Turkey day is upon us once again. If you are still trying to decide what to bring to your Thanksgiving celebration, I have some ideas for you. I've looked for some interesting side dishes for you to try this year. Read on and find a favorite.
PALEO TRIPLE GREEN KALE SALAD
Get your green on with this kale dish.
Part 1 - 8-10 oz. Lacinato kale aka tuscan kale, slice to small pieces 2 tsp toasted sesame oil 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil alt. flaxseed oil 2 small garlic cloves grated or crushed 1 tsp grated fresh ginger Pinch of coarse sea salt
Part 2 - Snow peas chopped, large handful 2 tsp coconut aminos 2 tsp aged balsamic vinegar 1 ripe avocado sliced Scallions chopped, small handful Orange zest use a microplane Sprinkle with hemp seeds as much as you like
Rinse and wash the kale thoughtfully. Pat dry. Lay a kale leaf on a cutting board and run a paring knife along each side of the center stem. Repeat until all the stems have been removed. Stack 4-5 layers of kale leaves and roll them up to slice into smaller pieces. Combine chopped kale leaves with all the ingredients under “Part 1”. Use clean hands to gently massage the kale, rubbing the oil into the leaves for a few seconds. Add “Part 2” of the ingredients. Give a quick toss and serve in room temperature or slightly chilled.
https://iheartumami.com/paleo-triple-green-kale-salad/?utm_source=IHeartUmami&utm_campaign=d5a8498607-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_11_17&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_daebb5d9b6-d5a8498607-138520057
BROCCOLI SALAD
This is a new twist on an old favorite.
3 oz sliced prosciutto 1-1/2 lb broccoli crowns, chopped finely 1/4 cup red onion, chopped finely (about 1/4 of a medium onion) 1/4 cup fresh parsley, packed, chopped finely (about 1/2 a bunch) 1 tbsp orange zest 2 tbsp orange juice 1/2 cup raisins, chopped (I used flame raisins because I like the flavor, but use what you have) 1/4 cup Brazil nuts, chopped 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp sea salt, or more to taste 1/3 cup mayo, or more to taste
Preheat your oven to 350F, and line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Lay the prosciutto slices on the tray in a single layer, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside. (While the prosciutto is baking, I prepped the rest of the ingredients.) To chop the broccoli, I removed most of the stem and cut it into florets. Then, I put the broccoli florets into the food processor in a single layer (this took 3 batches) and pulsed about 10 times until the broccoli was finely chopped. You can certainly do this with a knife if you don’t have a food processor. In a very large bowl, combine the chopped broccoli, red onion, parsley, orange zest and juice, raisins, Brazil nuts, salt, and pepper. Stir everything well to combine and then add the mayo. Stir until the mayo is evenly distributed. If it’s too dry for your liking, add more mayo about a tablespoon at a time until it’s dressed the way you like. Crumble the prosciutto into the bowl. Taste, and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. If you can let this sit for at least 30 minutes or more before eating, it’ll give the flavors a chance to meld. Store covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. https://stupideasypaleo.com/2016/04/23/broccoli-salad-recipe/
ZUCCHINI MUFFINS Add more veggies to your feast with these easy muffins.
1 1/2 cups almond flour 1/4 cup coconut flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 3 eggs 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 2 tbsp almond milk 1 medium zucchini, grated 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, diced or 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 3 tbsp chives, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with coconut oil spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, and almond milk. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold in either the zucchini and sundried tomatoes, or the bacon and chives. Evenly distribute the batter among 10 muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. http://paleogrubs.com/zucchini-muffins-recipe
WORLD'S BEST BRAISED CABBAGE
Sweet cooked cabbage would be a great addition to your table.
2 tablespoons melted lard, ghee, or bacon grease for coating the baking dish 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 pounds) 1 large red or yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced 2 large carrots, peeled and cut in ¼-inch coins ¼ cup bone broth or water ¼ cup melted lard, ghee, or bacon grease Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Aleppo pepper (optional) Aged balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 325°F with the rack in the middle. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with the melted fat. Lop off the tough stem end of the cabbage and divide it into 6-8 wedges. Keep the core attached so the wedges stay intact after the long cooking time. Don’t worry: The tough core will get super tender, too. Place the cabbage pieces in a single layer in the greased dish – a little overlap is okay. Toss on the onions and carrots and drizzle with broth and the melted fat. Season well with salt, pepper and Aleppo pepper (if using). Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven. Cook the cabbage undisturbed for 1 hour. Crack open the foil cover and carefully flip the wedges over. Reseal the dish tightly and braise for another hour or until fork-tender. At this point, you can remove the cabbage to cool and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it (up to 4 days). When you’re ready to serve, crank the oven up to 425 F and bake until browned (about 15 minutes). Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar and serve immediately. http://nomnompaleo.com/post/1356598429/worlds-best-braised-green-cabbage
CRISPY POTATO STACKS
How cute are these? Crisp up those potatoes for a new side dish.
Olive oil 1 pound russet potatoes 1 pound sweet potatoes 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 clove garlic, grated Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Special equipment: a mandoline Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside. Slice the russets and sweet potatoes 1/16-inch thick using a mandoline and place in a bowl. Toss the potato slices with the butter, herbs, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper until the potatoes are evenly coated. Layer the potatoes evenly in the prepared muffin tin, stacking them one on top of the other until they are about 1 inch above the top of each muffin cup. Bake until the edges of the potatoes are golden and crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each stack to help them release. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/crispy-potato-stacks-3757868
ROASTED ASPARAGUS
You can't go wrong with asparagus. Add a little garlic if you wish.
2 pounds of asparagus, ends trimmed 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons high quality balsamic vinegar 1/3 cups grated parmesan cheese Salt and pepper Place asparagus on a shallow baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake at 400° Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. https://asideofsweet.com/roasted-asparagus-balsamic-vinegar-parmesan/
CAULIFLOWER STUFFING
Here's an alternative for your gluten-free friends.
4 tbsp. butter 1 onion, chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped or thinly sliced 1 small head cauliflower, chopped 1 c. chopped mushrooms kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary 1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp. ground sage) 1/2 c. vegetable or chicken broth In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add cauliflower and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Add parsley, rosemary, and sage and stir until combined, then pour over vegetable broth and cover with a lid. Cover until totally tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Serve. http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a50127/cauliflower-stuffing-recipe/
PALEO PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
You can't have too much pumpkin on Thanksgiving. Give this a try.
6 large eggs 1 cup pumpkin puree 2 t apple cider vinegar 1 t vanilla extract 1 ½ cups almond flour 1 cup arrowroot starch ½ t baking soda ½ t baking powder ½ t nutmeg 1 t cinnamon 3 T pepitas (pumpkin seeds) Preheat oven 350ºF. Prepare an 8x8 loaf pan by placing a piece of parchment paper inside. Allow the ends to hang off the edges a bit for easy removal. In a medium bowl, sift together the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the eggs. Then add the pumpkin, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Slowly add 1-2 tablespoons of the flour mixture at a time to the egg mixture, mixing until fully incorporated. The consistency of the batter should be a little runny. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Top the batter with the pumpkin seeds, pressing them gently into the batter. This way they will bake into the batter a bit and not fall off after baking. Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean. Leave the bread in the pan for 2 hours to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, gently lift the bread from the pan using the sides of the parchment paper to remove. Cool another 30 minutes before slicing and enjoying. Store bread in the refrigerator up to one week. https://blog.paleohacks.com/pumpkin-cornbread/
I do wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving. Have a grateful heart on that day and every day.
Here's to your health! Happy Cooking!
Lori