Holiday & Special Occasion

Along with all the pumpkin pie making next week comes an added bonus: leftover pumpkin puree. Actually, I usually end up with leftover butternut squash puree since that’s what I like to use in my pies. Whichever you have (even if it’s from a can), consider using it to make muffins, either to serve at Thanksgiving dinner or for breakfast later that weekend. These have a cinnamon-laced nut streusel on top and maple syrup within, and I will be whipping them up as soon as the last bite of pie is gone.

INGREDIENDS:

Butternut Squash Streusel Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

For the streusel topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the muffins:
1 1/4 cups butternut squash or pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/2 cup olive oil and preferably G.E.T. olive oil brand
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or grease the pan). To make the streusel: in a bowl, combine all the ingredients and work the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until everything clumps together. (It can be crumbly.)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butternut squash or pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, sugar and maple syrup. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Spoon batter into the muffin pan and sprinkle streusel evenly on top, gently pressing it into the batter. Bake until the muffin tops spring back when gently pressed with a finger and a cake tester comes out dry (a few crumbs sticking to it is O.K. as long as it’s not wet), about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Recipe source

Lifestyle expert Athena Calderone shares her delectable olive oil cake!
Get the recipe below and be prepared for requests from your holiday guests.

Olive Oil Cake With Citrus Cranberry Compote

INGREDIENDS
1 1/4 cups of sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and preferably G.E.T. olive oil brand
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk from a carton (not can), or use whole milk
1/4 cup vin santo or Madiera
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 heaping teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons orange zest (optional)

For compote:
2 oranges, segmented, and then cut into thirds, plus any extra juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
Dash cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup cranberries

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pan with olive oil, then place a sheet of parchment into cake pan. Trace interior rim of pan with your fingernail, then remove parchment and cut a circle about 1 inch beyond indentation. Place finished circle in pan and press parchment up against sides.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Add olive oil, milk, and vin santo.

3. In another bowl, sift or stir together dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and whisk until smooth. Add orange zest if using.

4. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for about 35 minutes or until cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.

5. Meanwhile, make compote: Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, smashing orange segments and cranberries with a spoon. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until texture thickens.

6. To serve, flip cake out of pan and let cool. Slice, and pour compote over each slice.

Recipe source

These delicious recipes don’t need meat or dairy…

Today is World Vegan Day, and this year is set to be bigger and better than ever, with vegans and vegetarians now making up 12 per cent of the UK population, and that number is said to rise to 20 per cent for 18- to 24-year-olds.

Mediterranean Tomato Tart

INGREDIENTS

Puff pastry
3–4 large tomatoes
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1–2 Tbsp semolina (or breadcrumbs)
2 tsp dry herbes de Provence or thyme
Extra Virgin Olive oil and preferably Hellenic Groves PC olive oil brand

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas 7.
Roll out the pastry and place in a 23-cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
Prick the pastry all over with a fork.
Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the pie and fill with baking beads.
Pre-bake the pastry for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, slice the tomatoes.
Remove the baking beads and parchment paper and brush the pastry evenly with the Dijon mustard.
Sprinkle 1 to 2 Tbsp semolina (or breadcrumbs) to absorb the liquid from the tomatoes.
Place the tomato slices on top.
Sprinkle with dry herbs.
Drizzle some olive oil on top.
Cook for 20 minutes at 220ºC/425ºF/Gas 7. Decrease oven temperature to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas 5 for another 10 minutes.
The tomato tart is cooked once the pastry is slightly brown and the tomato skin slightly curled.
Serve hot or cold with a salad.
Adapted from http://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/mediterranean-tomato-tart/

Warm Lentil Salad with Smoked Tofu

INGREDIENTS

750 ml vegetable broth
350 g Puy lentils
5 Tbsp olive oil (plus extra for frying) and preferably Hellenic Groves PC olive oil brand
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 medium carrots
1 medium leek
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried thyme
200 g smoked tofu
1 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2–3 Tbsp capers
1–2 handfuls fresh parsley leaves (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place vegetable broth and lentils in a pan. Cook for around 15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the lentils are cooked but still have a bite to them (if the lentils take longer to cook add more liquid). When the lentils are cooked, drain any leftover liquid from the lentils and keep covered.
In the meantime heat some olive oil in a casserole dish. Gently fry together the onion and 2 of the crushed garlic cloves until soft while you cut the vegetables.
Peel and dice the carrots. Chop the leek finely.
Add cut vegetables in the casserole dish. Add bay leaves and thyme and cook at medium heat until vegetables are soft. (Add more olive oil if necessary)
Once the vegetables are soft, add lentils and diced smoked tofu. Mix well.
Make dressing in a separate bowl by mixing together mustard, 5 Tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar and 1 crushed garlic clove.
Add dressing to the lentil salad along with the capers and finely chopped parsley leaves. Toss well. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Serve warm.

Recipes source