powder, to taste, about 2 TBS
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- raw almonds

Combine coconut butter, agave, and cocoa powder. Add warm water to achieve desired consistency. Place an almond in the pitted date and roll in chocolate coconut paste. Roll in shredded coconut and refrigerate for about an hour.

I hope your Thanksgiving was happy and healthy. Try these recipes out and let me know what you think!

Eat well,
Emily