Easy Orange Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce

Gobble. Gobble. Folks! I've been a maniac these past few weeks but couldn't let my favorite foodie holiday slip away without sharing one of my tried and true recipes with you--Easy Orange Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce! I just love the combination of orange and cranberry and the addition of brown sugar gives it a warm molasses flavor that can't be beat.

Canned cranberry sauce be damned! Your guests will never look for the stuff again (unless they are my mother!). This recipe can be made up to a month in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge (too late for that but good to know for next year). The good news is, it only takes 15 minutes to make and it's so simple, you could make this the morning of Thanksgiving without even breaking a sweat.

Easy Orange Brown Sugar Cranberry Sauce

Makes 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

Juice and zest of one orange

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (12 ounce packages) fresh cranberries

Preparation:

1. Dump all of the ingredients into a medium sized saucepan, stir. Bring to a boil over high heat. Switch heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour sauce into a bowl and cool completely. Place cranberry sauce into airtight containers (I like to use Ball Mason Jars or empty jelly jars that I save) and refrigerate until ready to use. May be prepared and stored in the refrigerator up to one month in advance.

TIP:

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger into the sauce for a little kick!

Maple and Thyme Roasted Carrots

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not so good with the side dishes. I'm trying, it's just not something that comes naturally to me. Maybe its because I'm constantly searching for simplicity in my life and especially in my meals. I like simple main dishes and even simpler sides. You see, I was a vegetarian for 10 years (still only eat minimal chicken and fish) and have huge respect for vegetables in their natural state. Don't get me wrong, I won't turn away a good creamed spinach but I strive to prepare vegetables simply (usually roasted and lightly dressed like in the recipe below), as to highlight their natural yumminess.

As parents, it's easy to get frustrated with the "picky" eater phases (yes, PLURAL) and resort to covering veggies with butter and cheese. You just want them to "EAT THE BROCCOLI ALREADY!". I'm not a huge fan of that method because it's not really the best way to encourage a healthy eater. It's our responsibility to keep presenting our kids with healthy, nutritious options. And if one day they turn up their noses to a veg, so be it! We have to remember that they are human after all. Just because they don't eat their veggies today, doesn't mean it's forever. It's frustrating and stressful and you just want to give up (I've been there!). One of the many great challenges of parenting is learning to move through phases knowing they won't last. Eating is no different. There are all sorts of reasons your lil' one might be on a strike. Maybe their stomach hurts, or their teeth or maybe, just MAYBE they don't feel like having broccoli today!!! "OK Ma?!" My advice is to step back, take a deep breath and try again tomorrow. Never, never give up! The investment you make in your child's nutrition now, will yield immeasurable results later.


Want to know more about Feeding Your Baby Healthfully?

Visit Our365.com for an awesome Q&A with Dr. Greene and my pal Chowmama Stacie.


About the Recipe:
I developed this recipe last minute when I had a chicken roasting in the oven and once again, NO SIDE DISH! I took a quick scan of my fridge and pantry and came up with this combo. Not sure what made me add the apple cider vinegar but boy, am I glad I did. It really made the dish something special. Hope you think so too!




Maple and Thyme Roasted Carrots
Serves 4-6

12 medium sized carrots, stems and peels removed (i your carrots are large, halve them)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup good quality maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper


1)-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2)- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Place carrots in the bowl and toss to coat.

3)- Dump the carrots onto an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Enjoy!

Confetti Quinoa and Lentil

Quinoa! Pronounced (KEEN-wah). Scary word for those of you who have never heard of it. An even scarier word if you've tried cooking it and said, "bleh!". I'll admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the taste when I first tried it. Cooked straight up, it tasted a lot like dirt. Encouraging intro, no? Anyway, my initial experience didn't deter me from trying it again. Even though I wasn't a fan of the taste in it's natural state, I was a HUGE fan of its nutritional value. Without going too far into specifics, (after all I am no Nutritional Anthropologist-lol), simply put, Quinoa is often considered a grain, but its actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It's high in protein which makes it an excellent choice for vegans, vegetarians and mamas like me who don't eat much meat and can't get their babies to eat a lot of meat either.

I make this dish on a Sunday night and store it in the fridge. It's ready and waiting for me as a quick lunch for the family or as a yummy side dish for dinner. The veggies in this are colorful (like confetti) and chopped small, making it a great dish for your little ones. My son has been eating this dish since he was 9 months old. He LOVES the taste and I feel good feeding it to him, knowing he's getting veggies and protein in one quick and easy meal! Hurrah!


Quinoa and Lentil Confetti
Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup red lentils (or any quick cooking lentils you have on-hand)
1 cup quinoa (i prefer the red variety but used the white variety in this recipe)
3 cups water (or low sodium chicken stock)
2 teaspoons salt (may need more, as mine took quite a bit of salt. taste it first!)
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup frozen peas



1)- Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or deep skillet over medium heat.

2)- Add in chopped carrot, zucchini, onion and garlic. Cook until slightly soft, about 6 minutes.

3)-Stir in lentils and Quinoa. Pour in water and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Fluff with a fork.

4)- Stir in peas at the last minute and serve.


** Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Sweet Potato Spider Webs

OK, I admit it. I am a Halloween freak. I couldn't wait to be a mother so I would have an excuse to be even more over the top with costumes and decorations than I already am. It's insane really. Each year we decorate our house with black silhouettes of crows and rats and spiders and I have to say, I still have some up from two years ago. I was goth in High School and well, I guess I never really grew out of my love for all things macabre. I start thinking about Halloween in August and usually purchase our costumes then too. So of course, my obsession with Halloween and Halloween-themed things doesn't stop at food.

My recipe for Sweet Potato Spider Webs came about when I was looking for a Halloween-themed snack that was delicious and easy to make. I made these for my son last week and he LOVED them!!! They can be baked or fried and are great as snack because they combine protein with a healthy starch. I make a bunch and keep 'em in the fridge for up to 2 days. They are a godsend when I am running late with dinner and I have one hungry little boy banging on his highchair tray. Make these for yourself or for your little Ghouls and Goblins this Halloween, I bet you they'll ask for more.




P.S. If I had it my way all of our dinnerware would look like the plate above and we would eat every meal would be served on that obnoxiously loud tablecloth!!





Sweet Potato Spider Webs
Makes about 12 spider webs

2 cups shredded sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sized potatoes)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4c olive oil or canola oil

*optional-2 tbsp parsley


1. Combined sweet potatoes, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine.

2. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Working in batches of 6, spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of potato mixture per spider web into skillet, spreading into 1 1/2-inch rounds with the back of your spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until undersides are browned, about 2 minutes. Turn spider webs over and cook until undersides are browned, about 1 minute more.

4. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add more oil to skillet as needed and repeat with remaining potato mixture.

5. Keep warm on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet in the oven.


SWAP OUT

-Use 2 cups of shredded zucchini or carrots in place of the potato.
-Skip the salt and pepper, toss in some cinnamon and top with sour cream or even applesauce.


BAKED METHOD

1. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Spray the foil heavily with oil.

3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

4. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of potato mixture per spider web into the foil spreading into 1 1/2-inch rounds with the back of your spoon.

5. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes and then turn over using a thin metal spatula. Cook for another minute and remove from oven.



STORAGE

Wrap in foil or place in Tupperware and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat for 8-10 seconds in the microwave or in a non-stick pan over low heat. for 10 seconds on each side.

Swiss Chard in Red Sauce

Beautiful Red Chard

Chard in Red Sauce

We love Swiss chard in our house. It probably has something to do with growing up in an Italian family. To Italians, eating Swiss chard is as common as eating spinach. Chard is actually a part of the spinach and beet family. Loaded with vitamins K, A, C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber, chard packs quite the nutritional punch!

Growing up, I only ate the red or the white chard but nowadays, you can find red, white and even multicolored chard (often called Bright Lights Swiss Chard). It's an absolutely gorgeous vegetable which is why I had to display a pic of it uncooked alongside the finished dish.

Whenever I come across a friend who has never tried Swiss chard, I make them my Swiss chard in Red Sauce. It's simple, delicious and a perfect accompaniment to any meat, poultry or fish. CHARD ROCKS, on it's own as a side dish, tossed with your favorite pasta or as a topping for some crunchy bread. If you have never tried Swiss chard, run, don't walk. It's super easy to find and yummy (you probably passed it a dozen times in the market). It's a perfect food for the whole family.


BABY TIP: Leave out the onions and garlic for your littlest eaters and puree it up with some extra chicken stock and maybe even some chicken. As long as your little one has already tried tomato sauce, you can keep that in.



Swiss Chard in Red Sauce
Serves 6

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
2 bunches of Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 large can (about 26 oz) strained tomatoes (we like Pomi)
1 1/2 c low sodium chicken stock
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.

Add in sliced onions and garlic and cook for about 6 minutes (or until onions begin to soften).

Toss in the Swiss Chard and cook for about 5 minutes until the chard begins to wilt down slightly.

Add in the strained tomatoes, chicken stock, red pepper and salt and pepper. Stir the mixture occasionally and cook for about 30-35 minutes.

Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potato White Bean Mash

Making my son's baby food from scratch is satisfying for many reasons. One really great one is that it allows me to blur the lines between what I serve my little one and what I eat myself. I mean, come on, when was the last time you looked at one of those jarred baby foods and said, "mmmm...that's something I can serve to company." ? LOL.

Busy parents are always looking for ways to save time and money and this recipe does both. This is a recipe that I can make for guests and also serve to my 10 month old. The combination of white beans and roasted sweet potatoes makes for an excellent dip for a party and an amazing meal for your little one. The beans give this puree a nice creamy texture and they add an inexpensive protein punch to baby’s meal. A protein boost from beans means it's also perfect for the vegetarians in your family.

Sweet potatoes are often a favorite first food for baby and adding the mild tasting white beans enhances the nutrients without changing the taste. Perfect for even the pickiest eaters. Add in the onions and a little salt and pepper and you have a wonderful fall appetizer for a holiday party. Serve warm with a pat of butter and you have an awesome side dish for that roasted chicken or turkey (Thanksgiving is only 5 months away people-LOL). I enjoy serving it chilled as a dip with some toasted pita chips.

Note: Omit onions, salt and pepper for young babies.



Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potato White Bean Mash

3 large organic sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 ½ teaspoons, extra virgin olive oil
1 medium organic Vidallia onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tsp organic cinnamon
1 can organic white beans, rinsed and drained (I like to use Canellini beans but navy or butter work well too)
salt and pepper to taste
water, if necessary to adjust consistency

1)-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2)-Toss potatoes and onions with olive oil and bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing with a spatula halfway through to encourage even browning. Potatoes should be fork tender when they are ready.

3)-Allow potatoes and onions to cool slightly before tossing into a food processor along with beans, cinnamon, salt, pepper and water (if needed). Puree until desired consistency is reached. Serve chilled or warm as a baby puree or with pita chips as an awesome party dip.

Enjoy!


TIP: Swap the sweet potato for butternut squash.

TIP: Roast 1 clove of garlic alongside the potatoes and onions for an extra layer of flavor.