Ingredients:
4       cups cubed (1 inch chunks) peeled butternut squash (1 small squash about 1-1/4 lb)
3/4   cup Brownwood Acres Dried Tart Cherries
1/2   cup boiling water
1       small onion, cut into thin wedges
2       Tbsp unsalted butter
2       Tbsp maple syrup
1/4    tsp salt

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the acorn squash in a single layer on a greased or sprayed 15×10-inch jelly roll pan or shallow roasting pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cherries and boiling water; set aside to plump.

Add the onion wedges to pan with the squash. Drizzle butter over the vegetables; toss well. Bake 10 minutes. Drain cherries; add to pan. Drizzle syrup over vegetables; toss well. Continue baking 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and glazed. Sprinkle with salt.

Yield:  8 (1/2 cup) servings

Tip: to cut preparation time, look for 18 ounce packages of peeled, diced butternut squash at some supermarkets

Soups are a great way to utilize vegetables that are about to pass their shelf life.  They can be prepared any time and placed in freezer containers for use at a later date.  Soups make great lunches or as starters/appetizers at your next dinner party.

The following recipe freezes well; just thaw, whisk until smooth, reheat and serve with a salad for a simple lunch or dinner.  This soup is creamy and delicious without the addition of any milk or butter.  The FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplements gives it a sweet, fruity kick.  I used Mixed Berry Liquid, but feel free to experiment with FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate or FruitFast Cherryflex Liquid Fruit Supplements.

Ingredients:
1-2    Tbsp olive oil
1    medium onion
1    Tbsp minced fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1    medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1    large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1    large or 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
6    cups chicken broth
salt and white pepper to taste
10    tsp FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplements
10    Tbsp chopped walnuts

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly until tender; about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and continue stirring for another minute. Add the squash, potatoes and chicken broth.  Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the squash and potatoes are tender.

Using an immersion blender CAREFULLY puree the soup.  Or use a food processor and working in batches (handling very carefully) process until smooth.   Return to the stock pot and stir with a whisk to even out the texture.  Salt and add pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle each bowl with 1 tsp of the FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplements.  Top each bowl of soup with 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts; serve hot.

Yield: 10 (1 cup) servings

Are you looking for something new for a side dish for your evening meal?  Try sweet potatoes, they make a healthy alternative to the white potato.  Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene and vitamin C and low in calories.  The sweet potato is a great source of fiber, too.  They can be simply prepared and are deliciously sweet.

To prepare potatoes in the microwave; wash them well, pierce with a fork and place on a paper towel in the microwave about 1 inch apart.  Microwave time for 1 potato is 4-6 minutes, 2 potatoes—6-8 minutes, 3 potatoes—8-12 minutes and 4 potatoes—12-16 minutes.   To bake in the oven; rub clean, dry sweet potatoes with a little oil (oil will make the cooked potato easier to peel) and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated 400 degree oven until soft, about 30 to 50 minutes.

Top your baked sweet potato a with the fruit glaze below.  The following recipes are not the typical fattening casserole or pie we usually associate with sweet potatoes.  These recipes ramp up the flavor without adding extra calories from large amounts of butter and sugar. The fats are greatly reduced and some of the sugars are replaced with fruit concentrates or dried fruit.

Sweet Potatoes With Cherry Glaze
In this recipe, sweet potatoes are glazed with healthful cherry juice concentrate.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp FruitFast Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate (undiluted) OR
2 Tbsp FruitFast Montmorency CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 green onion, sliced
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the sweet potatoes in the microwave (6 minutes) or in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  While the potatoes are baking, stir together the FruitFast Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate OR FruitFast Montmorency CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement, brown sugar, butter and ginger.

When the sweet potatoes are finished baking, place the potatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and brush with cherry mixture.  Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until soft.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with green onion. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate-Balsamic Drizzle

This recipe was adapted from a recipe from EatingWell Magazine December 2005/January 2006.

Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp butter
2 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or line with foil. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into wedges (about 1/2 inch thick).  Place potatoes in a large bowl, drizzle with oil and toss well. Spread the wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake until tender about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and season with the salt and pepper.

While the potatoes are baking, combine the vinegar and honey in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup.

NOTE:  BE CAREFUL, watch the syrup during the last few minutes as it can go burn very quickly.

Mix in the butter and remove from heat.  Add the FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate and stir to incorporate into the syrup mixture.  Drizzle over the roasted sweet potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings

Sweet Potatoes With Dried Cherry Glaze

Sweet potatoes, not just for Thanksgiving!  Try one of these recipes (adapted from recipes found on the sweetpotato.org website) at your next evening meal.

