Pure Thyme

For a Balanced Life

Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction

By 6 Comments

 

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Savory and crispy vegetables are great anytime of year especially during the holidays. Terry and Tracy Paulding from PAULDING & CO – a full catering kitchen based in San Francisco – asked me if I would share this delicious recipe with you all.

This is a perfect recipe to share for the upcoming holiday season. It’s a basic recipe that shows how easy it is to roast vegetables. It’s also easily adapted based on what is in season and your personal preference. A balsamic reduction is a great compliment to a roasted vegetable dish, it gives a natural sweetness without adding any sugars or additional sweeteners.

I had to roast these about 10 minutes more than the recipe called for in my oven and at 400 degrees F instead of 375. Remember to use your kitchen intuition because all ovens vary! I also had a balsamic reduction from Trader Joe’s so I used that. =)

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Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction (vegan, gluten-free)
Author: 
Recipe type: Side
Serves: 6
 
The vegetables can vary with the season, what you like, and what’s fresh in the market. The main thing to do is make sure that each is roasted to the perfect point of doneness—which will take a few separate pans.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar (not the super expensive kind, but make sure it’s from Modena)
  • 1 small, firm globe eggplant
  • Handful of small sweet red (or yellow or orange) peppers
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, if in season
  • 1 red onion or bunch of spring onions
  • 12 asparagus, if in season
  • 2 medium zucchinis and/or golden zucchinis
  • 1 yam
  • 1 Portobello mushroom (optional)
  • salt & freshly ground pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil as needed
  • 2 Tbs. chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
  1. One day in advance, pour the balsamic vinegar into a shallow pan. Let sit uncovered at room temperature overnight. You will have thick balsamic syrup by morning! Pack this into a jar or squeeze bottle. If it’s too thick, thin with a little bit more vinegar. This will keep at room temperature, so feel free to make more and use it on other dishes.
  2. Prepare several baking sheets, by covering them with parchment and brushing the parchment generously with olive oil. Preheat oven to 375°F
  3. Wash all the vegetables. Split the peppers in half and seed them Top and tail the eggplant, and slice thickly. Thickly slice tomatoes, trim asparagus by snapping off the bottom fibrous stalks and then cutting them straight. Peel onion and cut into 6 even round slices, or wash spring onions. Wash, trim and slice zucchini lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices; halve these if zucchinis are large. Without peeling, cut yam in thick rounds. Leave Portobello whole, but trim stem. Place tomatoes, onion and mushroom on one oiled sheet. Blot eggplant dry (if salted) with paper towels and place on another oiled baking sheet with the peppers and asparagus. Place zucchini and yam slices on another sheet. Brush or drizzle all the vegetables with oil. Lightly salt each pan of vegetables, and put in the oven to roast.
  4. Roast until vegetables are lightly golden. Eggplants should be soft, and tomatoes may become very soft. This should take from 15-25 minutes, depending on oven conditions and thickness of slices. Once the mushroom is done, slice it neatly.
  5. Arrange vegetables into a “tapestry” on a platter. Before serving, dress with the balsamic and garnish with parsley.
  6. Vegetables can also be grilled, but watch carefully so they don’t burn.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did, we just ate some for lunch!

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a copy of Zel Allen’s book, Vegan for the Holidays HERE.

Have a great day!

xoxo,

Jen

 

Easy and Delicious Roasted Rosemary String Beans

By 11 Comments

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Something I like to have in the house at all times, are a few healthy and delicious sides that I can serve up to the family throughout the week. This is my new favorite side. I throw it over a green salad with a splash of balsamic and I’m good to go. It’s easy to make and comes out prefect every time. I love the addition of nutritional yeast in there for the flavor and the nutritional benefits. I gave the option in the recipe for folks that use oil in their cooking – but of course you don’t need to add it – the veggie stock does the trick just fine. Diced shallots and/or chopped walnuts are a nice addition to this side as well.

You cannot go wrong with roasting veggies in my opinion and a little maple syrup makes this side slighty sweet and oh so yummy. This makes everyone in my household very happy.

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Easy and Delicious Roasted Rosemary String Beans
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb string beans, trimmed and washed
  • 2 tbsp no salt added vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp date syrup or pure maple syrup
  • 1½ tsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp healthy oil like avocado (optional)
  • pinch onion powder
  • fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Toss the beans with remaining ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
  3. Place string beans on non-stick baking pan.
  4. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes or until beans are tender and slightly browned in spots, turning once.
  5. Serve.
Notes
The addition of some dijon mustard is also great in this recipe.

 

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to roast veggies?

Squash Bloghop: Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash and Spinach

By 23 Comments

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It’s a Bloghop and #squashlove time. What fun!

