Instant Pot Acorn Squash and Apple Soup for fall

It's official! It's fall and I am eager to start enjoying the beautiful seasonal produce in my soups!
Gala apples and acorn squash are two favorites that are key players in this light autumn soup recipe. 

Author Interview Benjamin H. Berkley- In Defense of Guilt

I just finished reading this suspenseful novel with a very interesting twist. The attorney becomes the person being judged and the judge turns into G-d. It's a novel that makes us think twice about recognizing our own behaviors and being confronted with facing our own imperfections.

The following is an Interview with Benjamin H. Berkley- author of his new novel In Defense of Guilt

Carrot Ginger Soup with Lime

Are you a ginger lover like me?

Carrot ginger soup is one of my favorites, and now that I can make it in minutes in the Instant Pot it is easier than ever- ( of course I included directions for the stove top as well)

Instant Pot or Not Cholent- Vegan and GF

If you like beans, you will LOVE this amazing vegan cholent/chulent recipe that is made with a mixture of pinto beans, red kidney beans, and navy beans. The Instant Pot transforms an ancient recipe into modern times.

Chulent or cholent is a old traditional Sabbath day meal that has been made for centuries by observant Jews. (Cholent recipes can be traced back to 1180 in Vienna). 

Before the invention of electricity, the town baker had a big oven that he would keep burning through the Sabbath which started Friday at sundown and ended Saturday at sundown. Since it was forbidden to light a fire on the Sabbath, the townspeople would bring a crock of beans to the baker's oven before sundown on Friday and let it slow cook to eat as their Saturday hot Sabbath meal. 

The word cholent is thought to be derived from the Medieval French word "chaud" meaning hot and "lent" meaning slow. Thus a slow cooking hot meal.

Before cooking in the Instant Pot filled about 1/4 of the 6 quart pot

After the invention of electricity, people started using slow cookers to make their cholent or would leave their oven on a low flame all night to cook their chulent/cholent for the Sabbath day meal. 

Jews from different countries developed variations of the recipe using chickpeas or a variety of different beans, meat, eggs, dumplings, chicken etc. Almost every country has their variation of cholent. There are probably as many cholent recipes as there are cooks. 

Indian Cholent may contain turmeric, cardamom, lentils, and chicken. 

Italian Cholent may contain rosemary, brisket, potatoes, and cannelloni beans.

Polish Cholent may contain potatoes, flankin, a variety of beans, garlic, paprika, and dumplings

Eastern European Cholent may contain barley, potatoes, butter beans, brisket, and garlic

Vegetarian Cholent may contain sweet potatoes, potatoes, dumplings, a variety of beans

I make a vegan version that is absolutely delicious and because I am not " religious, " I make mine ahead of time in the Instant Pot!!!! Of course you could use the slow cooker and cook it for 8 hours. You might need to add more water for the slow cooker. 

Ingredients: 

3 cloves garlic, chopped

olive oil spray 

1 large onion sliced into 1/2 moons 

2 large organic carrots, sliced into thick slices 

10 whole baby portobello mushrooms , halved

1 teaspoon of ground ginger ( not fresh) 

1/2 teaspoon of Trader Joe's 21 Salute ( salt free seasoning mix) 

1 teaspoon of Himalayan salt 

1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper

3 cups of vegetable broth ( I use Tabatchnicks or Whole Foods 365)

2 cups of water( or an extra cup if needed to cover the beans) 

1 pound total of dry bean mixture ( pinto beans, red kidney beans, navy beans) * see note below

Directions: 

Spray bottom of the Instant Pot with olive oil spray. Add onions and garlic and sautee until onions become soft. Add beans, carrots, mushrooms, ginger, 21 Salute, salt , pepper, vegetable broth, and water. Cancel the saute function and press pressure cook for 50 minutes. Make sure the steam knob is closed. When done cooking, allow steam to release naturally according to manufacturer's directions for about 30 minutes. When done, remove lid and serve.

chulent mix of beans

My Notes: 

1. Many supermarkets carry pre-made bags of cholent bean mixture in the kosher foods section. 

2. There is no need to soak the beans for the Instant Pot 

3. If you prefer to soak the beans overnight, pressure cook for 25 minutes 

4. This really tastes amazing if you like beans

5. You could make this in the Instant Pot before the Sabbath and keep it on warm until after sundown on saturday. 

6. ** Beware- some cholent mix packages contain barley which is not gluten free- read the ingredients

Sharing on Beth Fish Weekend Cooking where anyone can share a food related post. 

Sharing on Souper Sundays where anyone can share a soup, salad, or sammie.

Easy Banana Bread Loaf- GF

How many times have you had too many overly ripe bananas and had to do something with them quickly? Sometimes I slice and freeze them, and sometimes I make this delicious banana loaf.

Why I Visited A Dietitian

Why I visited a dietitian at our local supermarket? 

I consider myself fairly knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition. After all, I have an undergraduate degree in health education, a graduate degree in higher education, with a certification as a nutritional consultant (ND).

However, with all the hype on what to eat and all the books and blogs that range from Paleo to Vegan, I was beginning to want some straight down to earth new ideas!

Gluten Free and Vegan Jewish Apple Cake

Do you love Jewish apple cake? 
This gluten free Jewish apple cake is moist, easy to make, and delicious! It is very allergy friendly as it is egg free, dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and nut free as well and it does taste good!!

Victory Garden Soup and a Review of Food Fight by Tanya Steel

Today I'm serving up a bowl of delicious Victory Garden Soup that I made from one of the recipes in Tanya Steel and National Geographic's new educational book, Food Fight, intended for kids 10 +.

Easy Gluten Free Bundt Cake

This is one of the easiest gluten free (vegan) cakes I've every made. The recipe was given to me by a vegan friend.

I mixed the simple ingredients by hand in a large bowl and just poured the batter into a greased bundt pan. It literally took me less than 10 minutes prep and then 25-30 minutes to bake the cake.