Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. of pumpkin or butternut squash, seeded and cubed
• 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cubed
• 3-4 shallots, peeled and cut into slices
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch cardamom
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat he oven to 450 F / 232 C.
2. Place the pumpkin or squash, pears, shallots and garlic in a ovenproof baking dish.
3. Drizzle the oil over and roast for 35-45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
4. Puree the roasted vegetables with the vegetables stock, dig 2 cupfuls first and then more according to how thick or thin you want the soup to be.
5. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender and puree the soup in the pot.
6. Add the cinnamon and coriander and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
7. Reheat the soup in a pot and serve with croutons and garnished with a couple of sprigs of chives.

Notes:

You can use butternut, kombucha, orange hokkaido/uchiki kuri pumpkins. We prefer the orange hokkaido as they are orange and organically grown, there is no need to peel them, we can use the skin as well.

adapted from http://thesepeasarehollow.blogspot.com/2009/12/soup-arsenal.html

Ingredients:

• 1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. salt
• 2 Tbs. vinegar
• 1 large beet, peeled and grated
• 1 pear, peeled and sliced
• walnuts, chopped
• 2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
• 3 Tbs. walnut oil
• 1 Tbs. agave or maple syrup
• 1 inch nob ginger, peeled and grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. To “wilt” the red cabbage, slice it in very fine slices.
2. Sprinkle the red cabbage with 1/4 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and mix well in a bowl.
3. Strongly kneed the red cabbage and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
4. Rinse the cabbage under running water to remove the extra salt and vinegar, squeeze the extra water out and place in a large serving bowl.
5. Grate the beet and mix into the cabbage.
6. Make the vinaigrette, pour over the salad and mix well.
7. Sprinkle the walnuts on top.
8. Serve the salad with slices of pears.

Notes:

If you prefer a crunchier salad, then skip the “wilting” process of the cabbage and just serve it raw, sliced. If you prefer cooked beets, then roast or boil the beet first, then grate it.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 leek (white and light green parts only (or 1 med. onion)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 med. red kuri pumpkin or 2 butternut squash, de-seeded and cut into large chunks
• 1-2 cup chestnuts, roasted or boiled, peeled
• water to just cover the pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ginger, ground or 1-inch fresh, grated
• 1 lime or lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

for the Balsamic pears:

• 2 pears, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

To make the soup:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot.
2. Add the sliced leek or onion and saute until glassy.
3. Add the pumpkin or butternut squash pieces.
4. Chop the roasted peeled chestnuts into large chunks and add to the pumpkin.
5. Add enough water to cover the pumpkin and chestnuts.
6. Add the salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom,sage leaves and cayenne.
7. Bring to a boil and cook until the pumpkin is soft.
8. When the pumpkin is soft, puree the soup using an immersion blender.
9. Add the maple syrup and lime juice and season to taste with any additional seasoning s you find needed.
10. It may be bit on the thick side, if you wish it to be thinner, add more water.

To prepare the pears:

1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
2. Peel and and cut the pears and add to the hot oil.
3. Lightly saute the pears, drizzling the balsamic vinegar over the top of the pears.

Serve the soup with pear pieces in the middle.

Notes:

We found this delicious recipe at thedailygreen and slightly adapted so that it was easier to make.

I used 1 sheet of puff pastry for each person. Using a small saucer, cut the puff pastry into a circle. Then 1 extra psheet of pufff pastry sliced in thin strips and laid around the edge to form the sides of the galette. A bit of apricot jam on the bottom, covered with almond meal and then the peeled pear sliced on top. A pure chocolate candy bar will melt well in a ban marie with a bit of oil to make it smooth, and then drizzled over the top. They make a quick and easy treat to enjoy on chilly weekends, or also nice to have for holidays.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 med. beets, cooked sliced with a spiralizer or 1 can shoestring beets
• 2 pears
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon oil
• splash vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• small pinch salt
• pomegranate seeds as garnish

Directions:

1. Peel the beets and cook whole, either by boiling or roasting.
2. Cut with a spiralizer or alternatively in matchsticks with a mandolin.
3. Cut the onion very finely.
4. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan and add the onions.
5. Peel the pears, and remove the core and cut into small pieces.
6. When the onions become soft and glassy add the pears, vinegar, sugar and ginger.
7. Cook until the pears soften.
8. Mix and mash well using a fork.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You may want to add other seasonings as clove or a dash of cayenne, however I wanted the chutney to remain white.
10. Serve the beets on a small bed of lettuce, with the pear chutney over the beets.
11. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 50 grams walnuts, chopped
• 200 grams mixed salad greens
• 225 grams beets (2-3 medium size), cooked and cut into matchsticks or shoestrings
• 2 pears, peeled, core removed and sliced in thin strips

for the dressing

• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• 2 Tbs. crystalized ginger, minced
• 3 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1/3 cup good olive oil

Directions:

For the salad:

1. Divide the mixed salad greens over 4 salad plates.
2. Slice the cooked beet into small thin matchsticks, divide evenly over each of the salads.
3. Peel and core the pears and slice in thin slices.
4. Place the pear slices over the beets.
5. Sprinkle a handful of chopped walnuts over each of the salads.
6. Serve with the pineapple ginger dressing.

For the dressing:
Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree to a smooth consistency.

Notes:

The beets and pears can also be cut in various shapes using small cookie cutters, for example hearts for Valentine’s Day.