ROASTED KABOCHA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, QUINOA & LEMON THYME

It has been quite a heavy month and I’m still (still...) reeling from it all.  I’m not ready to talk about it all yet (or here), but I’m looking forward to having a reason to make lots of pies this week.  I took a nod from Ashlae of OhLadycakes and have listed some lovely places who need your help, donations or volunteering in the sidebar.  (Also there's another great list here)

For now though, I leave you with a comfort food recipe perfect for Thanksgiving and beyond.  Hope it brings you some warmth & pleasure this Thanksgiving.

ROASTED KABOCHA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, QUINOA & LEMON THYME (Serves 2-4) Gluten-free, Vegan

• 4 cups cubed kabocha squash
• 5 sprigs lemon thyme, divided
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 5 shallots, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups mushrooms, mixed & roughly chopped (I used maitake, chanterelle & cremini)
• 4 sprigs marjoram, de-stemmed
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• Micro tatsoi, to top
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a foil-lined baking sheet, add cubed kabocha, 2-3 sprigs lemon thyme and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Season with sea salt and pepper, then bake for 30-35 minutes of until browned and tender.

While kabocha bakes, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.  Add shallots and garlic, stirring often for 5-7 minutes until they begin to break down.  Then, add mushrooms (depending on the size of your pan, you might need to do it in two batches) in an even layer making sure they make contact with the pan.  Cook until they begin to brown then flip mushrooms to evenly cook.  Continue until all mushrooms are cooked.  

Then, bring all mushrooms back to the pan over medium high heat, add juice of half the lemon, remaining lemon thyme leaves, marjoram and cooked quinoa.  Stir to coat mixture evenly. Cook until herbs begin to wilt and become fragrant.  Salt to taste, then remove from heat.

In a serving bowl or platter, layer kabocha and mushrooms/quinoa mixture, then top with the juice of the last lemon half.  Top with micro tatsoi then season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Serve warm or room temperature.

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: MORE THANKSGIVING IDEAS IN A PINCH:

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LAST MINUTE THANKSGIVING IDEAS!

In certain situations, I’m definitely a planner, but for the most part I do things miraculously well last minute.  If you’re like me, you haven’t had a minute to think twice about what you’re making and/or bringing to Thanksgiving dinner.  If you need some inspiration, ideas, recipes -  I’ve included all my recipes that could be deemed appropriate for Thanksgiving dinner.  Hope you all have a lovely holiday ;) XO

A VERY VOGUE THANKSGIVING

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the entertaining aspect of Thanksgiving as a holiday, but also just plainly: what exactly to serve.  Everyone has their own long-standing traditions (marshmallows y/n?) and now, probably some food allergies thrown into the mix. The Hemsley ladies have featured 8 recipes on Vogue that are naturally gluten AND grain free, not to mention a nice mix of vegetarian and meat-starring recipes.  

I had the pleasure of shooting and styling them for a special Hemsley-centric Thanksgiving.  One of my favorite recipes, a real showstopper, is the beet and goat cheese terrine (featured below!).  Unless you're vegan (or hate beets), you can eat and enjoy it.  Not only is it completely gorgeous, but it's delicious alone/with crackers/etc. - so, it will surely keep your guests busy while you're wrestling your turkey.  Happy cooking ;) 

BEET & GOAT CHEESE TERRINE (Gluten-free, grain-free) from The Art of Eating Well

• 4 purple beets, about 10 ½ oz
• 4 golden or any other color beets, about 10 ½ oz (the more colors the better)
• 2 Tbsp freshly snipped chives
• 2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 14 oz goats’ cheese
• sea salt and black pepper

Line a 4 x 8 inch loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving enough paper hanging over that you can easily cover the terrine when the tin is full.

Scrub the beet, then place in a pan, cover with water, pop on the lid, and cook for about 30–40 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool, then peel.

Meanwhile, mix all the herbs and garlic with the goats’ cheese in a bowl and season to taste.  Slice the cooked beets into various thicknesses – some 1⁄8 inch, some 1⁄4 inch.

Put a layer of golden or candy-colored beets along the bottom of the tin, followed by a thin layer of the garlic and herb goats’ cheese mix. Do this for 6 layers of each, so you have 12 layers in total, and then start on the purple beets and cheese layers until you reach the top. If you have more colors, vary them as you go along.

Pull the parchment paper over so all the terrine is covered. Place a weight on top of the tin and leave in the fridge overnight or for 8 hours to set.

Cover the set terrine with a plate and turn upside down to remove the terrine. Slice and serve or refrigerate the terrine until needed.