Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Pomegranate, Cranberries, and Almonds

I have a habit of roasting most veggies that come across my counter in the winter months. I mean, who doesn't love a roasted Brussels sprout or Roasted Green Beans with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette ;)?  But as I was thinking about Thanksgiving and the number of heavy mashes, purees, gratins, and bakes, I wanted to break things ups with a fall-inspired salad. Like my green beans, this only gets better with a little time in the fridge, making it ideal for those who like to get ahead. Think of it as a coleslaw, but better. No mayo, just olive oil, and it has a ton of festive add-ins that make it holiday-worthy. Add a sturdy grain like farro or wheat berries, and some chickpeas and it can also be your go-to lunch salad.

Shaving the Brussels sprouts makes them feather-light and a bit wispy, which I love, but it does take a little time to trim them all down. I used a v-slicer (a cheapo mandoline) for some and a knife for others. Turn on the radio or a favorite TV show, and next you thing you know, you have a delicious fall salad. Just don't tell the Brussels sprouts haters what it is until after they tell you how yummy it is.

If you are making this ahead of time, add the almonds right before serving so you don't lose the crunch. I say apple is optional here, and if you plan to use it, it adds fantastic crispness. Just be sure to toss with a little lemon juice or add close to serving to prevent browning.

Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Pomegranate, Dried Cranberries, and Almonds

1 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
Generous pinch of salt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
 
½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
½  pomegranate, seeded
1 small apple, finely chopped (optional, but delicious!)

Place sliced Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Mix mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Drizzle dressing over Brussels sprouts and mix well to coat. Add cranberries, almonds, pomegranate seeds (and apple, if using!), and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made ahead of time; it tastes even better the next day! Just wait to add the almonds (and apple) until immediately before serving. Serves 4-5.

Swiss Chard and Apple Socca Bites

We finally got around to decorating our little home for the holidays! Lights are up on the windows, garland and bows are strewn on the staircase, and our tree is chilling in its new corner home. Yes, we are proud parents of the cutest little tree there ever could be! We figured we are almost a real family now, so we need to start building our own holiday traditions. With those traditions, come a bit of compromise. I grew up with real Christmas trees. The kind that shed tiny needles everywhere, that are always a bit crooked and a little uneven but that are perfectly imperfect because they smell of Christmas. My fiance, on the other hand, grew up with a fake tree that gets dragged from the basement every year and has perfect little branches for hanging ornaments, and smells of...nothing. Our family tree looks like a Jackson Pollack while his family's tree looks like it came straight out of the Sears catalog. Nothing wrong or right with either of those things, but certainly different takes on what makes a Christmas tree tradition.

So this brings me back to our humble tree and the beginning of our new family traditions. I figured our tree is a compromise between the two family traditions. Yes, it is artificial, but it is a bit sparse and awkward. I was even fooled by its lack of authenticity when I picked it out at the nursery. Draped in itty-bitty lights and just two ornaments, it has not yet been a victim of the cats' curiosity. I give it another day or two before our terrifically I-am-pretty-sure-I-saw-that-inanimate-object-move-therefore-I-must-attack-it cat goes after it.

Now that our house is decorated, I am feeling festive! So festive in fact, we decided to throw a Christmas party by inviting probably way too many people. The more the merrier, right? For this party, we are going to need food, and this is where this nibble comes in. Green and red from the chard and red and white from the bits of apple, it is the perfect holiday bite.

Socca, if you have never heard of it, is a quick flatbread made with chickpea flour. It leans towards the savory side and is quite dense, but if you are thinking it tastes like chickpeas or hummus in baked form, you would be surprised at how different in flavor it is. I dare compare it to a really finely ground polenta with some addicting nuttiness going on. While it can certainly be eaten in pizza form, I make bite-size finger appetizers by using a small biscuit cutter to cut out little rounds. Sure, there are scraps of socca that remain from all of the hole-punching, but they are much appreciated thrown into a bowl of roasted root vegetables and topped with goat cheese. Waste not, want not.

The top is a bit of simply sauteed chard stems and garlic, wilted chard leaves, and a spattering of toasted walnuts. The addition that made this not just beautiful but quite a bit fancy feeling was the apple. I draped julienned apple pieces over top that offered just enough sweet and tart crunch to balance the earthy chard.

This is perfect party food because it is mostly make-ahead. The socca, chard, and toasted nuts can all be prepared ahead of time. Warm the socca and chard topping through, assemble with the walnuts, and top with apple, and you are ready for your holiday shindig.

