Moroccan Butternut Squash & Chickpea Stew

In the spirit of full disclosure, I need to start by saying that this has quickly become my go-to comfort dish. It's just so perfect for a quick midweek meal or on the weekend when you want something hearty without spending the whole day in the kitchen. As much as I love cooking, I love quick meals! I found this recipe on my Forks Over Knives Recipes mobile app. I followed the recipe step by step the first time I made it and have tweaked it a little each time since. I feel like I've finally found the perfect version! I'll share with you how I like it best- but remember you can always make your own tweaks. One more thing- the recipe recommended cooked brown rice as to accompany this stew (basmati rice is great too.) Ingredients: 2 Tbsp- extra virgin olive oil

1 - medium yellow onion (chopped) 4 - cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1 - can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 - small butternut squash (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces) 2 - 15 oz cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) 4 - cups veggie stock 2 tsp - curry powder 1 tsp - ground cumin 1 tsp- ground paprika 1/2 tsp- ground ginger 1 - pinch cayenne pepper 1 - cup fresh baby spinach

Salt to taste

Fresh cracked pepper to taste

-Optional- 1/4 cup parsley (coarsely chopped) Lime wedges Directions: 1. Heat pan, add oil, sautee onions until golden and add garlic.

2. Add butternut squash, fire-roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, dry spices, and mix well.

3. Cook at medium heat for about 35 minutes or until butternut squash and chickpeas are tender.

4. Add spinach and mix well.

5. Serve with rice, garnish with parsley, and lime. 6. Enjoy!

Good lookin' whatcha got cookin'?

Autumn is my favorite time of the year for it’s colors, scents and tastes. The weather is starting to cool down and the kitchen is calling me. This is a wonderful time to shop local and in season produce, shop from bulk bins, and canned goods.

Let’s review the benefits of buying from local farms and vendors. Locally grown foods (within 100 mile radius) are healthier because they often retain more nutrients since they are allowed to ripen naturally, are picked in season, and get to you sooner since they aren’t traveling from other countries or far away states which means a reduced carbon footprint and support of local small businesses.

For foods that are not available at from your CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) you can often find in your local grocery store bulk bins. The benefit of bulk bins is that you can buy as much or little as is needed for your recipe or grocery week and if you take your own reusable bags or containers you greatly reduce waste.

Another handy option are canned goods, these are often just as nutrient dense as fresh because goods are often canned at their peak, locking in nutrients. Added eco benefit for this is that metal cans are infinitely recyclable. This includes aluminum, tin, steel, and most food cans.

So, to celebrate the season I will post delicious, quick and easy recipes incorporating fresh, local, in season, and canned foods. Feel free to add your own twist and let me know how it worked out for you. Bon Appetit!

“Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own.” - Bruce Lee

"A Little Treasure Project of Green Hope"

About a year ago I moved back to my hometown, the dry beautiful El Paso desert. Before that, I lived in places surrounded by water like San Diego, Seattle, and San Antonio for over 20 years. At first, I enjoyed the dry heat, but soon found myself wanting to be surrounded by water. I think it’s the Pisces in me.

Ascarate Lake became a good choice for daily walks/jogs for a while. Soon, I wanted to find out about other similar lakes in El Paso area. So on a summer night when I couldn’t sleep, a quick google search led me to an interesting short video where a young man explained that El Paso has a little hidden lake in the West side referred to as Portland Cement Reservoir. Apparently, some people actually fish there!

So, the next day, I took a drive to the location. This lake is by a construction site, accessible only by a dirt road, but you can find it with GPS. It is surrounded by trash, but also by sweet smelling vegetation. I actually saw fish jumping out of the water while I admired this little emerald gem of freshness in the middle of the desert.

Besides the short online video, a couple of comments about it on Facebook and a blog, I was amazed that there wasn’t much to find out about this body of water. I was intrigued. Where did it come from? What's the water quality? Why does it appear to have a little thriving ecosystem? Who owns it? Without any visible signs, was I unknowingly trespassing? Why don’t many local people know about it?

It dawned on me that researching and preserving this little lake could be an opportunity to make El Paso GREEN! So on this morning, after a sleepless night, my little trip in search of water became my HOPE and inspiration to beautify our city. As I stood by the lake, I began to imagine it surrounded by a walking trail, mature trees, park benches, succulent plants and the sounds of birds… a nice little treasure of water to feed our souls and cool us down when the desert heat is a little too much. Now, wouldn’t this be a great park PROJECT for our city to enjoy? How can you help us make it happen? I welcome any comments or information