I start out with one menu – and then shift it throughout the week leading to Thanksgiving, so with that mindset, here’s what I am considering for the holiday, perhaps even leading to smaller dinner parties up to New Year’s eve. {featured source and inspiration for this blog post}
I am not a fan of Turkey, never have been and I doubt I’ll ever be. So this year, while searching for a main dish recipe I can live with, I stumbled upon this one, while reading an article on ‘how to have a sustainable Thanksgiving.’ And guess what? We are having A butternut Squash Vegducken! INGREDIENTS 1 cup pecans 1 (7 1/2″-long) zucchini 1 (9 1/2″-long) globe eggplant 1 (11 1/2″-long) butternut squash 2 scallions 2 garlic cloves, divided 1 shallot, coarsely chopped 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, trimmed, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 9 sprigs thyme, divided 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 2 large eggs 1 cup finely grated Parmesan 1/2 cup fine plain breadcrumbs 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley, divided Kosher salt 2 tablespoons mint, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Special equipment: Kitchen twine {follow recipe here} And in case you are curious about the sustainable Thanksgiving suggestions, I have included the article here. {featured image credit}
I am not a fan of pumpkin pie, or cake but I am a fan of pudding or mousse alternative, so I feel like this year, we are going to have this vegan pumpkin mousse on our dessert table for thanksgiving. So easy to make and naturally spoon right out of the blender. Okay, no I’ll do my best to scoop the masterpiece into serving bowls for a more civilized way of indulging. Ingredients 1 cup (225g) full fat coconut yogurt or coconut cream* 1/2 cup (125g) pumpkin puree 1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp salt {more} On another healthier alternative to desserts – here’s a banana Chia pudding recipe – although this one I’m considering for breakfast come Sunday morning. {featured image source and inspiration for this post}
I was over the moon when I found this recipe online. A reminder of my childhood days, during the holidays when my mother and aunts got together to bake and make holiday desserts for a family gathering. I always helped in the kitchen, but only because I wanted to taste all the goodies being whipped together across the kitchen counters all the way to the dinning table – where the women gathered to share secrets to their version of the same old recipe, and laugh out loud at all the fun being poked about this and that. I loved every minute of it. So, since potluck is the sharing of the responsibilities of the hostess – here’s a great recipe for a unique dessert – chocolate salame – that’s been tried and tested by our extended families, eons ago, somewhere in a Mediterranean kitchen: Ingredients 100 g di biscuits like digestives or similar 100 g of butter at room temperature 150 g of sugar 100 g of good quality unsweetened cocoa powder 2 eggs Icing sugar Butcher’s twine Instructions Break the biscuits coarsely with your hands: do …
What a wonderful idea, to have a tree trimming party, or an excuse to invite a few friends or family over to trim the tree while you serve up cocktails and appetizers. I honestly couldn’t hope for a better occasion to escape, even for just a few hours:
This recipe is pretty keto friendly – in fact, this is almost the Keto staple minus the corn and toasted bread of course . But if you are on a meal plan such as myself, you can surely do without the corn and the bread – in fact if you are super watching what you consume – delete the Tahini drizzle also. Otherwise, the recipe is awesome, but since I don’t care for gruyere cheese, I am replacing it with Halloumi cheese. Check out the ingredients and then do away with what isn’t good for your diet plan or stick to the recipe just the way it is – omelettes are an amazing dinner alternative: INGREDIENTS 6 eggs kosher salt + pepper 2 tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved + tomatoes roughly chopped 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese 2 slices crusty whole grain bread, toasted 2 ears fresh corn grilled + kernels removed from the cob 1 avocado sliced 2-4 slices cooked thick cut bacon 2 handfuls fresh arugula LEMONY TAHINI DRESSING 1/4 cup tahini 1/4 cup olive oil juice from 1 lemon 1/2 cup fresh fresh cilantro + basil kosher salt {more} {featured …
it’s always fun to contribute to the office holiday party – where everyone is tasked with bringing something, and like me, I normally volunteer for dessert. This year, I want to wow the crowd, and decided to skip the normal and go with something like this recipe for chocolate ginger cookies: INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 large egg 1/3 cup molasses 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt coarse sugar, for rolling 8 ounces milk or semi-sweet chocolate, melted {more}
Some of us are fortunate enough to get invited to that wonderful relative’s house for Thanksgiving or even a group of friends if you happen to be far away from family. The only upside or down, is having to bring either a dessert or an appetizer to contribute to one of the most important meals in the U.S. – Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s a list of suggestion for the chef and not-so-much on how to proceed: If baking is not your thing – then consider ordering a ready made dessert from here And if you’re curious as to what I am planning to surprise my family with for dessert this year –
While discussing Thanksgiving with my mother a few days ago, I expressed my concern for keeping the menu healthy enough to continue my efforts to stay on track in my eating habits, which by the way I keep pushing on her, and my extended family. They may hate me now, but will thank me long-term when they see the results for a healthier living. Anyway, if you understand my struggle to keep it healthy this holiday season, here’s some helpful reminders to keep in mind and preach – hahaha – to the rest of your clan.
The need for comfort-food season is upon us and with it – this wonderful recipe for a Saturday morning or a Sunday morning breakfast if you saw this post too late in the game for Saturday. Either way oh yummyness: INGREDIENTS 1 loaf brioche bread, sliced into 1″ thick slices 8 ounces cream cheese (optional) 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt butter, for greasing CIDER SYRUP 1/2 cup pure maple syrup 1 cup apple cider 2 tablespoons salted butter
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