Thanksgiving - Sides, Salads, Desserts

Thanksgiving-

Make it a time to count your blessings not the carbs! Eat your turkey, sides, and desserts; drink the wine! Serve up some vegetarian and vegan friendly dishes so that there’s something for everyone at the table. Here are a few easy, healthy, and delicious recipes to try:

Vegetarian Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crème Fraîche 

Serves: 4-8

This roasted carrot recipe appears to be gourmet, but it’s surprisingly simple to make! It serves well as a lovely side dish on your holiday table or a great weeknight dinner anytime.

Ingredients:

Farro and Chickpeas

• 1 ¼ cups pearled farro, rinsed and drained

·       3 cups vegetable stock or water

·       ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas

Roasted carrots

• 1-pound slender heirloom carrots rinsed and patted dry.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend seasoning or ½ teaspoon each ground cumin, ground ginger, chopped parsley, chopped sage

• Salt and pepper to taste

Spiced pepitas

• 3 tablespoons pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)

• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend Seasoning or 1/3 teaspoon each cumin, chili powder, salt, paprika, granulated garlic

Herbed crème fraîche

• 1/3 cup crème fraîche

• 1 teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend Seasoning or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 2 teaspoons water

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish

• 1 teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend Seasoning or 1 more tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Cook the farro: In a medium saucepan, add the vegetable stock or water, salt and the rinsed farro. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil, the lemon juice, and minced garlic. Mix well, then add the chickpeas and stir to combine. Cover and set aside, until you’re ready to assemble.

2. Roast the carrots: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, add the carrots then drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with Lady Ren Chef’s Blend or the cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well, making sure the carrots are lightly and evenly coated in the oil and spices. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the carrots are easily pierced by a fork near the top of their stems. Roasting time will depend entirely on the size of your carrots and oven. Don’t overcook.

3. Toast the pumpkin seeds: In a small skillet over medium heat, warm ½ teaspoon olive oil. Add the pepitas and 1 teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend Seasoning or 1/3 teaspoon each cumin, chili powder, salt, paprika, granulated garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises. Remove from heat to cool.

4. Make the herbed crème fraiche: Combine the crème fraîche, 1 teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend Seasoning or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, water, and a few dashes of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

5. Assemble the dish: Pour the farro and chickpea mixture onto a large serving platter. Arrange the carrots in a single layer over the mixture. Drizzle herbed crème fraîche generously over the carrots, then sprinkle them with pepitas and Lady Ren Chef’s Blend or one tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Chef’s Tip: 

• Make it gluten free: Substitute brown rice or wild rice for the farro, adjusting the cooking method/time according to directions on the package.

• Make it dairy free/vegan:  Lemon Tahini Sauce with Lady Ren Chef’s Blend or chopped parsley would be great here, too. Mix 1/3 cup tahini sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Chef’s Blend or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley. Stir well to combine, thin it out with water as necessary. Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice.

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Pomegranate & Pear Garden Salad with Ginger Dressing

Brighten up your holiday table with this gorgeous green salad, bursting with fresh pomegranate, Bartlett pear and Gala apple.

 Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Salad

• ½ cup pecans (halves or pieces)

• 1 bag salad greens

• ½ cup goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled

• 1 large ripe firm Bartlett pear, thinly sliced

• 1 Gala apple, thinly sliced

• Arils from 1 pomegranate

Ginger dressing

·       1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

·       1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, more to taste

·       1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

·       1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

·       1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

·       ½ teaspoon Lady Ren Chef’s Blend seasoning

·       ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste

·       freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Toast the pecans: place them in a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until they’re fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Arrange the salad greens across a large serving platter (for an elegant appearance). Sprinkle the chopped pecans and crumbled cheese over the salad. Fan out your slices of pear and apple and arrange them across the salad in sections. Sprinkle all over with fresh pomegranate arils.

3. Prepare the dressing by combining all of the ingredients and whisk until blended. Taste, for flavor add more vinegar, salt and pepper as desired.

4. Dress the salad until you’re ready to serve (the dressing will wilt the greens over time). When you’re ready, drizzle the ginger dressing lightly all over the salad (you might not need all of it). Serve promptly.

 Chef’s Tips:

• Make it dairy free or vegan: Simply omit the goat cheese and use maple syrup instead of honey.

• Make it nut free: Substitute pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) for the pecans.

• Prepare in advance: You could prepare the salad dressing, and arrange the salad mix, pecans, cheese, and pomegranate up to 1 day in advance. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator. Slice and arrange the pear and apple just before serving, since they oxidize easily.

• Storage suggestions: This salad is best served promptly. If you know you’ll have leftovers, dress individual servings as needed and store the salad and dressing separately. Leftover dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

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Apple Cider Crème Brûlée

Save the best for last! Creamy and rich, this classic dessert becomes elegant for the holiday with a few tips, tricks, and a blender. The mini size is a little treat after dinner, just enough to satisfy a sweet tooth. Chill the creme brûlée approximately 4 hours or overnight before burning the top and serving.

Serves: 6, 4-ounce ramekins or 12, 2-ounce mini’s 

Ingredients

·       2 ¾ cups heavy cream not whipping cream

·       ¼ cup apple cider

·       2 tablespoons brandy or bourbon

·       9 extra-large egg yolks (reserve whites for other use)

·       ¼ cup, plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

·       2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

·       6 tablespoons turbinado sugar for the Brulee’

Tools

·       6, 4-ounce ramekins or 12, 2-ounce ramekins

·       kitchen blow torch

·       funnel

·       large flat roasting pan

Directions:

1.              Prepare your baking pan. Set up a large flat bottomed roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold 6-8 ramekins.  Arrange ramekins so they do not crowd, and they sit totally flat. Fill a kettle with 3-4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Pre-heat oven to 325°F with the rack in the center. 

2.              Make the custard. Place all the ingredients, except turbinado sugar into a blender. Blend on lowest speed for one minute. Allow blender container to stand for 1-2 minutes for most bubbles to dissipate. Slowly pour the custard into the ramekins filling them to the very top. Pop large bubbles with a toothpick if desired. 

3.               Using a funnel so you do not splash water into the ramekins, slowly pour the boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Bake creme custards for approximately 37 minutes. Timing will depend on your oven as ovens vary. Bake until the center of the custards is almost set with just a tiny bit of jiggle, or a thermometer reads 175°F.

4.              Remove the pan from oven and carefully remove the ramekins to a wire cooling rack. Allow custards to cool completely then cover and refrigerate to completely chill and set, 4 hours or overnight. 

5.              To serve. Add approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of turbinado sugar to the top of each custard, tilting and tapping to cover. Pour excess on the next custard and repeat until all custards are topped with sugar. Brulee’ with a hand torch or under the oven broiler until deep golden brown. Serve immediately.