My husband has the steak thing down! His plate was so beautiful I had to take the picture. This is a perfect dinner featuring t-bone steak cooked in the Airfryer, my salmon Gravlax (see recipe posted), and my Southwest coleslaw. This coleslaw recipe is one of my "go to " recipes for any occasion. The dressing is great on sandwiches, veggie salads, and as a sauce for chicken or fish. Make extra of the Southwest seasoning and keep it on hand for meats, poultry, fish, and veggies. Enjoy!

Serves 8-10
4 cups red cabbage, shaved thin
1 small red pepper, sliced thinly
½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup onion, minced or thinly sliced (or sliced scallions)
1 cup mayonnaise (choose Sir Kensington's avocado mayonaise or make your own using avocado oil or olive oil)
3 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs honey
2 tsp Southwest seasoning-see below
Fresh ground pepper
 
1. Combine the cabbage, peppers, and cilantro in a large bowl.
2.  In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3.  Toss the cabbage mixture with ¾ to 1 cup of the dressing (save the rest for another salad).  Season with fresh ground pepper and kosher salt as needed.
 
Southwest Seasoning   
Makes ½ cup
¼ cup smoked paprika- I get mine at Homegoods!
2  tsp chipotle power or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs granulated garlic
1 Tbs ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Kosher salt
 
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
 
Baja Chicken Tacos: Buy small corn or flour tortillas and a roasted chicken and shred the meat. Line the tortillas with Southwest coleslaw and top with shredded chicken. Substitute the chicken with broiled white fish to make fish tacos.

Here is a favorite low-carb side dish you should be enjoying. It is the perfect low-carb substitute for the high carb mac & cheese. As a bonus, the cheese sauce can be enjoyed with many other vegetables. 

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
 
Serves 6
1 large head of cauliflower
8 oz heavy cream
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz cream cheese
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Cut cauliflower into 1″ pieces. Steam for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Remove from heat and drain well. Set aside.
   
   
2. While your cauliflower is cooking, combine the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
   
   
3. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked cauliflower and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as is or pour into baking dish and brown under the broiler.

 
 
Crispy pork rind topping: Instead of breadcrumbs, put 1 cup of pork rinds in a food processor and process until fine. Sprinkle on top of cauliflower and cheese and brown under broiler.
 
Make it a Meal!
Additions: Stir in cooked chicken, cooked shrimp, cooked ground beef, or lobster.

Buttered Cabbage with Ground Beef
Serves 4-6
 
8 ounces butter, unsalted, grass fed
2 pounds cabbage, about ½ large head-shredded
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced    
1 pound ground beef
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup assorted greens-baby spinach, flat-leafed parsley, baby arugula-chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Melt 4 ounces of butter in a large saute pan over a medium- high heat.  Add the garlic, ground beef, and pepper flakes. Cook until the beef is browned and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Add the shredded cabbage and thyme. Cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted and is bright green, 3-5 minutes.
   
   
3. Add the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, and the heavy cream. Toss the ingredients gently to coat. Simmer for 3 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Optional: Add 1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped ginger with the garlic

Air Fryer Roasted Radishes
serves 4-6

3 cups radishes cut in half or in quarters depending on their size. 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. In a large bowl, add radishes, oil, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
   
2. Place the seasoned radishes in the air fryer basket and cook at 400F for 7-10 minutes. Check to ensure the radishes are fork tender. Serve hot.

If cooking in an oven, heat the oven to 400F and cook for 10-12 minutes or until fork tender.

Today I'll be cooking on WMUR's Cook's Corner and I've invited my trainer, Beth Civiello from Orange Theory Fitness to join me...hence the orange theme to my Thanksgiving side dish selections. I have been working out at Orange Theory in Nashua, NH for two years now and I absolutely love it! Over the years I have combined walking, running, and weight lifting as part of my workout routine. Two years ago I decided I needed someone to lead me through a routine that would challenge me and move me beyond my comfort zone. Orange Theory trainers and routines do just that. With the workouts and healthy food in mind, I chose these recipes to feature for my Thanksgiving feast. I hope you enjoy my Orange!

Check out the video here:     Cook's Corner

Adapted from a recipe by:
​Ana Sortun "Spice Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean”

Serves 4
 
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias, about 3 cups
3 Tbs butter
½ vanilla bean (or ½ tsp vanilla extract)
1 Tbs lemon juice

1. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. 
2. Slit the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds with a knife into the melting butter.  If using extract, add it to the butter. 
3. Add the carrots to the pan.
4. Cook the carrots over medium heat until they soften and become lightly glazed, about 10-15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and stir.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is a variation of my "Gremolata Stacked Potatoes" from my cookbook "Beautifully Delicious". I simply substituted sweet potatoes. Easy and delicious!