Ingredients: 
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground ginger
4 medium sweet potatoes
9 inch round cake pan
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  In a medium skillet, heat butter and oil and sauté the onions about 5 minutes or until tender. Add the Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries, brown sugar and ginger, and stir until mixed. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (a food processor works great for slicing the potatoes very thin).  Separate potatoes into thirds.  Spoon 1 Tbsp of the cherry mixture in the center of the prepared pan. Layer (overlapping slices) sweet potato slices along the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/2 of the remaining cherry mixture over the potatoes. Layer (overlapping slices) the second 1/3 of the sweet potato slices. Top with remaining cherry mixture and layer final 1/3 of the sweet potatoes over the top. Spray another sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and tightly cover the potato/cherry mixture.  Bake for 40 minutes; remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes longer or until the potatoes are brown and crisp.  The sweet potatoes should be tender.  Remove the pan from the oven and immediately invert over a plate; remove the bottom foil; serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings

Sweet Potatoes With Dried Cherries and Onions

Ingredients: 
6 medium sweet potatoes
3 medium onions
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Peel onion and cut into chunks.  Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks (about 1-inch).  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter; add the onions and potatoes.  Cook, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes or until the onions are light brown.  Add wine, broth, thyme and Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook an additional 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the liquid is almost absorbed.  Salt and pepper the potatoes to taste; serve while hot.

Yield:  8-10 servings

Sweet Potatoes With Dried Cherries and Pecans

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/3 cup chopped pecans
4 medium sweet potatoes
9 inch round cake pan
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries and pecans; set aside. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (a food processor works great for slicing the potatoes very thin).  Beginning with 1/3 of the cherry/nut mixture, spoon the cherry/nut mixture in the bottom of the cake pan. Top the mixture with overlapping potato slices.  Continue layering (2 more times) the cherry/nut mixture and potatoes; ending with potato slices.  Spray another sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and tightly cover the potatoes.  Bake for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 20 minutes longer or until the potatoes are brown and crisp.  The sweet potatoes should be tender. Remove the cake pan from the oven and immediately invert over a plate; remove the bottom foil; serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings

Helpful Hints:
When baking sweet potatoes, top each potato with lemon juice or lemon slices this helps retain their color and also improves flavor.

Time saver:  On the weekend, bake a large pan of sweet potatoes, then store in freezer or refrigerator for later use.  Potatoes will keep in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Calorie Counters:  Reduce the fat and sugar calories in your favorite sweet potato recipe by using the next lower measure on your measuring cup.  For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar reduce to 3/4 of a cup.  Experiment with your recipe and see how much you can reduce the sugar and fat content.  Try replacing some of the sugar with fruit juice concentrates.

A super simple side dish to any entrée. Purchase packaged grated carrots to cut prep time.

1 /4 cup Brownwood Acres Dried Tart Cherries
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 small package grated carrots or 4 large carrots, grated
1 /4 cup chopped walnuts
1 /8 tsp salt

Soak the dried cherries in hot water for 20 minutes to plump; drain. In a bowl, combine, vinegar, oil, lemon juice and salt, whisk. In a medium bowl, combine raw carrots, walnuts, cherries and vinegar and oil dressing. Toss to coat.

Yield: 4 servings

This is a favorite holiday salad and pairs well with turkey.

1     can whole cranberry sauce
1     3 /4 cups water
2     3 oz packages cherry jello
2     cups red seedless grapes, halved
2     cups celery, finely chopped
1     large can crushed pineapple, undrained
1-2  cups FruitFast Dried Tart Cherries

Boil water and add jello to dissolve.  Add cranberry sauce. Stir to break up. Let cool. Add grapes, celery, pineapple and cherries. Pour into mold and refrigerate. Makes about 2 quarts.

Part two of focusing on healthy sides is this incredible recipe from Better Homes and Garden for Spaghetti Squash, which incorporates dried cherries. A 1 /2 cup serving is approximately 100 calories.
Yield: Approx 10 (1 /2 cup) servings

JEWELED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Ingredients

1 3 to 3-1/2 lb spaghetti squash
1 /2 Cup orange juice
3 /4 Cup FruitFast Dried Tart Cherries
1 Tbsp butter
1 /4 Cup chopped walnuts
1 /4 Cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 /2 tsp salt
1 /8 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Microwave squash by slitting the skin of the squash with a sharp knife. Microwave squash on high for 10-12 minutes. Remove from microwave, cut in half and spoon out seeds. With a fork, scrape stringy squash pulp from shells into a serving bowl.

The cooked squash can be cooled first; otherwise protect your hands with oven mitts.
To bake squash in the oven, preheat oven to 350 degree F. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place squash halves, cut sides down, in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 75 to 80 minutes or until tender. Remove the pulp as directed above.

In saucepan bring orange juice to boiling. Remove from heat. Add cherries; let stand 10 minutes. In skillet cook nuts in hot butter over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally.

Add cherries and juice, toasted walnuts, parsley, salt, and pepper to squash pulp. Toss to coat. Serve warm.

