Almond Honey Cake with Raspberry Sauce and Whipped Cream

Rich and decadent, this lovely cake is made with nourishing almond flour and eggs.

• 4 extra large eggs, separated
• 1/2 c. honey
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 c. almond flour
• 1/4 c. slivered almonds

raspberry sauce

• 10 oz. frozen raspberries and their juices, thawed
• 1/4 c. sucanat
• 2 tsp. corn starch
• 3 T. water
• OPTION: 2-4 T. raspberry liqueur
• whipped cream
• 8 oz. whipping cream
• 1 T. sucanat

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9"X9" baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, honey, almond extract, baking soda and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add the almond flour and continue mixing until smooth. Wash and dry the beaters.
4. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they are very foamy, but not stiff enough to form peaks, around 2-3 minutes.
5. Fold the egg whites into the almond flour mixture and stir until just mixed.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 26-28 minutes, until a knife comes out clean and the cake is golden brown. Let cake cool for at least 20 minutes.
7. Turn cake out onto a platter and spread with whipped cream. Drizzle raspberry sauce over the top. Garnish with slivered almonds.

Raspberry Sauce: In a small saucepan, dissolve the corn starch in the water. Add the raspberries, sucanat, and liqueur, if using. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer 1-2 minutes, until clear and thick. Strain to remove seeds, if desired.

Whipped Cream: Pour cream into a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes. Add sucanat while whipping. Cream is whipped when soft peaks form.

Makes 8 servings

Bulk/Grocery

• 4 extra large eggs
• 1/2 c. honey
• almond extract
• baking soda
• almond flour
• sucanat
• corn starch

Dairy/Dairy Alternative

• 8 oz. whipping cream

Freezer

• 1 10 oz. package frozen raspberries

Gluten-free

2011, Jennette Turner

Cornbread Stuffing With Bacon and Leeks

Using cornbread muffins improves the texture of the stuffing because more surface area is toasted.The muffins can be made up to 3 days in advance for convenience.

Cornbread muffins:

• 3 cups corn flour or finely ground corn meal
• 2 cups water or milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 c. melted butter
• 1/4 c. maple syrup

Stuffing:

• 6-8 oz. bacon
• 5-6 c. cubed cornbread muffins
• 6 T. butter
• 1 large (or 2 small) leek(s), sliced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• salt and pepper

To make the cornbread muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine the corn flour and water or milk in a mixing bowl. Mix well, until smooth.
3. Mix in everything else.
4. Bake in well buttered muffin tins for 35-40 minutes until a knife comes out clean.

To make the stuffing:

1. Fry bacon until crispy in a very large skillet. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain off some of the bacon fat, leaving 1/4 c. still in the pan and reserving the rest in a separate container.
2. Melt the butter in with the bacon fat. Add the leeks and celery, and cook, stirring often, until soft - around 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the cornbread cubes and continue to cook, stirring often, until they're lightly browned. Remove skillet from heat.
4. Season with salt and pepper. The stuffing should be moist, but not all stuck together. If it doesn't seem moist enough, or if you just want extra rich stuffing, drizzle it with some of the extra bacon fat.
5. Spoon stuffing into bird, truss, and bake. Or transfer stuffing to a buttered baking dish and bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking another 15 minutes, until stuffing is golden.

Total preparation time for cornbread muffins (including baking time): 1 hour

Total preparation time for stuffing (not including baking/roasting in bird time): 25 minutes

Makes 8-10 servings

Nutrition Tip: Leeks are members of the allium family of vegetables, along with onions and garlic. These vegetables contain antioxidant polyphenols, which help protect our blood vessels and blood cells from oxidative damage.

Shopping List

Produce

• 1 large (or 2 small) leek(s)
• 2 stalks celery

Bulk/Grocery

• 3 cups corn flour
• 3 large eggs
• baking powder
• maple syrup

Dairy

• 2 sticks butter

Meat/Seafood

• 8 oz. bacon

Herbs/Spices

• dried thyme
• black pepper

Gluten-free

2011, Jennette Turner

Crab Salad with Orange and Creme Fraiche Dressing

A delicious and elegant salad with a beautiful palette of greens, white and orange.

