Category Archives: Vegetarian

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

December 3, 2013

butternut squash soup

We spent Thanksgiving away from home (in Utah, for my sister’s wedding) and I didn’t cook a thing. Not even rolls or cranberry sauce or anything . My kitchen endeavors for the entire week included scrambling eggs and steaming frozen peas. I cooked for Clara and that was it. But we still ate very well. We dined with friends and family and at our favorite spots we’ve missed since our college years in those mountains (I say that as if was so long ago and we aren’t still students, technically. We left Utah five years ago and my husband will graduate this June for the last time. ever. hopefully.)

My aunt made the most impressive Thanksgiving dinner: We had turkey and stuffing and salad and potatoes and green beans. Rolls and tart cranberries. Pumpkin and apple pie and whipped cream. So I clearly wasn’t needed. And I enjoyed being cooked for all week. (Which never occurs in this house. I tried to think of the last time Dustin cooked for me. I can’t remember it ever happening.)

There are so many variations on butternut squash soup. Many of them are delicious. But if you only want one- this would be it. It’s completely simple and yet sophisticated enough that it could be dressed up with whatever flavors you’re in the mood for. The base recipes consists of roasted butternut (roasted whole for ease), onion, garlic, apple, and sage. I added a pinch of nutmeg and couple teaspoons of maple syrup to bring out the sweetness of the squash. You could throw in more vegetables (celery, carrots), replace the apple with a pear, or amp up the spices as you please (I’m thinking allspice, cumin, curry, cinnamon, or cayenne all sound amazing). It can easily be made vegetarian (choose vegetable broth) or vegan/dairy-free (replace the cream with coconut milk and the butter with coconut oil).

I actually made this soup before we left on our trip. We ate it several days in a row and then I thawed the remainder (it makes a big potful), which we devoured shortly after coming home. I had been looking forward to those leftovers and they were just as delicious as the first few times. Oh, and I recommend serving it alongside some crusty bread or grilled cheese. We made these sage-Gruyere croutons (with a mixture of cheddar, fontina, and Gruyere) and it was heavenly.

p.s. If you haven’t yet noticed- the new Recipe Index is up and running! Every recipe includes a thumbnail photo and it’s much more user-friendly. Note that because I have so many (over 600!) recipes, each is only included once, under its most applicable category (determined by me). So for example, Barbecue Chicken Pizza does contain chicken, but can be found under Pizza. And you can still view the full list version here.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
2 Tbsp. butter (or coconut oil)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups water
~1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half (or coconut milk)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. pure maple syrup (optional, but recommended)

DIRECTIONS

1. To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Place the squash cut-side-down on the prepared baking sheet and roast in preheated oven until knife-tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the squash and discard the skins.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the apple, garlic, onion, and sage and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, broth, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, nutmeg, and maple syrup (if using).

3. Using a blender, immersion blender, or food processor, puree in small batches until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from CHOW)

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

November 25, 2013

farro kale

It’s finished! (Well, almost.) Welcome to the new A Hint of Honey. I hope you’ll take a look around and enjoy the new space. I love it and think you will too! You’ll find all the original features, plus a few. I’ve updated the about page with new photos. The recipe index is still under construction, but hopefully by the end of the week it will be updated with photos of every recipe and be much easier to navigate. If you have any questions or comments or notice any issues, don’t hesitate to let me know. You can reach me via the contact form or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.

A huge thank you to Maggie Waller from Type and Title for her talent and hard work over the last few months. She designed and implemented everything you see and is so wonderful to work with! Check out her site and work here.

Now for today’s recipe- Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds. Farro is one of my favorite foods right now. It’s chewy and nutty and filling and pairs well with so many other ingredients. Here roasted onion and sweet potato are spiced with cumin and coriander. The kale is lightly sauteed with garlic and olive oil. And the salad is topped with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds and finished with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil. It makes a large bowlful (more than is pictured here), so gather a few forks and a few friends and try your best to share.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful week!

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

INGREDIENTS

1 cup semi-pearled or regular farro
1 medium onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided + enough to coat the onion for roasting
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3 packed cups roughly chopped kale
1 large clove garlic, minced
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste (up to 1 Tbsp.)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook farro according to package directions. Drain excess water, then place grains into a large bowl and allow to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss onion with enough oil to lightly coat, but not soak. Spread across the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss sweet potato with enough oil to coat and spread on a separate sheet pan. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast until the vegetables are tender and onions have begun to brown. The onions will be done before the sweet potatoes. Stir and turn vegetables at least once during cooking.

3. To toast the walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook until golden and fragrant, tossing frequently. Set aside to cool.

4. While vegetables and nuts cook, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add kale and garlic and lightly saute until the kale has wilted but is still bright green in color.