I decided to try something completely different with butternut squash this time. I’ve stuffed it, made soup out of it, roasted it, you name it. While searching the internet for new and creative ways to cook with butternut squash, I found this wonderful recipe for risotto from the Barefoot Contessa. I thought this is different – I must try it. I modified it to be vegan, took out all the butter and added some spinach.

This dish is creamy, flavorful and can be eaten as a meal, a side or use it to stuff some mushrooms – like I did at my house – for a delectable appetizer.

This recipe is adapted from The Barefoot Contessa: Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

Printable Recipe

Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash and Spinach

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 small onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

6-8 cups no salt added or low sodium vegetable stock

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2 cups baby spinach

1 tsp saffron threads

2 tbsp chopped chives

Fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place squash on non-stick baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable stock on low heat in small saucepan.

In a 3 quart saute pan, add the chopped onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon of vegetable stock. Water saute onions and garlic for about five minutes on medium to medium-low heat until onions are translucent.

Add the rice to the onions and stir. Add the white wine and cook, stirring until wine has been absorbed into rice.

Add two ladles of vegetable stock to the rice with saffron and black pepper. Cover and simmer until the stock has been absorbed.

Continue to add a couple more ladles of stock, each time cover and stir until most of the stock is absorbed. Continue to do this until the rice is tender, but still al dente, about 30 minutes.

When rice is done, remove from heat and add the roasted squash cubes and spinach. Stir until the spinach is slightly wilted. Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

What’s your favorite way to cook butternut squash?

Come join the fun and Bloghop with us.

November is #squashlove month!
Please join in on the #squashlove fun by linking up any squash recipe (pumpkins, winter squashes, zucchini, anything!) from the month of November 2011. The twitter hashtag is #squashlove :).
xoxo,
Jennifer

 

Baked Cinnamon-Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Apple Date Butter Dipping Sauce

By 15 Comments

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Sweet potato fries anyone? How about Baked Cinnamon-Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Apple Date Butter Dipping Sauce? Yeah, it’s a mouthful, but this is the perfect fall-flavored healthy treat to serve up to your family and friends.

So easy to make and so full of flavor. Get ready to enjoy sweet potato fries that are naturally sweet, fall-spiced, light and healthy. Loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. You won’t feel guilty indulging with these fries knowing you are giving your body the powerful nutrients it needs.

Did I mention my kids devoured these? Oh, I will make a double batch next time for sure. =)

Simply cut the fries into 1/2 inch wide strips like so. Mine where *almost*  all the same size, maybe you can do better. I would like to try my Mandoline slicer but I’m deathly afraid of it ever since I sliced my finger – *ouch* – I need to order a protective glove because it juliennes veggies so perfectly.

Mix in your cinnamon and clementine juice.

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Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.

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Bake AND broil for the perfect, crispy, and delicious sweet potato fries. =) Baking alone didn’t do the trick, so throwing under the broiler gets them nice and crispy because who wants soggy fries? Not me!

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Printable Recipe

Baked Cinnamon-Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Apple Date Butter Dipping Sauce

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch wide strips

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 Clementine, juiced

Apple Date Butter for dipping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss sweet potato strips with cinnamon and clementine juice to coat evenly.

Spread potatoes in a single layer on a parchment lined baking tray.

Bake on middle shelf in oven for 20 minutes.

Broil on top rack in the oven for 3-5 minutes per side. Flip fries every couple of minutes to make sure fries brown and crisp evenly. Keep a close on these so they don’t burn.

Cool slightly and serve with Apple Date Butter Dipping Sauce. You can warm the butter or serve it chilled, either way is delish.

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What’s your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes? Tell us in the comments or join the conversation on Twitter at #cookingwith.

Fall Fest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with blogs to share tips and recipes about seasonal produce.
Here are some more potato links for you to check out for ideas and inspiration.

Taste With The Eyes: Poached Salmon, Lobster Mash, Lentil Gumbo “Gravy”

And Love It Too: Twice Baked Potato – Paleo Style

What’s Gaby Cooking: Smashed Potatoes

From My Corner of Saratoga: Potato Canapes

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chorizo and Potato Tacos

Cooking Channel: Cozy Up With In Season Potatoes

FN Dish: Best Potato Casserole Recipes

Cooking With Elise: The Irish Boxty

CIA Dropout: Potato and Leek Soup

The Sensitive Epicure: Potatoes Anna With Fresh Thyme and Truffle Salt

Glory Foods: Chicken Smashed Potatoes

Daily*Dishin: Creamy Loaded Potato Casserole

Vegan Broccoli Salad

By 31 Comments

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Summer Fest is officially over and what a great way to end it with broccoli. The health benefits of broccoli are never-ending. Broccoli contains high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, fiber and potassium. Broccoli aids in detoxification, has anti-inflammatory benefits and has anti-cancer nutrients. Broccoli is also easy to find and extremely versatile – I use it almost daily at my house.

