Fall is here and Thanksgiving is around the corner! The question is how do we eat around the “Big Holiday?” The tough part is choosing the right sides to accompany your turkey. Here are a few suggestions when you are cooking:
Try making sweet potato hash instead of mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping. Roasting seasonal veggies instead of a preparing a vegetable casserole with creamed soups and butter. Make your own salad dressing and add less processed condiments such as store bought croutons, fried onions, bacon bits, etc. Dress your turkey with a raspberry or cranberry sauce , instead of gravy. Try making your stuffing with wheat bread instead of white.
Sweet Potato Hash
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup-optional
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
Take out a stockpot, fill it with water and a little salt, and place on medium high heat. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cubes and place into water. When they are cooked through but not mushy, remove from the heat and set aside. Chop onions and set aside. Take out a large saute pan and place 1 tablespoon of oil in pan on medium heat, add onions and let cook 2-3 minutes. Ideally you would like the onions to be translucent. While onions are cooking dice up your potatoes. Add more oil to the pan and then add your sweet diced potatoes. Remove from heat when they are nice and crispy. To add sweetness, stir in the syrup and cinnamon toward the end of your cooking process. Serve while hot!
Roasted Veggies are delightful..choose a variety of squash and gourds. Some examples would be zucchini, yellow crookneck, butternut squash. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and or Red Potatoes are delicious and you can easily add dill, rosemary, onion powder,etc for flavor. Some other options are onions, carrots, and turnips. Make sure to cut in uniform sized pieces. Before baking make sure to rub oil, salt, and pepper for taste.
Time to Play with Apples!! Fall is here and it is time to go apple picking! Not only are apples and pears an amazing healthy food to munch on, but they are a lot of fun to cook with. This week I tried a few new recipes that you might enjoy!
Crispy Romaine Apple Salad
3 Heads of romaine chopped
1 Apple Chopped
1/4 cup Walnuts Chopped
1 Stalk of Celery Chopped
1/4 Vidella Onion Small Dice
1/4 cup Gorgonzola
Combine Romaine, Celery, Onions, Nuts, Cheese, and Apples and Toss with Dressing when ready to serve. Tip: If the Salad is going to sit in the frig for a few hours, drizzle a little lemon on the apples before adding to the salad.
Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Apple Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Squeeze a little lemon juice for citrus flavor
Salt and Pepper for Taste
Whisk till emulsifies!
Spinach Apple/Pear Salad:
Bag of Spinach
1 Apple/Cored, peeled, and Sliced
1 Pear/Core, peeled, and sliced
1/4 red onion chopped
1/4 cup Blue Cheese
1/4 cup Toasted Walnuts
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
Combine butter and oil in a pan and add the apple and pear to saute pan. Cook on Medium heat for about 5-10 minutes depending on how soft you would like the fruit. Combine spinach, onion, nuts, top with fruit, and toss with dressing.
Dressing:
Same as above
Apple Pear Crisp is another delicious and easy dish. I am still working on the perfect recipe, so stay tuned. Thus far, I am finding that when you add oats to the topping it is a lot better!
Summer is a great time to try a delicious Fruit Salad. I tried a new one today and I would love for you to tell me what you think!
1/2 Seedless Watermelon Cubed
1/2 Red Onion Small Dice
1/2 or 1 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts
1 Cup of Chopped Spinach
1-2 TBSP of Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBSP of Sugar
1 TBSP Cumin
Salt and Pepper for Taste
Toss all and Serve! Depending on how sweet the Watermelon is will change the cumin, sugar, and salt and pepper amount. Also you can mix everything and then lay it on top of Spinach too!
Pesto Pasta Salad!
I make this for my clients all of the time! Although, it is not the healthiest on the menu it is certainly yummy!
16 Oz Gemelli Pasta, Penne, or Short Pasta of Choice
2 Roma Tomatoes Seeded and Diced or Cherry Tomatoes Halved
Small Bag or Head to the Deli and get it Fresh-Partially Skim Mozzarella Cheese
4-6 oz of Store Bought Pesto
Fresh Chopped Basil
Salt and Pepper for taste
1-2 TBSP of Lowfat Mayo
Diced Chicken is optional
Mix cooked pasta, pesto, and mayo together. Add remaining ingredients and eat! Garnish top with fresh Basil Leaves or Tomato Rounds
