BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CASHEW CREAM

October 25, 2018 Julie Sanchez

Since Halloween and Thanksgiving are coming up, I thought this would be the perfect time of year to serve this creamy, satisfying, and easy soup. When I was developing the recipe, I made the soup so many different ways. I tested the soup with onions, versus shallots, versus leeks, and all the soups tasted the same. I also tested the soup with half and half versus cashew cream. My husband and I did blind taste tests to confirm which creamy soup we preferred, and we both agreed the cashew cream soup was tastiest. If you are not familiar with cashew cream, do not be scared. It is easy to make and it really has no taste; it simply thickens and enrichens the soup. I think in my old age, my tummy is becoming sensitive to dairy products. So this is the ideal soup if you watching your diet or simply cutting out dairy.

Make sure you buy unroasted and unsalted cashews. This is very important for the cashew cream. I prefer the organic low sodium vegetable broth, and I love the precut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s. Cutting up a butternut squash is simply not fun!

My son loves a pinch nutmeg in the soup, I prefer cayenne pepper over the nutmeg. But either one works, depending on your taste. I like to garnish the soup with a sprinkling of roasted pepitas. I buy them at HEB in the produce isle. We are addicted to pepitas. We pull them out to munch on when we are having a drink. So if you buy them they will not go to waste.

You must soak the cashews a minimum of 4 hours to overnight at room temperature. I usually soak them in the morning before I make the soup in the afternoon, or you can soak them overnight. Just the cover the cashews with water.

Peel the onion, slice off the ends and roughly chop the onion.

Peel the garlic and roughly chop the garlic.

On high heat in a medium saucepan saute the onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 4-5 minutes till golden.

Add 4 1/2 cups of broth, the butternut squash, garlic, and black pepper to the onion mixture and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, turn heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the soup is cooking you can prepare the cashew cream. You must rinse the cashews and drain before adding to the blender or Nutribullet. Rinsing the cashews makes the cashew cream easier to digest.

You need a powerful blender or a Nutribullet to make the cashew cream. If your blender is not powerful you will not achieve the smooth consistency you need. I like to use a Nutribullet because its powerful and quick. You simply combine 3/4 cup of vegetable broth with the rinsed cashews and blend till really smooth and creamy. Alternatively you can add the cashews to your blender with your 3/4 cup of broth, start on a slow speed and build up to the highest speed for 1 minute. Check to see if you have a smooth texture. It is easier in the blender since you can add your soup to the cashew cream and blend all together. The Nutribullet does make the cashew cream smoother than a traditional blender.

Once the soup has cooled, spoon it in the blender and add your salt. Blend till smooth. Since my cashew cream was made in my Nutribullet I blend the soup first and then add the cashew cream. If you make the cashew cream in the blender first, you will just add the soup to the cashew cream and blend all together. Make sure to open the top of the blender a little to allow steam to escape to prevent an explosion.

Add the cashew cream and blend again till smooth and creamy. Taste the mixture for consistency. If you prefer a thinner soup then add more broth and blend again. At this point you can add a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne pepper and blend once more to combine.

Your soup is ready to reheat for serving or storing for later.

The soup fits perfectly in these containers I bought from HEB. They have screw tops so they are awesome for transport, and they stack which is a bonus.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CASHEW CREAM RECIPE

Serves: 4-6 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup raw and unroasted cashews, soaked minimum 4 hours in water, drained and rinsed
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Two 12 ounce packages precut butternut squash from Trader Joe’s
5 1/4 cups (44 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (3/4 cup and
4 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
generous grinding of black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Pinch of nutmeg or cayenne
garnish with roasted pepitas

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

powerful blender or
Nutribullet

PREPARATION

Soak cashews in a small bowl, cover with water and soak a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Roughly cut up one onion and place in a medium pan. Turn heat on high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally till golden.
Add 4 1/2 cups of the broth carefully to the pan (it will sizzle due to high heat) along with the butternut squash, the garlic and black pepper.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, make the cashew cream by first draining and rinsing the cashews. Place them in a blender or Nutribullet. Add 3/4 cup of the remaining vegetable broth. Blend till very smooth and creamy. If using a blender, start the mixture on low and build up to the highest speed for 1 minute still smooth.
Once soup has cooked, let it cool down a little before blending.
If you made your cream in the blender, simply add the soup and blend till smooth. Allow steam to escape from the top so no explosion will occur. If you used the Nutribullet, blend your soup first and then add the cashew cream.
Sample to make sure you like the consistency, and add more broth if necessary. You can add a pinch of cayenne pepper or nutmeg if you desire, and blend once more.