• 2 heads endive
• 2 heads green leaf lettuce, chopped
• 1 medium-large fennel bulb, cored, and very thinly sliced
• 2 navel oranges
• 1/2 lb. frozen cooked Maine crab, thawed, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 c. minced parsley
• 1/4 c. pine nuts

dressing:

• 3/4 c. creme fraiche
• 2 tsp. orange zest
• 2/3 c. fresh squeezed orange juice (~1-2 oranges)
• 1 T. honey

1. This salad will look best and the various ingredients distributed most evenly if you assemble it on individual plates instead of one large bowl.
2. Cut the bottoms off the endive, then separate the leaves. Halve large leaves lengthwise. In a large bowl, mix the endive and lettuce together.
3. Distribute the endive and lettuce evenly over 8 plates. Spread the fennel slices on top.
4. Using a sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from oranges. Quarter the oranges and slice crosswise. Spread the oranges over the salads.
5. Press any excess water out of the crab with a paper towel. Spread the crab evenly over the salads.
6. Combine dressing ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well, until very smooth. Add a bit more honey if your oranges are tart.
7. Spoon dressing over the salads.
8. Garnish with parsley and pine nuts.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition Tip: Crab is an excellent source of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids, making it a heart healthy choice.

Shopping List

Produce

• 2 heads green leaf lettuce
• 2 heads endive
• 1 medium-large fennel bulb
• 4 navel oranges
• parsley

Bulk/Grocery

• pine nuts
• honey

Dairy/Dairy Alternative

• creme fraiche

Meat/Seafood

• 1/2 lb. frozen cooked Maine crab

Gluten-free

Preparation time: 25 minutes

2011, Jennette Turner

Savory Quinoa-Stuffed Pumpkin with Spiced Cranberry sauce

Toasted pecans, shallots and thyme give this festive dish a traditional "Thanksgiving" feel; a zippy cranberry sauce with a kick makes it unique.

• 1 medium pie pumpkin (3 - 3 1/2 lbs)
• 1 1/4 c. quinoa, rinsed well
• 2 c. water
• salt
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 3/4 lb. shallots, diced
• 1 firm pear, cubed
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1 c. pecans

cranberry sauce:

• 8 oz. frozen cranberries, thawed
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. sucanat
• salt
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the top off the pumpkin and remove the guts. Place the pumpkin cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the top of the pumpkin on the baking sheet cut-side down, too. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. While the pumpkin is cooking, bring the quinoa to boil in the water with a pinch of salt. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. *Don't stir while cooking.
4. While the quinoa cooks, saute the celery and shallots in 1 T. olive oil until the shallots are translucent and the celery is tender, around 10 minutes.
5. Add the shallots and celery along with the thyme, sage, and cubed pear, to the cooked quinoa. Stir gently.
6. Turn the pumpkin over and fill it with the quinoa pilaf. Place the "lid" on top of the pumpkin and return it to the oven. Continue baking for 30 more minutes.
7. While the filled pumpkin is baking, make the cranberry sauce: Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until it thickens.
8. Toast the pecans: place pecans in an ungreased skillet and heat over medium for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until they begin to brown. Chop coarsely.
9. Cut filled pumpkin into wedges and serve topped with pecans and cranberry sauce.

Makes 8 servings

Tip: Quinoa has a naturally bitter coating on it that protects it from insects. Rinse it well to remove the coating, and your quinoa will taste nutty and sweet.

Shopping List

Produce

• 1 pie pumpkin ~ 3 - 3 1/2 lbs.
• 1 rib celery
• 3/4 lb. shallots
• 1 firm pear

Bulk/grocery

• 1 1/4 c. quinoa
• pecans
• 1/2 c. sucanat

Herbs/Spices

• dried sage
• dried thyme
• cinnamon
• chipotle powder

Freezer

• 8 oz. cranberries

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan

Total preparation time (including baking): 1 hour, 10 minutes.

2011, Jennette Turner