Butternut Squash & Pear Soup

Many Hands House makes this every year at Yule alongside Garbanzo loaf. Take your time cooking this, it's sooooo worth it.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (peeled, de-seeded, diced)
1 large sweet potato (peeled, diced)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 cups water
2 medium onions
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter *
3 red bartlett pears (peeled, de-seeded, diced)
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream *

Directions:
Heat vegetable broth, water, and cinnamon stick to boil.Add squash and sweet potatoes and cook until soft.
Heat butter in a separate pot, caramelize onions and add pears. Heat for 10 minutes, then add wine. Cover and cook 10 more minutes until pears are soft.
Mix pear/onions into squash/sweet potatoes. Remove cinnamon stick. Blend until pureed. (A submersible blender is great for this, but a blender will do.)

Add cream, salt and pepper to taste.

*Veganize it: Use Earth Balance spread for the butter and soy or almond milk for the cream.

Garbanzo Bean Loaf

    16 years ago, Chris and I were trying to decide what to make for Yule supper. We went through our many cookbooks, and settled on Recipe for a Small Planet's Garbanzo Bean Loaf. As I have said before, when choosing your traditions, choose carefully. Although we only make this once a year, we make it every year.
  The recipe in the cookbook is vegetarian, here I veganize it.

Ingredients:

    1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans (cook and drain) or use 1 1/2 cups canned
    1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
    1 cup pineapple juice
    1 cup chopped onion
    1 1/2 cup chopped celery
    3 tablespoons oil
    1/4 cup fresh parsley
    egg substitute equivalent to one egg
    1 tablespoon miso (any-white/red/your choice)
    1 teaspoon salt
    dash of hot sauce
    2 pinches cayenne pepper
    1 cup vegan cheese (Swiss maybe or hot pepper)

Directions:

1. Combine bread crumbs with pineapple juice, let soak.

2. Mash the beans but leave a few whole!

3. Saute onions and celery in the oil.

4. Dissolve miso in a  very small amount of hot water, to make a thick slurry.

5. Combine rest of ingredients in order.

6. Turn into loaf pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes until browned and firm.

I always quadruple this recipe for a large holiday meal so that we will have leftovers! I serve it on a bed of spinach leaves with Louisiana hot sauce along side of squash/pear soup. I hope this becomes a favorite in your home!

Serves: 3 to 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes