Showing posts with label side dishes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label side dishes. Show all posts

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Perfect Burgers + 2 Tasty Side Salads make for a healthy cookout!

6:31 PM | Labels: , , , , , ,



At the risk of completely contradicting all that I wrote yesterday, I’d like to introduce a new feature here at Floptimism: Thirty Minute Thursdays, the day of the week where I will feature one (or several) dishes that I’ve made recently from my Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals cookbook.

Most of the recipes I post here are either my own creations or pulled from internet sites, and as I collect more and more bookmarked recipes to try, my rather large collection of real, tangible cookbooks has been tragically neglected. I decided that starting this summer, I would choose a cookbook and cook my way through it, perhaps in a vaguely Julie & Julia manner, but a little more relaxed. I won’t cook absolutely everything and I don’t have a deadline for when I want to “finish” – I just want to start clearing out my cookbooks, testing the waters, finding gems, and donating ones that don’t really live up to expectations.


 There’s only one dilemma: do I post the recipes? I have posted recipes from cookbooks – in fact, from this Rachael Ray cookbook specifically – and in general don’t find it to be ethically troublesome, especially when I alter the recipe here or there. However, if I’m turning this into a blog feature and planning to post a vast majority of a single cookbook’s recipes, is that copyright infringement? Is it threatening Rachael Ray’s profit margins if I just hand you the book, each week a different page, free of charge? How thin is the ice on which I’m skating? I’d love to know your opinions, because I’m really not sure where the line is drawn.

For now, I’ll share with you 2 photos and post one of the recipes. I made a vinegar cole slaw and a three-bean salad as side dishes for 4th of July, and paired them with delicious grass-fed burgers, spiced according to what Annie at Annie’s Eats calls The Perfect Hamburger Recipe. I have to say, the burgers were pretty tasty, though not intensely flavored enough for me to deem them quite perfect. Delicious? Absolutely! Easy? Sure thing! Next time I might add a few more onions and a dash more spice, personally, but definitely check out her post for that recipe.


 Now back to these salads. The cole slaw recipe was good, enjoyable, but nothing memorable. In fact, at its worst it could be described as bland, though I think that’s being a little too harsh. At its best, it is a simple, very subtle slaw that improves after a little time out in the fridge – I’m talking overnight, not the 20 minutes Rachael calls for. I enjoyed it more when I added some paprika, and even more when I mixed some leftovers with roasted veggies and grilled chicken pieces. My mom said it reminded her a little bit of a vinegar cole slaw she makes sometimes, though she insinuated that hers was better and, well, mighty flavorful. If I make that any time soon (or just taste it!) I’ll have to let you know.


The three-bean salad was much, much better. If you don’t like beans, you can sit this one out (my dad’s not a big bean guy – can’t get him past it), but if you do…please try this salad. It’s extremely flavorful, tangy with a bite from a wasabi-infused mustard I used, and the texture of the cool beans is very pleasant. L said he doesn’t really like cool, non-traditional salads so he warmed his up and gave me a thumbs up for it, so I can now tell you with confidence that it’s delicious at any temperature. I also ate the last of it over fresh spinach this afternoon, and it was wonderful. My only complaint with the recipe is that it makes an obscene amount of dressing – you could easily quarter the dressing and still have enough to generously coat the salad. I served it with a slotted spoon and it was still a little drenched, so I’ve indicated that change below.


 One Year Ago: Indian-Spiced Lentil Pasta

Three Bean Salad, adapted from Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals
Yield: 6-8 servings
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
½ pound fresh green beans, washed and cut into thirds
1-2 heaping teaspoon dijon or wasabi mustard
½-1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
15 ounces red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
¼ cup parsley, minced

The Method
Steam the green beans and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, combine the mustard, sugar and vinegar in a medium-large bowl and whisk in the oil. Add all three beans and the parsley, tossing to coat evenly. Serve slightly chilled, room temperature, or slightly warmed, to taste.*

Notes:
*This dish can be made in advance, though you may want to consider upping the dressing a little to keep it moist as it sits in the fridge. The extra dressing can be drained prior to serving if desired.





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Posted by toni

Need a healthy dish for July 4th? Try an Avocado, Tomato & Feta Quinoa Salad!

