Gluten-free Thanksgiving Recipes: Starters

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert



Butternut Squash, Apple & Bacon Soup
serves 8-10 side dish portions



Ingredients
1 lb quality bacon
2 tblsp organic butter or coconut oil
4 c chopped onions (sweet onions are great!)
2 tsp curry powder (if you like the heat, increase to 2 tblsp!)
5 lbs butternut squash, chopped (Costco has packages of chopped butternut squash!)
1.5 lbs McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1.5 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups organic chicken broth (or water works fine as well)
1 cup quality apple cider
1 cup organic chicken broth (vegetable works great as well)

Cook your bacon and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, crumbled into desired pieces.
(The best way to cook your bacon without the mess:
Lay out slices of bacon on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
Place cookie sheet in cold oven and close door.
Turn oven on to 400 degrees.
Bake until thoroughly cooked 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon.)

Heat butter or coconut oil in large stockpot over low heat until melted and heated (**read below for instructions on utilizing your crockpot for this recipe - it's easy!).  Add onions and curry and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.  Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of pot.

If you choose not to go the convenient route by purchasing your squash already peeled and diced; you should do that now.

Add squash, apples, salt, pepper and 2 cups of broth (or water) to pot.  Bring to a rapid boil, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 30-40 minutes (or until squash and apples are very soft).  Process with an immersion blender right in your pot, or transfer to a blender or food processor and blend.

Pour soup back into pot and add apple cider and broth  (or, if you prefer a sweeter soup, use 2 cups of cider and eliminate broth).  Stir and heat for a few more minutes.  Serve by sprinkling bacon pieces over top of soup.

**For crockpot:
After you have cooked your onions, dump onions and all other ingredients (except cider) into crockpot and set on high for 4-6 hours.  Mix in your apple cider and serve hot.



Sliced Tomatoes with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
serves 4-6



Ingredients
2 cloves garlic
1 c raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c basil, chopped
pinch of sea salt
1/3 c sun dried tomatoes roughly chopped
Tomatoes, sliced thick
1 recipe for No-Cheese Parmesan

Dressing:
2 tblsp raw honey
1/4 c balsamic vinegar

In a running food processor, drop garlic cloves until chopped.  Add pumpkin seeds, olive oil lemon juice and salt and continue to process until you have desired pesto consistency.  Add basil and sun dried tomatoes until blended thoroughly.

To serve, place a tomato slice on plate and top with pumpkin seed pesto.  Sprinkle lightly with honey, balsamic dressing.