Swiss Chard and Apple Socca Bites

Socca:
2 cups chickpea flour
2 1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 + tablespoons olive oil, divided

Chard:
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces Swiss chard (I used rainbow), washed and stems diced and leaves cut into chiffonade
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 small apple, julienned

Prepare socca. Whisk chickpea flour with water, salt, and 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil until smooth. You can adjust seasoning by tasting batter here if you would like. Allow batter to rest for at least 15 minutes, but up to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place large cast iron skillet in oven on center rack to heat while oven preheats. Remove pan from oven when hot and pour in 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirling to coat. I used a 12-inch pan, but you could do multiple batches in a smaller skillet. Add batter to thickness of scant 1/4-inch (this was all of batter in my 12-inch), and return pan to oven. Allow to cook 15-20 minutes or until golden and starting to pull away from sides. Remove from oven and allow to cool before using a spatula to loosen batter from pan. Cut socca into circles, either with a cookie cutter or by tracing a small cup.

Prepare Swiss chard while socca cooks. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add chard stems and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chard leaves and toss to combine, cooking for just a few minutes or until leaves have wilted but still have a little bite. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assemble bites. Top a socca round with a little pile of chard, sprinkle with toasted walnuts, and top with apple slivers. Enjoy! Makes about 12-15 bites.

Tempeh and Squash Sesame Autumn Rolls

One of the main reasons I love eating at Vietnamese restaurants is their summer rolls. Herbaceous, fresh, and clean, they will never go out of style. They are also perfect if you need a break from heavy holiday food. I decided to do a bright autumn version here, and while it is by no means traditional, it is just as bright and clean as the cucumber and carrot version, perhaps just a little more hearty.

I use soba noodles instead of vermicelli, which I believe are a bit easier to cook than vermicelli. Vermicelli can be finicky. It goes from underdone to a gloopy, sticky mess in an eye blink, at least for me who has not spent years perfecting it. So if you have tips on perfecting rice vermicelli, let me know! The soba noodles also pair well with the sesame flavors I have in the tempeh and dipping sauce. The marinated and seared tempeh and creamy avocado play off of each other's textures and add some staying power. To mimic the sweetness of carrots, I add in slices of kabocha squash, and the whole thing comes together in a delicious little roll. 

if you have never played with rice paper before, it is rather simple if you know a few tricks. I fill a pie plate half- way with really hot water, get a dish towel ready out on the cutting board or counter (this helps absorb excess water while you assemble), plunge a piece of rice paper in the water for about 15 seconds or so on until softened. I lay the softened rice paper out on the towel and begin layering on the ingredients. The trick is to keep the ingredients nice and compact, much like you would fill a sushi roll or a dumpling. Then fold the sides in like a burrito and roll away. To keep them fresh as you make them, place a damp paper towel or dish towel over the already made spring rolls.

The dipping sauce here is sesame-based rather than peanut or fish sauce-based. You could certainly sub in peanut butter for the tahini, but it will be thicker so you will want to thin out with a little water until the desired consistency is reached.

Tempeh and Squash Sesame Autumn Rolls

Roasted Squash:
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
1/2 small kabocha squash, sliced in 1/4-inch slices
salt, to taste

Tempeh:
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
8 ounces tempeh, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari, if gluten-free
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Soba noodles:
6 ounces soba noodles
water
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Sesame Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
hot sauce or Sriracha, optional

Rolls:
12-15 pieces of rice paper
1 small head red leaf lettuce, leaves washed and excessive water removed
roasted kabocha squash
seared tempeh
1 avocado, sliced thinly
handful fresh cilantro, for serving
sesame seeds, optional, for serving

Roast squash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss kabocha with tablespoon oil, and arrange in single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Prepare tempeh. Mix maple syrup, low sodium soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a bowl. Add tempeh and toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add tempeh and cook on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook soba noodles. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add soba and cook for 5-7 minutes or until just done but not mushy. Start tasting at the 4 1/2 minute mark. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Make dipping sauce. Combine tahini, soy sauce or tamari, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, and ginger in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add hot sauce, if using.

Prepare rolls. Fill a large shallow dish such as a pie plate half-way with steaming water. Add rice paper and allow to soak until softened, about 15 seconds. Place on a clean towel and layer ingredients on one end, starting with a small piece of red leaf lettuce, soba noodles, avocado, tempeh, kabocha, cilantro, sesame seeds, if using, and a drizzle of the dipping sauce. Roll up like a burrito, starting with the sides, and then roll up tightly. Place a damp towel over rolled pieces while repeating with remaining ingredients, heating water as necessary. Serve with dipping sauce and additional herbs, if desired. Enjoy! Makes 12-15 summer rolls.

Maple and Tahini Sweet Potato Pancakes

Happy almost Thanksgiving! Our family is not actually celebrating Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving because too many family members have significant others, work schedules are a bit wonky, etc., etc. It is going to happen, just not on the fourth Thursday of November like Congress decreed decades ago. I hope to take some pictures from our delightful feast, but since I try to put the camera away when there is conversation to be had and good eating to be done, I may not capture all of the fun on camera.