Gremolata is a traditional Italian herb paste that is a simple combination of five ingredients: parsley, garlic, lemon, Parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil. With its bright, citrusy flavor, gremolata transforms ho-hum recipes into amazing dishes! Here I’ve combined gremolata with thinly sliced sweet potatoes and roasted them to create a tasty side dish. It’s simple, delicious, and gorgeous!   
Serves 6
 
½ cup loosely packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
2 small minced garlic cloves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pinch pepper, freshly ground
4 medium sweet potatoes (I try to buy longer, thinner potatoes to fit niceley into the muffin tins when sliced and stacked)
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 standard muffin cups generously with nonstick cooking spray or, if you don't have muffin tins, line a baking pan with foil.

To make the gremolata, combine the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, Parmesan, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and set aside. 

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly (about ⅛ of an inch) using a sharp knife or mandolin. Add the potato slices to the gremolata and toss to coat. I use my hands to be sure to coat the potatoes evenly. Stack the potatoes to fill each muffin cup over the rim by about ½ inch (if you are not using a muffin tin, place the stacks on you foil lined baking pan). Press the stacked potatoes down firmly. Bake until the tops and edges of the potatoes are browned and the centers are tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Cut around each stack with a sharp knife and remove them with a spoon. Serve hot. These can be made one to two days in advance and reheated, covered, in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Serve two or three stacks per person.

Serves 6

2 pink grapefruit
3 oranges
10 mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil-I used a basil infused olive oil I bought at Whole Foods
Freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt

1. Cut the rind off of the grapefruit and oranges being certain to remove all of the white pith from the fruit. Slice each into 1/8" thin, round slices. Place decoratively onto a platter.
2. Sprinkle with the mint and drizzle with the olive oil. Finish with a few grinds of pepper and two pinches of salt. 

This is a great "last minute" veggie that is ease to prepare. A new favorite at our house!

Serves 6

1 poud butternut squash spirals
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 sage leaves, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt

1. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped sage and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the butternut squash spirals to the pan.
2. Cook, stirring occasionionlly to coat the squash with the sage butter for 5 minutes. The squash should be softened but still have a little "bite" to it when tasted. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

​
​

I don't know about you, but I had to learn how to like kale. The texture is tough, the flavor is bitter, and until it was promoted as "the BEST, HEALTHIEST, vegetable EVER!" I rarely encountered it beyond a garnish on a plate and in the seafood case at my local grocery store. Like many of you, I climbed on board the kale band wagon and started working it into my recipe rotation. 
A few years ago I discovered Trader Joe's Spinach & Kale Bites. They sounded delicious so I took the idea and created my own version of their recipe. They are so versitile. I use a small cookie scoop to create meatball sized bites and a larger scoop to make larger "patties" that I recently used as "buns" for an edible flower sandwich I recently featured at a cooking demonstration. They are easy to make and can be cooked and frozen with great results. Give these a try!

​Makes 24 1 ounce portions

1 small onion, diced, about ½ cup
2 Tbs olive oil
4 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
2 cups (packed) with fresh kale, spine removed
2 eggs
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
dash of cayenne pepper
½ cup fresh flat leafed parsley leaves
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tsp unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush a baking pan lightly with olive oil. 
   
   
2. In a medium sauté pan place the olive oil and diced onion and cook over low heat until soft and translucent, about 5-8 minutes. 

 

1. Using a food processor, combine the eggs and cream cheese and blend until smooth.  Add the spinach, kale and herbs and process until smooth.  Add the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasoning to the kale mixture and mix again. 

 

1. Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, portion the mixture onto a baking pan.  Flatten each slightly and brush with melted butter.  Bake until firm, about 10 minutes.   Serve hot or at room temperature.  Refrigerate or freeze for later use.

 
Ways to serve:  Serve as a side dish, hors d’oeurves, or with sauce as a vegetarian alternative to meatballs.  Use a larger scoop to make larger patties to use in place of bread for a sandwich.

I recently presented my program "Feasting from Our Local Farms" at the Amherst MA library. What a lovely town and a very friendly group of library patrons! I prepared my recipe "Ginger Marinated Kale". Recipe is a favorite of mine, there is something about the Ginger Marinated Kale recipe that has me craving it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Try the recipe and let me know if you too become addicted to it.
​

Don't be afraid that this recipe makes too much.  You will love this recipe so much that you will be eating it morning, noon, and night!  The beauty of marinating your kale is that it will taste better as time passes.  Keep your kale salad refrigerated for up to 5 days!  Each day add something different to your salad...sliced peaches, diced tofu, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, cold shrimp, cold chicken...anything you like!