4:11 PM | Labels: , , ,



 The original recipe for this Avocado, Tomato & Feta Quinoa Salad is actually a salsa, and is described as “addicting” and “gone within 20 minutes” of being set out at a party. Although I tweaked it (barely), I have to say that I agree. The ingredient list is modest and the recipe is simple, but the combination is out of this world. The creamy, savory with-a-hint-of-sweet flavors work in such harmony with the freshness of the tomatoes and avocado and the salty edge of the feta. I can picture this being irresistible with chips, vegetable dippers, as a topping for an omelet or chicken, mixed into pasta…I mean, keep on listing possible mix-ins or bases, and I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t work. It’s just a solid, tasty recipe – and I think you’d find it to be a refreshing addition to your July 4th menu, if you’re searching for that extra je ne sais quoi of the culinary variety.

Avocado, Tomato & Feta Quinoa Salad, adapted (minimally) from Happy Foody
Yield: 4 main dishes
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, cooked & cooled
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 california avocado, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 teaspoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

The Method
Combine all of the ingredients except the salsa in a medium mixing bowl. Add in the quinoa and toss to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, preferably 1 hour or so to let the flavors come together.

Alternatively: keep it as a salsa by omitting the quinoa, and use it in any of the ways I mentioned above (or in any way your imagination can dream up)!

 Although I don’t have any specific July 4th recipes planned for you, I would like to devote the next several entries to dishes that could easily be enjoyed over the holiday weekend. This salsa/quinoa salad is a great start. I also have an enticing container of homemade frozen yogurt firming up in my freezer this very minute (did you know July is National Ice Cream Month? Like I needed an excuse!), some sugar cookies in my archived recipes and my weekend baking plan, and maybe even an indulgent chocolate cake to really top it all off. And, just to redeem all of those desserts, I also have recipes for egg salad (lightened up), bruschetta…there’s no way I’ll be ambitious enough to post all of these by Monday, so maybe I’m just teasing you now, but be sure to check back here for some decidedly delicious, crowd-pleasing fare!


 

Join Dine & Dish and Cookin’ Canuck for the California Avocado 4th of July Blast, sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.

Come join The Salad Social at TidyMom sponsored by The International Olive Council’s Add Some Life!

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Posted by toni

Chicken Tropicale with Pineapple Rice Pudding

10:58 AM | Labels: , , ,


 You’re not currently sitting in front of your computer, inside while the sun shines outside your window. You’re not paying bills, doing laundry, or trying to figure out what’s for dinner. No, right now, you’re sitting on a beachfront patio on a tropical island, sunglasses tinting your beautiful, breezy ocean world a less blinding shade of bright. You have your favorite book on your lap, and just as you start to feel that guttural uneasiness that goes along with the inkling of hunger, you realize that a plate of delicious grilled coconut-marinated chicken is sitting in front of you, with a creamy, indulgent bowl of pineapple-flavored rice pudding on the side. The chicken is perfectly cooked, not at all dry, and topped with lightly grilled bell and jalapeno peppers to add color and kick to the clean chicken palate; the rice pudding is like a dream come true, sweet and satisfying down to the last bite.



Or, you could be attempting to make this magical, tropical, fantasy-inducing meal the way I did, in a tiny kitchen, half-distracted by dirty dishes. You could be struggling to get the chicken to brown, while the milk in the pudding boils up and over the pan, spilling all over your cook top. And you could be looking down at a fairly liquidy, not very thick at all rice pudding and wondering what could have possibly gone wrong. You could be fairly disheartened that your luscious tropical dream dish didn’t turn out the way it existed in your head – that is, until you take the first bite. Upon this first taste, the stain on the stove will melt away, and your slotted spoon and taste buds will filter out the extra liquid in the rice pudding, leaving sweet perfection in its wake. You will forget all about the harried cooking process, and you’ll be back up in that first paragraph once again, convinced you’re dining on the patio of your beach front bungalo.

 The coconut marinade, which was made with a coconut-flavored rum, was not robust – if you want a very strong taste of coconut, I would use a coconut oil or milk in addition to the rum, though I’ve personally been wary of those two ingredients and the dubious health claims they have adopted. Still, the meal is perfect for summer, even if you don’t detect the coconut – and the pudding, if you’re worried about it being heavy, is absolutely irresistible room temperature or even chilled, making it a very welcome side dish, even in the heat. I did adjust the liquid measurements below to take care of some of the excess liquid I had in my dish. The chicken would be delicious with many other sides, sliced over a salad, made into a sandwich, you name it, and I enjoyed the leftover rice for breakfast with some fresh blueberries added. So, if tropical islands aren’t really your thing, you can still enjoy these two recipes – together or on their own – in any number of ways.