Anyway, on to these pancakes! So if you want to keep up the fall festivities after Thanksgiving, I highly suggest you give these pancakes a try. They are quite a bit more dense than my Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, but they are still wonderfully light on the body due to the mashed sweet potato. I also find them more filling than traditional pancakes which I appreciate. Ever eaten a stack of buttermilk pancakes and still been hungry? These are much more satisfying on so many levels. For example, tahini and maple syrup go IN the batter and ON TOP for a double yum. I also throw on some toasted coconut flakes...and yes, I mean throw because I like to make it rain coconut...

These pancakes are perfect for using up any leftover mashed sweet potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes you have- just remove the flesh from the jacket to get the smoothest batter. Full of nourishing vitamin A, vitamin C, and beta carotene, and a whole host of other micronutrients, sweet potatoes are nutritional powerhouses. I say we find more excuses to eat them. And did you know that the tahini and bit of coconut oil in here are not just for incredible flavor? They also help make beta-carotene more available to our bodies since a little fat is needed for the body absorb it.

A few notes about the recipe. Because these are a bit dense (in a good way!), these will take longer to cook than most traditional pancakes, about 3-4 minutes for the first side. But be patient! The wait is worth it! They will still be moist on the inside so do not worry about drying them out. Also, for most pancakes, you will notice bubbles on the surface to indicate when to flip the pancake, but that is not the case with these. Instead, watch for the outer rim to lose its shine and sets. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown, To keep warm, place them on a wire rack in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven until ready to serve.

These are delicious made ahead and reheated in the microwave or just to snack on straight from the refrigerator... with a drizzle of tahini, of course.

Maple and Tahini Sweet Potato Pancakes

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and but into 1" pieces (or 1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or other neutral oil), plus extra for cooking
2 eggs
1 cup milk of choice (I used 2%, but other non-dairy options should work)
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), plus more for serving (I am partial to Soom tahini since it is made here in Philly!)
1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more for serving
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coconut flakes, toasted, for serving

Cook sweet potatoes. To steam, place sweet potatoes in a steamer basket in pot with an inch of water in the bottom. Bring water to boil, cover pot with lid, and allow to cook until sweet potato is easily mashed with a fork, about 10 minutes. Keep checking until sweet potatoes are tender. Alternatively, if you do not have a steamer basket, you can cook sweet potatoes in a thin layer of water for a similar effect. Drain sweet potatoes well if using this method.

Mash cooked sweet potatoes with a fork until mostly smooth. It should equal about 1 1/2 cups. Beat in melted coconut oil, eggs, milk, tahini, and maple syrup until smooth.

In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients until well combined. Add dry into wet and stir just until combined.

Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease with additional coconut oil until surface is shiny and stick-proof. When water drops sprinkled on the skillet sizzle but do not smoke, it is ready. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter onto skillet for each pancake. Use a spoon to get an even pancake shape as this batter is a bit dense and does not flow as easily. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side or until edges are well set and flip to cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Move to a wire rack and keep warm in a 200 degree oven. Repeat with the rest of the batter, greasing pan as necessary. Serve with maple syrup, more tahini, and toasted coconut flakes. Enjoy! Makes about 8-9 pancakes to serve about 3 people. 

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Wild Rice Soup

Thanksgiving is upon us! I spent the better part of Saturday making our Thanksgiving menu and organizing the grocery list to reduce the frenzy potential at the store. I like to organize the list by aisle- super time-saver. I put all of the recipes we are going to make in a single document, adjusting the quantities based on how many servings we need. This makes list-making easier AND there is no guesswork when divvying up the recipes to relative who want to help cook. Yay for a family of cooks!

So what is on our menu? I am lucky that my family is open to trying new things each year. There are certain ingredient must-haves, but most anything goes within those boundaries. For example, there is always turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cranberries, some sort of pumpkin dessert, plus way too many other desserts that we decide on at the last minute. My Mom also loves to make Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing and break out a can of super smooth jellied cranberry sauce to make it totally American.

My Mom is in charge of our turkey- she is an expert at the whole brining thing- and the gravy, so I will find out what she has in store come Thanksgiving day. Mashed potatoes are getting the slow cooker treatment for the first time, green beans will be mixed with my Miso Mushrooms (minus the white beans), Brussels sprouts will roast with pears, cranberries will simmer with some citrus and bay leaves, carrots will get a maple and cumin glaze, and pumpkin pie will merge with coconut pie for the dessert we have so far. There is also going to be a fall salad in there somewhere, you know, just as an appetizer to our vegetable-filled feast.

What are you making for Thanksgiving? Any family favorites?

As much as I love planning Thanksgiving, the days leading up to it can be hectic. Work, travel, grocery shopping, etc. This is where this soup comes in. It is a perfect pre-Thanksgiving soup- simple to make, nourishing, not too heavy, but comforting enough for this cooler weather.  Because around these parts, the temperature just plummeted.

This recipe was featured over at Be Well Philly with two other sweet potato recipes from the awesome Lindsey Kane and talented Grace Dickinson. You can check all three recipes out here.