Pumpkin Wontons

This is a perfect addition to any meal.  A good for you dessert with pumpkin and not too much sweetness.

1 C. canned pumpkin
1/2 C. softened cream cheese
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 egg white for an egg white wash
wonton wrappers
water
powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix first 4 ingredients until thoroughly combined.
3. In each wonton wrapper add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin/cream cheese mixture in the center of each wrapper (not too much to have the filling spill out when the wrappers are folded over. 
4. On 2 sides of each filled wonton wrapper, brush the sides with water and fold over.  Press the sides together until they stick.
5. Spray a baking pan and place filled wonton wrappers on the pan. 
6. Brush the egg whites onto each filled and folded wonton.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the edges start to brown.  
8. Remove from oven, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.  
9. Caution will be hot, but they are best served fresh!

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.pinkbasil.com/baked-pumpkin-wontons/

Chilean Charquican

I am missing my time that I spent in South America...the people, the food, the freedom, just to name a few...So, what better way to help solve that problem/make it worse  :P than to cook one of my favorite dishes from down there!

Just a little background...Charqui is a form of a dry meat that Chileans used in the dish.  (I used tofu in mine, so don't worry, I am sticking to my roots) Before I go too much into the background, check out this site which has a great explanation of the dish and where I got a memory kick for remembering how my host mom cooked the dish.

http://eatingchile.blogspot.com/2009/06/charquican-tomatican-and-other-cans_11.html

Charquican

Serves 3

1/2 onion diced
1 T. oil
1/4 block tofu cubed
1 medium potato cooked and cubed
1 15 oz can peas
1 C. corn
1/2 - 1 can pumpkin puree
1 t. salt (more or less according to flavor)
1 small roasted green chili chopped (for a bit of an american flare with some spice)
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground pepper
1 t. dried oregano

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil.  Add the diced onion and saute until translucent.
2. (The original recipe calls for carrots...I forgot to add them, so in this step you could saute a chopped medium carrot with the onion)
3. Add the cubed tofu and continue to saute until the tofu starts to brown.
4. Add the peas, corn, and pumpkin puree.  Stir to combine and heat until warm.
5. Add the salt, chili, cumin, and pepper.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  Continue to cook until everything is HOT!

Serve with fresh bread and enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa

Welcome to fall!  I do already miss summer, but according to Colorado's forecast, it is supposed to be in the 70s today, so I guess I can't really say I miss summer when it has not really left.  But, I do love fall as well, especially with all the delicious winter squash varieties that I get to experiment with!  This dish was inspired by some leftover butternut squash (when cooking for 1 person, even with how much I eat, you would be surprised how long 1 squash will last!)

Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa
Serves 3-4

1.5 C. semi-cooked and cubed butternut squash to soften and make the roasting process faster
1 medium carrot cubed
4-5 oz. tofu cubed
1.5 C. cooked quinoa (could use rice, but quinoa is so much better for you)
1 small fire roasted chili (optional)
1 T. oil
1 t. fresh ground pepper
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/4 c. slivered almonds
1 small packet honey
2 leaves collard greens or kale chopped into pieces (kale  is preferred, but the greens were so much cheaper at the time)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. In a greased baking dish, place cubed butternut squash, cubed carrot, and cubed tofu.
3. Sprinkle on chili, pepper, cinnamon, and ginger.
4. Toss to evenly coat the ingredients with the spices.
5. Roast/Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the squash and carrot are soft and and roasted to almost your preference.
6. Remove from oven, mix in honey and slivered almonds.
7. Mix in chopped collard greens
8. Place back in the oven and cook for an additional 10-20 minutes or until collard greens start to become crunch up, but not burn.
9. Remove from oven.
10. To serve, place 1/3 of the cooked quinoa in a bowl and top with the roasted mixture.
11. Enjoy!!!