Brussels Sprouts with Cashews and Orange Butter

Brussels sprouts get a bad rap, and I'm not sure why.  I was so turned off by negative portrayals of the vegetable on television, that I never bothered to taste them until college.  Once I tried them, I couldn't figure out why people hated them. Granted, I don't eat them often since it's not the first vegetable people think of cooking, I do like them, especially in the fall.

I recently had a successful dinner party, and these brussels sprouts were a hit. They take very little time and effort to make, but turn out fantastically delicious. This recipe is perfect for 8-10 people

Brussels Sprouts with Cashews and Orange Butter


Ingredients:

4 tbsp. softened butter
1.5 lbs. brussels sprouts (halve the large ones)
3 ounces toasted cashews, chopped into pieces
8 ounces frozen peas
1 small orange (zest the peel and keep it separate)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Step 1: Boil Salted Water in a Pot
Step 2: While boiling water, mix orange zest, butter and cashews together in a bowl
Step 3: Boil sprouts in salted water for 5 minutes, with the pot covered
Step 4: Add peas to boiling water and boil for 2 minutes
Step 5: Drain water from vegetables and add orange butter to sprouts and mix together, then squeeze orange into vegetables and mix together
Step 6: Season with salt and pepper

Healthy Bite: Salmon,Sweet Potatoes, and Asparagus

I'm still on a bit of a healthy kick.  In fact, so healthy that I've been shopping at farmers' markets regularly and making it into a meal.  I tried some new recipes, and I can now confirm eating healthy can be delicious.  So here was my favorite healthy meal: cumin-rubbed salmon with a fresh corn and red pepper sauce, spicy asparagus, and chipotle mashed sweet potatoes

Cumin-rubbed salmon with fresh corn and red pepper sauce (thank you Costco connection for such a great recipe) serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 chopped red onion
1 jalapeño pepper seeded and chopped
1 red pepper chopped
Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 lime juiced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp hot chili powder
4 fillets of salmon

Method:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp. of oil on medium heat in pan and sauté red onion, jalapeño, and red pepper for 5 minutes
Step 3: Add corn and sauté for 2 minutes
Step 4: Add garlic and sauté 1 minute
Step 5: Place this veggie mix into a blender with lime juice and 1/2 tsp. salt and blend until a smooth sauce
Step 6: Mix cumin, remaining salt, and chili powder together and rub it on the salmon
Step 7: Heat remaining oil on medium-high heat in pan (must use oven proof skillet!)
Step 8: Sear salmon fillets on both sides, then place pan in oven for 10 minutes until cooked through (you can tell via the flaking method)
Step 9: Spoon sauce over salmon

Spicy Asparagus


Ingredients:
Asparagus trimmed
1 tsp. olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
salt, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste

Method:
Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to boil
Step 2: Add asparagus and cook for 4 minutes
Step 3: Heat olive oil in pan on medium heat and saute garlic until soft, but not browned
Step 4: Add asparagus and sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes, and saute for 2 minutes


Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes


Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 whole canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 tsp. adobo sauce from the can of peppers
1/2 tsp. salt

Method:
Step 1: Boil water and add potatoes, and cook until fork tender
Step 2: Drain water from pot and mash potatoes
Step 3: Add butter, peppers, and salt, and continue to stir and mash

Israeli Cous Cous Salad

I don't really like regular cous cous, but I I tried Israeli cous cous for the first time, and it was extremely easy to make, really healthy, and oh so delicious!

Recipe for Israeli cous cous salad (serves 3-5)

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil for pan, 1/8 cup olive oil for later
1 clove minced garlic
8 ounce box of Israeli cous cous (trader joe's has it for cheap!)
1.5 cups of vegetable stock (chicken if you eat meat)
1 lemon juiced
1 lemon zested
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Step 1: Put sauce pan on medium heat, and add 1 tbsp. oil
Step 2: Add garlic and let cook for 30 seconds
Step 3: Add cous cous and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  It should become a nice toasty color
Step 4: Carefully add stock and half of the lemon juice.  It splashes at first
Step 5: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover and simmer for 8 minutes or so, stirring occasionally
Step 6: Cous Cous is done when it is tender, but tastes firm
Step 7: Put cous cous in large bowl and mix with salt, pepper, rest of lemon juice, zest, and olive oil
Step 8: When cous cous is cooled, add herbs, almonds, and berries and mix up and refrigerate

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

I often forget how comforting, easy to make, and healthyish mashed potatoes can be.  I've never liked gravy on my potatoes, and often prefer them to be smashed rather than mashed.  So here it goes, my garlic smashed potato recipe (with skins left on!).

Serves 2

Ingredients:
8 small new/red potatoes (washed and black bits cut off)
3 cloves garlic (add more if you like it really garlicky)
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons milk

Step 1: Cut potatoes and garlic cloves in half (you can also just smash the garlic with a giant knife)
Step 2: Put potatoes and garlic in a saucepan of salted water that covers the potatoes
Step 3: Put temperature of stove on high, and boil potatoes and garlic for about 15 minutes, or until fork tender
Step 4: Drain water and garlic from pot while keeping potatoes in the pot
Step 5: Smash potatoes with fork until it gets to the texture you like
Step 6: Stir in butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste

If you want to fancy up your potatoes, you can add sour cream in place of the butter and some of the milk, and/or add some chives as well.