Brown Butter Vanilla Brussels Sprouts

January 25, 2014 by Mackenzie

Brussels sprouts do not generally elicit much excitement in an eater. They have a horrible reputation that far precedes them. How many of you have actually eaten brussels sprouts? I hadn’t until just a year ago – I’d gone along with the common school of thought that brussels sprouts were an evil, mushy, horribly-tasting vegetable and to have a pleasant life, you must stay as far away from them as possible.

Well, last year my roommate discovered that I’d never had Brussels sprouts and she was adamant that I change that. Reluctantly, I let her make me some – and lo and behold, I tasted one and thought, where have these been all my life? There’s nothing evil, mushy, or horrible about them! In fact, they are a little bit crunchy, very flavorful and quite delicious! What do ya know? 🙂

So here’s an easy, quick, and delicious brussels sprouts recipe that is sure to make you love them too. The title makes it sound sweet – but I added enough salt, pepper and garlic powder to balance it out so it weighs more heavily on the savory side. I created this recipe based off of a dish from a restaurant in Bellevue, called Palomino. They turned out great – and I’ll definitely be making them often! Here’s another recipe I’ve got that uses brussels sprouts, this butternut squash sauce pasta with brussels sprouts,

Brown Butter Vanilla Brussels Sprouts
Recipe inspired by Palomino’s “Brussels Sprouts in Vanilla Butter”
Serves 2

3 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup onions, diced
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1 lb Brussels sprouts (about 20), washed, ends trimmed and then halved
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, roughly
1/4 cup walnuts
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium skillet, melt two tablespoons butter over medium heat. Watching carefully, let it cook until it begins to brown. Let it brown for about 20 seconds and then add the onions and sauté for three minutes. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and cook for an additional minute.

2. Add brussels sprouts and cook for about five minutes, until sprouts are beginning to brown and are getting soft. Add last tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, walnuts, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste (start with just a little salt and pepper and continue to taste it as you add more. I wanted it more savory than sweet so ended up adding a good bit of salt and pepper in the end) Allow it all to cook together for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve immediately.

Super Bowl Southwest Chili

January 19, 2014 by Mackenzie

Football, Chili and Big Wins!

**Knowing the Seahawks had a big football game yesterday – I had bought all the ingredients to make this chili recipe! And… I might be making this again in two weeks, because the Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl and I’m a little superstitious 😉 Regardless, this chili has huge flavor, a kick of heat and it’s pretty much a throw-it-in-the-pot-and-let-it-work-it’s-magic kinda chili! Serve it with some freshly baked cornbread and you’ll be ready for game day! Go Hawks!**

**This was before game day – Hawks have won the Super Bowl so I’m now calling this “Seahawk Chili” 😀

Super Bowl Southwest Chili
Recipe adapted from Emeril on Food Network
Serves 4, easily doubled

Ingredients:
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 jalapeño, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic, about two big cloves
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1 tablespoons of “Emeril’s Southwest Essence”, recipe follows
3/4 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal/corn flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (10-oz) can Ro’tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies (Original), undrained
1 (4.5-oz) can diced green chilies, undrained
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
1 (15-oz) can navy beans
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
Sour cream, for serving

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and jalapeño and sauté for 4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

2. Add the ground beef, Southwest Essence, additional chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.

3. Stir in the cornmeal and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the broth, canned tomatoes, canned chilies, and cilantro stems and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes, add the navy beans, heavy cream and cilantro leaves. Stir it all together and cook for another 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream and a football game!

The original recipe calls for this southwestern spice mix. I made it and used about 1/3 of it in this recipe. You could probably use a taco seasoning mix but if you want to make your own (and then be able to use it for other things!) then this is a great mix.

Emeril’s Southwest Essence
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Superfood Fall Salad

December 31, 2013 by Mackenzie

I know it’s not really fall anymore, but this salad just looked too good to wait until next fall to make! The foods in it are some of my favorites: sweet potatoes, butternut squash and dates. They also happen to be “superfoods,” full of nutrition and good for your body. This salad was part of our big meal on New Year’s Eve – we served it with salmon (and the apple tart in the background of this photo) and it was delicious!

Superfood Fall Salad
Recipe from Del Sole
Serves 10

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 large sweet potato
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 tablespoons flaxseeds
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more
1/2 cup dried cranberries
12 pitted dates, sliced
1/2 cup basil, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, divided

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut into one-inch pieces, or however big/small you want them for the salad. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg into the cubed squash. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Start checking it after 25 minutes or so, so that it does not cook too much and get mushy. When finished roasting, set aside, keeping any juices to add to the salad later for additional flavor.

