Butternut-Apple Soup

We've all heard that old saying that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but eating an apple by itself is just so blah. Apples by themselves just don't do it for me. But recently I came across a recipe for butternut-apple soup and I thought, apples in soup?! Well that's just crazy! But what an interesting twist on a fall classic. I LOVE butternut squash soup (and anything with butternut squash really) but have never tried to make it myself before. So I thought what better way to start than with this extra-special apple version? I couldn't wait to see (or taste, rather) how the apples would affect it, now after having tried it I think that all butternut squash soup should include apples!

Adapted from this recipe, my soup consists of...
- butternut squash
- granny smith apples
- light cream (you could also try a non-dairy cream substitute if you are so inclined)
- water
- curry powder
- chipotle powder
- ginger
- salt
- pepper
- cinnamon
- chives

How to make it:
1. Cut up your butternut squash and apples into small chunks.
2. In a big pot, bring about 2 1/2 cups butternut squash, 1 3/4 cups apple chunks and about 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Then turn heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Put squash and apple mixture into a blender and puree.
4. Add in 1/2 tablespoon of curry, a pinch of chipotle, 1 teaspoon of ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 3/4 cup of cream and blend together.
5. Finish it off with a sprinkle of cinnamon and some chives.

A variation:
Instead of chives, try topping off your soup with a sprinkle of goat cheese!

1 tablespoon of mild sweet curry powder
¼ teaspoon of ground chipotle powder (optional)
2-3 teaspoons pureed organic ginger in a jar (or fresh finely zested with a microplane)
Pinch of ground clove
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1½ cups (350 ML) unsweetened almond and cashew MimicCreme  (see their website for stores or buy online at this link)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives (optional garnish) - See more at: http://afoodcentriclife.com/healthy-butternut-apple-soup/#sthash.H97GHnbJ.dpuf

Fried Honey Bananas

I've never really liked bananas much, except when used in desserts. Maybe that's why this particular banana recipe caught my attention. It is the perfect snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, and a very guilt-free dessert. Only a few healthy ingredients (and a frying pan) and you're good to go!

I usually like to try to put my own little twist on the recipes I find, but for this one I basically just followed it to a tee. The original can be found here. It consists of...
- a banana
- water
- honey
- cinnamon
- olive oil

How to make it:
1. Slice up a banana into fairly thick slices (the first time I made it I made my slices a little thin and found they were harder to flip).
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, coat pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Arrange your banana slices and let each side cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
3. Combine 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 tablespoon of water. Remove frying pan from heat and pour honey mixture over banana slices.
4. Remove banana slices from the frying pan and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Pesto and Arugula-Apple Salad Pizza

This is a bit of a different spin on what we would traditionally think of as pizza but it is equally (if not even more) delicious! Not being a fan of anything tomato, I definitely prefer the pesto to traditional tomato sauce, and covering it in a fresh, healthy salad rather than smothering it with cheese is a sweet and refreshing change. It makes the perfect light meal and can be ready in 15 minutes or less. I wish I had thought of this sooner!

Inspired by this recipe, my own version consists of...
- pita bread (I used whole wheat) or any other form of pizza crust
- pesto sauce
- goat cheese
- baby arugula
- red onion
- pecans
- apple slices
- balsamic vinaigrette dressing

How to make it:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and place your crust on a baking sheet (I used a pita but you could also use naan bread or traditional pizza crust).
2. Cover your crust with pesto sauce leaving however much crust you want. Use as much or as little as you like, trying to distribute it evenly.
3. Sprinkle pizza with a little bit of goat cheese and baby arugula.
4. Slice up your apple and red onion, and add to your pizza with some pecan bits.
5. Finish with another light sprinkling of goat cheese and bake in the oven for about 8 minutes.
6. Remove your pizza from the oven and drizzle with a little balsamic vinaigrette.

Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower

I can't say I've ever really been a big cauliflower fan, or even really eaten it much, but for some reason this recipe caught my attention. Maybe it's because it made me think of my Grandma, whose favourite meal is chicken paprika (a traditional Hungarian dish). Not only is this recipe awesome because of the many health benefits of cauliflower, but it is so low on ingredients and so easy to make (not to mention vegan and gluten-free)! Makes a super healthy and hearty side-dish for any meal. It's also pretty tasty.

Slightly adapted from this recipe, my Paprika popcorn cauliflower consists of...
- a head of cauliflower
- olive oil
- paprika
- seasoning salt
- pepper

How to make it:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and cut your cauliflower into florets.
2. In a bowl, combine cauliflower, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of paprika, and a sprinkling of seasoning salt and some pepper.
3. Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until florets become brown around the edges.

A Variation: For an added kick, try adding chili pepper or a hint of Tabasco!