Stuffed & Roasted Butternut Apple Crisp + A Round-up of Wholesome Butternut Squash Recipes

Need some inspiration with the humble, hourglass-like squash sitting on your kitchen counter? You've come to the right place!

Not only do I have a delicious maple-sweetened stuffed butternut apple crisp to share with you, but I also gathered up several nourishing butternut squash recipes that will give you the inspiration & courage to cut through it's hard beige-yellow skin.

Once you've cut through that skin... you will find a beautiful, vibrate, orange flesh that shows several noteworthy health perks.

Health Benefits of the Humble Butternut Squash

According to different sources, the tangerine-like color shows a profusion of powerhouse nutrients such as carotenoids, vitamin A (has more than a pumpkin!) and potassium. Plus, a cup of butternut squash gives you nearly half the recommended daily dose of vitamin C!

On top of that, it is said that this humble squash may have anti-inflammatory effects because of its high antioxidant content!

This humble squash is also an excellent choice for blood sugar regulation, preventing birth defects, feeds the heart, nervous system & immune system, contains 5 B-vitamins (B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid and folate) and adequate levels of minerals like iron, zinc, copper, calcium and phosphorus.

How to Buy a Butternut Squash

When browsing through the pile of butternut squash at your farmer's market or grocery store be sure to pick them up because a good fruit should feel heavy for its size and have a matte (rather than glossy) skin.

A shiny skin shows that the squash was picked too early and won't be as sweet & flavorful as a fully grown squash. Trust me on this, I learned this the hard way.

When you bring home that yummy, round, fat thing... store it in a cool, dry place (not in the fridge!) with plenty of ventilation and it should keep for up to 3 months. You can also cut up the squash, wrap it up and it should stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge.

Cooking Tips

Did you know that this bulbous-like squash is technically a fruit? I did not know that, but it makes total sense because of the seeds inside the squash! Hmm, just like the avocado & tomato.

Anyway...

Butternut squash is a pretty versatile fruit and you will see that below in the round-up I've pulled together for ya!

The two easiest way to start off with a butternut is either...

Cut in half, scoop out seeds and place on a cookie sheet to bake in the oven for about an hour, or until you can pierce it with a knife.

OR...

Remove the skin, using a vegetable peeler, and cut the flesh into chunks for steaming or sauteing or strips to make butternut squash fries.

Once butternut is cooked using either method, you can mash it, puree it for soup or baked goods, fold it into a pasta or risotto dish or simply enjoy your butternut squash as is.

That's how my dad likes it... he enjoys butternut squash with a scoop of butter and a little bit of sea salt. As is.

Also, don't be quick to throw away the seeds. You can simply roast them on a cookie sheet alongside the squash and eat them as a snack! They are rich in protein, minerals and health-benefiting vitamins. The seeds are a fantastic source of health promoting amino acid, tryptophan, which is vital for brain health.

Now, are you ready to cut through that fruit and enjoy its many health benefits?

Stuffed & Roasted Butternut Apple Crisp

1 butternut squash
1 large apple, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice (preferably soaked & dehydrated)

1/2 cup chopped dried fruit of your choice

4 Tbsp butter. softened

2 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh in the center along the neck, enough to make a ditch to put the stuffing in. Chop up the flesh that has been cut out.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together apples, butternut squash, cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla.
4. Put the butternut squash in a pan, facing up and divide the apple/butternut mixture between the 2 halves.
5. In a small bowl, mixed together nuts, dried fruit, butter, maple syrup, sea salt and cinnamon.
6. Put the crumble topping over the apple/butternut mixture.
7. Cover the pan with parchment paper or foil and bake for 40 minutes.
8. After 40 minutes... uncover, scoop up any juice and drizzle over the squash and bake, uncovered, for another 20 minutes or until the flesh of the butternut squash is soft.

Enjoy it hot as it is or serve some homemade ice cream alongside it. I'm sure the Horchata Ice Cream would be fantastic with this!

Looking for more butternut squash recipes? See below! 

Round-up of Wholesome Butternut Squash Recipes
Here's what I have found so far among my real food blogging friends, but I plan to update this list in the years to come. Enjoy!

