All posts filed under: Sides

Kalettes with Lemon tahini Drizzle and Goji Berrie

Roasted Kalettes with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Goji Berries

I’ve been reading about kalettes for a while now and was excited to finally find them live and in person, or at least cut and in person, at the farmers market recently.. Also known as lollipop kale or kale sprouts, they are the latest star ingredient of the veggie world, and with good reason. They are an adorable cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, and like their parents, kalettes are loaded with nutrients and health benefits.  Their flavor is slightly less bitter than Brussels sprouts with a mild earthy flavor. You can eat them raw or sautéed, but roasted kalettes are especially delicious! While they’re great dressed simply in olive oil and a little salt and pepper, here they are turned into something really special with a heavy drizzle of spoon-licking good lemon-tahini dressing and a sprinkle of sweet-tart goji berries. This recipe is perfect… As a quick, easy, and colorful side for holiday meals. paired with grains, beans and/or other veggies in a Buddha bowl when you’re feeling run down and need a big antioxidant …

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Plump Raisins

Roasted Cauliflower with Plump Raisins and Toasted Pine Nuts

Cauliflower is a vegetable that is easy to overlook. It may conjure up memories of piles of steamed, formerly frozen vegetables that you were forced to eat as a kid in order to “earn” your dessert.  Well, this roasted cauliflower side will change all that!  Roasting at a high temperature saves cauliflower from a potentially dull and lifeless fate and transforms it into a crispy, savory, nutty treat. Paired here with plump, sweet raisins and earthy pine nuts, it’s a dish that will leave you craving more. No one has ever called a cauliflower dish sexy… but if they did, they’d be talking about this one. Enjoy! Roasted Cauliflower with Plump Raisins and Toasted Pine Nuts Ingredients: 4 Servings 1/4 cup Raisins 3 Tbsp Olive Oil 4 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/4 tsp Sea Salt 1/8 tsp Black Pepper 1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, plus more for garnish, chopped 1 large head Cauliflower (about 2 lbs), cut into florets 1 1/2 Tbsp Pine Nuts   Directions: Preheat Oven to 450* Bring an inch …

Everything Bagel Party Potato Salad

This is a dish I made to bring along to a Fourth of July BBQ that everyone loved. It’s a fun and delicious rift on an everything bagel with the works. It was inspired by a recipe in one of my favorite cooking magazines Bon Appetit. I adjusted it to make it dairy-free and include more flavorful, crunchy and nutritious veggies. I took a vegan version to the party because I knew it would go well with anything else on the menu. My husband had some for lunch before we left along with the salmon on a bed of salad greens and really loved it. So depending on what else you are serving (or your dietary preference) you can decide whether to add the lox. I used packaged tofu cream cheese from the supermarket, but you could certainly make your own. My cashew sour cream  would also work well in place of the cream cheese in this recipe. I hope you enjoy it at your next gathering!  xo Jacq Ingredients: serves 8-10 3 pounds Baby or Fingerling Potatoes, halved …

French Green Beans with Caramelized Shallot, Strawberries, Pine Nuts and Mint

Spring has sprung which means strawberries will soon be at their peak. Here they’re paired with french green beans, the skinny, sexy cousin of regular green beans. Also known as haricot vert, they’re longer, crisper, more tender and quicker cooking than their standard counterpart. Green beans and strawberries are both high in vitamins A and C; antioxidants know for their anti-aging properties. This delish dish will keep you feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed all season long. Enjoy! Ingredients: 4-6 Servings 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil 1 medium Shallot, thinly sliced 1 lb French Green Beans 1 large or 2 small Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice (1 lemon wedge) 1 tsp Lemon Zest 1/4 cup Strawberries, thinly sliced (2-3 berries) 2 Tbsp Pine Nuts 1 1/2 Tbsp Mint, thinly sliced (chiffonade) Pinch of White Pepper 1/8 tsp Maldon or other flaky Sea Salt (optional) Add the oil and shallot to a large frying pan and heat over medium until the shallots become translucent (about 2 minutes), lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. …

Whole Roasted Maple Ginger Carrots

These carrots are a sweet and spicy treat you wont be able to resist. I just ate the whole bunch of carrots after testing this recipe! This works best with medium-sized carrots that are fairly uniform in size. If the carrots are very large, slice in half lengthwise. You can even deglaze the pan after, using a little broth and white wine to make a delicate sauce for roast white fish or grilled tofu. Ingredients: Pre-heat oven to 425* 1 bunch Carrots 1 inch piece of Ginger, peeled 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1 Tbsp water 1/8 tsp each Salt, Pepper, Cayenne & Cumin 1 Tbsp fresh Cilantro Leaves Trim carrot tops to 3/4 inch. Rinse and scrub carrots very well with a paper towel or peel. Place carrots in a baking dish in 1 layer. Grate ginger into a bowl, add olive oil, maple syrup, water and spices and whisk. Pour over carrots and toss to coat. Place in oven for 20 minutes, remove and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Turn carrots using tongs, careful not …

