When it comes to food, there are two things I care about: Most importantly how it tastes, but also how it smells. A lot of people will tell you we eat with our eyes, but given how close are taste receptors and smell receptors are, it’s no question that there’s a link between taste and smell. Good food must smell good. And this smells terrific.

When I opened up my oven after this had finished cooking, the entire kitchen smelled like Christmas. You know that warm, earthy familiar smell that’s a bit nutty and complex. I got distracted for a moment and forgot that this was food to eat. The taste is just as good; the soft, sweet squash contrasts the crunchy, spicy chickpeas, and the maple syrup forms a glaze over the whole thing bringing it together. I can’t recommend this recipe enough to get a taste of the season. 

Roasted Maple Cinnamon Chickpeas And Squash

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 70 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine all of the ingredients together in a big bowl and mix them until the wet ingredients and spices cover the squash and chickpeas.
3. Lay the squash and chickpeas out on a baking tray and spread them out keeping it as close to one layer as possible.
4. Roast for 70 minutes until the squash is fork-tender and the chickpeas slightly nutty.
5. Serve hot or cold. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Now if only someone would invent smell-o-vision, maybe I could better convince you.

Happy Halloween! I love Halloween; it’s hard not to love a holiday that encourages dressing up and accepting candy from strangers. But since you can’t really make a meal out of candy corn and Reese’s(well, you can, and that would be my idea of heaven, but I won’t) I was cooking a lot through the relaxing weekend including these potatoes I had to use up.

I picked up red potatoes from my farmers’ market. After having them baked plain one night, I remembered I really wasn’t a fan of red potatoes. They don’t seem as starchy as other varieties, and if I’m having a potato I’m looking for that warm, starchy comfort food.

Since I had almost a pound to use up, I knew I’d need to find a way to make them taste irresistible. This method of soaking + roasting with garlic makes the potatoes soft, crispy, and full of flavor. Red potatoes still aren’t my favorite, but this recipe makes me like them a whole lot more.

The Best Red Potatoes

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1lb red potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Diced chives(optional)

Method:

1. Wash the red potatoes thoroughly but keep the skin on.
2. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters depending how big they are into bite-sized wedges.
3. Soak the wedges in hot water for 20-30 minutes
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
5. Drain the potatoes from the water but don’t dry them. Toss with the olive oil, garlic, and salt until evenly covered.
6. Lay the potatoes out on a roasting tray and roast for 45 minutes or until the potatoes have started to brown and wrinkle.
7. Remove from the oven and serve hot. Garnish with chives if desired.

Most of the garlic burns by the time the potatoes are ready. You can pick them out and discard them; by now the garlic flavor has totally soaked in. I’ll admit: It’s a lot of garlic. If you have plans to be in public later or dress up like a vampire, you may want to save this for another time.

Luckily I wasn’t a vampire. Who was I? Ron Swanson.

This may be hard to believe, but that’s not my actual facial hair(I know—absorb the shock). And now I have 10 extra fake mustaches to wear whenever I feel like it. Cool beans. I also like to think Ron Swanson would enjoy these potatoes, even if he wouldn’t care at all how they’re made and insist on eating them with all the bacon and eggs he has.

What were you/will you be for Halloween?

Last week I watched Forks Over Knives one night during dinner(it’s streaming on Netflix). Have you seen it? It’s a documentary that follows the careers of two scientists studying the effects of a plant-based diet on humans and sharing the comparative data from around the world. It’s a lot of information to take in at once, but a very compelling and thought provoking film.

The movie left me with a lot to think about. I already eat vegetarian and mostly dairy-free, both of which the film promotes. But it had me thinking more about the other parts of my diet that I don’t tend to question, specifically protein. I like most people grew up with an emphasis on protein with every meal; even now I almost always make sure my meals revolve around eggs or tempeh. But the film makes the point that, if eating a whole foods diet, a person doesn’t have to worry about a protein deficiency since all whole foods have some amount of protein in them. It’s only since we’ve started eating processed and refined food that protein has become a problem.

While I’m not quite sure what to do with all the information from the film, I think it has a good point about protein and what “needs” to be on our plates at meal time. Since watching I’ve tried eating alternative meals that fit the Engine 2 Diet, like this quinoa bowl. It would make a great side dish to chicken or tofu, but it also makes a hearty and satisfying meal by itself.

I made this using leftover quinoa and pre-cooked butternut squash. Expect for the time to be longer if you’re starting with raw ingredients.

Quinoa With Butternut Squash, Craisins, and Almonds

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 side servings or 2 entrees):

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups cooked and diced butternut squash
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup crushed or sliced almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon honey or agave nectar
• 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar

Method:

1. Combine all of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Serve hot or at room temperature.

I ate mine cold with some kale and avocado and it was a perfectly satisfying meal.

I’ve never understood why there are so many pea blogs out there, and then it hit me: I can’t remember ever trying peas before. I’ve had snap peas, but never peas out of their pod—at least not ever since I’ve been old enough to remember. I used to ice my legs with frozen peas I stole from a common room refrigerator, but that doesn’t count I don’t think. I even went to London where I was promised there would be mushy peas and I never saw any. What a disappointment. So when I went to Trader Joe’s and saw a bag of frozen peas for fairly cheap I thought I’d try them out.

Peas and carrots seem to be the quintessential baby food. I’m not sure why; they’re two vegetables that just about anyone can enjoy. Dressed up with quinoa, they’re perfectly good for adults, too. And these were good. Now I see why all the fuss over peas. I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without trying them! Never again. I find their sweet, earthy pop of flavor addicting. I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this when I made it, and you won’t be able to either.

Peas And Carrots Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, washed and drained
• 1/2 cup cooked peas
• 1 carrots, sliced thinly
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon honey(optional)

Method:

1. Bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil over the stove.
2. Add in the carrots and cook until the quinoa has soaked up all of the water.
3. Add in the peas, salt, and honey. Mix and fluff the quinoa. Move to a serving bowl and serve hot.

More peas, please.