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TURKEY BURGER WITH CHIMICHURRI AND VEGGIES

May 5, 2017 Julie Sanchez

I just recently starting eating turkey burgers. I used to think they were dry and boring. But I have discovered if you buy ground turkey thighs and add some grated onion and chimichurri to the turkey you will have a moist delicious turkey burger. I like to serve the burger with quickly cooked veggies with a drizzling of chimichurri sauce. This is one of our go to weekday healthy meals.

You will need 2/3 of a pound of ground turkey (I prefer thigh meat ground turkey since it is more moist), a onion, garlic, your veggies of choice, and chimichurri sauce (you can find my recipe here).

Since turkey burgers need moisture and flavor I like to grate a tablespoon of onion into the ground turkey.

Add 2 tablespoons of the chimichurri to the raw meat. It really flavors the otherwise bland turkey meat.

Once you have incorporated the onion and chimichurri into the ground turkey (I prefer to use my hands like I do with meatballs) you can form the patties on a piece of folded parchment paper or foil.

If you are prepping this ahead of time, you can cut the parchment paper in half so you can stack the burgers in the fridge to cook later. If you are cooking them now, then ignore this step.

Cut the end off the zucchini, then slices into rounds and place in a bowl.

Keep the rubber band on the asparagus while you cut off the ends (the non tender part).

I like to cut the asparagus into about 1 1/2"-2" lengths on a diagonal. You do not have to cut on the diagonal, but I think it makes the asparagus more interesting. You simply cut the first tip off (which you can discard) making the first diagonal cut. Then continue your angle as your cut down the asparagus.

Pre prep your veggies before you start cooking since the cooking process is so fast.

Put a medium saute pan on high heat and add a small splash of olive oil. Add the burgers and cook 2-3 minutes on high heat. You want some color on your burger. After 2-3 minutes, lift up your burger and check for color. It may take 3 minutes depending on your stove. Now turn the burger over, reduce the heat to medium/medium low, and cover the burgers. Cook about 8 minutes more. You want the burger to be fully cooked. After 10 minutes total, turn off the heat and let the burgers rest for a couple of minutes while you cook the veggies.

While the burger is resting begin cooking your veggies. Place the asparagus and 1/4 cup water in a medium sized saute pan and turn heat on high. Cook for 3 minutes on high, stirring occasionally.

After the asparagus has cooked for 3 minutes, add the zucchini and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Now add the garlic, salt and pepper, and a splash of olive oil. Stir everything together, turn the heat to medium and cover. (If you do not have a cover for your saute pan, use a cake pan or a large plate) Cook 4 more minutes. Now remove lid and make sure the water has evaporated and the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness. I prefer asparagus that is not overcooked and limp.

Place half you veggies on each plate and top with your burger and chimichurri sauce. You can use any veggies you like. I used broccoli with zucchini and shiitake mushrooms for this particular dinner.

tURKEY BURGER WITH cHIMICHURRI AND VEGGIES RECIPE

Serves: 2 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2/3 pound ground turkey (I prefer ground turkey thighs)
1 tablespoon finely grated onion
2 tablespoons chimichurri sauce (my recipe here)
extra chimichurri sauce: for drizzling on burgers
2-3 zucchini, sliced into round coins
1 bunch of asparagus, sliced into 1 1/2" lengths
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
splash of olive oil

PREPARATION

Place your ground turkey in small bowl. Add a tablespoon of grated onion and 2 tablespoons of the chimichurri sauce.
With your hands mix up the turkey mixture till combined.
Put down a piece of folded parchment paper or foil and shape patties on the paper. (If you are prepping the burgers in advance then cut the parchment paper and stack the burgers and place in the fridge).
Pull out a medium saute pan and turn on high.
Add a little olive oil and add your burgers. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes till they have browned on one side. Once they are browned, turn the heat to medium/medium low and cover the burgers. Cook another 7 minutes.
Once a total of 10 minutes has passed, turn off the heat and let the burgers rest.
Now start cooking your veggies. Pull out a medium sauce pan, turn the heat on high and add the asparagus and 1/4 cup of water.
Cook the asparagus for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the zucchini, stir and cook on high another minute.
Now turn the heat to medium, add the garlic, salt, pepper, and a splash of olive oil. Stir to combine and put a lid on the pan.
Cook 4 more minutes. Then uncover, and make sure all the water has evaporated and the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness. (If the asparagus is very thin, it will take less time)
Place half the veggies on each plate, top with a burger and spoon over the chimichurri sauce.