• Butternut Ice Cream from Stacy Makes Cents
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup From Red and Honey
• Apple, Raisin & Butternut Squash Spiced Chutney from Keeper of the Home
• Lacto-fermented Mango, Peanut Butter & Chutney Spiced Smoothie from My Humble Kitchen
• Butternut Apple Bake from Stacy Makes Cents
• Butternut Squash Fries from The Nourishing Gourmet
• Butternut Squash Smoothie from Amazing Grace Farms
• Crock Pot Morrocan Chicken Stew from Stacy Makes Cents
• Butternut Squash Bisque from Smithspiration
• Crock Pot Butternut Applesauce from Stacy Makes Cents
• Spiced Butternut Squash & Chicken from For the Family
• Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce from The Nourishing Gourmet
• Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash from Whole Intentions
• Bacon & Butternut Squash Risotto from Modern Alternative Kitchen

Do you have a favorite recipe with butternut squash? Please share in the comments below!

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Homemade Horchata Ice Cream

Note from Marillyn: During the months of September and October I've had several good blogger friends doing guest posts for me on Just Making Noise. This has been a big blessing and a way to keep things going here while my family and I are re-adjusting to being back home in Honduras.

Today's is the last guest post and Nicole at Gidget Goes Home is doing the honors. I am THRILLED that she is sharing an ice cream dessert with us today! Thank you, Nicole! This gal loves ice cream (and Jesus!) just as much as I do. Can't wait to give this one a try, yum!

I'm thrilled to be here today to share with you one of my favorite new homemade ice cream recipes.

Mare is one of my ice cream gurus so I'm really honored to able to guest post for her. Her eBook, Just Making Ice Cream, is one of my go-to sources for making ice cream and her use of natural ingredients in her delicious recipes always inspires me.

This recipe was inspired by the sweetly spiced Mexican treat that we sometimes indulge in at our favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, horchata.

Horchata (pronounced or-cha-tuh) is a sweet rice milk drink seasoned with cinnamon. I adapted a recipe by David Lebovitz to create this deliciously creamy ice cream that has a wonderful texture as well.

Horchata ice cream is a perfect way to transition from summer to fall-- it's a refreshingly cold dessert that features very fallish flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Italian Arborio rice (I get mine at Trader Joe's)
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice (raw) sugar
• scant 1/2 cup (about 7 Tbs.) raw honey
• pinch of salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

How to make homemade horchata ice cream:

The first step is to bake the rice. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 2-quart baking dish, mix the rice, milk, sugar and salt. Add the vanilla bean (scraped right into mixture) and the cinnamon stick. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Take the rice mixture out of oven an uncover. Finish scraping the vanilla bean and remove it (leave the cinnamon stick in). Stir in the honey and bake uncovered for another half hour, until the rice is tender. Remove the dish from the oven and take out the cinnamon stick. Quickly whisk in the egg yolks all at once. Whisk in the half and half or cream. Purée half of the mixture with an immersion blender in a bowl and then add the rest of the mixture to it and sprinkle with nutmeg. Chill mixture thoroughly, covered, in the fridge.   Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions.   Scoop into a container to freeze, and sprinkle the top with ground cinnamon if you want. Now you are ready to indulge in this creamy dessert and enjoy its unique texture!

Nicole Bennett can be found blogging at her lifestyle blog Gidget Goes Home, which usually reflects the things that make her happy: things like spending time with her Savior in the early morning, reading, sewing, making ice cream, taking pictures, watching baseball and going for walks with her hubby and three little kiddos (the eldest of which is homeschooled). She loves the beach and anything handmade and is affectionately known as a bit of a hippie among family and friends.  

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Pumpkified Mousse {a Sugar-free, Candida-Diet Dessert for Fall}

(photo credit)

Note from Marillyn: During the months of September and October you will be seeing several good blogger friends to do guest posts  for me on Just Making Noise. This is totally a blessing and a way to keep things going here while my family and I are on our furlough.

Today is a guest post from Paula at Whole Intentions and I am very impressed with her pumpkin dessert that she is sharing with us today! Thank you, Paula! This gal knows what she is doing when it comes to sugar-free desserts. She even has an eBook coming out soon specifically focused on sugar-free & candida-friendly dessert recipes using wholesome ingredients!

