Take The Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge and Get a Healthy Holiday Recipe

It's here. The holiday season. That joyous time of year when you suddenly experience murderous feelings in the mall parking lot, when you send Christmas cards to people you're not even sure you know, and when you're constantly struggling between whether to have that second piece of peppermint fudge or to stay on your diet. Fun times.

Here's some help. Skip the parking lot and shop online. Forget the cards; that's so pre-2011. Use Facebook instead. As for the fudge? Stop after one piece; that way you can have a piece of shortbread at the next party.

And if you really want to feel good take The Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge spearheaded by Cathy of What Would Cathy Eat? At the age of 44, Cathy underwent major heart surgery for a blocked artery. Two stents later, she recovered but realized she had to start eating more healthfully. While she no longer noshes on decadent desserts and bbq every night, she believes (and I agree) that healthy eating is NOT an excuse for bland food. Healthy food can and should be delicious food.

If you too believe healthy holiday eating can be fabulous, then consider taking the challenge and sharing your recipe with Cathy. I'm sharing a recipe for Minted Apple and Almond Stuffed Carnival Squash that I make all the time. Why? Because it's easy, attractive, healthy, and delicious. So, enjoy it guilt-free.



Minted Apple and Almond Stuffed Carnival Squash
Makes 4 halves or 8 if you cut them into quarters
Printable recipe.

2 small carnival squash (about 1/2-3/4 pounds each, cut in half, seeds removed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 small, crisp, mildly tart apples, such as Pink Lady, Gravenstein, or Pippin
The juice of 1/2 small lemon
A couple of pinches of salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped, lightly toasted almonds, plus extra for garnish
1-2 tablespoons fresh finely chopped mint, plus extra for garnish
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Slice acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Brush flesh with a bit of olive oil and place flesh side down on prepared baking sheet. Cook 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

2. In a medium skillet, warm 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add shallot and saute 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add apples, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, or until apples are just tender. Remove from heat. Taste. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in the almonds and mint.

3. Divide filling equally among the four squash halves and heat in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Before serving, garnish with chopped almonds and chopped fresh mint, and drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Here are more healthy squash recipes you might enjoy:
White Bean and Kale Stuffed Delicata Squash recipe from Eat Local
Roasted Kabocha Squash with Orange Honey Glaze recipe from Food Blogga
Agave and Balsamic Glazed Roasted Buttercup Squash recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen
Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey-Lime Glazed Pepitas recipe from Food Blogga
Roasted Winter Squash with Cranberries, Pepitas, and Honey-Lime Vinaigrette from The Perfect Pantry

Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pears

What exactly is the root of all this antipathy toward Brussels sprouts?

Is it the color? Sometimes it's not easy being green. Or yellowish-green.

Is it the smell? You know what I'm talking about. Boil Brussels sprouts on your stove top for 10 minutes and the neighbors will begin to wonder which farm animal you recently adopted.

Is it your mother's fault? If she served mushy, water-logged, brown Brussels sprouts when you were a kid, it's not your fault that you hate them.

Let me attempt to ingratiate Brussels sprouts with you, especially since many of you will likely be cooking and/or eating them next week on Thanksgiving.

Though Brussels sprouts have been around since ancient times, they are named after the city of Brussels in Belgium, where they have been cultivated (and appreciated) since Medieval times. Brussels sprouts are members of the brassica family, so they're related to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kolrabi, none of which are going to win any popularity contests. That's why Brussels sprouts taste like cabbage and are sometimes referred to as "mini cabbages."




5 Tips for Liking Brussels Sprouts:

1. Select brightly colored Brussels sprouts that are free of black spots or other blemishes, which indicate they are old.

2. Choose smaller Brussels sprouts, which tend to be nuttier in flavor and less "cabbagy" tasting.

3. DO NOT overcook them. Overcooked Brussels sprouts release more sulfur, which causes that smell. You know the one.

4. How you cook Brussels sprouts makes a big difference in how they taste. First par-boil Brussels sprouts and "shock" them. Partially boil the sprouts for 2-3 minutes, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water; this will stop the cooking process and maintain the sprouts' vibrant color. Then you can saute them on the stove top or roast them in the oven.

5. If you are invited to someone's house for Thanksgiving this year, offer to make the Brussels sprouts, so you don't have to suffer Aunt Maude's sadly boiled, mealy sprouts for another year. Everyone will be thankful for that.

And for you food bloggers out there, here's a secret for building traffic. Come up with a killer Brussels sprouts recipe. Believe it or not, of all the posts I have written, one that continually elicits reader emails is Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Breadcrumbs and Lemon. Many people have emailed me thank you notes, saying that this "sunny" version of Brussels sprouts has become their new favorite. I even had one woman say she subscribed to my feed because of that recipe.

So there you have it, a way to build blog traffic and reader subscribers with Brussels sprouts. I wonder if Problogger knows about this.



Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pears
Makes 6 servings
Print recipe only here.

Sweet honey and pears act as a foil to the earthy Brussels sprouts. It's a simple yet elegant dish that is ideal for a holiday dinner.

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 large Bartlett or Bosc pears, unpeeled, and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
salt and several cranks of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large saucepan boil Brussels sprouts for 2 minutes; drain.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except walnuts) and toss until vegetables are well coated. Lay vegetables in a single layer on a tin-foil lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up). Roast for 20 minutes, turning once, or until vegetables have a few brown spots.

Place cooked vegetables in a serving dish. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and some extra salt and thyme. Serve immediately.

Don't forget to check out the previous three traditional Thanksgiving side dishes with a twist:

Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey-Lime Glazed Pepitas





Olive Oil, Caramelized Onion, and Sage Sweet Potatoes





String Beans with Prosciutto, Pine Nuts, and Meyer Lemon

• Jeanne's Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
• Joey's Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Wine
• Kalyn's Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts
• The Expatriate's Kitchen Crispy Brussels Sprouts

I'm sending this to Siri of Siri's Corner who is the hosting this week's Weekend Herb Blogging.