by Kate on April 23, 2013
Happy Earth Day!!! Asparagus is in season and on sale!!! I love asparagus simply roasted or sauteed with sea salt. The one downfall…why does it have to make your pee smell immediately?? Did you know you either have the gene or not that allows you the pleasure of smelling it? I thought the gene determined if the pee actually smelled, but apparently everyone’s smells. Who knew?
Enough about that!!! Here is a little twist on roasting asparagus if you’re looking for a new way to fix it! I made this about 6 months ago and am just getting around to posting it…I like creating and posting baked goods so much more!
Recipe: Basalmic Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon oil (melted coconut oil, olive oil or toasted sesame oil for a bit of spice)
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Spread oil onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and roll the asparagus in the oil
- Place the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle the sesame seeds over them
- Roast in the oven at 425 for about 10 minutes, check frequently to make sure it’s not getting over cooked and too tender
- While that is roasting, combine the vinegar, coconut aminos and red pepper flakes in a small bowl
- Remove asparagus and drizzle it with mixture and serve
Here is another awesome e-book bundle! 30 e-books for $39!! I bought it for numerous books, but this one from The Nourished Kitchen has been on my list to buy! Offer ends tonight at midnight!! For more details or to purchase the bundle click here before midnight tonight!!!
by Kate on November 16, 2012
Some of you may make the same menu every Thanksgiving, and others like to switch it up a bit. I am sure we all have our staples of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes and what ever else is a family favorite. Here is an idea for any of you looking for a new idea for a vegetable to serve. It includes bacon, so it’s sure to make everyone go after a second helping…except those vegetarians out there!!!
I have quite a few recipes to get out before the holiday, so I am going to keep it short and sweet in my upcoming posts. I have a fantastic muffin recipe coming that is perfect to include in your breakfast on Thanksgiving morning and a pumpkin tart dessert for anyone looking to do something different than a traditional pumpkin pie!!
Recipe: Sauteed Shredded Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh brussels sprouts (2 bags), cleaned and trimmed
- 4 slices of bacon (US Wellness Meats is a great place to buy bacon that is pasture raised and sugar free)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2- 1 cup onions, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the brussels sprouts in a food processor and pulse until they are shredded
- In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Set aside and reserve 2 tbsp of bacon grease in the pan
- Add the onion, salt and pepper to the pan and saute until the onions are close to translucent
- Add the sprouts and the garlic and continue to saute until completely cooked (about 3-5 minutes)
- Tear the bacon into pieces and stir into the sprouts
I found myself going back for more of this…it’s that good and such a different way to fix brussels sprouts. I think this would also be good with cabbage if any of you are not sprouts fans.
by Kate on August 15, 2012
I am sure many of you have heard of this idea or already serve cauliflower this way. I have never tried doing this, not a big cooked cauliflower fan, more of a broccoli girl. All I can say…why did I wait so long to do this!!! It really does remind me of mashed potatoes. I haven’t had white potatoes in a very long time, so someone that lives on them may disagree with me! This is a great starch free side dish to enjoy with out the guilt!
If you are someone that is skipping over this recipe because this is old news to you, just wait, I have a unique one coming that uses this as a base!!
Recipe: Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, steamed
- 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp chives, chopped
- 1/4-1/2 cup plain dairy free milk, unsweetened (optional)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the steamed cauliflower, butter, garlic, milk and salt and pepper in a Vitamix or high speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and stir in the chives and additional salt and pepper if needed.
There are many variations to this recipe. Crumbled bacon would be good on top and you can also substitute the chives for green onion if you prefer.
by Kate on August 2, 2012
This is hardly a recipe but I wanted to share it. I am sure you have seen all the hoopla around kale chips. There are so many recipes out there for different variations and now you can find them in the raw food section of many health food stores. I looove them and can eat an entire batch of them in one sitting.
Collards greens make for an incredibly tasty chip as well! I really like using these greens for the ease of spreading flavors and oils on them. Collards are huge flat leaves so they are easier to clean and work with. They are part of the cruciferous vegetable family such as, broccoli, kale and cabbage, I am sure you have heard all of the health benefits of cruciferous vegetables, so add collard greens to the mix for some variety!
Recipe: Spicy Collard Green Chips
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of collard greens
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp hot sauce
Instructions
- Tear the greens into pieces (they will decrease in size as they cook so don’t tear them too small)
- Combine the leaves, oil and hot sauce in a bowl and massage the greens with the mixture so each piece is covered
- Spread single layer onto a parchment lined cookie sheet
- Bake at 350 for about 6-8 minutes or until a hint of brown
- Let cool completely before storing. Do not pile on top of each other to cool, they will retain moisture and become soggy
- Store in a glass container
It’s ok if you eat the entire batch, for reals!!
by Kate on January 22, 2012
So often I wonder how people don’t like vegetables. There are so many delicious healthy ways to fix them and doctor them up. I have ventured out of my steamed broccoli and asparagus days. Still love them both, but needed some variety!
Toasted sesame oil adds a yummy kick to dishes and this has become a favorite drizzle oil for me. Sesame oil is not a high heat oil and is most beneficial when added once food has been removed from heat.
Recipe: Cashew Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 1 lb bok choy
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (refined or virgin if you want a coconut flavor)
- 1 1/4 cups chopped green onions (white and green parts)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped or pressed
- 1 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews*
- Celtic sea salt to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Chop bok choy into 1/2 inch pieces, leaves included
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pan on medium high heat and add the onions
- Once the onions have cooked for a minute add the garlic and bok choy and cover for about 3 minutes. Bok choy will wilt like kale and spinach do
- Take the lid off and turn the heat to low and let it cook for a few minutes longer
- Remove from heat, drizzle the sesame oil, salt and red pepper flakes
- Add in the cashews
Quick notes
*I use raw cashews, but you can buy roasted. Regardless, you need to roast or re-roast them in the oven. Bake at 450 on a dry cookie sheet for about 5-7 minutes until brown.
Makes about 4 servings
I love making spinach and kale this same way. Just wilt it and drizzle with oil and spice! Let me know what variations you come up with!
by Kate on January 22, 2012
Roasted brussels sprouts are one of my favorite cooked vegetables. Any way you spice them, I’ll like them! I saw a recipe for Oregano Brussels Sprouts from 101 Cookbooks and had to try it. I made a few changes and loved the way they came out.
Recipe: Oregano Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil (no coconut flavor or use all olive oil)
- 1/2 cup fresh oregano
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
Instructions
- Cut off stems of the sprouts and cut in half or quarters depending on their size and place in a mixing bowl
- Add oils, oregano, parsley and garlic to a food processor and pulse until herbs and garlic are very small pieces
- Pour mixture over the sprouts and mix well so all sprouts are covered
- Add salt to the mixture and stir
- Spread the sprouts out on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes depending on the size of the sprouts. Stir them after 15-20 minutes
Makes about 4 servings
The browner and crispier the better. Make sure to scrape the cookie sheet with a spatula to get all the garlic and herbs that are stuck on it. Enjoy!