2. While squash is cooking, boil water in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook rice for 30 minutes or until cooked. Drain and mix in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, then set aside.

3. Peel and chop the sweet potato into small chunks, like the squash. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of maple syrup and mix well. Pour over the sweet potatoes and add some salt and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, stirring to coat. Roast at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Keep any juices.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, roasted squash, roasted sweet potato, flaxseeds, cranberries, dates and any juices from the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle basil over the top. You can serve it slightly warm or cold – we liked it both ways!

Blackberry Pizza with Goat Cheese, Honey and Pistachios

December 31, 2013 by Mackenzie

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to the new year – I know I am! We cooked a multi-course meal on New Year’s Eve and every recipe was worthy of 10 stars so I look forward to sharing the recipes with you! This pizza was our appetizer for the evening – and it was fantastic! Blackberries, goat cheese, honey, pistachios… It’s so unique and so delicious!

Blackberry Pizza with Goat Cheese, Honey and Pistachios
Recipe from Artisan Bread in Five
Makes one pizza, serving 2-3

Ingredients:
1 recipe for pizza dough
Olive oil
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
3 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

Directions:
1. Prepare crust according to recipe instructions. Roll out to a 12-inch circle and brush with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until it is golden brown and no longer soft on top.

2. While crust is baking, mix the goat cheese and honey in a small bowl. The cheese will kind of dissolve into the honey and it will look slightly creamy. Halve the blackberries and chop the pistachios. When the crust has baked, pull it out, brush it with the goat cheese/honey mixture and top it with the blackberries. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the blackberries are warm. When it is done baking, sprinkle with the pistachios, drizzle with more honey and enjoy!

Crockpot Sweet Potato Basil Soup

December 22, 2013 by Mackenzie

Is there anything better than soup on a cold winter day? It was really cold back in St. Louis and this soup was the best remedy to warm up after a cold walk home from class. It’s also incredibly easy to make – just throw everything in the crockpot and let it go! Serve with a hearty bread and enjoy!

Crockpot Sweet Potato Basil Soup
Serves 3-4
Recipe from PaleoOMG

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 (14oz) can of coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
Salt and pepper
Pumpkin seeds, optional garnish

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Turn the crockpot on high and let it cook for three hours.

2. I used a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes and mix it all up every hour or so, but you can also leave it until it is finished cooking and pour it all in a blender and purée it until smooth. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, if desired!

Turkey Meatballs with Honey Garlic Soy Sauce

October 6, 2013 by Mackenzie

It’s been almost a month since my last post! I’m so sorry! Things have gotten really busy with school and working part-time. But now that midterms are over, I should have a little bit more free time and can blog! Although I haven’t been sharing my recipes, I certainly haven’t stopped cooking – a girl’s gotta eat! I’ve got tons of great recipes – so keep coming back to check what’s new! For today… I’ve got one of my favorites…

If I could pick one meal that I’ve made in the last month that is something I’ve never grown tired of pulling out of the freezer – it would be these meatballs and this sauce.

This meal meets my “clean eating” requirements, all of the ingredients are “real food” (aka unprocessed, cage-free, real foods…). The meatballs are subtly flavored, which means they will go well with whatever type of sauce you have on hand. I love this honey garlic soy sauce (that I actually made with a different meal and had leftovers of so have been using them with these meatballs!) but I’ve also used marinera/meat sauce and that is delicious as well!

Turkey Meatballs and Honey Garlic Soy Sauce
Recipes adapted from Cooking Quinoa and nlrockrecipes
Makes about 24, golf-ball sized meatballs and 1 1/4 cups of sauce

Ingredients:
Meatballs:
2 lbs organic ground turkey, cage-free
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 medium yellow onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup spinach leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce*
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1 egg, beaten

Honey Garlic Soy Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup honey
1/4 cup tamari sauce*
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

*tamari sauce is similar to soy sauce and can be found near it in the grocery store. It is a better alternative to soy sauce if you want to stay as close to unprocessed, real foods as you can

Directions:
1. Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking dish by coating in cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until thoroughly incorporated (easiest in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment!). Using an ice cream scooper, take a golf-ball size of the meat mixture, roll into a ball and place in baking dish. Repeat with all of mixture. Bake for 35 minutes, turning them over halfway through the baking time. They should be golden brown when done baking.

2. Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic softens and then add the honey, soy sauce and black pepper. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, watching closely because it can foam up really easily. After simmering, remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. Serve the sauce over the meatballs and rice.

« Previous Page

Mackenzie

A Look Back