5. Combine cooked greens and farro in a large bowl. Add sweet potato and onion. Fold the ingredients together, then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice to taste (about one tablespoon or less). Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir in walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Food 52)

Four Cheese Pesto Margherita Pizza

October 11, 2013

pesto margherita pizza

Here is that promised pizza recipe. Another way to top the honey whole wheat pizza dough. This time I took three different pizzas- pesto, margherita, and four cheese- and combined them into one. (I even snuck sausage on half, because I had some. And I was feeding a few men who get a lot more excited about eating something if it includes meat.) Make this recipe your own and pick your favorite four (or three or six) Italian cheeses. I’m thinking Gorgonzola or Romano would be great options. (By the way I just did a Google search of “Italian Cheeses” out of curiosity and found this list– I had no idea there were so many!) You can even expand origins and throw some feta or Gouda on there. It’ll be delicious.

Four Cheese Pesto Margherita Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe honey whole wheat pizza dough
~ 1/3 cup purchased or homemade basil pesto
combination of 4 Italian cheeses: I used thinly sliced fresh mozzarella and freshly grated Asiago, fontina, and Parmesan
Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh basil, chopped for garnish

*I added crumbled cooked Italian sausage to half of the pizza. It was excellent with or without.

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

3. Spread a thin layer of basil pesto over the prepared crust. Top with sliced mozzarella and sprinkle with freshly grated cheeses. Top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle with fresh basil; slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from All Recipes and Gourmet)

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pizza

August 30, 2013

summer vegetable pizza

Just because September is upon us doesn’t mean summer is over. We have a few official weeks left. And the peaches and tomatoes and berries aren’t going to disappear overnight. Thank goodness. I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. I picked up some end-of-summer veggies at the farmers market this week and decided they were destined for a pizza.

I didn’t actually grill the pizza (although you could- I did so here) but I grilled the zucchini and peppers and onion before I put them on the pizza. (Just with a little olive oil and s&p.) Those grilled veggies combined with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and Parm, bits of shaved garlic, and chopped fresh basil made for one stunning pizza. (Oh, and I threw on some chicken sausage which is good, but not necessary.)

You really don’t need a recipe (other than a good pizza dough). Gather the most beautiful vegetables you can find (or fruit- fruit is awesome on pizza) and grill them. Add your favorite cheese(s) and fresh herbs. Bake it ’till it’s golden and crisp and the cheese oozes. And you’re there. Summer on a crust.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil, for grilling vegetables and brushing crust 1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced as possible
summer vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, etc.),
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
chicken sausage (optional)
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh basil, julienned

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the crust is rising, grill the vegetables. (I grilled everything except the tomatoes.) Preheat indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Prepare vegetables (wash and stem, pit and slice, etc.), brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (NOTE: You don’t want to chop your veggies up too small before grilling. Leave them in large pieces to go on the grill and then afterwards cut them up for topping the pizza.) Grill until tender and slightly charred. Set aside to cool before chopping into the size you want for topping the pizza.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Brush prepared crust with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with the sliced garlic and roasted vegetables and chicken sausage (if using). Top with slices of mozzarella and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(an A Hint of Honey original)

Margherita Pizza with Crushed Tomato Sauce

August 3, 2013

margherita pizza

We’ve lived in Chicago for over a year now. It’s not our permanent home (the location of which is far from figured out yet) but we’re embracing our short time here. There are a few many aspects of city living I could do without. The traffic, the noise, and general lack of space. Some days I miss the ease of suburban living. This city is old, expensive, and crowded. But it’s fantastic. There’s always something to do, to explore. But, of course, what I love most is the food. Endless restaurants and cafes and cuisines… it would take a lifetime to eat my way through this city.

This is the land of the deep dish. But pizza is where Chicago and I disagree. I’ve tried a handful of famous stuffed-crust pies and determined that it’s not my thing. They’re good. But with that thick butter crust and obscene amount of meat and cheese, daresay they’re too much of a good thing. Pass the thin crust please.

I’ve never been to Italy and experienced the real thing. Someday- that’s my dream. In the meantime, though, this is what I make. Neapolitan-style pizza at home. You only need some dough (try homemade- it’s easier than you think!), tomatoes (this recipes uses canned and can be enjoyed all year round), fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. Add a hot oven and pizza stone (highly recommended for achieving the perfect puffed crust) and your perfect pizza awaits.

(NOTE that this sauce makes enough to top 2 pizzas. Any leftover sauce is also excellent on pasta.)

Margherita Pizza with Crushed Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough*
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried)
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), drained and hand crushed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 0z. fresh mozzarella, water drained and torn or thinly sliced*
bunch fresh basil*

*Dough, mozzarella, and basil can be doubled if you want to make 2 pizzas and use all the sauce.

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano and cook until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for about eight minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Set aside to cool until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Spread sauce over top of the prepared crust (you will have more sauce than you need for one pizza). Top with mozzarella and basil leaves. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil (optional) and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for 8-10 minutes, until crust is puffed and golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

Makes 1 large pizza (sauce makes enough for 2 pizzas).

(Adapted from Tyler Florence, Food Network)