Note: If you do not have time to make chimichurri, store bought pesto would be a easy substitute.

Note: You can substitute broccoli for the asparagus if you prefer.

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CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

May 5, 2017 Julie Sanchez

Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce that comes from Argentina that is traditionally used as a marinade and sauce for grilled beef. But I love it on fish, chicken, turkey burgers and even vegetables. It is also yummy as a dip served with plantain chips. For years I have used chimichurri to marinate chunks of beef tenderloin, which I later grilled and slathered with more chimichurri during the grilling process...amazingly delicious! I was trying to replicate a dish we enjoyed during many years of my children's birthday celebrations at a restaurant here in Houston called Churrascos. Now that we are trying to eat less beef, I have been experimenting using chimichurri on salmon, grilled chicken, portobello mushrooms, and turkey burgers. Not only is the green color amazing dripping off salmon or turkey burgers but it adds a garlicky tangy kick to otherwise boring meats and fish.

You will need fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and a shallot. You will also need a food processor. You could also finely dice all the ingredients if you have both the patience and time. I did experiment with making this sauce in my nutri bullet and my vitamix blender, but both methods over processed the mixture which made the herbs bitter.

Wash both the cilantro and parsley and dry off the herbs in paper towels. Cut the stems off the bunch. Since they will be going in the food processor, it is OK to have some stems in your bunch.

Pack the cilantro into a one cup measuring cup. Repeat with the parsley and put them in the food processor.

Peel the shallot and cut the ends off. Then roughly chop the shallot into small chunks. Place in the food processor.

Peel and garlic and again roughly chop the garlic and place in the food processor.

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes to the food processor.

Now you are ready for the food processor to do the work.

Blend the mixture till it is smooth and no chunks of shallot or garlic are remaining. At this point you can pour the sauce in a serving dish and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the sauce so it will not lose its color. You can leave it at room temperature till ready to serve. The sauce is best the same day, but I have been known to save the leftovers for the next day. The herbs turn darker overnight, but I like to make it and use it for 2 nights in a row.

This is my new favorite way to use chimichurri... on a turkey burger with veggies... a healthy, delicious and pretty meal! (The recipe for my turkey burger can be found here.)

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE RECIPE

Serves: 4 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 packed cup parsley (large stems removed)
1 packed cup cilantro (large stems removed)
1 shallot (roughly chopped)
3 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
black pepper

PREPARATION

Wash both the cilantro and parsley. Dry off in paper towels.
Gather the cilantro and cut the large stems off. Do the same with the parsley. (It is fine if some stems remain since they are going in the food processor)
Pack the cilantro into a one cup measuring cup. Place the cilantro in the food processor. Measure the parsley and add it as well.
Cut the ends of the shallot and peel the shallot. Cut the shallot into small chunks, and add to the food processor.
Peel and roughly chop the garlic and add to the processor.
Add the fresh lemon, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to the processor.
Blend the ingredients till smooth and all the chunks have dissolved.
You can store at room temperature in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the sauce, so it will not discolor. Chimichurri sauce is best consumed the same day. It turns a little darker overnight but it tastes the same.

Note: If you do not have a food processor, you can finely mince all the herbs, garlic, and shallots and combine with the remaining ingredients.

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CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

January 25, 2017 Julie Sanchez

My creamy cauliflower soup has no milk or cream and yet it tastes and feels richly satisfying. The creaminess comes from raw cashews, that when soaked and blended with cauliflower, create a velvety delicious soup. It meets Paleo, vegan, and Whole 30 guidelines, and its easy to prepare. I have used raw cashews to thicken sauces, and soups before, but when I combined it with the cauliflower, my husband thought we were eating potato soup. Make it on Sunday and you will be ready for meatless Mondays!

You must buy raw, whole cashews for this recipe. I purchase mine from Whole Foods. I also prefer low sodium organic vegetable broth so you can control the saltiness.