One Year Ago: Israeli S’mores

Chicken Tropicale with Sauteed Peppers, a Floptimism original
Yield: 2 servings
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
6-8 ounces chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
¼ cup coconut rum
dash each of chili powder and ground cumin
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, sliced (recommended: red)
1 ½ jalapeno peppers, deseeded & finely diced
dash each of red pepper flakes and ground cumin

The Method
Coat the chicken breasts in the rum, chili powder, and ground cumin, and marinate at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) in the refrigerator.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and slice the chicken into strips. Add the chicken to the pan, cooking 8 minutes per side. Allow the second side to caramelize a little, increasing the heat at the end if necessary, and toss to coat all sides in the caramelized juices and oils before transferring to a serving platter.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate sauté pan over medium heat and add the peppers along with the red pepper flakes and cumin. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally. Serve atop the chicken.



Pineapple Rice Pudding, adapted from Not Without Salt
Yield: 6-8 servings
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
1 ¾ cups water
2 ½ cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped pineapple
2 teaspoons coconut rum

The Method
Bring the rice and water to a boil in a medium-large sauce pan, then reduce the heat and cover to simmer 20 minutes. Add the milk, salt, sugar, and cinnamon and allow the mixture to return to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer, uncovered this time, for 20 minutes. Finally, add in the pineapple and rum, continuing to cook on low for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the rice to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving; alternatively, cool completely before storing in an air tight container in the fridge.




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Posted by toni

Lemon Asparagus Ribbons with Pesto

10:57 AM | Labels: , , ,



In the winter, I’m all about one-pot meals: soups, casseroles, stir-fries – I want it comforting, piping hot, and all mixed into one killer dish. As the sunshine returns, however, there’s something about smaller almost tapas-like meals that draw me in and captivate me. I love taking an appetizer and making it a meal, or collecting several “snacky” items into one, calorie-appropriate sitting. I feel lighter, less tied down. Maybe it’s my indecisiveness shining through, the fact that I’m antsy after a winter of hibernation. Whatever the reason, I find so much satisfaction in a dish that at first seems to be accusingly small, but winds up being just right.

This asparagus salad is like that. Sure, it would be wonderful beside chicken, tofu, a poached egg – but serve this on its own, and it’s just as magical. I couldn’t leave things well alone and added some leftover cucumber and green pepper, and it isn’t that these tasted bad, but ultimately I think what makes this dish so spectacular is its simplicity. Next time, I will definitely be leaving it as a purely asparagus salad. My lemon:pesto ratio was a little heavy on the lemon, so I would advise you to be cautious with your lemon and add more to taste in the end if necessary. Overall, though, this is light, citrusy, and absolutely perfect for the breezy, sunny day ahead of us. I don’t know what the weather is like around you, but last night was a thunderstorm here to end all thunderstorms - but sit down with a bowl of this asparagus salad and you’ll forget that rain clouds even exist. Seriously. It’s that refreshing.

Lemon Asparagus Ribbons with Pesto, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 3-4 servings
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and cooled
1 pound of asparagus
1 lemon, halved
olive oil, to taste
freshly ground pepper & coarse salt, to taste
1-2 ounces parmesan cheese*

The Method
Without trimming the asparagus, hold the asparagus by the tough end on a cutting board and use a vegetable peeler to create thin ribboms from stalk to tip. The tough ends left over can then be discarded, and pile the remaining ribbons onto a plate or bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over the asparagus ribbons, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Dollop with the pesto and toss to combine, then top with parmesan shavings and serve immediately.

Notes:
*I omitted this because until I go through my horrendous canned parmesan and switch to the Real Deal, I can’t bear to expose such beautiful dishes as this one to Kraft’s over-processed imitation. I know they say 100% real cheese and all, but it just isn’t the same. I enjoyed it without the cheese, but could imagine it being a welcome addition, too.




 

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Posted by toni

Pancake Tuesdays! Sour Cream Pancakes with Colorful Kohlrabi Slaw

4:19 PM | Labels: , , , ,

Although it lacks the alliterative genius of Meatless Mondays or Wordless Wednesdays, sandwiched between those two days is what my family has come to call Pancake Tuesdays. Ironically, my drive to make pancakes for dinner tonight came as a result of a Thursday night pancake meal that came so close to winning me over, that I just had to try again with a few tweaks before telling you about it. The next day I was making my meal plan for the week, and tonight seemed like the perfect opportunity.

