Rainbow Carrots with Balsamic and Thyme on Baked Ricotta

January 31, 2017 by 8 Comments

rainbow carrots on baked ricotta I don’t know why carrots are so underrated I think we take them for granted, they’re the base for soups and stews, juices and even baked goods like cakes and muffins. You can boil them or eat them raw plus they have plenty of health benefits.

Taking center stage in this recipe are those beautiful rainbow colored carrots, the colors are so vibrant with their trio of purple, white and orange and I love the look of the longer, thinner bunches.

balsamic and thyme carrots

I like to roast them with olive oil and generous amounts of thyme, the flavors all meld together as they caramelize in the oven.

To finish them off a splash of rich balsamic glaze takes them to another level.

balsamic and thyme carrots on ricotta You could stop right there and honestly you would be totally satisfied, but we’re going one step further and placing them on top of a gratin filled with savory, garlicky, cheesy baked ricotta

rainbow carrots on baked ricotta

Oh my, the humble carrot never looked and tasted so good!

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5.0 from 2 reviews
Rainbow Carrots with Balsamic and Thyme on Baked Ricotta
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of rainbow carrots, around eight, go for the thinner longer bunches
  • thyme, fresh or dried
  • 1½ cups ricotta (drained of liquid)
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup of grated romano cheese (or parmesan)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced, smashed or grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • balsamic glaze (store bought)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
  2. In a rimmed baking sheet add carrots, toss and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and a generous amount of thyme, fresh or dried.
  3. Roast til tender with still a little bite, not mushy.
  4. Remove and drizzle with balsamic glaze while still warm, set aside.
  5. Lower oven temp to 375 degrees.
  6. Olive oil a low profile baking dish something that will showcase the length of the carrots, I used a gratin dish.
  7. In a small bowl add the ricotta, garlic, egg, grated cheese, salt and pepper, mixing well by hand incorporating everything.
  8. Spread ricotta mixture onto your oiled gratin dish then bake for around 20 minutes until you see a light golden brown all around.
  9. Place cooked carrots on top adding a little more olive oil and balsamic glaze before serving.

 

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8 Comments Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: , , ,

Quick and Easy Bolognese Sauce, True Comfort Food

January 18, 2017 by 21 Comments

bolognese sauce It’s January, mid winter and the weather still calls for some comfort food, and I say a nice pot of bolognese sauce simmering on the stove is comfort food at it’s finest!

Bolognese sauce is a meat based sauce that originated from Bologna, Italy. A classic bolognese usually consists of a mixture of meats, some pancetta, a soffrito of aromatic veggies, tomato, wine and milk or cream, it also requires many hours of simmering.

Over the years I found you can put together a darn good bolognese pretty quick and easy and in a little less than an hour.

mirepoix One thing for sure, and is a must when making your bolognese is that you want to include these veggies, a soffrito of finely chopped carrots, celery and onions and sometimes I include finely chopped mushrooms, I eliminate the pancetta all together.

If you want to speed things up instead of chopping the veggies by hand just pull out your food processor and pulse them until they turn into a small dice.

bolognese sauce For this quicker version I use only one meat and it’s usually a grass fed beef and when combined with everything else it creates a thick rich sauce with many layers of flavor and it still has that that deep simmered flavor if you don’t have the time.

If you find that you do have the time to let it simmer low and slow for a few hours by all means do it, I’ve done it myself and both ways are amazing!

pasta bolognese

Just about any pasta shape complements this meaty sauce, so just pick your favorite!

spaghetti squash bolognese

If you’re trying to watch your carb intake after all the holiday goodies, no problem, because it’s equally delicious on top of spaghetti squash, I actually love it that way.

You might want to double or triple the recipe because it freezes really well and it’s nice to have some tucked away in your freezer when comfort food is calling your name!