You must soak the cashews a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably overnight. The reason I soak the nuts is to make them easier to digest. According to Whole Lifestyle Nutrition: "By soaking you are breaking down the phytic acid so it can be absorbed properly. Nuts also have high amounts of enzymes inhibitors. This is another reason why unsoaked nuts are hard to digest, Soaking nuts neutralizes the enzymes allowing for proper digestion."

I like to store the leftover cashews in the freezer.

Cut off the bottom core and remove the leaves of the cauliflower.

Now cut the branches off around the core.

Break or cut the branches into smaller pieces of cauliflower. Discard the core and leaves.

Cut the ends off the shallots and peel off the orange skin.

Roughly chop the shallots. They will be blended in the blender so they do not need to be finely chopped.

Prep your garlic with a garlic press.

Pull out a medium sauce pan. Turn heat on high and add a teaspoon of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook on high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally till they have a little color.

Now add your broth, cauliflower, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to medium and cover. You want to simmer for 25 minutes.

Drain your soaked cashews and rinse with water. Set aside.

After 25 minutes add the mixture to a blender. (I have a Vitamix blender which I love...it's so freaking powerful). Now add the drained cashews and salt to the blender. Its better to let the mixture cool down before you blend it. But if you are impatient like me you can blend it in 2 batches, to allow the steam from the hot liquid to escape easier. When blending hot liquids, hold the lid off the top a little with a towel to allow the steam to escape, otherwise you may have an explosion. If your cauliflower head was small, then reserve about 1/2 cup of the broth and do not add all till after you have blended it to make sure you achieve the right consistency.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP RECIPE

Serves: 4 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup raw whole cashews (soaked in water 2 hours - overnight)
1 head of cauliflower
5 cups low sodium vegetable broth (two 32 ounce boxes)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots
2 garlic cloves
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt

pREPARATION

Soak your cashews a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably overnight. I explain why above, but basically they will be easier to digest. Place the cashews in a bowl with enough water to cover them by about one inch.
Cut up your cauliflower into small pieces. Discard the leaves and core.
Prep your shallots. Cut the ends off and peel off the orange skin. Then roughly chop the shallot.
Mince your garlic, or run it through a garlic press.
Pull out a medium sauce pan and turn heat on high.
Add one teaspoon of oil to the pan and add the shallots. Cook on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally till they have a little color.
Add the broth, cauliflower, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne. (store the remaining broth in the fridge)
Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, put the lid on, turn the heat to medium and simmer for 25 minutes.
Drain and rinse cashews. Set Aside.
After 25 minutes take off the heat and let the mixture cool down.
Once cooled put the mixture in the blender. Add the salt and cashews. (I like to reserve about 1/2 of the cooking liquid to make sure your soup is the right consistency. Cauliflower comes in all different sizes, and you can add more broth but you cannot make it thicker once the soup is too thin.)
Blend 'til smooth and creamy. You can now add the remaining broth to achieve the consistency you desire. If the mixture is still hot, blend in 2 batches to allow room for the steam in the blender. Hold the blender top a little open so the steam can escape. Be careful with hot liquids in the blender. I like to hold the top down with a towel on top to prevent an explosion of hot liquids. Yes, I have had to wipe down my cabinets with a hot soup explosion...not pretty!
Taste for saltiness and heat. You can add more cayenne or salt to taste and blend on the highest setting to create a smooth soup.

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CASHEW CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

April 2, 2016 Julie Sanchez

My cashew chicken is packed with crunchy vegetables and glazed with a slightly salty, sweet, and spicy sauce. Its a one pot meal. It takes some prep work, but the actually cooking time is super fast. Its the perfect meal to prepare for guests. You can prep ahead, then all your guests can sip wine and watch you perform . When my kids were little, this was my son's Christopher's most requested meals. I would serve it over white rice. Now that my husband and I are always trying to lose weight we skip the rice. With or without rice, its a much more colorful and healthy alternative to Chinese take out.

I love to use coconut oil as much as I can. Its such a healthy oil, but it does have a coconut taste, so in this recipe its perfect. If you do not have any, than use olive oil or any oil you have. I like to buy a bag of cashews from Whole Foods and then throw the bag in the freezer until I need them again. If I put them in my pantry, they will go bad before I can use them again. Try to buy organic veggies if you can!

Stand the red pepper up, and cut down 4 sides of the pepper. Discard the core. I only use half the red pepper in this recipe. If you love red pepper than you can use the whole pepper. I just feel a little bit of pepper goes a long way.

