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August 5, 2013

Miranda Hammer,

MS, RD, CDN

Registered Dietitian, Natural Foods Chef, Recipe Developer, Fitness Enthusiast, and Mom, with a Passion for Healthy Cooking and Balanced Living.

Ginger Curry Butternut Squash Soup With Maple Curry Pumpkin Seeds!
A comforting bowl of soup is what I immediately crave when the seasonal chill starts to set in. Using an immersion blender or high speed blender is the perfect way to achieve creamy soup without dairy. In my continual quest to optimize nutritional value in my food, I added immune boosting ginger and curry powder to this soup base.
Ginger is both anti-inflammatory and immune boosting. It contains phytonutrients which reduce cell damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. Ginger has also been shown to have antimicrobial abilities and may play a positive role in the prevention of microbial growth. It can also be used as a complementary treatment for osteoarthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is also a known aid for nausea and vomiting and can be helpful for morning sickness or an upset stomach.
Curry powder lends a strong flavor footprint to this soup as well. You can blend up your own combination of turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and paprika, or opt for a mix from your favorite spice company. The spices not only add depth of flavor, but are immune boosting and anti-inflammatory, especially turmeric and cinnamon.

To add dimension to this butternut squash soup, swirl in some coconut milk and top with freshly squeezed lime, maple curry pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.
Catch the recipe for ginger curry butternut squash soup in the comments below or on crunchyradish.com

I have a few iterations of energy bites on my site, but none that feature tahini as the shining star. These balls are great for a pick-me-up between meals or when you need a sweet treat. The bites contain fiber, potassium, protein, and healthy fat to keep you satiated and well nourished. Tahini, which is made from sesame seeds, is a vegan source of calcium and iron. Sesame seeds are also a great source of copper, an essential trace mineral and antioxidant which is needed by the body to build connective tissue, produce energy, transport iron, and prevent oxidative damage.

cacao tahini date balls
10-12 dates
1/3 cup unsalted cashews
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup unsalted tahini
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
For rolling: 1/4 cup toasted or raw sesame seeds or/and 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse for 30 to 45 seconds until mixture forms a cohesive batter and nuts are very coarsely chopped.
Set up your rolling station with a plate or half sheet tray and two bowls, one with sesame seeds and one with coconut flakes.
Using your hands, roll the batter into ping-pong sized-balls and roll each ball in sesame seeds or coconut flakes. Place balls on plate and transfer to fridge for a least an hour. Enjoy or store in an airtight container for up to a month. *I would give these to Jack once he is a little older since they contain cacao and maple syrup. Opting for squares instead of balls might make for easier eating.

We are all big bean fans around here especially Jack (at the moment). Beans are a great source of plant-based protein, folate, iron, and fiber and are very economical. Beans also give Jack the opportunity to work on his pincer grasp, fine motor skills, and hand eye coordination. This red bean stew from @nytcooking has been in my recipe box for a long time and I finally had the motivation to make it. I did the quick soak bean method (rinse beans, cover with water, boil for a minute, let sit for an hour, rinse and then cook) since I did not plan in advance. The stew came together quite easily and also had carrots and peppers for Jack (and us) too. I served it over einkorn berries yesterday (gave Jack a loaded spoon of the grains)- will add in rainbow chard and avocado tonight! What is your child’s current favorite food?

Sunday cuddles from my best little guy. Also trying to get a photo where baby and dog are both looking in the same direction is quite the challenge. Please send tips 😂

Another Sunday, another sheet pan meal prep (except these won’t last past tonight 😬). Delicata squash with paprika, olive oil, s + p, and a touch of maple syrup and purple Brussels sprouts with turmeric, cumin, and olive oil cooked at 400 for 25 minutes. Finished the Brussels sprouts with brown rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and a touch of @tabasco. So good! What are you cooking today?

Lots of people are cold noodle fans. It’s delicious, satisfying, and a staple in Asian take-out. What’s not to love about this classic dish is that it’s often made with rice or egg noodles doused in a sauce heavy on the sugar, MSG, and sodium. This version lightens things up with noodles made from nutrient-rich sweet potatoes and cabbage and tossed in a sauce of peanut butter, tamari, ginger, garlic, and lots of fresh lime juice. It is lightly sweetened with a touch of maple syrup, which can easily be omitted, if you wish. Crunchy peanuts, scallions, and a scattering of gomasio finish this dish with a nice contrast of textures and flavors.

sweet potato and cabbage peanut noodles
Serves 4

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, ends removed and peeled
1 small or ½ of a medium sized purple cabbage
2 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari
2 tablespoons organic crunchy peanut butter or almond butter
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice + additional lime wedges for serving
2 tablespoons ginger, minced (divided)
3 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
2 tablespoons sesame oil (divided)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon or more hot sauce (depends on how hot you like it!)
2 tablespoons avocado, coconut, or olive oil (divided)
4 pasture-raised eggs
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup roasted lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
1 tablespoon gomaiso

