Roasted Pepper Dressing

Frequently, I get on a kick with one recipe and make it over and over until I'm sick of it.  Right now, my favorite thing to have on hand is Roasted Pepper Dressing.  This one is good for people who love bell peppers, but also for those who are a bit more apprehensive about eating too many, because of either taste preferences or digestion.  This is a light, versatile, and delicious dressing made with only a little oil and is sweetened with a bit of agave nectar.  The other flavors mellow out the intensity of the peppers and it transforms regular old peppers into a great all-purpose dressing for green salads, bean salads, grilled veggies, fish and meat, or leftover pastas and grains.  Give it a try! 

Roasted Pepper Dressing

4 or 5 red bell peppers OR

1 24 oz jar fire roasted peppers (get Roland if you see it--cheap and no preservatives), drained

2 medium cloves garlic

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T Dijon mustard

1 1/2 t agave nectar

3 T apple cider vinegar (you can subst. wine vinegar or rice vinegar)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 T fresh oregano leaves (subst: 1 t dried)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

If you are using fresh peppers, wash and dry them and roast them at 400 F for about 30 minutes, until the skin begins to crackle and blacken.  Remove from oven, transfer to a stainless bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set aside for about an hour.  When peppers have cooled a bit and "steamed" their skins off, peel them and remove the seeds.

In a food processor, puree roasted/drained peppers (discard seeds), garlic, onion, lemon juice, Dijon, agave, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano.  Puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes.  

Gradually add in oil while food processor is running.  Taste and adjust salt, lemon, and agave to taste.

Keeps about a 1 1/2 weeks in the fridge.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

 Quinoa Tabbouleh can be made elegant with careful vegetable cuts and nice plating!

Tabbouleh is one of my favorite things to have hanging around for quick meals and snacks.  It is also really popular with many of my clients so I find myself making it a lot.  Tabbouleh is a Middle-eastern grain salad that is super simple.  It has chopped cucumber, tomato, onion, fresh parsley, sometimes mint, lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and olive oil.  Traditionally  tabbouleh is made with bulgur, which is toasted cracked wheat, a really delicious, nutty ingredient for grain salads.  Another grain that works great for tabbouleh is quinoa, a gluten-free, high protein heirloom grain.

Tabbouleh is fantastic served with traditional fresh pita, but sometimes I like to make baked pita chips or, for my clients who don't eat gluten, I make chips in the oven from sprouted grain tortillas.  Tabbouleh makes a great side dish, lunch entree, snack, or can be a nice appetizer when served with pita, olives, and hummus.

Here is my latest version of quinoa tabbouleh!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 cups diced cucumber

1 1/2 cups diced tomato

1 bunch parsley, washed and chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped mint (opt.)

1/2 cup diced onion

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2-3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the quinoa in a mesh strainer, drain, and transfer to a pot.  Cook over medium heat 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until quinoa is dry, fragrant, and just beginning to toast.  Immediately add 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.  Bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  When quinoa is cooked, remove lid and let cool to about room temperature.

While quinoa cooks, chop your veggies.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, parsley, mint, and onion.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together garlic, olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.  

When quinoa is cool, transfer to the bowl of veggies.  Toss together and dress it using all of the dressing.

Serve room temperature or cool.

THANKSGIVING WEEK IS HERE! Time to get chopping!

The big week is here! If you are still finalizing the menu, here are some recipes that can simplify things for you. Feel free to share your favorite variations with me! I would love to hear them.

If you have any Thanksgiving questions big or small, please ask me below and I will try to answer them asap.




White Balsamic -Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Tomatoes, & Pine Nuts

4-5 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved the long way
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar ( or regular balsamic)
2 T honey
4 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
lots of black pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved the long way
2/3 cup pine nuts
(opt. 1/2 cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds)


Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, toss brussels sprouts with onion, balsamic, honey, oil, salt, and pepper. When mixed, evenly distribute in a single layer on 2 large cookies sheets. Roast for about an hour, tossing once or twice during roasting.

After an hour or so, when veggies are caramelized and tender, add grape tomatoes.
Roast 30 minutes.

Add pine nuts over the top and put back in the oven just until pinenuts are toasted. Serve!

If you make this ahead of time, toast the pine nuts separately and top the warmed dish with them just before serving.

Add cranberries and/or pomegranate seeds just before serving if you are using them.



Classic Stuffing
adapted from marthastewart.com

Here is the perfect classic stuffing recipe (Of course, it is. Thank you, Martha.) I love it because the basic formula is here and there is lots of room for variation.

For vegetarian stuffing, sub the chicken broth for vegetable broth and wine. You can add nuts, fruit, olives, oysters, sausage, etc. Enjoy!

Makes 12 cups

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 onions(2 lbs), peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
16 celery stalks, cut into ¼ inch dice
10 large fresh sage leaves
6 cups homemade chicken stock (or canned low-sodium broth
skimmed of fat)
2 stale loaves white bread (about 36 slices), crust on, cut
into 1 inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 cups (about 2 bunches) fresh, coarsely chopped flat-leaf
parsley

2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
2 cups dried cherries (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and celery, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage, stir to combine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock, and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid has reduced by half.

2. Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, including the remaining stock; mix to combine.

3. Stuff into turkey's cavity and/or pack into a baking dish and cover. Bake while turkey roasts. Watch it closely, if you are baking it in a separate pan.


Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash

3 lb butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel butternut squash and scoop out the seeds and seed goo with a spoon. Cut into approximately 1"-1.5" chunks. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Roast for 45 minutes. Let cool and store in the fridge until ready to heat.

Sara’s Cranberry Chutney

12 oz bag cranberries
1 apple, chopped
1 orange, chopped and seeded (skin on)
½ c walnuts
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
A little nutmeg
½ c OJ, freshly squeezed
½ c raisins or currants (I like to mix currants and golden raisins)
1/2 cup maple syrup
Dash of agave nectar, to taste

Bourbon (about 1/4-1/3 cup)--a big splash
2 Tbsp butter (optional--this is my addition)



Simmer all ingredients together except for the bourbon and 1/2 cup of the cranberries on medium-low heat about ½ an hour till cranberries start to pop. Stir frequently.
Add a big splash of bourbon and reserved cranberries and cook just a few minutes more, just until some of the alcohol cooks off.

You can add 2 tablespoons of butter at this point--this is my addition and not part of the original recipe. It's good either way. Let cool and serve right away or chill until the big meal.

Remove from refrigerator and let sit about an hour before serving--serve room temperature.