Turkey Day is coming ~ plan ahead!

Renee Kreager, Tucson chef and restaurant owner

If you are thinking of making a different sort of side dish this year, try this delicious recipe from Tucson chef, Renee Kreager, owner of Renee's Organic Oven (one of my favorite restaurants).

Roasted Pumpkin and Apples With Quinoa, Cranberries and Pepitas 
Serves 6-8 as a side

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Two cups of cooked quinoa, prepared according to package directions (I recommend Ancient Harvest Quinoa; it is organic and already rinsed and ready to cook.)
Medium organic pumpkin (washed and skinned, cut into 1- x 1-inch pieces)
3 apples (washed and cored, cut into 1- x 1-inch pieces — Pink Lady works well)
3 Tbsp. organic coconut oil
½ tsp. curry powder
Dash of black pepper and salt to taste
1 cup organic pepitas
1 cup dried cranberries

In a 13 x 9 roasting or baking pan, line with diced pumpkin and apple pieces. Drizzle coconut oil and coat on all sides. Sprinkle the curry powder, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 for about 20 minutes.
Once your pumpkin and apples are cooked perfectly, gently fold in the cooked quinoa. Incorporate 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil, and 1/2 tsp. of curry powder into the mixture. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of honey over the mixture. Warm in the oven for approximately 3–5 minutes.

Dressing:
½ tsp. ground ginger
¾ Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
Dash of sea salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil. Taste to see if this is the acid balance or sweetness you enjoy. Adjust accordingly if needed.

Evenly pour this over the pumpkin, apple, and quinoa in the pan. Drizzle honey over mixture just before adding dried cranberries (about 1 cup) and organic pepitas (about 1 cup). Plate just before serving.

Thoughtful Double Header ~

As part of the "Women's Salon Series" that I attend I heard a fantastic presentation by Kathryn Bertine. She spearheaded the effort to force the Tour de France folks to FINALLY add a women's event to this historically all-male-bicycle-event. Her story about activism, determination, and sheer pluck was just wonderful! And then -- at the same location I was able to catch the last portion of a wonderful presentation by Mark Sykes, CEO of the Planetary Science Institute, on the Dawn Mission's new data gathered during its flyby of Ceres. A thoughtful evening indeed! 

Fall Foliage or Tasty Snack?

Perhaps these turtles are storing their leafy snacks on their backs to enjoy later! This bale of turtles lives at the Home Depot in Oro Valley. No, the store is not selling them - an employee takes care of them.
Photos courtesy of Sue Dodson.

"Excuse me while I kiss the sky...."

Not often do I get to quote Jimi Hendrix! (:    Never in all the years of living in Tucson have I seen a street light bulb being changed! It actually caused a traffic jam with everyone looking and taking photos - me included, of course! 

Goal!

 

What a happy coincidence that I was stopped at a redlight and captured this rainbow landing perfectly between these "goal posts." And the cactus cheerleader looks pretty happy about it!  (:

Dead Cake ~

My friend Joe celebrates his birthday tomorrow, Nov 2, but we celebrated his birthday a day early. Here is the fabulous birthday cake that his gifted chef wife, Katie, made for the party - a Day of the Dead cake complete with sugar skull and rats. The cake was a flourless chocolate rum fig confection and it was "to die for" ! Yummy! 

Steampunk lives!

 

Halloween is a time to try out alter egos and channel your inner super hero! The Boondocks Lounge had a fun party and I had to post this amazing Steampunk-styled couple. Fun! The last photo is the menu at a friend's party. Best not to ask the chef too many questions! (: