The end of September signals the beginning of the craziest time of year for me. While Mother Nature slows down and goes into hibernation mode for the winter, I go into hyper-drive. In my family, we get about 30 seconds to enjoy the newness of fall before we propel ourselves into 4 birthdays all within the last 2 weeks of the month, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and a partridge in a pear tree. It happens in the blink of an eye, and I feel like once we reach this point, I don't have a spare second to breathe again until the second week of January or so.
Don't call me, I'll call you.
This year, I also have my baby's 1st birthday {gasp!!} thrown into the mix, and though I've promised myself that I will not go overboard {shyeah... right.}, there is lots of planning and organizing in the works. Because babies only turn 1 once, and freakin' Pinterest.
But the madness doesn't have to infiltrate all parts of my life. In fact, I like to pretend that fall is all snuggly and lazy and sweaters and pumpkins. {As opposed to humid and hectic and sweltering.} In my imagination, the leaves are turning colors and I can pull out some comfy boots and cook warm, hearty comfort foods like soups and stews.
Though it isn't "Soup"tember in real life, I still like the idea of switching gears and using some of the ingredients that we tend to bust out in the autumn season. Like butternut squash and apples and beans.
Have you ever seen beans like these? They're called Orca Beans and I'm sort of in love with them. They remind me of, well, an orca whale. Or a cow. Or a dalmatian. All animals that I find adorable.
Not only are beans hearty, fiber-filled and great for using in robust fall meals, but these particular beans are also en vogue with the colors of the season! Though it's still a little early, these black and white beauties put me in a festive mood, so I broke out the canned pumpkin and put together some snacks that would look great on a fall or Halloween buffet.
Don't you just love a crostini? Crispy bread, slathered with a creamy concoction and topped with savory bits. Here, Bob's Red Mill Orca Beans are the star, simply dressed with sauteed onions, garlic and kale confetti. A smear of pumpkin ricotta spread gets a tart zing from Stonyfield Greek yogurt and acts as both a glue and a festive contrast for the beans.
Let's slow down for a snack break together and munch on some of these tasty bites!Disclosure: I have an ongoing partnership with Stonyfield as a member of their Clean Plate Club and received this product for review. As always, the opinions here are all my own!
Orca Bean, Kale & Pumpkin Crostini
Ingredients
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup Stonyfield plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Bob's Red Mill Orca Beans cooked according to package directions
- ½ a small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 cup finely chopped kale or your favorite greens
- 12 pieces of toasted French bread or favorite bread
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat a few teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion to the pan and cook until softened and translucent, about 4-6 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add kale and cook until wilted down, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cooked beans, season with a sprinkle of salt, and allow the beans to heat through.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together pumpkin, Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese and salt. Spread a heaping tablespoon onto each slice of toasted bread.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the bean mixture onto each piece of bread.
- Serve while still warm or at room temperature.
Shinee D says
I absolutely love crostini!! The crispy little bread slices... I'm so looking forward to hearty soups and stew season, filled with all sorts of pumpkin things too! Love the holiday season!