Broccoli might be a dreaded addition to your meals at home, but is loved at mine. I have served it to my children since they could eat it and they love it. If your kids don’t like it I suggest continuing to put it on their plate and experiment with different recipes – I bet your children will love it eventually too. My daughter wouldn’t eat salad and I kept putting it on her plate and trying different dressings – she loves a homemade raspberry dressing I make. It took some time, but now she loves salad and asks for it daily. My 18 month old is starting to love salad too! Keep trying and don’t give up! =)

My mother-in-law serves a similar broccoli salad for guests and is one of my favorite things she makes. I decided to recreate a vegan version and cut down on the amount of mayo by blending an avocado to make the dressing. The avocado adds some good fats and so many nutritional benefits that mayo cannot offer – it was a good choice for this recipe. The recipe does contain a small amount of soy-free vegan mayo for the traditional flavor of the broccoli salad I love.

Next time, I would add fresh cut-up grapes instead of raisins and some cut-up apple to this salad. You an also substitute the sunflower seeds with your nut of choice – walnuts would be great – or leave the nuts out all together to decrease the fat or if you have an allergy. Also, I used Dr. F’s vinegar, but you can use all apple cider or if you think something else would work try that.

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Summer Fest: Vegan Broccoli Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Side
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp date syrup or pure maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dr. Fuhrman's Riesling Raisin Vinegar or other sweet vinegar
  • ½ tsp minced garlic
  • ½ cup unsweetened non dairy milk of choice
  • 1 head broccoli, cut into bit-sized pieces
  • ½ cup shredded carrot
  • ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. In a blender or food processor, add avocado, mayonnaise, date or maple syrup, lemon juice, vinegars, garlic, and non-dairy milk and blend until smooth.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, carrots, red onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds. Add dressing to bowl and toss until well coated. Season with freshly ground black pepper and chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

 

My leftovers kept nicely in the fridge for two days so far, still munching on this delish dish! (after that you’re probably pushing it because of the avocado)

Enjoy!

 

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Check out these other great recipes for Summer Fest featuring broccoli:

 

*I received a free coupon from Earth Balance to try out their new Mindful Mayo in some of my recipes. =)

Baked Eggplant Fries with Lemon Dill Dipping Sauce

By 52 Comments

 

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My children love french fries, what kid doesn’t? Okay, and I confess so do the adults around our house. I prefer to make mine at home so I can make sure they are not deep fried in unhealthy oils and loaded with sodium.

I have been dreaming about making these eggplant fries for a couple of weeks now. I have had zucchini fries at restaurants in the past and considered making that – I will definitely be trying those out since these came out perfect. If you have had zucchini fries at a restaurant you know that they are deep fried and definitely not healthy. I hate to think all the nutritional benefits of vegetables are just destroyed by deep-frying and dumping huge amounts of salt on them. I personally don’t think that even tastes good anymore. I want to taste my food and not salt, butter, or oil – how about you?

I love eggplant because it is downright delicious and it’s such a versatile vegetable that can be cooked in so many ways. It is also an important antioxidant vegetable that makes a wonderful addition to your diet. It is loaded with vitamin A, B, C folate and minerals like potassium. It is rich in dietary fiber, contains no fat and is low in calories. How perfect, right?

I did a quick search for eggplant fries to see what delicious recipes were out there. Most were deep fried like I thought they would be, but I did find a great one at Dianne’s Dishes. I used her method for cutting the fries because I definitely needed a visual on that – check it out. Thank you Dianne for this and for my recipe inspiration.

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Baked Eggplant Fries with Lemon Dill Dipping Sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer, Side
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • For fries:
  • 1 eggplant, cut into strips
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened plain soy yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. dried parsley
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. paprika
  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups whole-wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
  • For dip:
  • 1 cup unsweetened plain soy yogurt
  • 1 tsp. dill
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • Fresh black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. For fries:
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper. Cut the top and bottom off of your eggplant. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Next, cut the eggplant quarters into slices roughly ¼ in. thick. Now cut the eggplant slices into strips roughly the size of French fries. Combine yogurt, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl. Toss eggplant fries in soy yogurt mixture, coating evenly. Place breadcrumbs on a plate and lightly coat eggplant fries with breadcrumbs. Spread out evenly on trays making sure they don’t touch. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Turn halfway during baking to brown evenly. Serve immediately with lemon dill dipping sauce.
  3. For dip:
  4. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to chill and allow flavors to combine.
Notes
Without dip: 141 calories, 4.7 grams sugar, 1.3 grams fat, 28.3 grams carbohydrates, 5.9 grams protein For dip: You can add cut up cucumber to this to make it traditional Tzatziki Sauce.

 

Here’s a great review of Baked Eggplant Fries done by Healthy Girl’s Kitchen check it out!

Have you tries Baked Eggplant Fries before, what do you think?