Nothing says fall like pumpkins. 

Except maybe football. boots. snuggling. and sweaters.

Sure, you can feel it in the air, you can hear it in the crunch beneath your feet (no, it's not Cheerios), but it really hits home when you can taste it!

When you start looking for Thanksgiving recipes, what do you type into Google? Pumpkins. When you want a fall cookie for the cookie exchange, what do you flip through recipe books for? Pumpkin. Waffles in bed? Pumpkin.

Once October hits it's like a switch goes off and you want to eat all the pumpkin you can. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin Cheesecake. Pumpkin Bars. And a big pumpkin caboose. Oh, wait. That's what happens after all the pumpkin goodies. So how can you enjoy all your pumpkin goodness without needing to join a gym come January?

Make it sugar and grain-free, sweetie, and you can enjoy without regrets! Here's one of my favorite fall desserts: 

Pumpkified Cheesecake Mousse

• 2 T. chia seeds
• 1/2 c. + 1 Tbs. xylitol granules, powdered
• 1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 c. + 1 Tbs. almond or coconut milk
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• pinch of celtic sea salt
• stevia to taste
• pecans

Directions

1. Grind chia seeds and xylitol in small coffee grinder or high powered blender until a very fine powder.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground chia seeds and xylitol with all the other ingredients except the stevia and pecans. Blend well. Add stevia to taste - a little at a time.
3. Refrigerate about 1 hour before serving. Garnish with pecans before serving.
4. Store in refrigerator.

Let's look at some of the main ingredients: 
1. Chia seeds - an 'superfood' appetite suppressant known for absorbing liquid and swelling which means they make you feel full faster and stay full longer.
2. Xylitol - a sugar alcohol that contains 40% less calories and 75% less carbs than sugar.
3. Butter - a good-for-you-fat. Don't let all the hype over the last 20 years scare you. Good fats like grass fed butter do not make you fat.
4. Cream Cheese - another good-for-you-fat. You can now find greek yogurt/cream cheese which has live cultures in it.
5. Stevia - a natural herb that has no calories, no carbs, and is nearly 300 times sweeter than sugar. Can life get any sweeter?

Desserts and Candida
Not only does a dessert like this fill you up and taste amazing, it's also fully edible for those on a candida diet.

If you’re not familiar with candida, it’s a yeast-like fungus that can overgrow a person’s digestive system and cause a LOT of health issues. One of the hardest parts of having candida, especially during the holidays, is the need to be on a strict sugar-free diet.

The number one food candida loves is. . .you got it, sugar. Candida hugs it, kisses it, and devours it in one bite. It craves it, dreams about it, and plans exotic vacations with it. 

It’s just a tad bit obsessed. 

And candida could care less if it’s organic sugar, raw, fruit sugar, honey, white sugar, or corn syrup. Any kind of sugar makes it do the happy dance. And just in case you didn’t know - we don’t like the candida happy dance. ~ The Sweeter Side of Candida

My friend Sarah and I created this cookbook because we know how hard it can be to stick to a careful diet whether you need to specifically for candida, or simply to lose weight. You can find more than seventy (70!) delicious candida-diet approved and sugar-free recipes in The Sweeter Side to Candida. But don't take our word for it, get pumpkified ;)

Paula is a homeschooling mom of five. Several family health issues involving Lyme Disease, food allergies, and candida has created a passion to write about whole food, whole living, and whole faith over at, where else but... Whole Intentions  :) She's authored and co-authored candida cookbooks such as Healing Candida with Food and The Sweeter Side of Candida. You can touch base with her on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Delicious Lime Creamsicles (honey-sweetened & dairy-free)

Hello friends! We are back in the states for our two month furlough and it seems that summer doesn't want to lose its grip around here just yet.

During our first week in Iowa we experience temperatures up to the 100s and it was pretty humid. Ugh.

Then, we were in Arizona visiting churches and friends... yes, it was HOT there, but thankfully not humid. We enjoyed the pool every morning with the kids and cooling down with cold or frozen fruits and smoothies.

Now, we are in Southern California and the last few days have been in the lower 90s.

