Sides – Page 3 – Kacey Tess

Twice Baked Sweet Potato

What you’ll need: 2 servings

2 large sweet potatoes

1 can black beans rinsed well

2 pasila peppers de-veined, seeded and chopped

1/2 C shredded reduced fat cheese (I used colby jack)

1/2 bunch cilantro chopped

1/4 C almond milk

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

What you’ll do:

Pre heat the oven to 425

Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork

Bake potatoes until soft in oven at 425 for 40-60 minutes or in microwave

While potatoes are cooking rinse black beans and place in a bowl

Add peppers, cheese, cilantro, 1 tsp of salt and pepper

Once potatoes are soft and cool enough to handle scoop out the middle of each of the potatoes

Mash potatoes along with almond milk and other tsp of salt

Add potatoes to black bean mixture

Scoop back into potatoe shell/skin

Place on a greased or aluminum lined baking sheet

Bake for 10 minutes or until heated through

Enjoy!

Blueberry-Chia-Basil Fruit Leather

What you’ll need:

2 C blueberries

5 Strawberries

3/4 C applesauce

3 tbsp chia seeds

4 pitted Medjool dates

2 tsp dried basil

What you’ll do:

Puree all ingredients in a blender

Place on plastic sheet or parchment paper and place in dehydrator

Check at 8 hours, if it peels off easily roll them up and place them in an airtight container

If they are not peeling off easily continue to dehydrate 1-2 additional hours

Enjoy!

Cauliflower {rice}

What you’ll need:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 head of cauliflower pulsed in the food processor until the consistency of couscous rice

1 bunch asparagus

1 C sun dried tomatoes

1 bunch leeks sliced and cleaned

(I added the meat from 1 lobster tail to mine)

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tbsp bullion paste (I used lobster better than bullion)

What you’ll do:

Re-hydrate the sun dried tomatoes by placing them in a bowl of warm water

In a large skillet (I used cast iron) heat oil over medium heat

Add leeks and cook about 5 minutes until leeks are soft

Add sun dried tomatoes (drain water and chop roughly)

In a small sauce pan filled with water , add asparagus and boil for a few minutes

Remove from heat and chop

Set aside

Add cauliflower to skillet along with garlic salt and bullion paste

Cook until heated through (do not over cook)

Add asparagus

Add lobster (if wanted, optional)

Toss everything together in a large bowl

Enjoy!

I served mine with herb crusted mahi mahi

Roasted Veggies on Rosemary Polenta

What you’ll need: Serves 2-4 (depending on if this is a main dish or just a side dish)

1 zucchini sliced

1 yellow squash sliced

1 bell pepper of each color (orange, green and red) chopped

2 roma tomatoes quartered

1 package sliced white mushrooms

1 carrot peeled and chopped

1 head of broccoli sliced into large pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

Instant polenta ( I use Bob’s Red Mill)

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

What you’ll do:

Pre-heat oven to 425

In a large bowl or large ziplock back combine all veggies, oil, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, dried rosemary and red pepper flakes

After all veggies are coated with olive oil spread onto a baking sheet

Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes until veggies are tender

While veggies are baking make polenta according to instructions on the package

When polenta is done stir in fresh rosemary, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper

Remove veggies from oven and serve on top of the polenta

Enjoy!

Roasted Carrots

What you’ll need:

4-5 carrots of any color chopped into 1/4″ pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp light brown sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

What you’ll do:

Pre-heat oven to 400

Toss the carrots in olive oil

Spread out evently on a baking sheet

sprinkle sugar, salt and pepper on carrots

Bake for 15 minutes or until soft

Tast, sprinkle with more salt if wanted

Enjoy!!