Cut your sections in half and then cut thin slivers, as thin as you can.

Peel the carrots, then cut into about 2"-3" pieces. Then cut the pieces in half so they lay flat on the cutting board. Then cut into matchsticks.

You need 2-3 heads of broccoli, about 4 cups, cut into bite size pieces.

Did you know that jicama is one of the few very low calorie root vegetables. It is one of the finest sources of dietary fiber. It also contains important minerals like magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese. To prep the jicama cut the top and bottom off the jicama. Then cut all the sides off. I know there is waste but it is very difficult to peel a jicama. And this way you have a cube to easier make your matchsticks. My husband, who is from Mexico cringes when he sees me cut the jicama this way. He will take forever peeling it and not wasting one ounce of jicama. I am a more practical cook. If you can not find jicama then buy a can of sliced water chestnuts in the Asian isle of your grocery store.

Trim the extra peeling off. Then cut into thin slices. Then stack 2 slices at a time and cut into matchsticks.

In this recipe I like to cut the green onions on the diagonal. It simply looks cool to me this way. Save a few green slices to garnish your dish at the end.

I prefer chicken breast tenders over chicken breasts since they already come in little tender strips. But you could substitute chicken breasts if your prefer. I have to admit I do not like cutting up chicken...its so slimy! Cut your chicken last since it will contaminate your cutting board.

Since this is a very quick cooking dish you must measure and prep before you begin cooking. Here are all my veggies, my cashews measured out, my garlic, and a few green onions in the front saved for my garnish.

The whole cooking process is so quick, its basically a stir fry, so you need to have everything ready to go before you begin cooking. In a small bowl set aside 3/4 cup chicken broth. Pull out your measuring spoon and corn starch and set aside. If you mix it together ahead of time the corn starch will turn into a glob in your bowl. The corn starch will create the glaze that we crave.

In another bowl combine your teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and honey and mix to combine. Now the hard part is done!

You want your chicken to get some color, which is why when you first place it in the hot pan you do not move or turn it for a few minutes. My camera lens was covered in steam when I shot this photo...looks a little mystical.

Cashew Chicken with vegetables is now ready for its closeup.

CASHEW CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES RECIPE

Serves 4 people

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

ingredients

red pepper, use 1/2 of pepper, cut into thin slices
3 carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
2-3 broccoli heads cut into bite size pieces, about 4 cups
1 jicama, cut into thin matchsticks (you can substitute a can of sliced water chestnuts)
1 bunch green onions, cut into diagonal slices
2 lbs chicken breast tenders, or 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup roasted and salted cashews
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth, or water
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons honey
Sriracha sauce, as many squirts as you can handle
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or olive oil

preparation

Cut your red pepper into thin slices, I only use half the pepper.
Peel your carrots, cut into 2"- 3" chunks, then slice the chunks down the middle so they lay flat on the cutting board. Now cut into matchsticks.
Cut the broccoli into bite size pieces.
Cut the top and bottom off the jicama. Then cut down all four sides till you have a square. Then cut into slices. Stack 2 slices at a time and then cut into matchsticks.
Cut the green onions on the diagonal. Save some of the greener part of the green onion for the garnish.
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.
Measure out your cashews and set aside.
Mince your garlic.
Measure out 3/4 cup of chicken broth and set aside, and pull out your cornstarch and measuring spoons.
Combine your soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and honey in a small bowl.
Place a large sauté pan on high heat. You will keep the heat on high the entire 11 minutes.
Let pan heat up for a few minutes, you want the pan really hot.
Add 1 tablespoon oil, swirl around the oil and then place the chicken in. Do not dump the chicken in, scatter it around the pan. Now is the time to salt and pepper the chicken. Set your stopwatch on your phone. Do not stir chicken, let it sit for 3 minutes, so the chicken can get a little brown. After 3 minutes stir the chicken, let it cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the carrots and pepper, cook one more minute, stirring constantly.
Add the broccoli and garlic, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Pour the soy sauce mixture in. Cook for 3 more minutes while constantly stirring.
Add the jicama, cashews, and green onions, and stir.
Mix the cornstarch into chicken broth till dissolved, and add to the pan, stir and cook 1 more minute. ( 11 minutes total cooking time) Add srirachi to taste.
Garnish with the remaining green onions.

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