My first attempt with this recipe for Cinnamon-Applesauce Pancakes surprised me in several ways. First, I made them with L in mind, knowing his affinity for all things cinnamon and apples – yet biting into them, I didn’t really detect these two autumnal flavors at all. Instead, I was hit with Surprise #2: rather than a sweet, cinnamony delight, I was eating darn near the closest thing to From-Scratch Aunt Jemima pancakes as I’ve ever experienced. Now, I’m not calling Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix the Holy Grail of pancakes, but they’re what I grew up with and they will always hold a place in my heart. This sneaky recipe for cinnamon apple-turned-run-of-the-mill pancakes had potential.


During round two, I made a few modifications: first, I went to a light sour cream instead of almond milk. The original recipe calls for buttermilk but I goofed and only had almond on hand, so we went with that instead in Round One (L thought adding sour cream to the batter, which I wanted to do the first time, sounded weird). This produced a much thicker batter that reminded me of a bread dough or even (unsurprisingly) the bread pudding pancakes from last month. I also eliminated the whole eggs in favor of whites, mostly because in decreasing the yield I was left with a recipe that asked for “1/3 egg,” which just screamed egg white substitution to me. I kept the cinnamon-sugar + plain applesauce combo over the cinnamon-applesauce + plain sugar combo originally called for, which was a modification made in Round One as well, thinking the sweetness would be cut slightly and the cinnamon flavors could meander through without being too overwhelming. I also decided on a slightly funky topping: cole slaw (and L thought my cheddar cheese slices last time were weird!). I just thought it’d be a fun way to dinner-ify the dish, detracting just a little bit from the carbfest I was making for myself without being too distracting. It wound up being exactly that – a little citrusy with the slightest ever kick from the kohlrabi, radish and ground pepper – but mostly a clean tasting, crunchy accompaniment to the warm, soft pancakes. Because I didn’t change anything and am already posting a recipe here, check out the original if interested over at The Baking Barrister.

I was surprised by how much of a difference those few (ok, mostly the sour cream) changes made to the finished products! While both were delicious, the second attempt was much more homemade feeling – it strayed from the Aunt Jemima realm of pancakes and into a rustic, heartier round of batter that cooked up into a thick yet pillowy soft pancake. I’d like to try it with the originally called for buttermilk before I make any conclusive statements about whether or not this recipe will be put into my routine arsenal, but it is, by far, the best (standard, non-mix) pancake I have made.

 
Rustic Sour Cream Pancakes, adapted from Recipes for You
Yield: 3 servings (4 pancakes each, roughly)
(printable recipe)

The Ingredients
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar*
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat sour cream
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons egg white (equivalent of 1 egg)

The Method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (stop after the salt) and set aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients until smooth. Combine the two bowls, stirring only just until combined – some lumps are ok!

Place a scant ¼ cupful of batter onto a preheated (greased if necessary) griddle over medium-low heat and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Holes may not appear on the surface with a batter this thick, so just go with it. Flip once, cooking for another 2-4 minutes until the insides have cooked through.

Notes:
*I used a homemade version that was heavy on the cinnamon and light on the sugar. If you’re using a pre-bottled variety, either go for a little less and add some cinnamon on your own, or be prepared for a slightly sweeter (not necessary worse!) end product.

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Posted by toni

Spicy Edamame Pods

6:38 PM | Labels: , , , ,

It's official! The Floptimism Kitchen has moved zip codes yet again, and as of 8pm tonight, 98% of it is out of boxes. The bedroom, on the other hand...well, I'm working on it. You can see where my priorities are.

I had every intention of cooking up a storm this last week of the semester, but little did I know what a lofty goal this was in combination with the move. Dinner came at 10pm last night in the form of jalapeno-topped pizza, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like a real college student. But even then, I planned to go to the grocery store today and start up with my more typical cooking habits. Then, something very significant happened (studying), and something equally significant did not happen (unpacking), and I threw in the towel. This week will be one of assembly more than cooking, to say the least. Peanut butter sandwiches? Cereal? Grilled Cheese? Meals of Champions, the dishes that will, this week, allow me to maintain some semblance of sanity. You see, Nutritionists are human, too.
I thought it'd be appropriate, then, to share with you a recipe that can be pulled together without anything except a few handy ingredients and a microwave. Edamame is not a full meal in itself, but prepared this way it certainly could be a tasty snack or memorable side dish / meal component. Ever since first being introduced to this fantastic little legume, I have thoroughly enjoyed a nice bowl of edamame pods sprinkled with some coarse salt. It has protein and healthy fats to tide you over between meals, and it has such a clean and satisfying flavor. Plus, finger foods are always fun. But little did I know just how incredible they could be! With just a small amount of flavoring, these pods can be transformed into a dish that will knock your socks off. My lips were burning by the end of it, but I was smiling to myself, enjoying every bit of it. The flavor was phenomenal, with the "meaty" savory components of the edamame mixed with the tangy lemon juice and spicy red pepper flakes.

