the bounty of fall...in my kitchen

So back in the day, before our little man arrived, we were members of a local CSA. For those of you who don't know, a CSA (community supported agriculture) is a farm that members buy into and in exchange receive an allotment of (usually) organic and local produce. We enjoyed our membership, but we wanted more of a variety of the vegetables we really liked. For me, that meant tomatoes, corn, peppers, onions and sqush. For Bix it was kale, spinach and lettuce. So we decided for the next year we would support local produce stands. We found two great stands nearby and rarely had to buy produce at the store throughout the summer. Now that fall is here, I have been buying butternut squash like nobody's business! It is definitely a favorite in our house.

For the little man, we roast the squash with nutmeg until tender. Then we either puree with water until smooth or cube it and mix with tiny whole wheat pasta stars and organic tomato sauce.

For Bix and I, I like to add a bit of a kick to the squash. I roast it with nutmeg for about 35 minutes. I then add diced jalapenos and roast for another 10 minutes. I love pureed squash, so I put it in the blender with a little bit of water until it's creamy. Last night I made a vegetarian lasagna with thinly sliced carrots layered between spinach sauteed with garlic and onions, organic tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and, of course, my butternut squash and jalapenos. Yum.

I have another squash sitting on the counter for dinner this weekend....any other good squash recipes out there?

Nicci's Staples of life.

These products are among my favorite in the world, staples that I always keep around so I have something easy and healthy when I need it:

Stoneyfield farm yogurt

Oikos Greek yogurt

(also by Stoneyfield)... I like the honey flavor!

Thai Kitchien Lite Coconut Milk

I use this in a few different recipes, but our fave is rice (any kind, but we love Jasmine rice with it) made with coconut milk and a little bit of water. Try it!

Panda licorice

Yummy organic and natural candy! A dream come true.

Quorn chik'n

(meatless and soy free products). These are a lifesaver!! They taste so similarly to chicken I don't think many would be able to tell the difference. They make these cutlets, a breaded cheesy chik'n patty, nuggets, meal starters, etc. Check them out at www.quorn.us.

Archer farms

I love almost all of their products! And they are conveniently sold in Target, somewhere I'm shopping on a regular basis. I especially love their strawberry fruit bars and their granola.

365 brand (Whole Foods) Natural Peanut Butter

I actually like almost all brands of natural peanut butter, but we usually buy this one because it's very reasonable priced. Though I do have to admit I like the Jif and Skippy brands because you don't have to refrigerate them. I'm not sure why you do with some and not other brands??

Wholesome sweeteners light agave nectar

Just a squirt or two is great for sweetening ANYTHING! I use it in coffee, tea, smoothies, oatmeal, and lots of others things.

Tribe hummus
This is my favorite hummus other than homemade because they don't use garlic in any flavors except the roasted garlic one. Being a person who gets sick on too much garlic, I rejoiced to find them! I love the regular, lemon, and forty spices flavors.

Stacy's Pita Chips
What goes better with Tribe hummus than Stacy's?? Nothing!

Gardenburger veggie burgers
I especially love the sun-dried tomato basil flavor!

Nature's Own Bread
Well if it isn't a bread that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup!? Still sweet and tasty, soft and yummy... I do believe I'm in love! With every flavor!

That concludes my list for this month, there may be more posts like this to follow! And if any of you have a great organic vegetarian food product to recommend, comment here and thanks in advance!

Amy's Organic

One of my favorite and most convenient food brands is Amy's Organic. It's a food company that makes delicious all natural vegetarian/vegan foods. They have a great website with a lot of information on their products. This company is very sensitive to costumers with dietary restrictions, providing many gluten-free options, along with dairy-free, soy-free and nut-free.

I often enjoy the black bean burrito for lunch. It is so quick and easy... perfect for a busy day. I also love their soups! Adding more fresh veggies to it makes it extra delish... my favorite?? AVOCADO! I am always looking for more things to add avocado to!!

Amy's Organic carries a great alternative to chicken noodle soup. So next time you have a cold and wish there was a vegetarian version try Amy's Organic no-chicken noodle soup!!

Although a little pricey, Amy's Organic products are tasty and easy. I highly recommend you try out the many tasty options!

Bob's Red Mill

Before I get to my favorite food themed post this week, i'm going to show off my organized (and moth/worm free!) pantry. It's just so neat and tidy that I couldn't help but take a picture of it...quick, before Bix comes looking for a snack!

So on the second from the bottom shelf, you'll notice (in air tight containers) my favorite brand of grains, Bob's Red Mill. Bob's Red Mill makes "whole grain foods for every meal of the day." Don't you just love the idea of eating whole foods for every meal? I really try to do this and this company makes just what I need to incorporate whole foods into our diet. I am a huge fan of steel cut oats (yes, Nicci, it's on my list of top cereals!) and now little Leo is becoming a fan of them too. Guess what...Bob's Red Mill makes them! Oh, by the way, i'm not getting paid for product promotion....hmm,, I wish I were though....Anyway, what I really love are the selection of gluten-free flours, mixes, etc that are now available. Back in the day, when I was a young-in', I led an allergic life. My nutritionist had me on a restricted diet of soy, meat and veggies. I drank soy milk before it was the cool thing to put in a latte. My soy milk was downed in the school office, during recess, with a handful of vitamins...but that's another story for another time...(you sure are curious though, aren't you?) About a year and a half ago, I was gluten free for a few months, and Bob's Red Mill got me through that with things like Garbanzo Bean Flour, Quinoa Flour and Sorghum Flour. I'm not gluten free now and so I can make use of a fascinating array of other flours. I am fortunate to have a Wegmans nearby...if you are not on the East Coast and have never been to a Wegmans, I truly feel for you...Wegman's stocks almost the entire line of Bob's Red Mill....no online ordering for this foodie! Speaking of Wegmans...did you ever notice the Wegmans brand groceries on top of the refrigerator in the breakroom on The Office? Now there's a bit of trivia for you! So there you have it, my fabulous food find for the week. Enjoy!