Butternut Squash Enchiladas

     It's not always easy to find good, not to mention, healthy food when you're driving on the freeway. Sometimes I'll find a smoothie bar, or a place for a good veggie burrito, but I'm more likely just to swing by a gas station for some sparkling water to hold me off until I can get a real meal. In my last entry, I mentioned I've been taking weekend trips to San Diego from Los Angeles. And each and every time, I find myself pulling off the freeway to visit and old favorite spot....

     The Roxy in Encinitas is located on the Coast Hwy just off the Encinitas Blvd exit on Interstate 5 and it has stolen my heart. I usually can't help but order the 'Avocado,' a sandwich stuffed with avocado and sprouts on yummy 7-grain toast, or their sweet potato fries which are by far the best I've ever had because they're fresh cut and not deep fried. But when perusing the menu for new options I spotted this:

"Squash Enchilada
Steamed banana squash mixed with fresh corn, bell peppers and low fat cream cheese. Rolled on a whole-wheat tortilla and topped with olives, tomatoes, red onions, cheese and enchilada sauce. Served with a side of brown rice. " -The Roxy

     Squash inside of enchiladas was mind-blowing! How have I been eating plain cheese enchiladas for so long? So of course, instead of ordering it, I decided to try my own version. The recipe that follows might just be one of my proudest new creations.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

(Inspired by The Roxy)

see serving suggestions below for description of topping and sides

Ingredients:

• 1 Lrg Butternut Squash
• 3-4 Ears of corn
• 3-4 Ancho Chilis or Aneheim Peppers (Any sweet green pepper will do) 
• 1-2 Cans Mild Red Enchilada sauce (I use La Victoria)
• 1 Package shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
• 1 Package small whole wheat tortillas

350-375 degree F

step 1.
    Prepare your butternut squash as described in my previous entry "Butternut Squash Basics". Spoon out all the squash from the rind and puree slightly adding in a few tablespoons of the water from the baking dish.

step 2.
   Prepare your veggies. Halve your chilis and spoon out the seeds and then coat them in oil. It's good to put a little oil on the corn as well, maybe even some salt and peppper, but not much. The corn and chilis can go into the oven on the same tray, but the chilis must be skin side up.  Bake on a foil-lined cookie sheet for at least 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Rotate the corn half way through. Then change the oven to a broil. Take the corn out when it has browned a little bit,  and set aside, but you are going to leave the chilis in until the skin is blackened. When big black bubbles have developed on your chilis, put them immediately into an ice bath. A few minutes later, you should be able to wasily peel the skins off your peppers. Thinly slice them and chop into 2inch strips. Cut your corn from the cob and set aside.

step 3.
    In a mixing bowl, stir together peppers, squash, half of your corn, and about a cup of shredded cheese.

step 4.
    Slightly warm your tortillas before folding in the mixture. You can do this on a skillet or by wrapping a small stack of tortillas in a paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds.

step 5.
    Coat each side of the tortilla in enchilada sauce before spreading on the squash and veggie mixture. Roll tightly. Once you've filled your pan, pour remaining sauce over the tortillas. Top with the remaining corn and cheese.

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step 6.
    Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take the foil off and set the oven to broil to really get that cheese nice and bubbly.

 

The result is amazing! I'm so so happy with this dish, I've already made it twice! I know you'll enjoy them, and your friends and family will thank you.

Serving suggestions (as pictured) : 

• Cotija cheese
• Avocado slices
• Sour Cream
• Black Beans w/ Rotel

Whole Wheat Pizza Night

 

When I think of family style food, pizza is pretty high on the list. Especially since my family now includes an 8 yr old boy, a 5 yr old girl, a 4 yr old boy, a 3 yr old girl, and a 11 mo. old boy. Yes, my two sisters (pictured), have been busy making me a very happy auntie over the last 8 years. And if you can't tell, Rebekah, on the left, is due with another boy in November. It can be hard enough to get us all in one place, much less eating the same food at the same time, but pizza is one food that's pleasing to the palate no matter what your age. Take it a step up to build-your-own pizza, and you've got one big happy family!

This pizza dough is fool proof. I got it off The Food Network website and it needs no alterations. Only personally, when I'm rolling out my dough, I like to sprinkle a little cornmeal in with the flour on my rolling surface. It gives the crust added texture, and a bit of fanciness. 

FoodNetwork.com's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

(Recipe Courtesy of Curtis Aikens & Foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cornmeal (optional)

Step 1.

     Proof yeast in a small cup or bowl with lukewarm water. Give it a few minutes to dissolve and then add the honey to activate the yeast. Yeast feeds on sugar. Then gently whisk in the oil.

Step 2. 

     In a large bowl, gather whole wheat and all purpose flours, and salt.  Quickly stir in the yeast mixture to combine all ingredients. You should begin to form a large ball of dough as soon as possible. Working with flour is always messy, so be prepared to get in there and work the dough with your hands. Once a ball is formed, no kneading is necessary. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Step 3.
     Punch down dough and transfer to a floured board. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and roll each piece into a ball (only I doubled this recipe and made 13 balls of dough to accommodate everybody). Place the balls of dough, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. I also like to rub a little oil on each one to keep them from sticking to the plastic baggies. I always suggest that dough chills overnight. It makes it easier to work with. This way too, all the prep-work can be done a day ahead of time and all that's left is roll, top, & bake.