Using a spiralizer, spiralize the sweet potatoes and the cabbage. Set aside.
To make the sauce, whisk together the tamari, nut butter, lime juice, half of the ginger and garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, maple syrup, and at least 1 teaspoon of hot sauce. Taste and adjust, if needed.
Crack the eggs in a bowl and beat. In a large skillet or dutch oven, warm 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil and ½ tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the eggs, scramble, break into large pieces with a wooden spoon, and transfer to a bowl for later use. Wipe pan clean.
In the same pan used to cook the eggs, warm 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil and ½ tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potato and cabbage noodles and cook for 10 minutes or unt

Broke out the old faithful rice cooker for easy oats this am. Love that I can dump all the ingredients into the cooker, take a walk with the fam, and come back to a kitchen smelling like apple pie. Jack is not sold on oatmeal yet but he seemed to enjoy the cinnamon apples.
Apple Pie Oats
2 servings
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup water
2 tbsps raisins
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 large apple, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
Suggested toppings: chia seeds, walnuts, cinnamon, almond milk, additional chopped apples, yogurt, peanut butter.
In a rice cooker combine all the ingredients. Set on porridge setting. Top with additional almond milk, chia seeds, and walnuts and enjoy.
For stovetop: combine all the ingredients in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently until thick and soft. Serve in bowls and top with preferred garnishes.

Just a couple of city kids out enjoying the neighborhood.

The September issue of @bonappetitmag features a chopped salad from San Francisco restaurant, Che Fico. The image alone sold me, but so did the layers of flavors from all the ingredients - honey roasted squash, seared brussels sprouts, bitter radicchio, marinated chickpeas, salty olives, and cheese all tossed with a peppy Italian dressing. The multi-step process to recreate this salad was definitely something I was not sold on. I love the idea of this hearty salad as a main, but don’t love the multiple steps required to make it. I set out to build an easier version that did not take two plus hours, still tasted amazing, and shaved some of the butter and the cheese from the original recipe. Catch the recipe on crunchyradish.com or in the comments below.

Made a berry berry coconut baked oatmeal for the family this weekend. I love this recipe and always forget how easy it is to pull together and adapt to what you have in your fridge. It is great cold or warm, healthy enough for breakfast or dessert, and easy to pack up and eat at work or school. Jack is already a fan. See it come together in the “baked oatmeal” highlight.
Berry berry baked oatmeal
Makes 8 portions
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups almond, hemp, or organic whole milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 large pasture-raised egg, beaten (For a vegan alternative, make a flax egg by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flax with three tablespoons water. Let sit for 15 minutes to thicken.)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, butter, or ghee melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries or a mix of all three
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously butter the inside of an 8-inch square baking dish (rectangle is pictured and works well too) with coconut oil, butter, or ghee.
In a bowl, mix together the oats, walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, half of the butter or coconut oil, and vanilla.
Arrange the bananas in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries on top. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently shake the baking dish to make sure that the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries across the top and sprinkle with the coconut flakes.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Drizzle the remaining melted butter or coconut oil on the top and serve or refrigerate.

After a week of a stomach bug it felt great getting back to schedule. Being sick with a baby is literally the worst. Grateful for all the help I had from family and @a_shear. I’m also grateful to eat something other than crackers and ginger ale (even if they were the healthified kind.) Meal prepped lots of veggies for everyone today including Jack. His favorites were the turmeric and cumin roasted cauliflower and coriander roasted broccoli. See it all + recipe for baked oatmeal in my stories.

I made the @chefico chopped salad featured in this months @bonappetitmag. It took a really long time but was delicious. Honey roasted squash, seared brussels sprouts, red pepper and oregano infused olive oil, olives, aged provolone, ricotta salata, romaine and radicchio! Would you be interested in a healthier less time consuming version for crunchy radish? (See all the steps in my stories)

Fresh pickings for a sweet New Year. What are people whipping up for Rosh Hashanah?

I always knew that I wanted to feed Jack real whole foods and stay away from anything processed. We skipped the purée phase and went to offering Jack real whole foods that he could eat with his hands. As a family, we keep things simple and clean and so far that has been our feeding philosophy with Jack. Feeding a baby AND adults is hard enough, so we try and keep it as nourishing and streamlined as possible without sacrificing flavor. Despite trying our hardest, we all have those days where you literally have nothing in your fridge or just don’t have the energy to cook. That’s where @Raised_Real comes in. Plant-based, flash-frozen, organic meals delivered to your door and ready for baby. Steam in under 10 minutes and serve as is, mash, or purée. Meals range from beet, sweet potato, date, cinnamon, and coconut butter to peas, zucchini, hemp seeds, basil, and avocado oil. Want to give it a try? Head to raisedreal.com and enter code Miranda25 for $25 off your first order. #raisedrealpartner

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Miranda Hammer MS RD

Ginger Curry Butternut Squash Soup With Maple Curry Pumpkin Seeds! A comforting bowl of soup is what I immediatel… https://t.co/mQYY7sVA2P
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