Winter Roasted Vegetables with Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing

This post is sponsored by Olive Oils from Spain.

While I can't say I've had too many (or any at all) real cravings during my pregnancy, I will say fall and wintery foods have really been speaking to me. They're so comforting and satiating right now, and easy to prepare in many simple ways as I'll be showing you today.

I've used olive oil as one of the sole oils in my kitchen for years now. And while I've heard and read about the numerous health benefits of regular consumption of this oil, I had never done much research into the many geographic locations it's produced in and distributed from. I had no idea Spain is the largest producer of olive oil and organic extra virgin olive oil in the world. This is largely due to the climate being particularly ideal for olive growing in this country. Spain also invests the most R+D when it comes to their olive oils, in comparison to all other olive oil producing countries combined. 

In today’s recipe, the combination of creamy, nutty delicata squash with crisped fingerling potatoes and brussels sprouts work so well together. The pine nuts also add just the right amount of richness and crunch. I created a simple and light dressing to drizzle overtop with grated garlic, olive oil and lemon. The dressing adds a little pop and helps meld all of the ingredients together, especially with the herb flavors infused into the vegetables during the roasting process. I could seriously eat this for days on end.

I utilized the olive oil for the roasting but also in the 3-ingredient dressing you'll drizzle on top at the end. It's the cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil that feeds our bodies with the highest dose of health benefits (from the polyphenol content). Regular olive oil consumption has been heavily studied and linked to health benefits like, cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, digestive, cognitive, and many others. The key to getting the most out of your olive oil, is making sure it is of the highest and purest quality. So, it is important to do a little research before grabbing any bottle off the store shelf.

Disclaimer: Please consult your health care provider when making any dietary changes.

To check out the recipe details, head on over to the Olive Oils from Spain blog. 

Hope you enjoy this cozy, comforting recipe as much as we did! And Happy Thanksgiving week!

The full recipe can be found HERE!

Ashley

Today's post is sponsored by Olive Oils from Spain, and I received compensation for writing this piece. Opinions are always my own. If I didn't love it, you wouldn't hear about it. Thanks for your continued support! 

Cinnamon Apple Buckwheat Waffles + $200 Rejuvenation Giveaway

It's waffle time. You ready?

Silly question. You're obviously ready.

Today we're talking about the cinnamon apple buckwheat waffles you see below and one of my new favorite stores, Rejuvenation. (Read to the end for giveaway details!)

This post + giveaway are sponsored by Rejuvenation. All opinions are always my own. I only partner with brands I love and think are a fabulous fit for this blog. Thanks for your continued support!!

It's been awhile since I've made a recipe featuring one of my all-time favorite ingredients, buckwheat flour. Despite "wheat" being in the name, this is actually a gluten-free grain. Way back in the day I was slightly obsessed with making buckwheat bakes for breakfast. If you're a long time EP reader, I'm sure you remember.

I love buckwheat flour for its hearty texture and slight earthy flavor. When using raw buckwheat groats (photographed above) the earthiness is subtle and it pairs tremendously well with the cinnamon in these waffles. I find buckwheat flour to really help with the texture of gluten-free baked goods in things like muffins, waffles, quick breads, etc. 

A few months ago I connected with Rejuvenation through my good friend Melissa. She raved about working with them and also about the quality of products they sell. So when I had the opportunity to work with them myself, I jumped at it. 

Rejuvenation's focus is in home lighting. And they have what seems like an endless amount of options. For instance, you can pick a light you like and then sort through 80 different shade options for that light and pick different finishes, and so on. It's pretty amazing. 

But beyond their lighting, they also have a fun assortment of kitchen items, interior furniture, outdoor furniture, cabinet hardware, and so much more. I definitely got stuck searching their site for hours. When I got to looking at their kitchen items I found so many things I had been on the search for for quite some time. You can see all of those items in this post!

So what did I think of my Rejuvenation home + kitchen goods? Honestly, I have been loving them all. They've been in my kitchen for a few months now, so I was really able to test everything out. And you know, if I didn't love it, I wouldn't be reviewing it.

Both glass cake plates make such a statement. They're super sturdy with a lovely vintage flair and will make any stack of waffles look fancy, and I love the vintage flair.  I've been looking for a set of quality white nesting bowls for awhile now and am so happy with this trio from Rejuvenation. They're a creamy white milk glass and are the perfect size for all of my baking needs. I'm also loving the casual look of these enamelware, black-rimmed plates. The bright white color really makes food POP! And the adorable serving trays? They're perfect for catching waffle crumbs and maple syrup spills when serving up breakfast to a crowd. And finally, a spoon rest that's sleek + white and easy to clean!

Okay, one more thing. Did you notice the adorable wooden box accent light? I'm sure you did. I am in love. Each light is hand crafted in Portland, OR by A-Lamp Design. You can pick from a few different colors and it comes with a sweet, LED Edison-style bulb you can see in the photo above. The wood box is super sturdy and I love the heavyweight cord that's attached. The craftsmanship and style are top notch. 

I had more fun than you want to know playing with my new props and creating this recipe to help show them off.

Now let's do that waffle thang.

Print Recipe!

Cinnamon Apple Buckwheat Waffles

gluten-free, dairy free // yields 2, 6" Belgian-style waffles

• 3/4 cup raw buckwheat flour (ground from raw buckwheat groats)
• 1/2 cup almond flour 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted
• scant 3/4 cup peeled and grated crisp apple (use the large side of your grater)

Preheat your waffle iron and grease according to manufacturer's instructions. (I like to set mine a slightly over medium heat.)

In a large bowl combine the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Stir well.

In a medium bowl whisk the egg. Then whisk in the milk, applesauce, and syrup. Whisk in the melted oil then pour immediately into the dry bowl. Whisk until just combined (when you no longer see dry flour). Fold in the grated apple and let the mixture sit for 2-4 minutes. (It will thicken a bit as it sits.)

Pour half of the mixture (or more/less depending on your waffle iron) into your waffle iron and cook until deep golden brown in color. 

Serve immediately for the best crispy texture and cook the remaining waffle. Top as desired.

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Notes:

You can sub in 2%, whole milk, or soy milk instead of almond milk if desired.

Buckwheat flour can be easily ground in a blender right at home. Look for raw buckwheat groats (pale green/yellow in color) in the bulk aisle at your store or packaged by Bob's Red Mill. Grind about 1 cup of groats at a time until flour-like in texture. Sift if needed to remove any un-ground pieces. Store excess in a sealed container in the fridge to preserve freshness. Most packaged buckwheat flour has a much earthier flavor, due to the husk being ground into the flour along with the groats. However, store-bought buckwheat flour will work! Avoid using "kasha" buckwheat groats (red/brown in color) as these are toasted buckwheat groats and they have a much stronger, overpowering flavor. 

And now for the best part!! Rejuvenation is giving one lucky reader the chance to win $200 to their store to buy anything you want! And be sure to read the entry options carefully, as the email list signup will get you FIVE entries and a 10% discount code to their store that will be emailed once the giveaway ends.

Enter below to win!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ashley

This post + giveaway are sponsored by Rejuvenation. Thanks for your support!