Makes 12 servings
​
8 Cups of de-veined and chopped Kale 
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 glove of garlic
½-inch piece of ginger root
1/3 cup olive oil 
1 -2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup of water
¼ cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Pinch or two of cayenne 

1.  Place the chopped kale and red onion in a large bowl.
2.  Using a blender, combine the remaining ingredients to create a marinade.  Toss the kale with the marinade.  You can eat your dressed kale immediately, but this is best when refrigerated for 4-5 hours before eating.  
This salad can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten for up to 5 days.
 

This recipe will turn a pea hater into a pea lover.  Honest!   Frozen petite peas that have been thawed combined with the sweet and savory mint vinaigrette is a winning combination.  It is the perfect sidedish to bring to a dinner party.  Add steamed sugar snap peas, asparagus, or cauliflower for variety.  Dress the peas with half of the vinaigrette about one hour before serving,  Save the rest for another day.  Season with salt and pepper and serve cold or at room temperature.  You'll love it.  Honest!
​

Serves 6-8
1 pound frozen petite peas, thawed
1/2 pound of sugar snap peas, steamed for 2 minutes, then cooled
2 tablespoons red onion, chive or scallion, chopped
¾ cup avocado oil or olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mint, chopped
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and ground pepper
Edible flower petals for garnish: pansy, bachelor buttons, dianthus, etc.
 
Optional: Add ½ pound sugar snap peas that have been steamed for 30 seconds then cooled in cold water.

1. Place the thawed peas, sugar snap peas, and red onion in a medium bowl. 
2. In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, and sugar with the chopped herbs and pulse until the ingredients are pureed. 
3. Dress the salad with enough dressing to lightly coat the peas.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Save remaining dressing for another salad.

 
* Keep remaining dressing for another salad or to serve with vegetables, salad, fish, lamb, or chicken.  

I recently featured this recipe on WMUR's Cook's Corner.  Click here to see the segment.

Makes 1 ½ cups
Zest of 2 lemons, chopped
4 small garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups fresh Italian flat-leafed parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
 
Combine all ingredients in small bowl.
 
How to serve your gremolata:

• Toss with 1 pound of hot linguini or fettucine
• Serve with cooked green beans
• Stir 1 spoonful into a bowl of lamb stew or ossobucco
• Serve with roasted or seared chicken
• Serve with grilled fish

Sometimes its just too hot to cook.  This vegetable spring roll recipe is so easy to prepare.  If its your first time using the delicate spring roll wrappers don't worry, the packages have plenty to practice with.  If you would like to make rolls that are more filling, add soaked rice noodles to your rolls.  Sliced turkey, sliced roast beef and cooked shrimp can be easily added if you like.  
The coconut peanut sauce is my new favorite.  I discovered a delicious peanut sauce recipe at greencitygrowers.com.  I made a few changes and added a can of coconut milk to their recipe to create a version that I use with so many recipes.  Massage it into chopped kale, drizzle it over chicken and rice, and serve it with steamed broccoli.   Enjoy!

Makes 8-10 appetizer rolls
Spring Rolls
1 package 8 ½ inch rice spring roll wrappers
2 large carrots, shredded
½ head of red cabbage, shredded
1 red pepper, chopped thinly
3 scallions, sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped roughly
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (Thai basil or sweet basil)
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped roughly
Optional: soaked rice noodles can be added to filling

Spring Rolls
1. To soften the rice papers pour 2 cups of cool water into a pie plate. 
2. Put one piece of rice paper in the water and turn over until soft and pliable.  Place the rice paper out onto a clean cutting board. 
3. Place a small amount of the cooled noodles on the rice paper in the center.  Sprinkle some of the carrot, red cabbage, red pepper, and herb mixture onto the noodles. 
4.  Lift the edge of the paper closest to you over the top of the rice.  Fold up each side and then roll the rice into a tight log.  Set aside and repeat.
5.    Serve with dipping sauces.
 

Tea Dipping Sauce
1 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 Tbs loose leafed flavored tea (jasmine, raspberry, orange spice)

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, red pepper, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3.  Remove the sauce from the heat and add the tealeaves to steep for 5 minutes.  Strain the tea leaves cool to serve.

