Butternut Squash and Lentil Stew

It's finally warmer in New Jersey than it is in the North Pole, so that calls for a celebration. And what better way to celebrate than with a winter crockpot creation (...I always say)! I was craving a warm bowl of "home", as I prepare to go back to school, and therefore a much smaller kitchen, and my crockpot delivered. I made this vegetarian stew with butternut squash, but kabocha or delicata squash would work well too. It's a simple recipe, and you'll find that the longer the ingredients sit together, the more the flavors will pop. This makes it a great leftover recipe, so you can stay warm all week!

Ingredients:

20oz. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 cups dry red lentils

8 cups vegetable broth

4 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp ground ginger

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp salt

Directions: Serves 6

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker.
2. Cook on high for 5 1/2 - 6 hours. Stir occasionally. Feel free to taste/smell and add seasonings to your liking.
3. Tada- Scoop yourself a bowl of home!

Vegan Cinnamon Apple Muffins

This is my first attempt at a vegan recipe! We were also out of eggs, so going vegan seemed like a really good option today. These tasty vegan breakfast bites are perfect for the -5 degree mornings when you wish you indulged your teenage self and stayed in bed until noon (or the afternoons when you actually did.) Dive into one of these and you're in for the perfect storm- a moist, sweet swirl of cinnamon against the tang of a juicy Mcintosh apple. Put them together and you're armed to start the day with a smile!

Ingredients:

Muffins:

Cooking Spray

1 1/2 cups baking flour (of your choice)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of apple pie spice

1/3 cup + 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

3 tbsp walnut oil (or canola oil)

2 small Mcintosh apples, peeled and grated

Topping:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp. cold earth balance spread

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1 tbsp. flour (of your choice)

Directions: Yields 12 Muffins

1. In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and apple pie spice.

2. In a smaller separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, oil, and milk until just combined.

3. Add wet ingredients to the dry, and mix with wooden spoon until just combined. Add in the grated apple. 

4. Grease a 12-muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill each cup halfway with batter.

5. For the topping, combine the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture appears crumbly, then add in the oats. Sprinkle each muffin cup with this topping.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Allow to cool, and then enjoy!