Thanksgiving Feast 2013

Here’s a recap of the dishes I prepared for Thanksgiving.  Please forgive the poorly-lit sometimes blurry iPhone photography.  I didn’t follow a recipe for anything, but I’ll list the ingredients I used.

Cranberry Sauce
Fresh cranberries
Juice and zest of an orange
White sugar
Water

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Salt + pepper

Butternut Squash Chestnut Soup
Onions
Red bell pepper
Butternut squash
Chestnut paste
Coconut milk
Water
Salt + pepper
Cayenne pepper
Rubbed sage

Roasted Golden Beets with Cashew Cream
Golden beets
Raw Cashews
Tahini
Lemon juice
Water
Salt

Potato Galette
Red potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme
Salt + pepper

I know it looks awful in the picture but it was amazingly delicious.  Next time, I won’t put any sweet potatoes on the bottom layer because they caramelized a little too much.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
Roasted acorn squash
Farro
Dried cranberries
Almonds
Chickpeas
Olive oil
Pomegranate molasses
Salt + pepper

I also baked an apple pie and made a huge batch of whipped coconut cream, but we were all too full to eat any dessert tonight.

What did you eat for Thanksgiving?

Piña Colada Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is one of my go-to breakfast foods.  It’s easy to prepare and you can add whatever you want to suit your tastes.  I’ve always loved the combination of pineapple and coconut, so it should not be a surprise that I often make this piña colada version.

Piña Colada Chia Pudding

Note: I don’t measure anything when I make chia pudding, I just eyeball the proportions

Almond milk
Chia seeds
Coconut cream (regular coconut milk works too)
Frozen pineapple
Coconut flakes

Combine ingredients in a blender (individual smoothie blenders are great for this) and blend for a few seconds.

Transfer to a container and allow to set for about an hour.  I usually prepare it the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Meals on Wheels: Kona Kakes

Some of you may remember my failed attempt to make rice cakes that resulted in pudding. After a bit of research, I learned that sticky rice requires less water than the 1:2 ratio used for regular rice and I have now mastered the art of making rice cakes!

In honor of the IRONMAN World Championships in Hawaii this weekend, I made some Kona-inspired rice cakes to fuel my ride (and any other time I feel like a yummy snack). These guys are loaded with coconut and will instantly transport you to the warm sunny beaches of the Big Island.

Kona Kakes

2 cups sticky rice (I recommend sushi or calrose rice)
3 cups water
2 tbsp sea salt
1 cup coconut flakes
2 tbsp chia seeds
4 dates, pitted and chopped (you can replace these with dried pineapples and/or mangos if you have them)

Rinse rice in running water until water runs clear then soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium sauce on high heat.  Once water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover pot with lid.  The rice should take about 20 minutes to cook.

Transfer rice to a large bowl, fluff with fork, and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Fold in remaining ingredients.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper (I use 2 bread loaf pans) use a rubber spatula to spread rice mixture evenly.

Refrigerate rice cakes until chilled, cut into squares, and wrap cakes for easy transport.