Goodness, summer is sure hanging on! But I've got something to share with you that will cool off the day nicely...

Creamy, rich Lime Creamsicles. Perfect for hot days and so easy to make and... and... and...

so tanglicious!

Plus, they only call for 3 ingredients!

I also love the vivid green color. Totally natural... no food coloring in my kitchen!

Maybe you might've already guessed what the main ingredient is.

Yes. Avocado.

I love avocados.

They are creamy. Rich in good fats. A great snack and there is so much you can make with avocados!

Remember, avocado is a fruit. So, technically it should be used like a fruit to make sweet stuff like Aquacate del Chocolate (diary-free chocolate pudding), Lime Mousse, smoothies and ice cream, but it is great for savory things like Avocado Gazpacho too!



I've made them several times and everyone loves them! Really, they are super easy to make and SO refreshing!

Summer is holding on for a little while longer so it is best to enjoy it with some tanglicious lime creamsicles while you can!!

Lime Creamsicles

(honey-sweetened & diary-free)

1 cup water
1/4 - 1/3 cup honey
3 ripe avocados
4 - 6 Tbsp fresh lime juice
zest of one lime
pinch of sea salt

Add in water, 1/3 cup of honey and avocados into a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.

Add in 1/8 cup of fresh lime juice and sea salt. Puree until just combined.

Taste the mixture and add in more honey and/or lime juice until it is to your liking.

Scoop into popsicle molds or cups with sticks. Freeze until solid (about 5 hours).

Enjoy!

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Coconut Blackberry Lime Ice Cream

I really love coconut lime ice cream... the combination is a great balance of nutty, sweet and tangy. I've always made this sorbet version of coconut lime, but decided to change it up a little bit now that I don't make coconut kefir much anymore.

I also have a ton of blackberries sitting in my freezer, grown from my own bushes. I knew throwing in some would create some beautiful colors and take the tanginess up a notch.

To be honest, I am more of a throw-it-together and pour into the ice cream machine kinda gal. Don't get me wrong, I love making the custards... but there are days where I just rather be spontaneous!

Naturally, I am a very spontaneous person... ask my hubby. It used to drive him crazy, but now he loves it because it is in my moments of spontaneous-ness that I make the best meals and desserts.

Especially ice cream  :)

And because of my spontaneous personality... having the Smart Scoop has been very handy with no need to pre-freeze the container. All I gotta do it push that 'power' button, hit the pre-cool  while mixing together the ingredients and I am good to go!

I am sure you are wondering if I actually used that coconut (in the picture above) to make ice cream. For this one, no... but I have in the past and it is SO worth the extra work!!

In fact, I think I will do that today!! Pound out a couple coconuts and make some pina colada... how does that sound?!

Coconut Blackberry Lime Ice Cream

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup regular milk (or coconut milk)

2-4 Tbsp lime juice (depends on how tangy you want it)

1/2-3/4 cup honey

zest of 1 lime

pinch of sea salt

1 cup chopped blackberries (fresh or frozen)

Mix together everything except the blackberries. Whip it until the honey dissolves completely. Pour into ice cream machine and follow the instructions that come with the machine.

When ice cream is done, you can either throw in the blackberries and give it a few whirls in the machine OR scoop out the ice cream into a container and fold in the blackberries.

Serve right away or let it firm up in the freezer. If you have a Smart Scoop, you know you won't have to firm it up if you set it on 'ice cream' setting. It will scoop right out of the machine! Amazing!

Speaking of the Smart Scoop... have you entered for a chance to win this baby???

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Honey-sweetened Mango Curd (w/ dairy-free option)

Okay, I might as well just say it... why embarrass myself playing 'clueless' or wait until someone says something?

I just realized that I missed a letter on the title in the picture banners... guess which one it is?

Anyway, it is fine... I am not going to fix it. I will just leave it and let you all have a good laugh  :)

Funny how things like that can happen. I could've gotten all upset over it, but nah... it is not worth it.

Perfection is overrated. Seriously.

Here you are seeing my normal, human imperfection and I am proud to display it to the world.

I know, it's only one letter.

But that one letter can have the power to either cause me emotional distress or a good laugh  :) 

I choose the latter.

