Light and Fresh Green Bean Salad

From Cooking Light

This festive salad is bright, healthy, and bursting with a great combination of flavors. The vinaigrette adds tanginess, the walnuts add crunch (plus a hearty dose of healthy fats), and the feta adds a salty kick. Great as a healthy side for holiday gatherings

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh green beans

• 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1/8 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

• 1/4 up feta

Step 1

Fill a large pot with salted water. Bring water to a boil; add green beans. Cook green beans in

boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer beans to a bowl of ice water to stop

cooking, then drain and let cool. Cut beans in half crosswise and set aside.

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine shallots, garlic, Dijon, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive

oil. Set vinaigrette aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, combine green beans with tomatoes and walnuts. Crumble over cheese and serve

at room temperature or slightly warmed.

Elegant Smoked Salmon Appetizer

I was love a holiday appetizer that doesn’t leave everyone feeling so stuffed that they can’t eat dinner. This one is perfect. Serve it as a pre-dinner snack, or bring it to a potlock. It’s easy to pull together and looks beautiful every time!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces smoked salmon

• 1 English cucumber

• 1 5-ounce vegan cream cheese (kite hill) or Greek Yogurt (siggi’s) or crème fraiche

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

• fresh dill

• capers

Instructions

Slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch slices.

Top each cucumber with a 2-inch piece of smoked salmon

Optional: If you are using yogurt, place the yogurt in a coffee filter over a small jar for one hour to allow the liquid to drain.

Mix 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into the yogurt, creme fraiche, or vegan cream cheese.

Top each appetizer with a small dollop of the yogurt or cream cheese, a big piece of fresh dill, and one caper.

Best assembled within a few hours of serving. Store in the refrigerator until 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken with Carrots, Dates & Pistachios

This sheet-pan roast chicken dinner is the perfect no-fuss dish for company. Everything can be prepared and assembled a day in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pop it in the oven.

Adapted from Melissa Clark's recipe in The New York Times

Ingredients

•     1 teaspoon lemon zest

•     3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 large lemon

•     1 teaspoon orange zest

•     6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 oranges

•     6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•     3 tablespoons whole grain mustard

•     6 tablespoons honey

•     ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

•     3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

•     1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

•     2½ teaspoons salt

•     4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks and breasts)

•     3 cups ¼-inch sliced carrots

•     1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

•     1 cup thinly sliced dried dates

•     2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

•     2 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish

•     ¼ cup chopped salted pistachios, for garnish

Instructions

Make the marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, and salt.

Place the chicken, carrots, onions, and dates in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and seal shut. Massage to make sure everything is evenly coated with the marinade. Place the bag on a rimmed sheet pan to protect against leakage and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

Transfer all ingredients from the bag, including the marinade, to a rimmed sheet pan (do not line the pan with foil). Turn the chicken skin side up. Roast until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. About halfway through cooking, stir the carrots so that they don’t burn around the edges of the pan.

Turn on broiler (leave pan on middle rack), and cook 1 to 3 minutes more, or until skin is golden brown and crispy. Watch carefully: the honey in the marinade can cause the skin to burn quickly.

Transfer the chicken, carrots, onions and dates onto a platter, along with the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the parsley, scallions and pistachio nuts over top and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

My all-time favorite Butternut Squash Soup recipe.  This recipe is super creamy (yet cream-less) and full of delicious butternut flavor. Leftover soup tastes even better the next day. It’s super-easy to make, naturally gluten-free and vegan, and SO incredibly cozy and delicious. 

Ingredients:

•  1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 apple, cored and roughly chopped

• 1 medium (about 3–4 lbs) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

• 3 cups veggie broth

• 1 sprig fresh sage

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

• pinch of ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk

Optional garnishes: diced apple, toasted almonds, fresh herbs, drizzle of coconut milk, smoked paprika, handful of micro-greens or arugula.

Instructions:

Heat 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot. Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add vegetable stock, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, salt, pepper, cayenne and cinnamon. Toss to combine.
Cook on medium-high until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork.
Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender and puree until smooth, being extremely careful not to fill the blender too full with a hot liquid.) Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne as needed.
Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes.