Even if you don't like spicy food (which, if you're still reading, I'm thinking you probably do), try this out with other seasonings. Even just microwaving the frozen pods in lemon juice instead of water would be a wonderful change to the standard home edamame preparation. I have no doubt that the remaining few pods I have in my freezer will be making another zesty appearance on my plate before the week is out - they're the perfect solution to easy food prep to break up my insert-ingredient-between-two-slices-of-bread menu I've got going on for Final's Week.

One Year Ago: Happy Biscuits!

Spicy (Or Not) Edamame Pods, adapted from Sippity Sup
Yield: infinitely adaptable!

The Ingredients
handful of frozen edamame pods per person
lemon juice, no more than 1 1/2 tablespoons
curry power and red pepper flakes, to taste
coarse salt, to taste

The Method
Place the edamame in a microwave-safe bowl and add the lemon juice, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat. Microwave according to instructions on the package, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave, check to make sure the pods have thawed and warmed, and top with coarse salt.

No pictures today, but if you're curious, the blogger who posted about the original recipe had some pretty nice ones. Enjoy!

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Posted by toni

Cranberry & Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

9:32 AM | Labels: , , , , ,


Recently, upon observing me eating a fairly healthy lunch, my grandmother turned to me and asked, essentially, "do you actually like that stuff?" I find myself answering that question more often than I ever expected to, and even more often than that I'm in need of a swift and poignant defense against the all-too-common criticism that I don't eat enough junk food (clearly, these people do not read my blog too diligently, or else they would know better). The answer to that first question, by the way, is yes - I thoroughly enjoy the food that I eat. Food is too important to me to waste my time with meals that I don't enjoy - no matter how healthy a food is, if it makes me cringe, it ain't goin in my mouth. Luckily, I find most healthy foods preferable to the more common American fare, so this is not often an issue.

Which brings me to my next point. With the new year finally here and resolutions being made (and broken) at record speed, many people are targeting the way they eat. Although I don't make resolutions, gravitating instead toward year-round goals that I think up along the way, I know that many people do, and many people wake up on January 1st with a groan and a moan as they think of the terrible, inedible foods their new goals will demand. It doesn't have to be that way, though. Following a healthy diet can taste good, and it's very rare that a person would need to jump to the extreme of never again eating the fatty, sugary junk foods that they love. This recipe is proof of the former. Yes, some salads taste like rabbit food and chicken breast is much less enticing than a perfectly cooked cut of beef, but there are also countless recipes that both taste good and are good for you.

Quinoa on its own is a little bland. Most grains are. However, as chicken breast often operates, quinoa beautifully embodies the flavors you add to it. Roasted butternut squash and cranberries are in a sweet-and-sour civil war, crunchy pecans offset the soft and fluffy quinoa, and the small addition of spices reminds you that there's a whole other level to this dish. This dish is one to be eaten slowly, appreciating how different a bite of onion and squash can be from one with cranberries and pecans. The last fork-full of this cranberry and butternut squash quinoa salad is at least as delicious as the first, if you let it.

I did make a few changes: halving the recipe for 2 but quartering the amount of quinoa because I ran out; adding in dried basil instead of parsley. I would certainly try the parsley some time, but the ratio of quinoa to squash and cranberries was, to me, ideal. I ate this alone as a lighter dinner, but could imagine it making a nice bed for fish or chicken. Adding some beans could make it a little fuller while keeping it vegetarian. Really, though, the recipe flowed well - it didn't just come together quickly. It was easy to make and easy to like, and I needed to share it with you before cranberry and squash season was really, really over. Plus, I had to prove that something good for you doesn't have to taste like cardboard.

