Seems like fall is here already friends. Even though it’s 80 degrees on the Central Coast, ladies are wearing dark nail polishes, I’ve gotten two invitations to Harvest Parties and the pumpkin patch on my way to work is already open for business! Now that I live here, as opposed to Rhode Island where we would literally take two hour-long drives to “see” the foliage, for me fall now signifies not having to rake leaves, planting a winter garden, going to the beach on Saturday’s with my girlfriends and eating squash! In all its forms; acorn, spaghetti, butternut, kabocha, and my very favorite, Delicata! 

I thought about growing Delicata squash this summer so they would be ready for fall but honestly, I think they’re cheaper to buy than grow. Especially with this awful drought and the cost of water going up. Trader Joe’s sells them for $.99 a piece, while your local grocery store or farmers markets probably sell the bigger weighing ones for less than $.99 a pound! Cheap Eats! I’ve made plenty of stuff with Delicata; breads, brownies and quick dinners to name just a few… The dinner I had last night was super quick and easy to prepare and probably less than five bucks, no kidding. Get the recipe below!

Just about every fifth day in autumn, I’m bound to cook up some Harvest Grains (a medley of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa) from Trader Joe’s and stuff it in a bell pepper, a piece of squash or zucchini, an eggplant or my favorite, a portobello mushroom. This product is like $3.99 at TJ’s and it goes a long way helping me to streeeeeeeeetch my budget! Amen to that!

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Stuffed Bell Peppers with Harvest Grains- serves two

Ingredients:

– 2 large bell peppers (get colorful)

-1 cup (dry) Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains

-1 T olive oil

-fresh herbs (I used cilantro, parsley, basil, thyme and rosemary from my garden!)

-salt and pepper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

1. Bring to a boil 2 cups water and add the Harvest Grains. I did not add butter like the directions say. Bring to a boil again, then cover, turn heat on low and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

 

2. Stir in the olive oil, salt and pepper, herbs and let cool. (In my case, I cooked the grains, went and taught yoga, came back and then prepared the peppers)

 

3. Preheat oven to 350 and cut the tops off the peppers, keeping them in tact. They look cute as hats on top!

4. Scoop out the seeds and stuff the peppers with the grain mix. Put the tops/hats on and drizzle with some olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until peppers are browning. Enjoy!

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Delicata Squash Boats stuffed with Harvest Grains and a tomato sauce- serves two 

Ingredients:

-1 Delicata squash

-1 cup harvest grains dry

-olive oil

-salt and pepper

-1 cup tomato sauce/salsa

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the squash in half, deseed and place cut-side down on an un-greased baking sheet for 20 minutes or until soft. Let cool.

  

2. While the Delicata is cooking, start to prepare the Harvest Grains. (see recipe above)

3. Take the Delicata out, and stuff it with the grains. Pour a generous amount of tomato sauce/salsa on top and wallah!

 

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GLUTEN FREE DESSERT!

Delicata Squash Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies- makes 12 large cookies 

Ingredients:

-1 Delicata squash

-1 banana

-1 egg

-1 tsp baking soda

-2 tsp vanilla

-1/2 cup almond butter

-1 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg

-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (my new fav)

-1/4 cup pecans, chopped

-1 handful chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the squash in half, deseed and place cut-side down on an un-greased baking sheet for 20 minutes or until soft. Let cool.

  

2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients except for the pecans and chocolate chips.

3. When the squash has cooled, scoop it out of its shell and add it to the bowl. Mix everything together.

4. Add the chips and mix. Add the pecans and mix again.

 

5. Place scoops of the mixture on un-greased cookie sheets.

6. Lower the oven temp to 350 and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges! Enjoy without the guilt! Easy way to eat your veggies, huh?!

  

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Okay folks, yogis or not, I’m going to leave you with a little challenge today. I’m a self proclaimed worry-wort, a mover and shaker and the older I get, the more anxiety I have! So in hopes of slowing down and enjoying the quieter moments in life, I’ve vowed to meditate for 10 minutes a day for the next 10 days. Care to join? Namaste!