Pumpkin Crisp

So much better than pie!

Cut sugar pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Bake pumpkin until soft. Let cool and scoop out the flesh.

Blend in a cusinart:
2 cups of fresh pumpkin (can substitute 1 can of pumpkin)
1 can of evaporated milk
1 cup granulated sugar (can cut this down if want)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
Hefty portions of cinnamon, cardamom, all spice, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves


Pour into pan (I used a 12x7 casserole pan but any similar size is fine)

Top with the crumble

Crumble:
1 stick cold butter cut into pieces
3/4 cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp or more of cinnamon
Sprinkle of cardamom
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-1.5 cups oats
1/2 cup flour (I used almond meal, but oat flour or any flour is fine)

Cut butter into dry ingredients with pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers

Put crumble on the pumpkin

Bake at 350 for 60min

Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Greek Yogurt Sauce

sauté chicken strips with some garlic and white wine

Bring a pot of water to boil and then drop in broccoli, cook only 3-4 minutes until tender but not mushy!

Sauté more garlic in butter, and add tender broccoli and a can of rinsed garbanzo beans and some salt and pepper. add 1/2 cup white wine. Once it gets to boiling, turn it off and let cool slightly. Add in 1 cup plain Greek yogurt and a cup of shredded Parmesan and stir to combine. Toss with cooked pasta and the chicken (can serve chicken on side if not everyone eats meat).

Pesto Sweet Potato Lasagna

Pesto Sweet Potato Lasagna

Make a healthy pesto with basil, spinach, walnuts and olive oil. I leave out the usual Parmesan side the lasagna has so much cheese.

Roast slices of peeled sweet potato at 450 until tender 

Turn oven to 375

Mix together ricotta, an egg, sprinkle of nutmeg and salt

Layer from the bottom: pesto, no-boil noodles, ricotta, sliced Kalamata olives, sweet potato, pesto, noodles, ricotta, sweet potatoes, pesto, noodles, shredded cheese (cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella, Parmesan, etc)

Cover and bake for 50 min. Uncover and bake for another 10.