Spiced Sweet Potato Puree

Spiced Sweet Potato Puree

 This wonderful purée adds a ton of flavor to any dish. The consistency is thinner and smoother than a traditional mashed sweet potato, but thicker and creamier than a sauce.  One of the awesome things about sweet potatoes is that they are less starchy than regular potatoes so they don’t get gummy in the food processor or blender; which means once your sweet potato is cooked it only takes a couple of minutes to transform it into this spicy golden puree. I love to serve it spread out on the plate under roasted or sautéed veggies, tofu or fish dishes. It turns ingredients which might otherwise be a little bland into an exciting meal without adding a single drop of oil. In fact, the sweet potato and spices are both a super nutrient-dense additions to your menu. Plus they and add a beautiful pop of color. Try it with my Maple Glazed Acorn Squash and/or some sautéed greens. Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 4 Servings 1 large sweet potato (approx. 1lb 3oz) 1/2 cup Almond or Cashew Milk 1/4 …

REAL FOOD FAST- Zucchini Noodle Pesto Pasta with Cannelini Beans & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This is another in my Real Food Fast series of healthy and delicious recipes that take 10 minutes or less to whip up. This flavor packed dish is a nutritious plant-based, gluten-free alternative to traditional pasta that leaves you feeling full and satisfied thanks to all the fiber, plant protein and heart healthy fats. Zucchini and summer squash also happen to be some of the lowest calorie vegetables around meaning this is the perfect kind of dish to help maintain a healthy weight.  You can get a spiralizer to turn your veggies into noodles online or most places where they sell kitchen appliances. I use the 4-blade spiralizer from Paderno which has settings for angel hair, spaghetti and shoestring noodles plus a blade for accordion cuts. Angel hair and spaghetti sized noodles work well for this. If you don’t have one however, don’t worry! You can use a regular vegetable peeler to make thin, wide pappardelle noodles. Just press down firmly along the length of the zucchini to make the noodles with your peeler.  This …

Greens Agrodolce with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Fried Shallots

Greens Agrodolce with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Fried Shallots

This is my favorite way to eat dark leafy greens- Italian style sweet and sour with meaty almonds and savory shallots. This recipe has the perfect balance of flavors and textures to compliment the bitter greens.  You can use a single type or a mixture, either way these greens are anything but boring! 🙂 Ingredients: 1 lg bunch Dark Leafy Greens (Mustard, Kale, Swiss Chard and/or Beet Greens) 1/2 small Onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices 1 Shallot, thinly sliced 1/4 cup Marcona or toasted slivered Almonds 1 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Olive Oil Pinch of Red Chili Flakes Salt & Pepper Directions: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat, add onion and stir to coat. Tear any tough center ribs from the greens, chop the ribs and add to the onion. Sauté until onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Chop remaining greens, add to the pan and mix to coat with oil. Sprinkle with vinegar, honey, chili flakes and …

Easy Elegant Holiday Sides

Cooking from scratch for a holiday can feel overwhelming so I figured it would be fun to show you a salad and veggies sides that can all roast in the oven together at the same time. They are so easy to make you can hardly call these recipes, but they are so beautiful and delectable everyone will be asking for seconds so make sure to make extra! Try to find the best looking organic produce you can find for fabulous flavor. If you are new to cooking just remember its much easier to add seasoning than to take away, so you can always taste and adjust the seasoning as you go. Ive left off measurements because this works whether you are cooking for 2 or for 8.  What you’ll need: Vegetables: Carrots Small Red, White and/or Purple Potatoes Brussels Sprouts Tomatoes Seasonings: Olive Oil Kosher Salt Medium Ground Black Pepper Cumin Paprika Chili Powder Seasoning salt Course Mustard Onion Shallot Garlic Rosemary Cilantro, Basil Italian Parsley Honey Preheat oven to 400* Prep Veggies: Carrots: Trim …

Baked Sweet Potato with Broccolini and Gooey Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce

This recipe is such a treat! It tastes so rich it almost seems like it must be bad for you, but it’s actually packed with nutrients. The secret ingredient is tapioca flour, sometimes called tapioca starch, which is made from the cassava plant and naturally gluten-free. This is what gives  your cheese sauce a thick, creamy, too good to be good for you  texture! I use Bob’s Red Mill brand available at Whole foods and Trader Joe’s. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamins A, B5, B6, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin. They get their pretty orange color from the plant pigments carotenoids which are powerful antioxidants. The broccolini has vitamin C and calcium and you get some protein and healthy fats from the nuts so you’ll feel full and satisfied for hours. Best of all you get to enjoy the sweet, spicy, cheesy, yummy flavor! Enjoy xJacq Pre-heat oven to 400* Ingredients: 2-3 servings  Sweet Potatoes: 2 Sweet Potatoes 1 tsp Coconut Oil 3 tsp Cashew Sour Cream Fresh Parsley or Chives, chopped, for garnish Broccolini: 1 tbsp …