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5.0 from 4 reviews
Quick and Easy Bolognese Sauce
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef, preferably grass fed or sirloin
  • 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • ¾ cup mushrooms, finely diced (optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes, (optional)
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ cup of whole milk or cream
  • 1 28 oz. can of ground tomatoes
  • a few fresh basil leaves for added flavor
  • 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil
Instructions
  1. Dice up your vegetables into a fine dice either by hand or pulsed in your food processor.
  2. In a heated heavy bottomed pan add the butter and olive oil.
  3. Add all the veggies and garlic and cook until soft.
  4. Toss in the ground meat and cook until browned.
  5. Deglaze with the wine and let it evaporate.
  6. Pour in the milk and let it cook for a minute.
  7. Add the tomatoes plus salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Cook uncovered on a slow simmer stirring often.
  9. Should be done after 45 minutes or so.
  10. Serve with your favorite pasta or spaghetti squash.
  11. For a longer simmer I put the milk or cream in at the end and just stir it in.

 

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21 Comments Filed Under: Meats, Sauces Tagged: , , ,

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

January 5, 2017 by 17 Comments

cauliflower rice pilaf Who ever came up with the idea of ricing cauliflower was brilliant! It’s so versatile and healthy and if you’re trying to stay away from carbs it’s a nice substitute. Can I be honest, I like this recipe for cauliflower rice pilaf better than the real deal which you won’t even miss, plus you’ll feel really good about eating it.

riced cauliflower Let’s talk about cauliflower rice. In the past when it first became popular I made my own with a large head of fresh cauliflower that I riced in my own food processor, but it was a production, I made a mess and usually had cauliflower all over. Now it seems that you can find it riced and ready to go almost everywhere either fresh or frozen and that makes me very happy.

Can I just tell you in all honesty, I prefer the frozen over the fresh. I love the convenience of having it stashed away in my freezer to use whenever I feel like it, it won’t spoil and the taste and texture is the same. My favorite brand is the one shown above it’s delicious, and I love the consistency in the size of the “rice”.

cauliflower rice pilaf This cauliflower rice pilaf is a wonderful side dish to have along with fish, chicken or meats. It’s even great for lunch all week just on it’s own and you don’t even need to heat it up, I’ve eaten it straight out of the fridge like a salad. A bowl of this pilaf is very satisfying.

cauliflower rice pilaf

You can combine any veggies you like, but for me I found this combo to be excellent. Along with the cauliflower rice it has mushrooms, butternut squash, curly kale, red and yellow pepper, red onion, garlic, green onions, cranberries and some salty pecans.

I tried to give you approximate amounts so you could get some idea but I always go over, in my opinion the more veggies the better, so don’t be skimpy, enjoy, it’s all good!

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5.0 from 3 reviews
Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
 
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Ingredients
  • 12 oz. of fresh or frozen cauliflower rice ( I prefer frozen for convenience)
  • 1 small pack of cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small red pepper and yellow pepper, small dice
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced small (you'll have extra)
  • 4 thin green onions or 2 larger, cut in small slices
  • 1 packed cup of curly kale, cut into thin strips
  • ¼ cup of red onion, diced small
  • a handful of dried cranberries
  • a handful of salted pecans ( you could use unsalted but I prefer the salted)
  • 1 large clove, garlic grated on a micro-plane or diced very finely
  • a handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In two separate pans roast the sliced mushrooms and the small diced butternut squash, both drizzled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted at 425 until moisture leaves the mushrooms and the squash gets lightly golden. Set aside and let them cool.
  2. In a large saute pan add the garlic clove, red onion,the kale and both peppers and saute in olive oil for just a couple of seconds to soften slightly, basically until the garlic turns golden, then scoop out and set aside so it can cool down.
  3. Add the cauliflower rice into the large saute pan with more olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook it until it's tender, do not overcook it! If it's frozen it just takes a few minutes. Let it cool down.
  4. Into a bowl add the cooked cauliflower rice, garlic, red onion, peppers and kale, mix well.
  5. Dump in the cooked mushrooms and also the butternut squash (you probably won't use it all).
  6. Toss into the bowl your green onions, parsley, cranberries and pecans, incorporating everything, mixing well adding more or less according to your liking.
  7. Taste for salt and pepper and drizzling more olive oil if necessary.

 

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17 Comments Filed Under: Rice and Risotto, Salads, Vegetables Tagged: , , , ,