Coconut Peanut Sauce
4 cloves of garlic
½ cup soy sauce
1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter (unsweetened)
1/3 cup honey
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 14 ounce can coconut milk
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

 

Watch my fiddlehead cooking demo on WMUR Cook's Corner  Video

Serves 4
1 pound fiddle head ferns, trimmed and washed
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Kosher salt and pepper
 

1. Bring 2 quarts water and 1 Tbs salt to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the fiddleheads into the pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Skim any brown “fuzz” from the water.  Drain the fiddleheads in a colander and rinse with cold water. Submerge the rinsed fiddleheads in the ice water until completely cool.
   
   
2. Place the butter and garlic in a large sauté pan and heat over medium-low heat until the the garlic begins to turn golden.
   
   
3. Add the fiddleheads and toss gently as they heat through.  Season with salt and pepper. 
   
   

Don't be afraid that this recipe makes too much.  You will love this recipe so much that you will be eating it morning, noon, and night!  The beauty of marinating your kale is that it will taste better as time passes.  Keep your kale salad refrigerated for up to 5 days!  Each day add something different to your salad...diced tofu, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, cold shrimp, cold chicken...anything you like!

Makes 12 servings
8 Cups of de-veined and chopped Kale 
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 glove of garlic
½-inch piece of ginger root
1/3 cup olive oil
1 -2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup of water
¼ cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Pinch or two of cayenne 

1.  Place the chopped kale and red onion in a large bowl.
2.  Using a blender, combine the remaining ingredients to create a marinade.  Toss the kale with the marinade.  You can eat your dressed kale immediately, but this is best when refrigerated for 4-5 hours before eating. 
This salad can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten for up to 5 days.
Additions: Shredded zucchini or carrots, and/or diced tofu.   Cooked shrimp, shredded chicken, pork, or beef can also be added.  

1 pound frozen petite peas, thawed
3 Tbs cider or red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
½ tsp fresh thyme
1 Tbs flat leafed parsley, chopped
1 egg hard cooked, chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs  capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.    Place the thawed petite peas in a medium serving bowl. 
2.    In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, oil, thyme, parsley, egg, onion, and capers, and salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the peas and toss.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Keep remaining vinaigrette refrigerated for up to 5 days.  Use on salads, boiled potatoes, or on top of cooked chicken or fish.

Optional vegetables:
Asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and sugar snap peas make wonderful additions or substitutions.  Steam until just cooked but still crisp and cool before adding marinade.

Zucchini "Pasta"
Serves 4
3 medium zucchini
Use the attachment with the smaller holes to produce a thin spaghetti like result.  The machine will produce one long, long, long strand.  Be sure to cut the zucchini strand in a few places to make them easier to serve.
Dress with herb pesto.

Herb Pesto
Makes about 1 ½ cups
½ cup olive oil
2 cups fresh baby spinach or arugula, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh flat leafed parsley, stems removed, roughly chopped
6 Tbs mayonnaise
1 Tbs fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
3 Tbs fresh mint, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup cold water
Optional:  Add 1/3 cup toasted almonds, pine nuts, or roasted sunflower seeds w/oil, spinach

1.  Place the oil into the blender or food processor.  

2.  Add the spinach or arugula, parsley, mayonnaise, rosemary, mint, garlic, and Parmesan cheese (nuts too if using).  Process until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.  Continue to process until smooth adding the water if a smoother consistency is desired.  

3. Toss with hot or room temperature pasta and serve hot or cold.
Tip:  If using spiralized summer squash or zucchini instead of pasta…no need to cook the squash.  The raw squash will stay firm and hold up to the pesto better if left uncooked.  Heat dressed squash in microwave for 2 ½ minutes if you’d like to serve it warm or hot.

 

 

Serves 6 as a side dish  

1 pound bag frozen Petite Peas (these are the sweetest), thawed
2 Tbs unsalted butter
¼ cup red onion, chopped
3 Tbs fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbs fresh flat leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and Pepper

1.  Heat a small sauté pan with the butter over low heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook until just soft, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the thawed peas and fresh herbs to the cooked onions.  Heat just until the peas are warmed through, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to tastes.  Serve hot or room temperature.

 
Additions:
Add ½ pound thin asparagus, cut into 1”pieces and lightly steamed.
Add ½ pound sugar snap peas, steamed for 3 minutes.  


To make minted sweet pea puree:  Place the completed pea recipe into a food processor and process until smooth.  Serve warm or room temperature on a cracker or crostini.  Top with shaved parmesan.


To make minted sweet pea soup:  Heat 4 cups of chicken stock.  Add the completed pea recipe.  Process in a blender in 2 batches until smooth.  Add heavy cream to taste if you like a creamier soup.  Season with kosher salt and pepper.