Cranberry and Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, courtesy of Gluten Free Goddess
Yield: 4 servings

The Ingredients
1 cup red quinoa (white is a fine substitution)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen, halved/chopped to taste
1/2 medium red onion, diced finely
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons fresh (3/4 - 1 tablespoon dried) parsley
cumin, ginger, or curry powder, to taste
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
olive oil, to taste

The Method
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Meanwhile, in a medium roasting pan (I lined mine with foil), combine the squash, cranberries, red onion, and garlic. Drizzle the squash mixture with a little bit of olive oil and the maple syrup, sprinkle with sea salt, and toss to coat. Place in the top half of the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Add the chopped pecans to a large, dry skillet and toast just until lightly fragrant. Add in the quinoa and butternut squash mixture, stirring to combine. Finally, sprinkle all of the desired spices and stir to incorporate before drizzling with the final touch of olive oil (preferably a higher quality, fruity one, though I'm sure what I keep in my pantry does not qualify) and tossing to coat all over. Heat the salad all the way through, gently, before removing from the heat and serving.

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Posted by toni

The Sweet Potato & Apple Gratin to end your fall side dish searches

6:14 PM | Labels: , , , , ,

If you're looking for a side dish that screams fall without you having to loosen the notch on your proverbial belt several times, look no further! Alright, there are healthier fall-inspired dishes than this sweet potato and apple gratin, but compared to the sweet potato casseroles topped with marshmallow and all of those darn pies, this really is pretty saintly. And if you're wondering what this mystery dish looks like, I apologize for the lack of eye candy - you can see a picture of it, though not at its most photogenic, right on over here.

I did doctor up the original recipe just a little bit to make it the teensiest bit healthier and, even more realistically, to suit the ingredients I mostly had on hand. Especially now that I'm stocking a kitchen just for myself, I'm not going to run out and buy an ingredient unless I'll use it more than just once (unless, of course, that one recipe calls for the whole thing). The gratin turned out really well, and I'm even considering making it a second time already - something that almost never happens in the Floptimism kitchen, considering the mountains of clipped recipes I have taking up residence in any spare corner I can find.

It's not an overly sweet casserole, despite the combination of apple + syrup, though I don't know that I'd pair it with a main dish smothered in any kind of saccharine glaze. As it was, paired with the savory mustard chicken and vaguely bitter kale, I found it to be perfect - but we all know by now how consistently obsessed I am with contrasting flavors/textures/you-name-it. The sweet potato and apple gratin on its own doesn't really offer this, though perhaps a little bit on the texture front with the soft apples and crunchier breading as a topping, so it's good to put it up against something on the more savory side of things.

Or, you know, eat it with whatever you please. Since when did I become the expert on food pairings?


Sweet Potato and Apple Gratin, courtesy of Cooking Light
Yield: 8 servings (I cut everything by 4 to give me just 2 servings)
The Ingredients
3C thinly sliced, peeled granny smith apple, approx. 1.25lb
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, approx. 2lb.
1/4C maple syrup (I used the cinnamon-infused bottle that I had on hand)
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt (c'mon, omitted)
1/4 tsp. black pepper (I don't measure this, since I almost exclusively use that McCormick 'fresh ground' container)
cooking spray (I only keep butter and olive oil in stock for greasing purposes, so I just used a little bit of oil and a paper towel to spread it around)
2 (1-oz) slices white bread (I used whole grain and don't see any reason why not - it turned out perfectly well)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4tsp. ground nutmeg

The Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a 9x13 dish with spray or oil (I used an 8x8 since I was making such a small batch).
2. Combine the apples and lemon juice in a bowl and toss to coat. Add in the next 5 ingredients (sweet potatoes through the pepper).
3. Place the mixture into the dish and bake for 25 minutes. Stir, then place back in the oven for another 15 minutes (40 minutes total).
4. While the casserole is baking, pulse the bread in a food processor approximately 10 times so that it measures around 1C.
5. Add the bread crumbs with the oil and nutmeg in a bowl and stir to mix well. Sprinkle over the casserole and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes to allow the juices to thicken (but let's face it - I probably only waited a grand total of 5).

The original website posted the nutrition information as well, so you can check that out if you're interested with the understanding that it can vary a great deal: the type and brand of bread, whether or not you use salt, pure maple syrup vs. aunt jemima's, they all impact it. And regardless of the calories that the website says, this is worth trying. Along with all of the other fall recipes my kitchen has been brimming with - so don't forget to keep coming back. If I don't overwhelm you with delicious recipe finds for this upcoming season, I will be impressed.

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Posted by toni
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