Thanksgiving Side Dish

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:43:02 +0000

As promised, here is my one of my tried & true Thanksgiving side dish recipes. Kale, Brussels sprouts, and bacon hash. Delicious, easy, healthy, and will delight even the most begrudging vegetable eaters. Many turn up their noses at kale, but it’s such a wonderful and versatile superfood, made better here by the addition of bacon. If you want to make the dish vegetarian, you can easily leave bacon out and it will still be delicious.

Yep, bacon does make everything better. I can entice kale haters to eat this dish, so it’s definitely good for a crowd. Both Brussels sprouts and kale contain the phytochemical indole-3-carbinol which protects against cancer and offers potent detoxification capabilities.

Make sure you choose organic bacon that is nitrite and nitrate free. I use thick cut. This dish pairs so well with other Thanksgiving dishes: turkey, yams, cranberries. Can be easily doubled. Enjoy.

Kale-Brussels-Bacon Hash
3 strips bacon (optional)
1/2 medium yellow onion or 1 leek, small diced
1 teaspoon garlic, fine chopped
Pinch or 2 thyme (to taste)
15 Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and cut in half
1 bunch lacinato kale
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Chicken or veggie broth as needed

Cooking the bacon: Put the bacon strips in a large cast iron skillet that has been lightly coated with coconut oil. Cook it until the fat has rendered and the bacon has reached the crispiness you desire. Take the bacon out of the pan and leave the fat.

Sautéing the vegetables: Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook on low heat until translucent. Throw in the thyme. Toss in the Brussels sprouts halves and sauté for about 5 minutes, adding chicken broth as needed to prevent sticking. Keep skillet covered to aid in softening. Add the kale. Toss and cook the entire batch until the kale has wilted. Continue adding broth to prevent sticking, cover, and cook until flavors meld and veggies are soft.

Finishing the dish. Toss in the bacon pieces and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Garnish with rosemary sprig. Serve.

What I’m Eating Now

admin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:32:33 +0000

Winter squash!

We just got back from the Pumpkin & Arts Festival down in Half Moon Bay. Surrounded by all things pumpkin: pumpkin bread, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin sausages…… boy did I get a hankering for all those delicious winter squashes. Butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti squash and sugar pie pumpkins. Yum! We stopped by a pumpkin patch on the way home, and aside from pumpkins for carving, I got butternut and acorn squash for eating.

Winter squash is an excellent source of vitamin A. It is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. And boy is it good. Here are some ideas for use:

Top cooked winter squash with cinnamon and maple syrup. Slice in half and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or steam for 7-10 minutes. Steam cubes of winter squash and then dress with olive oil, tamari, ginger and pumpkin seeds. Top “strings” of spaghetti squash with pasta or pesto sauce. Add cubes of winter squash to your favorite vegetable soup recipe. Puree cooked butternut with cinnamon, butter, and a green apple for a delicious and smooth butternut soup. Pumpkin curry is delicious. So is pumpkin pie! And pumpkin cheesecake. Mmmmmmm. Stay tuned for Thanksgiving time. I’ll post my great pumpkin pie recipe.

In the meantime, try this stew. It is delicious and nourishing and even better the next day, as is often the case with soups and stews.

This sounds labor intensive, but it’s pretty easy and WELL worth it. Great for those cold autumn nights and for lunch on crisp days.

Kale-Butternut-Bean Stew
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered (optional, I usually leave them out)
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
6 – 12 garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil
4-6 cups vegetable broth (more for soup; less for thicker stew)
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 15-ounce can Organic Great Northern beans, drained

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Place garlic, tomatoes and onion in blender; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer bits and vegetable puree to large pot. Add broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Per serving: calories, 191; total fat, 4 g; saturated fat, 0.5 g; cholesterol, 0
Makes 6 servings.

Holistic Nutrition Bytes--San Francisco Nutrition Consultation » kale

Thanksgiving Side Dish

What I’m Eating Now