Tempura Asparagus

What you’ll need:

Vegetable oil for frying

1 tsp seasame oil

1 egg yolks

1 C cold water

1 C flour ( I used unbleached all purpose)

1 bunch of aparagus cleaned and trimmed

Sea salt

Sriracha

What you’ll do:

In a large bowl whisk egg yolk

Add water slowly until fully incorporated

Add flour at once and mix just until combined

Heat oil over medium high heat (375 degrees)

Dip asparagus in batter and add to oil

Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown

Remove and place on a plate covered with a paper towl

Sprinkle with sea salt

Serve with Sriracha or soy sauce

Enjoy!

{Vegan} Pho

What you need:

1 cinnamon stick

5 cloves

10 whole peppercorns

10 coriander seeds

1 2″ piece of ginger peeled and chopped roughly

3 garlic cloves

8 C water (or 2 quarts)

2 Tbsp vegetable better than bullion or 2 bullion cubes

(you could alternatively use 8 C vegetable stock)

1 yellow onion peeled and quarted

2 carrots peeled and roughly chopped

1 package of rice or udon noodles (I prefer udon)

Fresh basil leaves

Fresh mint leaves

Fresh cilantro leaves

Jalapeno sliced thinly

1 bunch green onions chopped

What you’ll do:

In medium over medium heat saucepan dry roast the cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and coriander until the are fragrant

Add ginger, garlic, water and bullion (vegetable stock), onion and carrots

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes

Strain all spices, onion and carrots out so only broth is remaining

Add noodles and cook until tender (About 6-7 minutes if using udon noodles)

Spoon into bowl and top with basil, mint, jalapeno and cilantro

Add Sriracha if wanted

Enjoy!

Feta + Artichoke + Green Olive Dip

What you’ll need:

2 C Feta cheese

1 can arichoke hearts

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp olive oil

10 green olives sliced

Crackers ( I used homemande seasame seed crackers)

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 375

Grease a 9″ square or round glass dish

Pour feta in dish

Add oil

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes

Add artichokes

Cover with foil

Bake for 15-20 minutes until warm and bubbling

Serve warm on crackers and top with olives

Enjoy!!

{gluten free} Crab & Arugula Stuffed Mushrooms

What you’ll need:

1 Tbsp olive oil

6-7 large white stuffing mushrooms

1 C lump crab meat

2 red jalapeños seeded, de-veined and sliced thinly

2 garlic cloves chopped finely

2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Onion powder

2 C Arugula

1 bunch Green onions chopped finely

1/4 C Feta cheese

1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 375

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely

Add mushroom stems, garlic, salt, onion powder and jalapeño to a skillet heated over medium with olive oil

Cook for about 5 minutes until mushrooms are soft

Add crab and cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through

Add arugula, cheese and vinegar

Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until arugula is wilted

Spoon mixture into mushrooms

Place mushrooms on a greased cookie sheet

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes

Enjoy!!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole with Fried Sage

What you’ll need:

4 Yukon gold potatoes cut into thin slices (I leave the skins on)

2 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced thinly

1 Tbsp sea salt divided

1 Tsp black pepper

4 Tbsp butter melted

3/4 C milk (I use almond)

1/2 C cream

1 Tsp vegetable bullion

1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper divided

1 package of fresh sage

1 Tbsp flour

Vegetable oil

What you’ll do:

Heat oven to 450

Boil potatoes in separate pots until potatoes are tender about 10 minutes

In a medium bowl combine butter, milk, cream and bullion

Once potatoes are tender pour out excess water

Add 1/2 of the cream mixture to each of the potatoes

Mash potatoes with the cream but leave some chunks

Season with salt and pepper

In a greased glass baking dish scoop the sweet potatoes in, then scoop the gold potatoes in

Spread out evenly

Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and cayenne pepper

Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until potatoes start to brown

In a medium skillet add oil (about 2″ deep) and heat over medium

Toss sage leaves with flour and cayenne pepper

When oil is heated add sage

Fry for 2-3 minutes until sage is crispy

Remove sage and place on a plate lines with paper towels

Season with sea salt

Remove casserole from oven and place sage on top of the casserole

Enjoy!!