Spiced Apple Pumpkin Butter

My Mom came a few days ago for Christmas.  Today she was finishing cleaning out my pumpkins.  Yes, I know it is Christmas and a month passed Thanksgiving.  I have been using my pumpkin for smoothies, but today I made Pumpkin Energy Balls, roasted pumpkin seeds, and Mom made a pumpkin pie….Joshua has been request one every time she comes. She has made sugar cookies and I made cranberries and my hot cranberry drink at the request of family members.

I then decided to try a new recipe, Spiced Apple Pumpkin Butter I found on Dr Amy Myer’s website.   I have tried a few of her recipes and all have been yummy.  Check it out on her site if you want the recipe.  However since I have a Vitamix I just put all of the ingredients into the blender, no cooking at all.  I did add 5 drops of stevia since the apples are a sour variety. It turned out yummy.  I love the taste, and it is a great way to use apples I got from my sister’s tree and my pumpkin.  It is supposed to be used as a dip for crackers, fruit or vegetables.  I tried it with celery.  Definitely a winner.  If you eat bread, it would make a delicious butter for bread as well.

So have you tried any new recipes this holiday season?

Asparagus Soup

In my quest to cook new foods I found a new favorite for me….Creamy Asparagus Soup.  I caught Trisha Yearwood’s cooking show on Food Network, Trisha’s Southern Cooking.  Bet you didn’t know that Ms. Yearwood cooks as well as sings. She did a show, All Things Miniature, where she had Creamy Asparagus Soup in Mini Teacups.  It looked yummy.

Big M and I like asparagus, so I made it for lunch today.  Oh my, it is yummy.  Now in my quest to eat better I don’t usually use cream any more, however, I did use it in the soup. Sometimes I want to make sure I like the recipe before I start making changes to it. Next time I am going to try coconut milk or coconut cream.  The rest of the soup is healthy for you, and if you don’t have a restriction for dairy you may want to try it as it is.

Do you have any asparagus? Go ahead and try it.

Beets for Dinner

Yesterday I mentioned I picked beets to go with my evening meal.  They were yummy.  They complimented the chicken, rice and salad (lettuce from our garden) very well.

Just in case you have never had beets before, all you have to do is wash them and peel them. Yes, you will get red hands, but it washes off easily.

I then slice them thin; place in a large microwave safe bowl and add just a little water so that they steam more than they boil.  The fresher and younger the beets are, the less time it takes.  I put mine on for 4 and a half minutes, stirred them and added another 2 minutes.  They were soft, but not mushy. Then I drained any remaining water and added a little butter, salt and pepper.  They were ready to eat, adding nutrition and color to a yummy meal.

Iced Rhubarb Tea

It’s May, so Iced Tea time must be starting.  One vegetable that grows well in spring here in North Dakota is Rhubarb.  I have four plants so when they grow, I need to start using it.  On Saturday I picked a plant and made Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce and Iced Rhubarb Tea.  It is so yummy.

Iced Rhubarb Tea

8-12 stalks rhubarb (cut into 3 inch pieces)

3 tea bags  (any flavor) (I have added up to 5 when I want a stronger tea taste.)

3 quarts water

¾ c honey or to taste.  Can use ¾ cup sugar

Place rhubarb in 3 quarts water.  Bring to a a boil.  Boil on low for 30 minutes until rhubarb is soft and mushy.  Place tea bags in water the last 6 minutes.  Strain. Place into 2 quart pitcher.  Add honey or sugar while hot. Chill.  Serve over ice.

The best part is that the flavor changes with the type of tea bags you add.  This time I had a strawberry kiwi tea flavor.  I have tried all types of flavors in the past.  Go ahead and experiment.

 

So this morning when I got up it was in the 30s and a little chilly in the house, so I had me some Hot Rhubarb Tea.  It was just as yummy as iced.  This recipe is definitely a keeper.

What do you do with rhubarb?