Step 4.
     Bring the dough to room temperature before proceeding. On a floured board (or with a litle cornmeal too), roll and stretch each piece of dough into a 7 to 8-inch circle. 

Tip for rolling: Get a pastry brush to remove excess flour before baking 

George had fun trying to toss the dough up in the air

 For the family, I pre-baked each pizza for about 2 minutes at 450 degrees, just so they could hold their shape to make it easier for topping and transferring to the oven.

Tip for topping: Spritz each pizza crust with cooking oil like Pam before topping

 After they're topped, pizzas should only take 5-10 minutes each for the cheese to melt to perfection.

My pops, before putting his pizza in the oven

Toppings I prepared: 

Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Goat Brie
Tomato Slices
Arugula
Spinach
Asparagus (lightly sauteed and cut into 1 inch pieces)
Artichoke hearts (homemade)
Pepperoni (because I'm the only vegetarian in my family)
Caramelized Onion
Grapes (halved)
Sauteed Mushrooms
Olive Oil

The Simpson Family Special:

Caramelized onion, Grapes, Goat Brie, Olive Oil, and arugula (sprinkled over the pizza after baking)

Lucy, sneaking toppings

Juli, adding a drizzle of olive oil

3 Yr old Lucy adding cheese to her pizza

Enjoying time together around the dinner table

Miss Eleanor

4 yr. old Jack, showing off his big bite!

 

Spending time with family is good for your anahata (heart <3)

Maple Blueberry Coffee Cake

     When I was living in Paris, I was two doors down from a produce stand. And practically every day after school, I'd stop in and pick something up for dinner. I became friendly with the man who ran the small, outdoor shop, and he'd help me with my French by pronouncing the names of the fruits and vegetables, and then he'd proceed to tell me the reason that that particular produce was good for me. For example, and I very keenly remember this day above the others for some reason, he pointed to a heaping pile of blueberries and said, "myrtilles," the word for blueberries, and then he said, "les yeux," and pointed to his eyes. It's one of those sweet little memories I've kept from Paris. And when I hear either of those words in French, I'm taken back to my favorite produce stand, and my educating, produce-selling friend.

     Blueberries are good for the eyes because they contain Vitamin A. 

     Here's some good things my nutrition books(1)(2) had to say about Vitamin A:

"...Is traditionally known for it's role in the maintenance of night vision."
"prevents some skin disorders, such as acne."
"A well known wrinkle eliminator."
"A powerful antioxidant, helping to protect the cells against cancer and other diseases."

Let's learn some Yoga vocabulary:  Drishti

Drishti (दृष्टि): means focused gaze. You may hear your yoga teacher instruct you to, "Find your drishti." What they mean by that is to find a place to focus the eyes. Sometimes it's focusing on a place on the wall, or in your own reflection. Sometimes, you're not really looking at anything but space, but as long as you hold your focus on that space, you're maintaining your drishti. Sustaining this deep level of focus allows the yogi to withdrawl from his/her surroundings, concentrate, and turn inward. And it's this practice of great concentration, which develops a yogi's ability to meditate. 

A great pose to practice drishti is: Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) 

Image from: The Key Muscles of Yoga, by Ray Long, MD, FRCSC

     In this pose, I usually bring my gaze to the floor, about one foot ahead of my toes. An advanced practitioner may bring their focus to the ceiling. Done right, this pose is not easy. Press back through your top heal, engage your core, and squeeze quadriceps in toward your pelvis, as you butterfly your hips open. Arms are open wide, reach equally through both fingertips. If you're not balancing on your lower fingertips, try bringing your lower palm to heart-center. 

Now, let's bake!

 

Maple Blueberry Coffee Cake

(Adapted from Heidi Swanson's Maple Hukleberry Coffee Cake)

 

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or spelt flour)
• 3 tablespoons rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup maple syrup, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• zest of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/3 cups fresh blueberries

Topping:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup maple sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Equipment: 

• 1-pound loaf pan

"but you could likely get away with a 8 or 9-inch cake or pie pan." - Heidi Swanson

 Step 1.
     Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, rack in the middle. Butter your pan.

Step 2.
      In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, thyme, and rosemary. Set aside.

Step 3.
      In a separate large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer or by hand - until light and fluffy. Drizzle in the maple syrup and beat until well incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple times along the way.

Step 4. 
     Beat in the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, scraping the sides again. Add half of the flour, stir just a bit, now add a splash of the buttermilk, stir again, but not too much. Add the rest of the flour and stir a bit, and now the rest of the buttermilk. Stir until everything barely comes together and then very gently fold in one cup of the huckleberries. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pan and set aside.

Step 5.
     To make the streusel topping, place the flour, butter, maple sugar, thyme and pecans in a food processor and pulse 20-30 times or until the topping is a bit beyond sandy/crumbly. It should be moist-looking - on its way to being slightly doughy. Crumble 2/3 of it over the cake batter, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup huckleberries on top of that, and then add the last of the crumble. Barely pat in place with your fingertips.

Step 6.
     Place the coffee cake in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for five minutes. Brew yourself a pot of coffee, and enjoy!

Books mentioned in this entry:


(1). Prescription for Nutritional Healing: The A-to-Z guide to Supplements, by Phyllis A Balch, CNC
(2).   Natural Health, Natural Medicine: The Complete Guide to Wellness and Self-Care for Optimum Health, by Andrew Weil, M.D.