Easy Peasy Roasted Green Beans
2-4 servings
Time – 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. green beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash green beans, snap off the ends and place on a foil-lined pan.
Add olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper to the beans, toss gently and spread out on the pan.
Place in oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until crisp and tender.
Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower
Yield: 2-4 servings
Time :30 minutes
Ingredients:
I head of cauliflower, cut into florets
¾ tsp Ras El Hanout* (spice mix from WILLIAM-SONOMA or make your own (recipe below)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of chili pepper flakes
Preparation:
Home-made Ras El Hanout*
You can make your own Ras El Hanout if you make Moroccan food often. If not, simply buy pre-mixed spices. I like the one from William–Sonoma.
St. Patrick’s Day Faux-Tatoes
Go green on St. Patrick’s Day with a creative and healthy twist on the classic irish-inspired recipe.
The secret ingredient is green cauliflower! It’s actually a hybrid version of broccoli and cauliflower and is sometimes referred to a broccoflower. It’s flavor is sweet, mild and nutty.
Cauliflower is a member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables. It is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, and provides your body with vitamin C, Vitamin K, beta-carotene while also boosting healthy digestion and detoxification. Try it on March 17th and you will make it again and again!
Faux-Tatoes
Serves 4
1 medium head cauliflower (try it green or traditional white, about 1 ½ pounds)
½ cup butter or ghee
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch thyme, dried
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
Enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
1/2 cup black lentils
1 bunch of collared greens
1 yellow onion
1 lemon (including 2 tsp of lemon zest)
2 tsp. Ras El Hanout ( I like the one from William Sonoma)
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Cook the lentils:
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. (discard any pebbles you see in the lentils; Rinse the lentils and drain thoroughly. Add the lentils to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 24 to 26 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Set aside in a warm place.
4. Prepare the ingredients:
While the lentils cook, wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and thinly slice the onion.
Remove and throw out the collard green stems and roughly chop the leaves. Use a zester to get 2 tsps. of lemon zest from the lemon. Cut the lemon in quarters and take out the seeds.
3. Cook the collard greens:
While the lentils continue to cook, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion and ras el hanout; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the collard greens; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add ½ cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the collard greens have wilted and the water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Finish the lentils & plate your dish:
To the pot of cooked lentils, add the cooked collard greens, lemon zest and the juice of 2 lemon wedges (just 1/2 of the lemon); stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with your favorite fish or chicken dish.
Ingredients:
15 medium (5 pounds) potatoes peeled and quartered
6-8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons onion powder
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 egg whites slightly beaten (or one whole egg)
2-4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chopped chives (optional)
Instructions:
Preparing Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes:
In a large pot, add cut-up potatoes and just enough cold water until potatoes are covered; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and let simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Overcooking can cause the potatoes to become gummy.
Remove from heat and immediately drain potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Return to saucepan; heat over medium-low heat approximately 1 to 2 minutes to dry potatoes, stirring occasionally. NOTE: Boiled potatoes left in water will start to jellify and may even increase in volume (becoming swollen and watery). That is why it is important to let the potatoes drain for a couple of minutes in a colander immediately after they are cooked.
In the same cooking pan, mash potatoes with a potato masher or potato ricer until there are no lumps.
TIP: NEVER use a blender, electric mixer, or food processor to make mashed potatoes.Gluey or gooey mashed potatoes are caused by vigorous over mashing, When potatoes are boiled, their starch granules swell. If those granules are broken too vigorously, the cells release copious quantities of starch, resulting in a potatoes with the consistency of wallpaper paste.
Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, salt, pepper, egg whites, and chopped chives (if desired); blend well.
Spray a large casserole dish with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Add potato mixture and dot with butter.
Cool mashed potatoes slightly, cover, and then refrigerate.
The prepared mashed potatoes may be made up to 7 days ahead of time. If preparing ahead, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Place in an ovenproof baking dish if not already stored in this dish.
When ready to heat the potatoes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Take potatoes out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
Bake, loosely covered, 40 minutes or until steaming hot in center.
Crock Pot – Slow Cooker Make-Ahead Mashed Potato Recipe:
You can use this crock pot/slow cooker version, if you need to free up your oven for other dishes when making my holiday meals.
Take the prepared mashed potatoes out of refrigerator about 3 1/2 hours before serving time. See Preparing Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes above. Place the mashed potatoes in the crock-pot/slow cooker. Cover and use low heat for approximately 3 hours, stirring once or twice.
When you are ready to serve the mashed potatoes, stir, and then add some additional dollops of butter.
Savory Sweet Potato Fries
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
¼ tsp hot pepper flakes
2 ½ Tablespoons fresh thyme (rough chopped)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Wash and prepare the fresh ingredients:
– Cut the sweet potatoes in 3rds and then cut each “wheel” in 8ths to make wedges
– Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves.
– Chop the fresh thyme.
3. Prepare the Fries:
– Place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat the potatoes.
– Place the potato wedges on a Teflon coated jelly roll pan (or lightly greased cookie sheet) and spread in one layer on the pan.
4.Cook the Fries:
Cook for 20 -25 minutes on until nicely browned turning once with a spatula after about 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!
My daughter and I started a SP cleanse recently that required us to refrain from grains, dairy, nuts, meat or fish during the purification process. We were getting bored with simply raw or steamed vegetables and fruit along with our SP Shakes.
Here is a yummy side dish we stumbled upon via Blue Apron, that is both full of flavor and guilt-free too.
Summer Vegetables
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1
1. Prepare the ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Snap off and discard the bean stems; cut into 2-inch pieces. Half the tomatoes. Peel and mince the garlic; smash with the side of your knife until it resembles a paste (or use a zester).
In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the beans; season lightly with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add ½ cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, or until the water has cooked off. Add the tomatoes and garlic paste; add a little bit more of sea salt and pepper if needed. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Transfer to a bowl. Enjoy!
