Somehow my small group’s Thanksgiving feast happened to fall on a crazy-busy workday this year, leaving me pretty much zero time for any prep on my dinner contribution.

But not to fear!

Dum dah dum…

Behold, my 3-minute cranberry-pear relish to the rescue!

I’m not kidding.  It took me more time to pull out the food processor than to actually make this one.  Just zest an orange, toss everything else into the food processor, and voila!  A colorful, delicious, and creative twist on cranberry relish is ready in minutes.  And, it’s also perfect for leftovers on turkey sandwiches!  Definitely a yummy and speedy recipe to bookmark.

Cranberry Pear Relish Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 orange
• 1 bag cranberries
• 1 Bartlett pear, cored and cut into large chunks
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (more or less to taste)
• pinch Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Method:

Zest the orange, then peel and cut roughly into wedges.  (Discard the peel.)

Add the orange wedges and zest, cranberries, pear, sugar and and salt to a food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to two days.  Just before serving, stir in pecans.

Ali’s Tip:

Add in a few pieces of candied ginger for an extra sweet and spicy kick!

Source:

Adapted from the Food Network.

Kansas City has a zillion amazing restaurants.  But one of my newest favorite is a healthy fast-food alternative restaurant called “Unforked“.  It is brilliant.

The owners/creators are actually the force behind Sheridan’s, one of my favorite local custard chains.  (And they happen to attend the church where I work — fun!)  But instead of your typical super-processed, deep-fried, zillion-calorie fast food restaurants, this place overflows with creative, fresh, and healthy options.  I can’t get enough of it — everything I have tried is amazing.  (Side note — I deeply hope this is what the majority of fast-food restaurants might look like in a decade!)

One of my new favorites there is their “Hale The Kale” salad.  It is made simply from fresh kale, Parmesan, bread crumbs, and a lemony olive oil dressing.  And it is utterly delicious! I had to admit that I had my doubts about so much fresh kale (I usually prefer adding my kale to pizzas, soups, or making kale chips).  But when the other ingredients were added, it tasted wonderfully fresh, light and flavorful!

So while we’re still in the midst of kale season, I decided to try it at home.  Decided to nix the breadcrumbs and add in some thyme, and loved it.  Hope you do too!

Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped fresh kale
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs (optional)

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper.  Add kale and Parmesan (and bread crumbs, if using), and toss until the kale is evenly coated.  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

This would also be great with some chopped/sliced fresh fruit added in, such as peaches, plums, apples, or blackberries.  It would also be delicious with some toasted pecans, almonds or walnuts added in.

Source:

Inspired by Unforked.

Allow me to introduce you to one of my all-time favorite side dishes.

I’m not kidding.  I make this one all. the. time.

It’s my favorite when I’m craving something salty and sweet.  It is uber-fast to prep.  It only calls for a few ingredients.  It is easily customizable to different seasonings to pair with your main course.  It’s pretty healthy.  And…it’s ridiculously delicious.

Have I convinced you yet?  (I think I’ve convinced myself.  Already hungry for the leftovers!)  :)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Onions Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch thick coins
• 1 onion, quartered then cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (or more or less to taste)
• lots of freshly ground black pepper
• optional: additional seasonings (see note below)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with a spoon until vegetables are evenly-coated.

Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.  Transfer vegetables to the baking sheet, and spread so that they are evenly spaced in a single layer.  (I crammed a few too many in the photo above, which doesn’t let them get quite as crispy.)  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until onions begin to crisp and brown, and sweet potatoes are cooked through.

Ali’s Tip:

To be honest, even though I have seasoned these a zillion ways over the years, the classic salt-and-pepper combo is still my favorite.  But here are some other fun variations to choose from:

• toss with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (when tossing with the olive oil)
• toss with various seasonings before roasting
  • Italian seasonings (oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary, etc.)
  • smoked paprika
  • chipotle and/or chile powder and cumin
• after roasting, top with…
  • chopped fresh parsley
  • toasted slivered almonds
  • freshly-grated Parmesan

A few years ago, I was at a birthday party for my boss, thrown by one of his good friends who also happens to be an outstanding cook.  But while I had every intention of saving my appetite for his world-famous Kansas City barbeque, pretty sure I completely blew it on the first appetizer — these incredible little stuffed mushrooms.

As the trays were passed around the patio, one by one you heard everyone murmer, “Oh my goodness — what is in these mushrooms?!?”  Surprisingly, John told us there were only two main ingredients — blue cheese and sun-dried tomato pesto.  (Although in addition to those tasty sun-dried tomatoes, this pesto was also made with walnuts and fresh sage.  Yum!)  John also smoked his stuffed mushrooms, which gave them an extra-amazing finish.

Alas, I don’t have a smoker, but made mine in the oven this week and they were still insanely delicious.  Also decided to top mine with a pinch of Panko to give them a slight breaded crunch.  So good, so easy, and so fast (especially if you have the red pesto made ahead of time!).  And as his party proved, they’re definitely a crowd-pleaser.  Thanks, John!!!