Fennel-Apple Walnut Salad

I have been making this salad for years and it is always a hit. A bright and tangy salad cuts the heaviness of the typical Thanksgiving meal and actually helps with digestion. This one, with fennel, celery, apples and toasted walnuts, is all crunch, which the carb-heavy meal can generally use more of.

Ingredients

•     3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste

•     ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

•     Freshly ground black pepper

•     ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

•     3 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced on a mandoline

•     2 Granny Smith apples, halved and cored, thinly sliced on a mandoline

•     3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on a mandoline

•     ½ cup toasted walnuts

•     2 ½ ounces Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler (about 2/3 cup)

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in oil, continuously whisking, until dressing is emulsified. Taste and add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.

In a large bowl, toss the dressing with fennel, apple and celery. Fold in fennel fronds or parsley and walnuts. Top with Parmesan just before serving.

Tahini Glazed Carrots

By Adeena Sussman

These Tahini-Glazed Roasted Carrots are so simple to make, and the flavor is unique and addictive. The recipe comes from my friend Adeena Sussman’s wonderful new cookbook, Sababa.

Ingredients

For the carrots:

•     1 ½ pounds slender carrots (or thick carrots, halved lengthwise), peeled

•     2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•     ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

•     ½ teaspoon ground cumin

For the tahini glaze:

•     ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

•     ¼ cup tahini

•     3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste

•     3 tablespoons maple syrup

•     ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

•     ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place carrots on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with the oil, salt and cumin. Roast carrots for 15 minutes, then turn them and continue roasting until they are golden at the edges and tender, 12 to 15 minutes longer.

While the carrots are roasting, make the tahini glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, tahini, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, syrup, cayenne, salt and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Whisk in 1 to 2 more tablespoons water until you have a thick but pourable sauce. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, or both, if you like.

Transfer the carrots to a platter and drizzle with the tahini glaze, tossing the carrots to coat.

Gjelina’s Roasted Yams

One of my all- time favorite recipes!  These roasted yams are adapted from a recipe that Travis Lett, the chef and an owner of Gjelina in Venice, Calif. 

Ingredients:

•     3 large yams

•     2 tablespoons honey

•     1 tablespoon Espelette pepper, or crushed red-pepper flakes

•     3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•     Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

•     ½ cup Greek-style yogurt

•     4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, approximately 2 limes

•     2 scallions, both green and white parts, trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish

Heat oven to 425°. Cut the yams lengthwise into 4 wedges per yam. Put them in a large bowl, and toss them with the honey, ½ tablespoon of the Espelette pepper or crushed red-pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, tossing once or twice to coat, as the oven heats.

Transfer the yams to a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and then bake until they are deeply caramelized around the edges and soft when pierced with a fork at their thickest part, approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

As the yams roast, combine the yogurt, lime juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl, and whisk to combine, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

When the yams are done, transfer them to a serving platter, drizzle the yogurt over them and garnish with the remaining Espelette pepper or red-pepper flakes, the scallions and some flaky sea salt if you have any.

Lisa’s Simple Arugula Salad

You can not go wrong with this simple salad! It is fresh, healthy and always delicious. Goes especially well as a side dish for pasta, pizza or lasagna!

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

• Fresh black pepper

• 5 ounces arugula (5 cups packed)

• 2 ounces shaved parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper together in a large bowl. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Top with the pine nuts and shaved Parmesan and serve immediately

Butternut Basmati Rice

By Back To Her Roots

Ingredients

•     1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced

•     2 tablespoons olive oil

•     Salt and pepper

•     3 tablespoons butter

•     2 cloves garlic, minced

•     1 large onion, diced

•     8 ounces Royal Basmati Rice (about 1 1/4 cup)

•     2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

•     1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

•     1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and then spread into one layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until fork tender. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and onion, and cook until just fragrant and tender, about five minutes.

Add in the rice, and stir to coat all grains. Add in the broth, bring to a boil. Reduce head to low, cover, and let cook undisturbed for 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat, and let rest for 5 minutes. Then fluff with fork. Add in the butternut squash, sage, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until well-combined.

