Holiday

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

3 cups butternut squash, cubed

1 small shallot

3 cups veggie broth (can add more depending on desired consistency)

¼ cup full-fat canned coconut milk

¼ cup purple onion (or yellow if you want more subdued onion flavor)

2 large Jonagold apples, chopped

3 cloves garlic

⅛ tsp ginger

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp dried Rosemary (add an extra tsp, if desired)

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds for topping (roasted is best)

2 cups rotisserie chicken (I mix dark and white meat), optional

Directions

Set the Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ setting : Sauté onion, shallot, garlic, and oil for 5 minutes.

Add in chopped apples, butternut squash, rosemary, salt, and ginger. Sauté for 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Turn Instant Pot to SOUP/BROTH setting — set to sealing and change time to 15 minutes. While this is happening, you can go ahead and roast the pumpkin seeds if you choose to (see instructions below).

Once the soup is done add to a blender or food processor and pulse until desired consistency is achieved. I like about half of mine pureed, half with more texture.

Optional step : while these are cooking, mix 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds with 1/2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Roast on 350 for 4-5 min (until slightly golden). This finishing touch makes all the difference!

Gingerbread Bars

Ingredients

Bars :

1 ½ cups almond flour

¼ cup coconut flour

¾ tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

⅛ tsp all spice

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp fine sea salt

1 stick grass-fed butter

½ cup date sugar (or coconut)

2 eggs

2 tbsp black-strap molasses

Icing/Crumble Top :

2 tbsp coconut butter

2 tsp maple syrup

½ Ginger Cardamom Honey Mama’s Bar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 glass baking dish with parchment paper.

Gently melt the butter and combine with date sugar, eggs, and molasses until combined. Add in all the dry ingredients and mix until well-incorporated. Pour into the baking dish, pressing it into all sides. Heat on the center rack of the oven for 22 minutes. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes and while it is cooling, melt the coconut butter and combine it with the maple syrup until it ha a slightly runny consistency (do not overheat it!) Chop up 1/2 of the Honey Mama’s Bar. Pour the coconut butter/maple syrup mix over the top of the bars and then sprinkle the chocolate crumble evenly across the bars.