Lately, I have been loving the Gnocchi Cauliflower Casserole from The Forest Feast Mediterranean book. It's great to feed a crowd and comes together very quickly with few ingredients. It's veggie-packed comfort food, and can be a great alternative to lasagna. Perfect for cold weather entertaining or even just a weeknight.
Latke Round-up!
I love a good latke this time of year! It is easy and fun to experiment with different variations of this potato pancake. Latkes are traditional Hanukkah treats because they are cooked in oil and symbolize the miracle of the holiday.
Unless otherwise noted, I like to use Russett potatoes when making latkes since they have less moisture. A non-stick pan can be helpful too!
Here’s a quick round-up of favorite Forest Feast latke recipes:
Sweet potato Latkes from The Forest Feast cookbook
Happy Hanukkah!
Nutty Cauliflower Pilaf
Last night we went to our friends' house for their annual Friendsgiving party. The celebration has grown to about 40 people and features the most amazing potluck feast you can imagine! We all sign up for dishes in advance and this year I brought a Nutty Cauliflower Pilaf using a bag of Taylor Farms Cauliflower Pearls. I thought this would be a good one to bring since it's gluten-free and we have several friends that are gluten intolerant. (Also, one of the only vegetables I can currently get Ezra to eat is cauliflower in this riced/pearl form!) I mixed the cauliflower with quinoa to give it a bit more substance, and for crunch and chew, you can mix in any nuts, seeds or dried berries you have on hand. This will be making a repeat appearance at our Thanksgiving table this Thursday.
I also made a couple quick, seasonal sides to go with it: A simple Kale Salad with baby kale, persimmons and pomegranate seeds, plus some Crispy Old Bay Brussels (see recipes below.)
Nutty Cauliflower Pilaf
16 oz (1 bag) Taylor Farms Cauliflower Pearls
1 c cooked red or white quinoa
2T butter
2T olive oil
1/4 c golden raisins
1/4 c dried cherries
1/4 c shelled whole pistachios (or chop, if you prefer)
1/4 c sunflower seeds
salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, sauté the cauliflower pearls with the butter and olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are softer, translucent and just starting to brown. Mix in all other ingredients and serve warm in a bowl or on a platter. Serves 6 as a side (easily doubled or tripled for a larger group).
Kale Salad with Persimmon & Pomegranate
11 oz (1 box) Taylor Farms Organic Baby Kale
1 Fuyu persimmon (I leave the peel on)
1/3 c fresh pomegranate seeds (about a 1/2 pomegranate)
Place baby kale on a large platter and top with slices of persimmon and pomegranate seeds. Use your favorite balsamic dressing. Serves about 6.
* * *
Crispy Old Bay Brussels
9 oz (1 bag) Taylor Farms Shaved Brussels Sprouts
Olive oil
Old Bay seasoning
Spread the brussels out on a baking sheet in a thin, even layer and drizzle the entire surface generously with olive oil and sprinkle with plenty of Old Bay seasoning (which adds saltiness and spiciness). Roast in the oven at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until some bits are brown and crispy. Check it occasionally to make sure it's not burning. Serve hot. This dish is best served relatively soon after roasting, as the crispiness will reduce with time. Serves about 4 as a side.
We are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time this year– 18 people for dinner in our little cabin will be quite cozy...we are excited! Check my Instagram stories for more (@theforestfeast).
Happy Thanksgiving,
Erin
***
This post was done in partnership with Taylor Farms. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Forest Feast possible.
Cauliflower, Onion and Potato Latkes
Latkes (potato pancakes) are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah which is this week. My recipe is made just a little lighter with the addition of cauliflower. I used the grater blade on my cuisinart and threw the potatoes, onions and cauliflower in (but you can finely chop/mince the cauliflower if you don’t have one). The recipe makes about 10-12 latkes- I just do a heaping spoonful of the mixture for each patty. Be sure to use Russett potatoes- they are less moist. Using a non stick pan makes things go more smoothly, and about 2-3 minutes on med-hi heat per side should do it! Happy Hanukkah, enjoy!
By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast
Corn & Cauliflower Tacos
You can tell it’s summer when corn shows up in your CSA box. Sweet and crunchy- nothing like it! Roast it up with a little cauliflower to make a tasty, light taco filling (no beans, rice or meat needed!). Flour or corn tortillas work, and you could use sour cream instead of greek yogurt. For hot sauce, I used good ol’ Tapatio.
In the colder months, this works well with frozen corn.
Find this recipe in The Forest Feast cookbook
Enjoy!