Cranberry-Pomegranate Relish

By Melissa Clark

This twist on the classic orange-and-walnut-studded cranberry relish has pomegranate and pistachios, which fleck the intense red berries with bits of green. You can make the cranberry mixture a day ahead, but don’t add the nuts and pomegranate seeds until just before serving to preserve the crunch.

Ingredients

•     12 ounces fresh cranberries (3 cups)

•     ⅓ cup honey, or to taste

•     ¾ cup chopped pistachios

•     ¾ cup pomegranate seeds

Place cranberries and honey in a food processor. Pulse until chopped (but not too finely), then taste and stir in more honey if needed. At this point, the relish can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before serving. If the liquid separates, give it a stir.

Stir pistachios and pomegranate seeds into cranberry mixture and serve.

Savory Herb Pumpkin Muffins {GF}

By Running To The Kitchen

These paleo savory herb pumpkin muffins with toasted pine nuts are perfect for serving with your fall soup, stew or chili. Maybe even replace the Thanksgiving biscuits this year with a basket of these!

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashew meal

•     1/4 cup tapioca flour/starch

•     2 tablespoons coconut flour

•     1/2 tablespoon baking powder

•     1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

•     1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

•     1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

•     3 eggs

•     1 cup pumpkin puree

•     1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

•     1 tablespoon chopped sage

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with baking spray.

Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, pepper and 2/3 of the toasted pine nuts in a large bowl.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.

Add the wet to the dry and mix until fully combined.

Scoop the batter into the muffin tins and top with the remaining toasted pine nuts.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until set.

Remove from oven, let cool 3-5 minutes in the pan before running a knife around the muffins and popping them out onto a cooling rack.

Lisa’s Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots and Almonds

Ingredients

•     1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed

•     1 shallot bulb (about 5–6 cloves), peeled and thinly sliced

•     1 Tablespoon coconut oil

•     1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

•     sea salt, to taste

•     fresh ground pepper, to taste

•     3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

•     2 Tablespoons toasted almond slices

Instructions

Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat, add almond slices and cook until toasted, about 5-6 minutes or until almonds are golden. Remove almonds from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add coconut oil and heat over high heat until melted. Add in shallot slices, turn heat down to medium-low. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook shallots until caramelized, stirring frequently throughout the cooking process. This should take about 15 minutes and the shallots should turn golden brown in color.

Meanwhile, cook the green beans by bringing a saucepan of water with a pinch of sea salt to a boil. Once water is boiling, add in green beans and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the beans are bright green in color and tender crisp.

Drain and transfer the beans into the skillet with the caramelized shallots. Toss to combine.

The coconut oil and shallots will coat the beans. Add in chopped parsley and apple cider vinegar. Season with sea salt and pepper. Heat for another 3-4 minutes or until beans are warm. Transfer beans to a large dish or platter, top with toasted almonds and serve.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Quinoa

By Fit Foodie Finds

Ingredients

Veggies

•     4 cups brussels sprouts, halved

•     1 large red onion, chopped

•     1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

•     1 tablespoon minced garlic

•     2 tablespoons olive oil

•     1/4 teaspoon salt

•     1/4 teaspoon pepper

Quinoa

•     1/2 cup quinoa, dry

•     1 cup water

Dressing

•     1 teaspoon dijon mustard

•     1 teaspoon maple syrup

•     1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

•     1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

•     2 tablespoons olive oil

•     1 tablespoon fresh oregano

•     1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

First, preheat oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Next, prepare vegetables. Wash Brussels sprouts and pat dry. Then, cut them in half hot dog style and place on baking sheet. Thinly slice a red onion and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Rinse and drain garbanzo beans and add to baking sheet.

Drizzle on 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Toss.

Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts begin to brown. Make sure to toss halfway.

While the vegetables are cooking, prepare quinoa and dressing. In a small pot, bring quinoa and water to a rolling boil. Turn heat down to low, cover, and let simmer until all water is absorbed (about 20 minutes).

Prepare the dressing by whisking together all ingredients. Set aside.

Once the veggies are done, let cool for a few minutes, then transfer into a large bowl. Then, add in cooked quinoa and toss. Drizzle on dressing and toss again.