Anyway, let's talk about the curd... does it look so good?!

Back when I made the orange curd... I knew I had to try making a curd with mango.

I had my chance. I am truly not disappointed. I am not exaggerating. I am honestly in love with this curd!

Creamy, luscious and tangy... this curd is fantastic all by itself.

After making my first of many batches and it cooled down & thicken. I had one bite, then another, another, another and another... I could not stop eating it!

Even though I loved eating it all by its beautiful self... I decided to try it over some of that yummy cake in the picture up there.

It was so good... so so so good!

The cake is unique, at least for me, because it is made with 100% sorghum flour. This is the first time I have ever tried baking with this flour.

Most of you know I like to use mostly coconut flour for my gluten-free baking. Once I even made a gluten-free dessert with almond flour and coconut flour.

This has been a totally new and fun experience for me. Oh, and did I mentioned that the cake's second main ingredient is mango? Do I need to say more?!

If you are interested... head over to the Grain Mill Wagon and print out the recipe or Pin it for later. The Mango Cake is super easy to make and gluten, dairy & sugar free! 

Wait! Before you do that... you should make some this awesome mango curd to slather on the Mango Cake... if you decide to make it (wink).

Honey-sweetened Mango Curd

spread over Mango Cake

1 1/2 cups mango puree (about 1-2 mangoes)
3 large eggs or 6 egg yolks
1/8 cup honey
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup of butter or coconut oil


In a medium saucepan, whisk together mango puree, eggs, honey & lime juice until smooth.

Add in slices/chunks of butter (or coconut oil). Cook over medium heat and whisk until smooth.

Continue to cook & whisk until the mixture thickens and you start to see bubbles popping on the surface.

Remove from heat and pour into a fine sieve set over a bowl. Gently stir the curd through the sieve.

Cover the bowl and store in the fridge for several hours to thicken.  Should keep for about one week in the fridge.

Enjoy it by itself or slather it on Mango Cake or make curd bars!

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Rustic Sourdough Carrot Cake

Hello friends!

I am over at the Grain Mill Wagon sharing my yummy Rustic Sourdough Carrot Cake today. I made this cake for my Daddio's birthday and it was a yummy success!

Also, have you seen my Sourdough Focaccia Bread? You should, it's simply delicious and I love soaking up my sauces with this bread.

Have a wonderful day! Hugs!

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Honey-sweetened Orange Curd Bars (gluten-free & dairy-free)

We are finishing up a great week with a mission team from one of our supporting churches. I am always exhausted when the teams leave, but feel spiritual full from being able to fellowship with other believers & friends!

The last few weeks have been emotionally draining for me. A lot has been happening and God is opening new doors and closing old doors, but...

it's all good.

Basically, we are heading for a new adventure soon. I'm sure you will know soon enough (or you can go to our ministry blog and subscribe to stay updated) Please keep us in your prayers, thanks!

Now, these bars...

I really don't need to say much about these bars. I think the pictures speak for themselves. A thousand words, right?

These guys are so good and totally guilt-free. We even enjoyed it for breakfast one morning!

I didn’t think of this until after I took the pictures, but I think some homemade chocolate syrup would be the “cherry on top” for these delicious curd bars!!

Honey-sweetened Orange Curd Bars

(Gluten-free & Dairy-free)

1 3/4 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup butter (or coconut oil for a diary-free option)

1/4 - 1/3 cup honey

1 - 2 Tbsp orange zest

2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 recipe of orange curd

Make the orange curd (if you haven’t) and let it cool in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease an 8 x 8 square or circle pan. Set aside.

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix together wet ingredients and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.

Evenly spread the batter into the greased pan. Place in the middle of the oven and let it bake 15-20 minutes or until the top and edges are lightly brown. It may puff up a little, but no worries.

When done, test the middle with a toothpick or knife. It should come out clean. Set it aside and allow it to cool completely.

When cooled, spread the orange curd evenly on top and let it firm up in the fridge, if needed. We think it tastes better cold than room-temperature!

Before serving, sprinkle some orange zest and coconut flakes on top.

Also, don't forget the chocolate syrup... I know it will be amazing!

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