The holiday season is beginning and we all look forward to the days ahead. Each week brings new invitations for a party or dinner; special times spent with family and friends. We start eating at Thanksgiving and before you know, it is January. We look at ourselves a little plumper and wonder how it happened. It seemed to occur overnight. When you stop and think about it, for over 30 days we are being offered goodies that, with our usual iron-will, normally would be avoided. No wonder the number one New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight.

Our first tip for a healthy start to Thanksgiving this year is focus on healthy sides. As the turkey is roasting, the smells fill the air and we either begin snacking or many of us eat very little, anticipating the hour when we can begin the feast. Saving room for that “special dinner” often causes us to overeat. Everything is so good and we return for second or even third helpings.

This year start your feast with this recipe I found on the Fine Cooking web page. The flavor of this Buttercup Squash and Leek Soup is fantastic—go light on the herb butter and avoid bread or crackers. This soup will not weigh too heavy and will keep you from overeating when dinner finally arrives. The herb butter can be made two weeks ahead of time and the soup can be made three days ahead. Keep refrigerated or frozen. Yield—12 cups

BUTTERCUP SQUASH & LEEK SOUP WITH HERB BUTTER

Ingredients:

HERB BUTTER:

1 shallot, finely chopped (about 2 Tbs)
1 /2 cup dry sherry
1 /2 lb (16 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I revised this to
1 /4 lb – 8 Tbsp – unsalted butter, at room temperature)*
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 /2 tsp kosher salt
1 /4 tsp white pepper (more can be added to taste)

*The remaining butter in the original recipe was used to baste the turkey. I cut the recipe in half went light on the butter in the soup and still had butter left over.

Directions:
Heat a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and heat to release their aroma and lightly toast them, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the sherry. Set the pan back on the heat and reduce the liquid to 2 Tbsp, about 8 minutes. Let cool. In a small mixing bowl, blend the butter, chives, sherry-shallot mixture, salt, and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and spread the butter 1 /4 inch thick to cover about 8×6 inches. Cover and chill. With a small cookie cutter or a knife, cut out 12 small shapes. Wrap in plastic and freeze.

Ingredients:

SOUP:

4 cups chopped, well-washed leeks, white part only (about 3 large)
8 cups peeled, seeded, and diced (1-inch cubes) buttercup squash (about 3 medium)
1 /2 cup dry white wine
6 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
2-1 /2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp to 1 Tbsp white pepper (start with the lesser amount as peppers vary in intensity)
(I left out the salt and pepper, allowing individual seasoning per taste)

Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Directions:
Put the leeks in a heavy-based nonaluminum, 8-qt. stockpot. Put the squash over the leeks; add the wine and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until the squash is fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper; purée in a blender (or food processor). Cover and freeze (or refrigerate up to 3 days).

On the day of serving:

Defrost the butter shapes. Reheat the soup over low to medium heat, stirring frequently (or in a microwave). To serve, ladle the hot soup into shallow bowls and garnish with herb butter and fresh chives.

From Fine Cooking 29, pp. 34
October 1, 1998
photo: Ben Fink

Ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 -1 /4 pounds fresh green beans, stems removed and snapped in 2-3 inch pieces (about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 /4 cup diced Vidalia onion
1 /2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
3 Tbsp Fruitfast Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Supplement or 1/3 cup Fruitfast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate.
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces sliced goat cheese (optional)

Directions:

Place green beans in a double boiler and steam for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
In a 10” non-stick skillet or wok, heat olive oil. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minute
minutes or until onion is softened. Add green beans and lemon peel and continue to sauté for 5-6 minutes; add almonds and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add Fruit Fast Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Supplement
Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate. Stir until well mixed. Season with salt
and pepper to taste.
Turn onto serving platter and arrange goat cheese slices over top (optional).

Yield: Six servings

Here’s a berry variation that is so delicious, it tastes like a dessert.

3 acorn squash
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith – diced
10 Tbsp FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid
6 tbsp brown sugar
6 tsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Poke each squash with a knife or fork two – three times. Place squash in microwave oven and cook on high for 8-10 minutes. Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise and remove fibers and seeds.

Fill each half of the squash with the diced apple then sprinkle each half with 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Dot the squash halves with 1 tsp. butter on top of the diced apple mixture. Place in an ungreased casserole dish; add 1/2 cup water around the squash and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the apples begin to soften.

In a medium bowl, mix together the blueberries and FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid.

Remove the squash from the oven and spoon the blueberry mixture over the apple mixture.

Yield: 6 servings

1 Tbsp butter or margarine

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced carrots

½ cup dried tart cherries

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 clove garlic, diced

1 tsp dried oregano

½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

3 cups cooked rice

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Stir in cherries, nuts, oregano and basil. Stir until heated. Add mixture to cooked rice.

Yield 8 servings.