Beets, Sweet Potato and Red Onion

Beets, Sweet Potato & Red Onion

Yield: 6-8 servings

Beets are a mysterious, antioxidant rich, cancer fighting, blood pressure regulating, inflammation reducing, digestion assisting, brain health supporting, delicious and nutritious super food!  For those new to the beet realm, the addition of sweet potato and red onion make this recipe extra nutritious and fun.  This recipe is also delicious as leftovers served cold.

Ingredients

2 large beets
2 large sweet potatoes
1 red onion
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
A drizzle of honey after plating (optional)

Instructions

1. Set oven temperature to 450 degrees.
2. Evenly chop beets, sweet potato and red onion.
3. On a sheet pan, toss beets, sweet potatoes and onion with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Smooth to a single layer.
4. Roast for 10 minutes, stir, and roast for an additional 15 minutes or until tender as desired.
5. If desired, drizzle lightly with honey after plating.

I served this with roasted chicken and brussels sprouts.

 

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Sweet Potato, Brussels Sprout, Apple and Onion Medley

Sweet Potato, Brussels Sprout, Apple and Onion Medley

Yield: 6-8 servings

Autumn harvest has lots to offer! Try this easy fruit and veg sheet-pan medley packed full of flavor, vitamins, minerals, disease fighting phytochemicals, gut friendly fiber and prebiotics!

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
1-pound brussels sprouts
1 sweet red apple (I like Gala or Honey Crisp)
1 red onion
1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

Instructions
1.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Evenly chop sweet potato, brussels sprouts, apple and red onion.
3. On a sheet pan, toss sweet potato, brussels sprouts, apple and red onion with 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Roast for 10 minutes, stir, and roast for an additional 10 minutes or until tender as desired.

 I served this with roasted chicken and fresh orange slices.

 

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Autumn Harvest

With summer still waving goodbye off in the distance, autumn is here and ready to delight with cooler days, crisper nights and a fall harvest that many of us excitedly anticipate all year long.  It’s pumpkin season!  Think of warm and vibrant spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and cloves baked into roasted pumpkin, mashed pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin bread.  Is your mouth watering too?  Perhaps you’re not a pumpkin enthusiast.

Let’s talk apples!  Tart, sweet, crisp and juicy apples with just the right crunch.  You know you’ve picked a good one when a light spray of apple juice caresses the cheek of the friend sitting across from you as you take your first bite.  Green apples, red apples, yellow apples, or multicolored “rainbow” apples – as my daughter gleefully calls them.  Homemade or jarred, unsweetened applesauce with a spritz of lemon and sprinkle of cinnamon is a quick, nourishing treat to prepare for children and grown-ups alike.  Then, of course, there is apple cider, apple pie, baked apples, dried apples, apple walnut salad or – I dare you to tickle your taste buds with this dish – balsamic-honey roasted apples, brussels sprouts and pepitas (recipe below).  How are those seasonal salivary glands doing now?

For those of us that hide-out indoors during the heat of the summer, autumn is a time to reconnect with nature.  The colorful array of nutrient-packed fall produce that is available this time of year can cultivate any plate.  Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients that nourish our bodies while helping to protect us from disease.  When It comes to nutritional health, variety is vital as all foods offer different nutrients in varying amounts.  Variety will also optimize gut health by establishing a balanced gut microbiome which can decrease risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, digestive disorders, and heart disease.  A well-balanced plate is ½ fruits and vegetables, ¼ lean protein and ¼ whole grains.  Select foods from every food group and produce of every color to incorporate throughout each day.  Eat the rainbow for your health!

Below is list of nourishing autumn harvest selections you might find at your local grocery store or farmers’ market.  Never been to a farmers’ market?  Now is the perfect time to go!  The farmers’ market is a great place to meet community members and support local business.  As a bonus, fresh-air shopping at the outdoor market provides a free source of vitamin D.  Enjoy mingling with neighbors and soak up those warm sunrays while they last! 

If you don’t have access to fresh, seasonal produce, frozen produce is another great option because it is picked at peak ripeness, blanched and then frozen to preserve nutrients.  In some cases, frozen produce may contain more nutrition than fresh produce that has spent days degrading in transit, on grocery store shelves and in your refrigerator.  Choose plain frozen vegetables or fruit and flavor them at home with your preferred ingredients.  Canned produce can also be a healthful addition to meals and snacks when choosing those that are sodium-free or low sodium and rinsing well before consuming.  The key is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, whether they be seasonally fresh, frozen or canned.  As 2018 transcribes its final chapters and fall leaves begin to color our sky, take a moment for yourself to appreciate the beauty of this season and harvest autumn while it lasts.  Enjoy your nourished life.

Seasonal Fall Produce Chart

Apples

Brussels Sprouts

Celery

Kale

Potatoes

Shallots

Artichokes

Cabbage

Chard

Leeks

Pumpkins

Spinach

Arugula

Carrots

Chilies

Okra

Radicchio

Sweet Potatoes

Beets

Cauliflower

Garlic

Onion

Radishes

Winter Squash

Broccoli

Celeriac

Green Beans

Peppers

Rutabaga

Zucchini

Brilliant Broiled Bananas

Brilliant Broiled Bananas

Yield: 3-6 servings

This delightfully simple recipe will rock your world – if you are a banana lover like me!  My kids frequently request this healthy dessert throughout the week.  Bananas are a great source of potassium and nuts are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals and fiber.  You’re doing your body good with this treat!

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas, starting to speckle with brown spots
3 tbsp chopped pecans, or nut of your choice 
1 tbsp granola (optional)

Instructions
1.
Move oven rack up to top slot and set oven to broil.
2. Cut dried necks off bananas. Slice bananas down the center in moon shape.  
3. Leaving peel on, lay bananas flesh up on broiler safe pan or on a sheet of aluminum foil placed directly on top oven rack.
4. Broil for 6-8 minutes until the flesh starts to bubble and caramelize.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with nuts and granola as desired.  Serve right out of peel and enjoy!

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Balsamic-Honey Roasted Apples, Brussels Sprouts and Pepitas

Balsamic-Honey Roasted Apples, Brussels Sprouts and Pepitas

Yield: 4-6 servings

This recipe incorporates seasonal fall favorites – brussels sprouts, apples and pumpkin seeds!  This dish is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, prebiotics (to promote gut health), fiber, omega-3 and magnesium!  Enjoy it served alongside a filet of salmon with whole grain brown rice.

Ingredients
2 apples, cored and cubed
1-pound brussels sprouts, halved
¼ cup red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey

Instructions
1.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a sheet pan or line with parchment paper.
2. On the sheet pan, toss apples, brussels sprouts and onion with olive oil and salt. Smooth to a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes, stir, and roast for an additional 10 minutes or until tender as desired.
3. Transfer to a serving dish, add pepitas and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and honey. Toss gently to coat. Serve and enjoy!

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