Cheers To A Healthy 2014: Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy
Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy: Two Ways

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy
Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy: Two Ways

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier in 2014? Think you have to give up pasta and creamy sauces?

Here’s a technique that produces a super-satisfying pasta dish that’s lower in calories and saturated fats, higher in fiber, and spiked with vegetables. Pureed cauliflower is the base for a thick smooth sauce where roasted garlic adds rich mellow flavor. Pair whole-wheat pasta with an equal amount of your favorite vegetables, then toss with Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy. Interested in gluten-free or low-carb? Simply leave out the pasta altogether, and try this luxurious cauliflower gravy ladled over veggies.

Say good-bye artery-clogging Fettuccine Alfredo and calorie-laden Macaroni & Cheese, and say hello to their svelte cousin…

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy Recipe

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winter canapé – sweet potato, bleu cheese, walnut, kale, cranberry gastrique

winter canapé - sweet potato, bleu cheese, walnut, kale, cranberry gastrique

winter canapé – sweet potato, bleu cheese, walnut, kale, cranberry gastrique

winter canapé - sweet potato, bleu cheese, walnut, kale, cranberry gastrique

Here’s a hearty yet elegant hors d’oeuvre to serve at your New Year’s Eve gala. Guests will most likely be imbibing. And this crunchy wintery appetizer pairs perfectly with sparkling… sparkling wine, sparkling water, sparkling lights. With holiday colors and cold-weather flavors, this canapé is sure to be a hit. It certainly was at our year-end party…

winter canapé – sweet potato, bleu cheese, walnut, kale, cranberry gastrique

RECIPE

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French Green Beans, Mexican-Style

French Green Beans, Mexican-Style
Haricots Verts ~ Estilo Mexicano
Tortillas Fritas, Huevos Duros, Piñones, Chiles de Arboles
Sherry Dijon Vinaigrette

Here’s a New Year’s resolution: Serve More Green Bean Dishes – especially the elegant French ones. We’re keeping our holiday buffet merry & bright with fresh haricots verts dressed in a flamboyant style! This flashy dish debuted on our Thanksgiving table and will make a repeat appearance during the Christmas season. Joyeux Noël. Feliz Navidad.

French Green Beans, Mexican-Style Recipe

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Roasted Broccolini Soup, Creme Fraiche, Meyer Lemon

Roasted Broccolini Soup, Creme Fraiche, Meyer Lemon
Roasted Broccolini Soup, Creme Fraiche, Meyer Lemon
Grana Padano Black Pepper Cheese Straws

It’s holiday party time! And when old friends from the restaurant industry get together, there is bound to be a feast. This year was no exception. We started cooking together around 5 pm, and the party and multiple courses lasted well into the night. Today I’m sharing the soup course… be sure to stop by here for more recipes from this over-the-top meal!

menu

cheese platter

pan-seared sea scallops, champagne truffle cream,
wilted butter lettuce, pink-veined italian white truffle

roasted broccolini soup, creme fraiche, meyer lemon,
grana padano black pepper cheese straws

rack of lamb, mint agave vinegar

brussels sprouts, pancetta, balsamic

mushroom risotto with white truffle

pavlova, lemon curd, berries and pomegranate arils

wines

schramsberg mirabelle brut rosé nv

roederer estate brut rosé nv

purple angel carmenere 2010

villa antinori chianti classico riserva 2010

e. guigal châteauneuf du pape 2007

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A Fresh California Twist on Brussels Sprouts

California Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Cal-Style Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

with

Lentils, Cranberries, Walnuts, Chestnuts, and Orange Zest
Orange Tahini Dressing

Imagine serving a Brussels sprouts side dish for Thanksgiving that appeals to all your guests. Unfortunately, that’s probably not possible as these seasonal mini cabbages are one of America’s most-hated vegetables.

Brussels sprouts can have a slightly bitter quality, especially the large older ones, which can be off-putting to many. And then there is that childhood memory of mushy overcooked Brussels sprouts with their lingering cabbage-y smells. No wonder this little brassica has a bad reputation. But we’re putting an original California spin on that old cruciferous vegetable this holiday!

In recent years we’ve seen lots of fabulous recipes for roasted Brussels sprouts, which have changed some peoples minds about this vegetable. We’re refreshing our Thanksgiving menu with a California Style Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. It is bright and flavorful – the perfect foil to all the rich heavy dishes on the buffet. And it is naturally nutritious, gluten-free, and vegan too.

Most of the U.S. production of Brussels sprouts comes from California where plantings began in the 1920s along our Central Coast. The combination of coastal fog and cooler temperatures is ideal for cultivation. This Cal-Style Brussels Sprouts Salad invokes the flavors of the holidays – cranberry, walnut, orange, chestnut. Shaved Brussels sprouts are blanched in boiling water for only two minutes, then shocked in an ice bath to retain their crispiness and color.

The flavor is fresh and bright. The texture is light and crunchy. I add earthy lentils for balance. The lively dressing is a blend of creamy tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil, and orange juice. Pairing these little leafy cabbages with legumes, fruits, and nuts is the key. You might just convert some haters this holiday. And as a bonus – this salad frees up much-needed space in the oven…

Cal-Style Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe

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