Blue Cheese & Red Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients:

Stuffed Mushroom Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cremini or button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto (see ingredients/recipe below)
• 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Ingredients:

• 1 (24 ounce) jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled (or about 3 tsp. minced)
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup fresh sage
• 8 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To Make The Stuffed Mushrooms:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or preheat a smoker.

Carefully remove and discard the stems of the mushrooms, then clean with a damp cloth.  Fill mushroom cavity with sundried pesto (approx. 1/2 tsp.). Top with blue cheese crumbles, and a pinch of Panko.  Bake or smoke for about 15 minutes, until the cheese starts to melt and filling is warm.  Serve immediately.

To Make The Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto:

Place tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, sage, and Parmesan in a food processor, and pulse until blended.  Slowly stream in the olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Use pesto immediately, or refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze.

Ali’s Tip:

These are also great with gorgonzola cheese!

I have to admit that I’ve never been a big fan of cauliflower.  Love its beautiful “look”, but have never been the one to crave it, or graze on it at a party.

However, cauliflower happens to be in season right now, and I’m on a mission to expand my produce repertoire this summer.  So I decided to give it a go by applying the solution that has worked for me with a few other vegetables — if in doubt, roast it!!

Low and behold, it was actually pretty good!  For those of you who are already cauli-fans, I imagine you’d especially like this one.  I followed the Barefoot Contessa’s recommendations and added in an entire head of roasted garlic, parsley, lemon juice and pine nuts — all of which I love — so it wasn’t a surprise that the dish ended up being full of great flavor.  And of course, roasting the cauliflower definitely did kick it up a notch in my book.  :)

Cheers to trying new things!

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated & unpeeled
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup finely-chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Method:

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the garlic cloves. Boil for 15 seconds; drain and peel the skins off.  Cut the largest cloves in half lengthwise.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with the garlic, 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread into a single layer and roast, stirring twice, until the cauliflower is tender and the garlic is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl with the garlic and pan juices. Add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, parsley, pine nuts, and lemon juice. Toss well and serve hot or warm. Serves 6.

Ali’s Tip:

To kick this up an extra notch, serve it with some freshly grated Parmesan.  Delish!

It’s the rare occasion when I crave fries.  Granted, I will enjoy them whenever they are served with a meal, but usually they’re just “ok”.

However…sweet potato fries are a totally different story.

Oh my goodness.  I’ll take a sweet + salty + savory combination anyday.  But when you add in the flavors of the wonderful spices, plus the oh-so-slight crisp around the edges, plus that deep, round sweet potato taste, I’m in heaven.  Absolutely love sweet potato fries!  And much more — I love roasting them in the oven at home.  It’s super-simple, and so much healthier than actually frying the “fries”.  :)

So if you’ve never made these at home, you should totally give it a try!  All it takes for a large batch is two sweet potatoes, and a few teaspoons of your favorite seasonings.  (Probably one of the most inexpensive sides you can make!)  Definitely a recipe everyone will enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, rinsed and dried
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4″ thin strips, or to your desired thickness and length.  Then place in a large bowl, and toss with the remaining ingredients (oil and spices) until potatoes are evenly coated.

Then spread out the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet.  (Try not to overcrowd the sheet, or have multiple layers of fries — you want them to be roasted, not steamed.)

Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning the fries once or twice during that time to cook evenly.  (May take more or less time, depending on the size and thickness you cut the fries.)  Remove once the edges slightly begin to brown and fries begin to crisp.

Ali’s Tip:

I’m pretty sure I’ve never seasoned these the same way twice.  You can literally substitute in just about any of your favorite seasonings, or grated parmesan, or other fun oils.  Experiment away!

If there were to be a prize awarded to the most-made (and arguably most-enjoyed!) side dish in my kitchen, roasted asparagus would undoubtedly take the cake!  Or, um…be the winner.  :)  For years and years, this classic yet super-versatile dish has been the perfect accompaniment to a wide array of main dishes.  And occasionally, when the craving hits, I have also enjoyed it as a small meal or snack in and of itself!

In short, I LOVE roasted asparagus!

As I’ve listed below in the “Ali’s Tip” section, there are endless ways to prepare and season this dish.  Maybe I’ll post on those throughout the coming months.  But for an initial recipe, thought I would go with what’s still my favorite — classic roasted asparagus that is simply seasoned with salt and pepper.  It may be simple, but it is still SO delicious.  And of course, asparagus is great for you too!

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy roasted asparagus??

Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch (about 1 lb.) fresh asparagus, washed and dried
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil or canola oil
• sea salt
• freshly-cracked black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim the tough asparagus ends, removing about 1 inch.  Lay out asparagus side-by-side on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or cooking spray.  (Or you can also cook these in a 9×13 pyrex pan.)  Drizzle the asparagus evenly with oil, then sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and lots of freshly-cracked black pepper, and give the pan a few good shakes to coat well.

