Garlic & Romano Cheese Mashed Cauliflower

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE meal of the year. So I am going to be real honest, I'm not sacrificing flavor on this day. But when you come across a healthy swap that tastes just as good, I'm down with that. Here's a great example from Faithfulness Farm...


Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• salt & freshly cracked pepper
• 4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 c cream
• 1/3 c grated Romano cheese
• Salt & freshly cracked pepper

Directions:

Clean cauliflower and break into large pieces. In a large piece of aluminum foil, tightly wrap cauliflower and peeled garlic cloves that have been seasoned with salt and pepper and place in 350°F oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until tender. Put into casserole dish and mash to desired consistency (I like a little texture to mine, but if you want them really smooth, use an immersion blender in another bowl!). Add EVOO and cream and mix in well. Add the grated Romano cheese and season with salt and pepper as desired. Makes 3-4 servings. Can be made ahead and reheated in a 350°F oven until piping hot.

Spicy Roasted Squash

I love squash, but I struggle most with what to do with Acorn Squash! This looks like a perfect side dish...maybe even for Thanksgiving! This recipe is from Howsweeteats.com

Ingredients:

• 1 large acorn squash, seeded and cut into slices
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the oil, sugar and chili garlic sauce in a bowl. Lay the squash in a pan, drizzle with sauce and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, toss the squash around a little, then roast for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle on the herbs and feta after the squash is cooked, drizzle with any left over sauce from the pan and serve! 

Protein Cookies (G/F)

A perfect cookie for kiddos...sweet and yummy, but packed with nutrients! This recipe is by Kula Mama.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coconut oil (unrefined, organic)
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter you choose, sunflower seed butter will react with baking soda and turn the cookies green however)
• 2½ cups GF oats (just sub regular oats if you don't follow a gluten free diet)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup chocolate chips (use dairy-free if needed, you can also use dried fruit here instead)
• ¼ cup chia seeds (or any seed or chopped nut) (you can omit seeds if your kids don't like them)
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds (or any seed or chopped nut) (you can omit seeds if your kids don't like them)

Directions:

Combine the coconut oil and maple syrup until creamy, then add eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Blend in the almond butter, and finally stir in the oats, chocolate chips and seeds/nuts. Bake @350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Creamy Lentil Soup

There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of soup when the snow begins to fly. I have always loved the taste of lentil soup, but sometimes the texture of lentils is less than appealing. This is the perfect way to enjoy the health benefits of lentils but get the satisfaction of a creamy bowl of soup!! This recipe is from Skinnytaste.com.


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped scallions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 cup cup dried lentils
• 1 small red potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• Optional: light sour cream and 2 Tbsp scallions for garnish

Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, scallions, garlic and tomato to the pot, season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro, cumin and cook 1 minute more.

Add the lentils, potato, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the lentils become tender about 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, and puree the soup in the blender in 2 batches (so it doesn't explode) until very smooth. Adjust soup with salt and pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, scallions and cilantro, if desired; serve immediately.