If you’re getting ready for a New Year’s Eve bash, this butternut squash hummus is a nice alternative to the usual dips. I had seen recipes for hummus that called for both chickpeas and butternut squash – but when I was making this batch, I stopped and tasted it before adding the chickpeas and decided it was perfect as is.  You’d think this would be super sweet, but it’s actually surprisingly hummus-like, thanks to the garlic, tahini and lemon. And of course, you can feel good about eating it because butternut squash is rich in fiber, antioxidants and other good stuff. This is delicious with pita chips or spread on baguette slices. You’ll have fun making people guess what the secret ingredient is!

Smoky Southwestern variation: substitute lime juice for the lemon, use one small chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo in place of the cayenne pepper, and stir in two tablespoons of chopped cilantro at the end.

Butternut Squash Hummus

1 small butternut squash, halved, seeds scooped out
1/4 cup tahini
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the squash with oil and place on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for about an hour, until the squash is very tender.  Scoop out the flesh and place in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients.

I found this Linzer Macaroon cookie recipe on Epicurious a few years ago, and it’s become my go-to holiday cookie. While they are very sugary and not really low fat, the fat comes solely from almonds rather than butter or eggs, and that makes me feel better. (C’mon, let me have my holiday delusions!)  These cookies are also great for anyone following a gluten-free diet, as they contain no flour. They’re basically just almonds, sugar, egg whites and raspberry jam.

This is an example of a good cookie with a poorly written recipe, so I’ve corrected the problems here. First, the original Bon Appétit recipe called for cooking them for 18 minutes, which turns them into hard crunchy discs rather than chewy macaroons. Second, it called for watering down the raspberry jam too much. You just need to add enough water to make it more easily spreadable on the delicate cookies. Third, you really must rinse your hands between every couple of cookies you form – otherwise you’ll have a hard time making the gooey dough into balls. Relax, it’s easy. Just follow the instructions and you’ll end up with simply irresistible cookies.

I recommend using a raspberry jam that’s not overly sweet – or you could substitute lemon juice for all or part of the water when making the jam filling. I haven’t tried that, but I bet it would make for a nice tangy contrast with the sweet cookie. Oh, I guess I’ll just have to make another batch and find out.

Linzer Macaroon Sandwich Cookies
Adapted from Bon Appetit

1 2/3 cups blanched slivered almonds
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon almond extract (I like half almond, half vanilla, but if you love almond flavor, go for all almond)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 tablespoon water (see note above for alternate suggestion)
Powdered sugar

Put the jam and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about five minutes, then cool completely (place in the refrigerator if necessary – the filling should not be too runny.)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put the slivered almonds and the sugar in a food processor and grind well. Add the egg whites and extract(s) and process until very well blended.

Dampen your hands and form teaspoons of dough into balls and place them on the sheets an inch apart, flattening just slightly so that the diameter is about 1 1/4″.( Be sure to rinse your hands with warm water between every couple of cookies so the dough is easy to handle.) Press a couple of sliced almonds onto the top of each cookie.

Bake until just barely golden, about 13-14 minutes. Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheets and cool. Use a metal spatula to remove the cookies to a work surface, arranging them flat side up. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto one cookie, then top with another. Repeat until finished. Sift powdered sugar over completed cookies.

Makes about 20 cookies

Some other holiday cookie recipes I can’t wait to try:

Crackly Spice Cookies from She’s In the Kitchen

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles from M Loves M
(Note: I discovered that the original recipe is actually from the book Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone’s Favorite Treats)

Life-Changing Vegan Thumbprints from The Kitchn

I’m not usually much of a snacker; I’m more of a three-meals-a-day type. But around the holidays, that changes. Everyone’s nibbling on something, and it’s kind of contagious (unfortunately.) And though I can’t eat those cheese straws, cheese balls, cream cheese dips or the other high-fat holiday snacks, I’m not about to sit in the corner and pout, no sirree. These roasted chickpeas are not only full of fiber and protein, but they’re also quite low fat. What other snacks can you say that about?

Most importantly, they are delicious, crunchy and addictive. When people grab a handful, they might not know what they’re eating. I had someone ask,”What kind of nuts are these?” It’s hard to believe that a lowly can of garbanzo beans can be so magically transformed.

For the seasoning, I chose a combination of Chinese five spice powder and cayenne pepper. But you can use any spice combination you’d like – I’ve provided some other roasted chickpea recipes below to get your creative juices flowing. My next version is going to be smoked paprika and cumin. Now I just need a party to take them to, because otherwise I’ll eat them all myself.

Spice-Roasted Chickpeas

1 can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and thoroughly dried

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

Toss everything together and spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until completely crunchy.
(Note: some recipes call for cooking them only 20 minutes, but I found they needed 40. Check them halfway through and see what you think. If they are still chewy in the center, keep cooking!)

Other roasted chickpea recipes you might like:

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas with Moroccan Spices from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Roasted Chickpeas with Garlic, Cumin and Paprika from The Perfect Pantry
Roasted Chickpeas from Mark Bittman
Spice Roasted Chickpeas from Veggie Num Num (oops, didn’t mean to steal your title, Num Num!)

As I’ve said before, I only like vegan baked goods that are indistinguishable from their non-vegan counterparts. I’m not willing to “settle.”  So when it came time to create a pumpkin bread for the holidays, it took a lot of experimentation until my picky nature was satisfied. I tried varying amounts of oil, and found that less was actually more here – there are just three tablespoons in the entire loaf.  The fresh cranberries took it out of the realm of regular pumpkin bread – I love the hit of tartness you get in every sweet bite. And when I added a little orange juice, the whole thing just seemed to perk up. I really think this is as moist and delicious as any traditional recipe made with butter and eggs. I dropped off a piece to my friend/taste tester Tracy, who’s  never afraid to give me an honest opinion. She gave it an A+++, and  I think she was sorry I didn’t leave the whole loaf with her. But alas, my husband and I had already made a serious dent in it!