Bake for about 8-12 minutes, or until the tips begin to brown and the asparagus is tender.  (Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of your asparagus spears.)  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

The seasoning possibilities for roasted aspargus are endless.  But here are a few of my other favorites:

• balsamic or red wine vinegar
• garlic
• freshly grated parmesan
• lemon or lime juice
• honey
• various dried herbs/spices (smoked paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, etc.)
• chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, cilantro, etc.)
• nuts (slivered almonds, pine nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans, pepitos, etc.)
• wrapped in prosciutto or bacon

For any of you out there who love tabbouleh, allow me to introduce you to tabbouleh soup!!!

As you might have guessed, this meal was inspired (actually, came from the leftovers!) of this yummy tabbouleh recipe I posted last week.  After enjoying the salad for lunch, I had a craving for something warm at the end of a freezing winter’s day.  So decided to improvise with my leftover salad.  Since it was already packed with herbs, some perfect soup vegetables (tomatoes and green onions), and that great bulgur for substance, all I ended up adding to it was some broth!  I had some great chicken broth on hand, but if you’d like to keep the salad vegetarian, any vegetable broth would work just fine.

And sure enough — it was absolutely delicious!  I let mine simmer on the stove for quite a while, so the broth ended up being amazing.  Definitely kicked this flavorful salad up another notch, and turned it into a warm, soothing comfort food.  Give it a try!

Tabbouleh Soup

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups tabbouleh
• 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

*Feel free to use whatever broth to tabbouleh ratio you’d like.

Method:

In a small sauce pan, stir together tabbouleh and chicken broth.  Heat over medium-high heat, until soup just begins to bubble.  Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 10-15 minutes.  Serve warm.

I would recommend enjoying the soup the day it is made.

Ali’s Tip:

If you’re at all concerned about the soup being too lemony, feel free to wait and add the lemon (from the tabbouleh recipe) to taste at the end.

My craving for fresh and light dishes in the midst of our bleak Kansas City midwinter (three days in a row of single-digit temperatures!) continues.  So for a fun and healthy recipe this week, I decided to make a batch of delicious tabbouleh!

Pretty much everything about this dish screams “fresh”!  It’s packed with fresh herbs, scallions, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, and some oh-so-healthy bulgur.  From what I’ve read (although I’m sure some will beg to differ), “authentic” tabbouleh has a much higher herbs to bulgur ratio — which I happen to love.  But if you’d like more, feel free to double the bulgur in this recipe.

Definitely a delicious, flavorful, and (yes) fresh recipe!  It works perfectly as a side or main dish — or feel free to experiment and even use it on crostinis, to top some hummus, or in a soup (recipe coming soon).  Enjoy!

Tabbouleh Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bulgur (a.k.a. cracked wheat)
• 2 cups of water or chicken stock
• 2-3 cups of curly parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of mint, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of scallions, finely chopped
• 3-4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• juice of half of one lemon (or more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

In a large bowl, pour 2 cups of boiling water (or chicken stock) over the bulgur.  Let it sit for 30-60 minutes until softened, and then strain the bulgur through a fine-mesh strainer.

Then combine the prepared bulgur, parsley, mint, scallions, and tomatoes in a large bowl.  Add oil and lemon juice, and stir until well mixed.  Add salt to taste.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one day.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to also add in some diced cucumbers or extra diced onion if you’d like!

Brief disclaimer: These nuts are 100% irresistible.

Oh my word.  I made them for the first time with my parents on Thanksgiving, thinking they might be a nice snack to keep out for the holiday weekend.  But….I’m pretty sure they disappeared by the end of the day.  Even with everyone’s stomachs full from our Thanksgiving meal — they were still irresistible!!

Like making most spiced nuts, these are also a breeze to pull together.  Just whip the spices and vanilla (I used extract, since we didn’t have vanilla bean paste on hand) together with an egg white, mix in the almonds (or whatever nuts you’d prefer), and voila — within 45 minutes, your house will smell amazing and a sweet and savory batch of almonds will be yours to enjoy!

Also, if you don’t have whole almonds on hand, this recipe would also be great with walnuts or cashews.  Just keep an eye on the cooking time for nuts of different size/density to be sure that they don’t burn.

Spicy Cocoa Roasted Almonds Recipe
(Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste
• Few drops of water
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder (I prefer dark cocoa powder, but whatever works!)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (**see tip below**)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 275°F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Whisk together the egg white, vanilla bean paste, and a few drops of water in a mixing bowl.  Beat mixture until it is light and frothy.  Add the almonds and toss to evenly coat with the egg white mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugars, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt.  Whisk together very well, being sure to remove any lumps.  Add the almonds, and toss to coat.  Spread the coated almonds out on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.  Keep a close watch on the almonds because they will burn quickly.

Once the almonds are done, spread them out on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper until they have cooled completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to also control how spicy you would like them to be.  I added the full teaspoon of cayenne, and they definitely had a little kick.  So if you’re not a fan of spicy, I’d just add the 1/2 teaspoon.