Eye On The Bay: Food For Bay Area Families 2012

Join the Eye on the Bay team as we highlight ways to help Bay Area residents in need this holiday season. From new ways to donate to tasty affordable healthy meals you can cook at home.

Video Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

What's Featured on this Episode:

Click here to take part in CBS San Francisco's Food For Bay Area Families program - select from a number of bay area food banks to donate.

For more information about the Second Harvest Food Bank visit www.shfb.org

To find a Whole Foods near you and donate non perishable goods check out www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

This soup is as beautiful as it is delicious. The caramelized pumpkin and ripe pears are perfectly match and provide a creamy and slightly sweet finish on the palate.

Ingredients

2 whole sugar pumpkins

1 sprig thyme, stemmed

1 spring sage, minced

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 cups 365 Everyday Value™ low sodium vegetable broth

2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk

1 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Preparation

Cut open the top of each pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and strings (reserve the seeds for later use). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the pumpkin, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubed pumpkin in a large bowl. Sprinkle with thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer the pumpkin to the prepared pan and roast until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Combine the pumpkin, vegetable broth, and pears in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat, ladle into a blender and puree until smooth. Stir in the milk and nutmeg, serve hot.

Tempeh & Wild Rice Stuffed Sugar Pumpkins

Serves 4

These tender stuffed pumpkins make for a fun and tasty dish. As a variation, you can substitute ½-pound of lean ground turkey for the tempeh. Either way, serve with a fresh green salad for a beautiful fall dinner.

Ingredients

½ cup 365 Everyday Value™ wild rice or wild rice blend

1 tsp. chopped garlic

4 small sugar pumpkins (about 1 ½ to 2 pounds each)

1(8 oz.) pkg. tempeh, crumbled

1 orange, juiced (*zest orange first, then juice)

¼ cup dried cranberries

2 T. chopped pecans

1 tsp. orange zest

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Preparation

In a saucepan, combine the rice and garlic, cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut the tops off the pumpkins. Using a spoon, scoop out seeds, discard the strings but save the seed for later use. Place pumpkins upside on the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until just soft.

Carefully turn pumpkins upright in the pan. Place the tempeh, cooked rice and orange juice in a large bowl, toss to combine. Add cranberries, pecans, orange zest, pepper and toss. Spoon the rice mixture equally into each of the pumpkins and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until heated through.

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Nothing beats using up every bit of a pumpkin . . . including the seeds! Your homemade seeds make a nice personalized gift; simply package them up in cello bags with a bow.

Ingredients

2 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground cardamom

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Seeds from 2 sugar pumpkins

Preheat the oven to 300° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the cumin, turmeric, coriander, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon in a bowl, stir to blend. Cut the tops off the pumpkins and use a strong metal spoon scoop out the insides. Separate the stringy pulp from the pumpkins and place the seeds in a bowl, do not wash the seeds. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the seeds and toss to coat. Spread the seeds out in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake the seeds on the top rack of the oven until dried, stirring once, about 1 hour. Cool completely before packaging.

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