Apple Squash Soup
1 large butternut squash
1 large yellow onion
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
4 large apples peeled quartered and cored
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup rice milk
¼ cup coconut milk
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Sea Salt

1.   Peel squash, cut in ½ and remove seeds. Cut into 2” pieces.

2.   In a large pot over medium heat sauté onion in oil until soft.

3.   Add squash, apples, vegetable stock, rice milk, coconut milk, and nutmeg.

4.   Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until squash is soft.

5.   Puree with hand held blender.

6.   Season to taste.

Autumn Harvest Soup
4 dried Shiitake mushrooms
6 cups water
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
3 carrots
4 cups kale or collard greens
2 cups cannellini beans- cooked or canned
¼ cup mirin
Splash Tamari
Splash apple cider vinegar
Toasted sesame oil
Ground black pepper

1.   Place dried mushrooms in medium pot with 6 cups water. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

2.   Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

3.   When mushrooms are soft cut off and discard stems. Slice caps and place back in pot with broth.

4.   In large pot over medium heat sauté onion, garlic, and ginger in oil for 3 minutes.

5.   Add carrots and sauté 3 minutes. Add greens, beans and mirin and sauté until deep green and tender.

6. Pour broth and mushrooms into pot with greens and beans add tamari and vinegar and simmer 5-7 minutes.

7. Season to taste with toasted sesame oil and black pepper and serve.

Creamy Shiitake and Chick Pea Soup
4 dried Shiitake mushrooms
1 large strip Kombu
2 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. tamari
3 cups cooked chickpeas
1 Tbsp. kudzu or arrowroot powder
2 cups cooked broccoli cut into bite size pieces
½ cup raisins
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper

1.   Soak mushrooms and Kombu for 30 minutes in a bowl with enough water to cover. Save the soaking liquids and remove mushrooms and Kombu.

2.   Discard mushroom stems and thinly slice mushroom caps. Mince Kombu and return to the soaking liquid.

3.   In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, tamari, chickpeas, mushrooms, Kombu, and soaking water and stir.

4.   Dissolve kudzu in ¼ cup water and stir into soup.

5.   Lightly puree soup. Add raisins and cook 3 minutes then add broccoli to heat through.

6.   Season with sea salt and fresh pepper.

Kale Salad with Pomegranate Seed
1 bunch kale (black kale especially good), stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup   extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Kosher salt
2 tsp.  honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pomegranate with seeds
Small handful toasted Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons

1.   In large serving bowl add kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until kale starts to soften and wilt 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.

2.   In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the ¼ cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.

3.    Pour the dressing over the kale, and add pomegranate and Pepitas. Toss and serve.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Truffle Oil
12 brussels sprouts
1 large rutabaga peeled and diced
1 fennel bulb halved and sliced into strips
1 daikon peeled and diced
1 large onion cut into wedges or 6 Cipollini onions
8 garlic cloves, peeled
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. coarse salt
White truffle oil
Chopped fresh tarragon

Preheat oven to 425˚F

1.   Place vegetables in large bowl and toss with oil, vinegar and salt.

2.   Place on sheet trays and roast for 45 minutes or until caramelized, tossing every 10-15 minutes.

3.   Drizzle with truffle oil and toss with fresh tarragon.

Farro with Almonds and Currants
1 ½ cup Farro
2 ¼ cup water
¼ cup currants, soaked to plump
Pinch Sea Salt
1Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. coriander
1/8 tsp. turmeric
¾ tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1.   Place Farro and water in saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to simmer. Lower heat and simmer until tender (approx. 15min), adding 1 tsp. of salt halfway through cooking. Remove from heat and let sit. Drain through colander, shake lightly to dry.

2.   Sauté onion with spices then add Farro, then parsley, currants and almonds.

3.   Season to taste.

Roasted Beets with Cracked Mustard Seed Sherry Vinaigrette

Roasted Beets
3-4 medium size beets
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
¼ cup olive oil

Preheat oven 350˚F

1.   Wash beets and cut tops off.

2.   Season with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3.   Place on sheet pan. Cover with foil.

4.   Roast until tender (time may vary per size of beet)

5.   Let beets cool. Then peel skins.

6.   Slice beets and place on dish; drizzle vinaigrette on beets.

Cracked Mustard Seed and Sherry Vinaigrette
2 cup light flavored olive oil
1 cup good quality sherry vinaigrette
½ cup whole grain mustard
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. thyme (optional)

1.   In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients.

2.   Season to taste.

3.   Store in a sealed container.

Magic Sauce
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp. sweet paprika
2 medium cloves of garlic, smashed into a paste
1 well-crumbled bay leaf
Pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. fine-grain Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1.   Gently warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet or pan, until it is just hot then remove from heat.

2.   While the oil is heating, lightly pound the rosemary, thyme and oregano in a mortar and pestle.

3.   Stir the paprika, garlic, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt into the oil.

4.   Add bruised herbs and lemon juice.

You can use the Magic Sauce now, but know, the oil just gets better as it ages over a few days. Keep it in a refrigerator for up to a week/ten days-ish. It thickens when cold, so if you need it in a liquid state, place it in the sun or in a warm place for a few minutes.

Apple – Cranberry Chutney
1 cup apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
8 large firm apples
2 cups cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
½ cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 large onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, halved cored and diced
Sea Salt
Zest of lemon

1.   Simmer the cider with the spices for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and take out spices.

2.   Combine rest of ingredients in a large pan and add in spiced cider and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 45 minutes until chutney is thick.

3.   Fold in lemon zest off the heat.

Green Tea Poached Pears with Pomegranate Glaze
6 pears peeled, halved and cored
3 bags green tea
6 cups water
1 med. size cube fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup honey
1 ½ cups pomegranate juice
½ cup roasted chopped pistachios