My Top Picks for Thanksgiving Recipes

Good morning blog friends! The countdown is on and we've got two days till Thanksgiving! I'm sure many of you are finalizing your meal plans and cleaning your house in anticipation of your guests arrival. Or, if you are like me, you're packing up your bags in anticipation of cooler climates and a family get-together. Either way, I wanted to share some of my top picks for recipes this Thanksgiving. Not only are these recipes healthy, but they offer a little "BAM!" to mix up a traditional table. Check it out!

Breakfast:

Warm Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal: Click here for recipe.

Oven Baked Blueberry Pancake: Click here for recipe.

                                                                                     Source: chocolateandcarrots.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins: Click here for recipe

                                                                               Source: bittersweetblog.wordpress.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Soups/Salads:

Grilled Vegetable and Bean Salad: Click here for recipe.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad: Click here for recipe.

                                                                                Source: prouditaliancook.blogspot.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup: Click here for recipe.

                                                                                 Source: simplyrecipes.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup: Click here for recipe.

Main Dishes/Veggie Sides:

Vegetable Casserole: Click here for recipe.

Farro, Caramelized Onion, and Wild Mushroom Stuffing: Click here for recipe.

Zucchini Boats with Tomatoes and Basil: Click here for recipe.

                                                                             Source: prouditaliancook.blogspot.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Sauteed Bok Choy: Click here for recipe.

Breads:

Vegan Garlic Rosemary and Chili Cornbread: Click here for recipe.

                                                                                  Source: healthyblenderrecipes.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Artichoke, Roasted Bell Pepper, and Feta Biscuits: Click here for recipe.

                                                                            Source: twopeasandtheirpod.com via Hannah on Pinterest

No Knead Bread: Click here for recipe.

Desserts:

Crustless Cranberry Pie: Click here for recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Brownie Cupcakes: Click here for recipe.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies: Click here for recipes.

Question of the Day:

If you're cooking for Thanksgiving, what is on your meal plan?

Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheeze

It's no secret that I love the vegan recipes from Oh She Glows. I've reposted a number of them on here, but never fail to give credit where credit is due. Angela is a cooking machine, and her kitchen produces some of the best healthy recipes I've ever tasted. This is just another one of those, perfect for fall, and a perfect comfort food without all the "bad for you" things we typically find in mac and cheese.

Butternut Squash Mac n' Cheeze

Ingredients:
1 fresh butternut squash (peeled and chopped)
Extra virgin olive oil
Dash of salt and pepper
1 tbsp Earth Balance (or butter if you choose, but will no longer be vegan)
3/4 cup unsweetend and unflavored almond milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
6 tbsp nutritional yeast, or more to taste
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste) & ground black pepper, to taste
8oz whole wheat or brown rice pasta of your choice
Mix-ins of choice (I used spinach and leftover chunks of roasted butternut squash)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Spray a casserole dish with PAM. Mix chopped squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the cheeze sauce in a pot on the stove top. Add Earth balance/butter over low-medium heat. In a bowl, whisk together milk and cornstarch until clumps are gone. Add into pot and whisk. Stir in remaining ingredients (nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic, salt and pepper) and whisk over low heat until thickened (about 5-7 minutes or so).
3. Cook your pasta according to package directions. The sauce makes enough to cover 4 servings of pasta.
4. In a blender, blend the sauce with one cup of roasted squash.
5. Add cooked, drained, and rinsed macaroni into pot, along with cheeze sauce & mix-ins. Heat and serve.

Question of the Day:

Does the idea of eating a vegan meal scare you/turn you off? If so, why?



Setting A Holiday Table

Oh, where to begin? It has been lifetimes since I last posted, all for good reason. Finally finishing up my last semester of my Bachelor's degree, I'm settling into normal "adult" life and haven't had a chance to post until right now, the week after classes end!

I understand that these (awesome) photos of my family Thanksgiving are very belated but perhaps they will give some inspiration for this next holiday that is swift approaching....Christmas! So roll with it. Imagine these photos colored in red and green instead of Thanksgiving-y earth tones and make yourself a happy holiday table.

The essentials:
-Mood lighting (dimmer switch, candles, reflective centerpieces)
-Something with life (flowers, plants, succulents, live farm animals... ;) )
-Mix and match patterns and textures (linens, flowers, serving dishes)
-Use the something old instead of the something new (a plate from Grandma or glasses from Aunt Sue)

Lastly, I can't stress enough the importance (I think) of posing with your table. The ladies of the house worked hard, all day- decorating, cooking, slaving, sweating (but still looking gorgeous), so capture the memory of the final product on film to remember forever!

Fall Favorites: Part One

At the Bakers by Anthropologie

Nectar, Honeybee, and Flower Necklace by Rachel Lunger Jewelry

Field Skirt by Anthropologie

Brass and Band Booties by Anthroplogie

Twist Cowl- by WarmMeUp

Crustless Cranberry Pie

      This month marked the beginning of cranberry season. This is, perhaps, one of my favorite food seasons, with fresh peanuts, avocados, and nectarines following close behind. Cranberry season always starts this way...

      Me (answers phone): Hello?
      Mom: Hey sweetie! Guess what time it is!!!
      Me: (waits in suspense)
      Mom: Cranberry time!
      Me: YES PLEASE!

      From that moment on we start plotting weekend bake-isodes, calling each other frequently to talk about the latest muffins, breads, or cobblers to leave our ovens. Truly the best time of year. One great things about this season is that, unlike some other fruits, these fresh little beauties can be bagged up, placed in the freezer and used year-round. Enjoy my favorite cranberry recipe here:

Crustless Cranberry Pie

Crustless Cranberry Pie


3/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 lg eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup sifted whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup finely chopped pecans

1) Preheat oven to 375. Grease 8" pie plate or 9" square cake pan.

2) Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in flour with spatula. Fold in cranberries, pecans and spread evenly into pan.

3) Bake 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Serve hot or cold. Bon appetit!

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

      I baked the days away this weekend. One of my projects was cooking up a yummy recipe I found last week while blog-stalking. The recipe can be found here, but I'll also re-post it for your convenience. These cake-like cookies are delightful and have been a perfect match for the cooler weather we've had here in Central Florida this weekend. I have reason to believe that my stove dictates the weather, so I'll keep cooking up goodies to maintain the season!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Autumn in My Oven

     Unfortunately, living in Central Florida means that 85% of the year we experience summer weather and the other 15% skips right ahead to "winter." My state cuts autumn out completely! This scientific phenomena requires that I adapt autumn to the confines of my home, a project I take very seriously and work diligently toward as soon as the Halloween decor goes on sale.

     This "fall" I decided to kick things off with one of my favorite holiday recipes- Pumpkin Bread. This recipe has been in my family for generations, and as a result has become top secret. No recipe to share, but the pictures are sure to put you in the spirit for colored leaves, cool breezy evenings and, if you are like me, an Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong mixtape. Nothing says fall like Ella's "Autumn in New York."