Speaking of giving this bread away, it makes a nice gift for your friends or co-workers. It comes off like a decadent treat, but it’s lowfat and vegan – and super simple to make. What more do you want in a holiday gift?

Pumpkin cranberry bread

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup cranberries, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix pumpkin and sugars in a medium bowl. Vigorously whisk together the flax and orange juice, and add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in the vanilla and oil.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices, then mix into the wet ingredients. Fold in the walnuts and cranberries.

Pour into loaf ban and bake for 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

When I attend holiday parties, often the only thing I can eat is hummus or fruit – and that’s if I’m lucky.  The holidays are a time when people let loose with the butter, cream and cheese. So what’s a girl with cholesterol issues to do? Host my own party, of course!  This year I’ve devised some delicious healthful finger food and sweets that will satisfy even the hardcore cheese lovers in your crowd. So keep checking back over the next two weeks.

Today I bring you these awesome vegan stuffed mushrooms. I made them up on a whim, and had an instant hit on my  hands. When you take a bite, the crunch of the topping gives way to the meatiness of the mushroom and its savory stuffing….wow.  I guarantee these will be a hit at your party, too. You might want to double the recipe – these get gobbled up fast.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Pecans

3/4 cup freshly made bread crumbs from whole wheat bread (just throw a piece of bread in the food processor)
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 to 4 ounces extra firm tofu (1/4 of one package)
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces baby bella mushrooms (about 16)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the bread crumbs and pecans in a large bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onions and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the oregano, tofu, yeast, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and  mash with a fork. Cook for 3 minutes, then add to the bowl with the bread crumbs.  

Pull the stems from the mushrooms, which should leave a small cavity for filling. Press a spoonful of filling into the mushroom, mounding it a bit on top. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are browned. Serve immediately.

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

It’s disheartening to read most of the vegetarian chili recipes out there. Many of them are bean and vegetable stews with little depth of flavor.  I wanted to create a vegetarian chili that is deeply flavored with real chiles, and spicy enough to make smoke come out of your ears.  I think I’ve finally cracked the code with the recipe below. It includes six types of peppers, including smoky chipotles, along with pan-charred onions and serranos, beer and a hint of chocolate – resulting in a chili that is intense, complex and spicy.

Of course, you have to be dedicated to make this, as it involves making beans from scratch, and obtaining ingredients like dried ancho and guajillo chiles. But trust me, it’s worth it – and I’ve provided some links for mail-order sources for peppers, for those of you who can’t easily find them locally. Do make sure your ground cumin is fresh – this won’t be as good if your jar of cumin has been sitting in the cabinet for a year or more. Grinding your own from cumin seeds is best of all.

Photo prop fun: the purple pot holder is courtesy of Claire Elton, who recently gave me a pile of cool vintage stuff she had stashed away and forgotten about, until I mentioned my quest for props. Thanks again, Claire!

Smoky and Spicy Vegetarian Chili

1 ¼ cups dried pinto beans
1 large or 2 small dried ancho chiles
1 dried guajillo chile (or substitute pasilla or more ancho)
12 oz. bottle of beer, divided
1 very large white (or yellow) onion, thickly sliced
4 fresh Serrano peppers (or substitute jalapenos)
2 tablespoons canola or high-oleic safflower oil
4 cloves garlic
1 large stalk celery, diced
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, preferably Mexican
1 package chicken-style seitan, well chopped (or substitute regular seitan)
1 4-ounce can chopped fire-roasted green chiles, preferably Hatch
1 chipotle pepper (from canned chipotles in adobo), minced
2 ½ cups crushed tomatoes (about ¾ of a 28-oz can)
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups reserved bean cooking liquid
½ ounce bittersweet chocolate
Fat-free sour cream (or vegan sour cream) and chopped red onions, for garnish

Soak the beans, or use the quick-soak method. Drain, cover well with fresh cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.  Drain, reserving cooking liquid.

Heat a cast-iron pan until very hot. Add the dried chiles and press down with a spatula and cook until the peppers begin to soften and are beginning to blacken, about 1 minute. Remove from pan, cut off the stems and shake out the seeds. Tear the chiles into pieces and place in a blender along with 1 cup of the beer, and puree until smooth.

Re-heat the cast-iron pan over high heat and add the onion slices and Serrano peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning the onions once, until they are well charred and soft.  Remove the onions and chop. Cut the stems off the serranos and chop. (For a milder dish, slice the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds before chopping.)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot or dutch oven. Add the garlic, celery and bell peppers and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the prepared onions and serranos, cumin, black pepper and oregano and cook for 2 minutes. Add the seitan, fire-roasted green chiles, chipotle and chile puree and cook 2 minutes more. Add the remaining beer, tomatoes, bean cooking liquid and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cooked beans and cook 10 minutes more. Stir in chocolate and serve, topping with fat-free sour cream and chopped onions if you’d like.

Serves 6-8

Here are a couple of other vegetarian chili recipes that break the usual mold:

Vegetarian Chili from Herbivoracious

Pierce Street Vegetarian Chili from 101 Cookbooks

And if you’re a meat eater, here’s an astounding chicken cashew chili (I tried this – wow!)