thanksgiving Archives - Page 3 of 3

As pumpkin season comes to a close, I’m squeezing in all those recipes I ambitiously jotted down just as the leaves began to change. The leaves have found their way to the pavement and I’m soon calling it quits on fall flavors. Christmas decorations began creeping in weeks ago so Thanksgiving is the absolute cut-off.

At my Granny’s house, there is a tradition of dessert assortment that puts any extravagant cruise ship buffet to shame. Two tables covered in desserts. It’s not Thanksgiving without 14 pies – fruit, chess and creme topped with meringue, 3 cheese cakes, pralines and bread pudding with two sweet sauces. No wonder I had an eating disorder. It’s impossible to say no to all that sugar. Sugar is my worst best friend. If it’s in front of me, it taunts me, calling my name, causing a battle between my best intentions and desires. And sometimes you just have to eat the sugar. I find when I allow myself to give into the temptations I’m much happier and my body relaxes.

So every year I indulge in the sugar. And I wanted to create a dessert that falls into my dietary guidelines. This creme brûlée is actually healthy, filled with eggs, coconut milk and pumpkin. You have a good mix of protein, carbs and fat. If you can bear to omit the maple syrup, this would be a great breakfast too. But that would be sinful on Thanksgiving.

Remember to save room for sugar.

Makes 4 servings.

4 egg yolks
½ cup pumpkin – canned or fresh
½ cup full fat canned coconut milk
¼ cup maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla
¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp orange zest
⅛ tsp salt
1 tbsp maple sugar – I use Coombs Family Farms brand

►Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
►Beat egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and whisk together well.
►Pour into 4 ramekins, evenly distributing.
►Place ramekins in a baking dish deep enough to meet the lip of the ramekins. Fill the dish halfway with warm water.
►Bake for 25 minutes, until just set in the middle but still jiggling a bit.
►Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
►Before serving, remove from fridge and let sit for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle maple sugar on top of each. Caramelize with a kitchen torch or under a broiler. Serve and dig in! I ate mine in .5 seconds.

This would be fabulous as a pie filling too!

I love creating meals that resemble the current season. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m in the mood for autumnal colors in every dish. Butternut squash, brussels sprouts and apples are fall on a plate.

Brussels sprouts have pushed kale to the side and stepped into the spotlight. They’re the latest trendy vegetable to hit the table. I grew up eating them every week and have always loved them. It’s wonderful the rest of the world has finally caught on and fallen in love with this delicious vegetable. They are easy to prepare too. Try slicing them up, tossing with butter and coarse sea salt, then roasting at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

For this recipe, I wanted complimentary flavors, colors and texture. And I nailed it! The apple cider vinaigrette with cinnamon drizzled over the top pulls it all together.

Makes 4 servings.

1 cup onion – thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic – minced
2 cups acorn squash – cubed
1 cup honey crisp apple – cubed
1 cup brussels sprouts – sliced
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp salt

Apple Cider Vinaigrette
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp white pepper
3 tbsp apple cider
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

All of the vegetables in this recipe must be cooked at different temperatures and lengths of time to maintain the right levels of doneness. You’ll have a few extra dishes to wash but the final product is worth it! You can also buy pre-cubed squash to save some time.

►Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking dish with coconut oil. Slice acorn squash in half, sprinkle salt on the insides and place face down on baking sheet. Cook for 45 minutes until a butter knife easily slices through the squash. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
►Peel and cube the squash.
►Heat oven up to 425 degrees. Slice brussels sprouts and toss with 1 tsp salt. Coat roasting pan with coconut oil and spread sprouts evenly over pan. Roast for 20 minutes or until cooked and crispy.
►Turn oven down to 350 degrees. On a separate baking pan, evenly spread onions, garlic and apples. Bake for 15 minutes.
►Make dressing while vegetables cook. Combine all ingredients and whisk together.
►You can either toss all the vegetables with the dressing in a large bowl OR place all vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle dressing over everything. Either way, it will be delicious!

Tag: thanksgiving

Pumpkin Creme Brûlée

Roasted Acorn Squash & Brussels Sprout Salad