Thyme for Root Vegetable Fries!

It's the season of change. Changing leaves, changing weather, changing wardrobes and changing vegetables. Ok, sure, some might be not as jazzed up about the last one, but the way I see it, it means a whole new line-up of vegetables to experiment with. Among my fall favorites are the members of the root vegetable family, including parsnips, sweet potatoes, beets and carrots. What better way to enjoy these veggies than to channel your inner child and treat yourself to some "fries"... 

Root vegetable "bakes" doesn't have quite the same ring to it, but no need to break out a vat of frying oil for this recipe when you have a perfectly functional oven at your disposal. Feel free to get creative with your seasonings, whether a cajun-inspired blend speaks to your palate or you want to put an italian twist on the flavors, you really can't go wrong. I thought sesame and thyme was an interesting combination and would definitely take it for a test drive again.

The recipe:

2 parsnips
2 carrots
1 large sweet potato
1 beet
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 c. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and cut the vegetables into uniform matchstick-like shapes. Warning: beets tend to "bleed" a bit so I like to keep them separate from the rest of the vegetables.

In a measuring cup, measure out 1/4c. of olive oil and add in thyme and sesame seeds. Add vegetables (parsnip, carrot, sweet potato) to a bowl and drizzle with the oil mixture. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Add beets to the bowl and use residual oil to coat beets. Add to baking pan.

Bake for ~40 minutes, turning the vegetables half way through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Hot Crab Dip

Luckily for me, Friendsgiving is becoming an annual tradition, so not only do I get to spend quality time with my best friends, but I also get to chow down on Thanksgiving dinner more than once...Jackpot! 

In the presence of great cooks this meant there was no empty space on my plate to start the meal or in my stomach by the end of the night. Although the 40lb turkey got vetoed immediately, the spread of mouth watering side dishes were the real stars of the evening.  

My contributions to the meal started with the appetizer round. Though I can't claim to have been the genius behind the amazing pear, prosciutto and goat cheese app that kicked off the evening, I went with a hot crab dip that is a family favorite at our holiday celebrations. Usually I scoff at the sight of mayo in a recipe, but all bets are off when this delicious appetizer is in front of my face.   

The recipe:

1 lb lump crab meat

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 c reduced-fat mayonnaise (start with 3/4 cup and add in the final 1/4 cup as necessary)

1 c shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 c green onion

Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Make sure there are no shells in the lump crab meat. Chop up the artichoke hearts and combine all the ingredients into a baking dish (I used about a 10x7 sized dish). Bake for about 20 minutes until the dip is heated through and starting to bubble.

Easy as pie! Serve with celery stalks or your favorite crackers.

Moroccan Eggplant & Tomato Salad

Standing in front of a pay-by-the-pound gourmet lunch buffet is probably not the best time to discover (and embrace) that you do in fact actually like eggplant, but naturally that is what happened to me. Dishes to Go by work has some great eggplant side dishes - usually middle eastern inspired. Given that the weight adds up, I figured it was about time to enjoy the dish on my own terms. 

During my recipe hunt, I was thrilled to stumble upon this recipe by the Shiska in the Kitchen. Just a few tweaks, a bit of patience and then I was able to enjoy this new gem over and over again!

The recipe:
1 large eggplant
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper

Paritally peel the eggplant in stripes, keeping strips of skin intact so they run down the sides of the eggplant vertically. I like the idea of leaving more of the skin on because it adds flavor and structure, so I only peeled off a few strips.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch chunks. Put half of the chunks into the skillet and saute for about 10 minutes.

When the cubes begin to turn golden brown, transfer them to a larger pot. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the skillet and saute the second batch of eggplant chunks the same way, for about 10 minutes till golden brown. Transfer the chunks to the large pot.

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the skillet and add the bell pepper chunks and onion. Let them saute for about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.

Transfer peppers and garlic to the large pot.

Add in the diced tomatoes, water, cumin, salt, sugar, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper and bring all ingredients to a boil.

Reduce heat to a medium-low simmer and cover the pot, leaving a small gap open to vent. Let the mixture slowly simmer for 1 hour till sauce is thickened and reduced. Remove from heat.

Serve over quinoa or enjoy by itself!