Side Dishes

Since holiday season is in full swing, here are six holiday side dishes to start off the week. Check out the No-Cream Creamed Corn, the Acorn Squash with Curried Apple Compote, and the rest of today's recipes. Enjoy!

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This was in the November/December 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 50. It begins, "This simple, rustic dish is a fall favorite at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco. Serve on its own, or toss with Roasted Carrots and Parsnips." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-brussels-sprouts/.

Ingredients

2 lb. Brussels sprouts, large sprouts halved, small sprouts left whole

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. pure maple syrup

2 Tbs. butter, optional

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss Brussels sprouts with oil in large baking dish or on baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 45 minutes, or until tender, loosening sprouts from baking dish or sheet with spatula every 15 minutes, if necessary.

Transfer to serving bowl and toss with maple syrup and butter, if using.

ACORN SQUASH WITH CURRIED APPLE COMPOTE

This was in the October 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 38. It begins, "Apples and curry are a fantastic fall combo—and when you throw in acorn squash you have an easy entrée. Use Gala, Jonagold, Mutsu (also called Crispin), Northern Spy or any apple that’s billed as “good for baking” in this recipe." Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/acorn-squash-with-curried-apple-compote/.

Ingredients

2 tsp. unsalted butter

1 medium-size onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 Tbs. curry powder

2 medium-size apples, peeled, cored and diced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup apple cider

1/3 cup currants or golden raisins

2 medium-size acorn squash, seeded, each sliced into 6 1-inch-thick rings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 10 minutes, or until tender, stirring often. Add curry powder, and cook 1 minute. Stir in apples, cider and currants, and cook 6 minutes more, or until liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange squash in single layer on prepared baking sheets. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop apple filling into center of rings, mounding slightly. Cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes, or until squash is tender when pierced with skewer. Transfer squash rings to plates using spatula. Serve warm.

NO-CREAM CREAMED CORN

This is from the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Cream-style or creamed corn doesn’t usually contain dairy, even in canned versions. Instead, the milky juice from fresh kernels is scraped from the cobs to thicken into a creamy sauce. This version enhances the “creamed” cooking process by using puréed corn as a base." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/no-cream-creamed-corn/.

Ingredients

8 cups fresh (from 8 large ears) or frozen, thawed corn kernels, divided

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium leeks, white parts thinly sliced (2 cups)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup fresh dill fronds, chopped

Preparation

Purée 3 cups corn kernels with 2 cups water until smooth. Strain mixture through sieve. Discard solids.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add leeks and salt, and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 5 cups corn, and sauté 2 minutes more.

Add corn purée to corn-leek mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often. Mixture should be thick and creamy. Remove from heat, and stir in dill. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

FALL HARVEST COLLARD GREEN ROLLS [VEGAN, GREEN-FREE]

This is from Denisse Salinas at One Green Planet. Denisse wrote, "These fall harvest collard green rolls feature seasonal wild rice pilaf rolled into collard leaves for handheld packages of seasonal goodness! Acorn squash, pecans, dried cranberry, and shredded carrot are stuffed into each collard leaf. Make the cranberry balsamic sauce for dipping/spreading/eating straight out of the jar with a spoon for added fall flavor!

Serves: 4

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/fall-harvest-collard-green-rolls/.

Ingredients

For the Collard Green Rolls:

8 collard green leaves

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice

1 cup acorn or butternut squash, roasted and diced

1/4 cup dried cranberry

1/4 cup pecans

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup shredded carrot

For the Cranberry-Balsamic Sauce:

1/2 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove and discard thick stems from collard greens and place leaves in boiling water. Blanch for about 2 minutes or until just tender. Gently remove leaves from water and drain them in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss together wild rice, acorn squash, dried cranberry, and pecans. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Lay a collard leaf on a work surface and top with about 2 tablespoons of shredded carrot followed by 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of rice mixture depending on the size of the leaf. Roll up, starting with the large end of the leaf and rolling it over the filling, tucking in the ends, like a burrito. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

To make the cranberry balsamic sauce, combine sugar and orange juice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and cinnamon and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes until cranberries begin to pop. Remove from heat and let cool (sauce will thicken).

Transfer sauce to a food processor. Add balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and purée until smooth. Serve with collard rolls.

VEGAN CHILI STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

This is from Hellmann's, and begins, "A classic baked potato dialed way up. This dish is made with creamy Hellmann’s Vegan Mayo, smokey beans and crisp chopped onions."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.hellmanns.com/us/en/recipes/vegan-chili-stuffed-baked-potatoes.html.

Ingredients

4 large Yukon gold potatoes, poked in several places with a knife

5 Tbsp. Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Vegan Dressing and Spread, divided

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup corn

2 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. chili powder

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Heat oven to 425°. Brush potatoes with 2 Tbsp. of the Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Vegan Dressing and Spread and sprinkle with salt. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet and bake 40 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in beans, corn, water and chili powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Vegan Dressing and Spread.

Split potatoes and evenly spoon chili mixture over top. Garnish, if desired with chopped cilantro and sliced scallions. Dollop with remaining Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Vegan Dressing and Spread.

SWISS VEGETABLE MEDLEY

This is from Better Homes and Gardens, and begins, "Frozen vegetables make this side dish casserole recipe super simple to assemble. Choose from several combinations of vegetables."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 12

View this online at https://www.bhg.com/recipe/vegetables/swiss-vegetable-medley/.

Ingredients

2 16 ounce package loose-pack frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, thawed

2 10.75 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 cup (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese

2/3 cup dairy sour cream

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 2.8 ounce can French-fried onions

Directions

In a large bowl combine the thawed vegetables, soup, half of the Swiss cheese, the sour cream, and pepper. Stir in half of the French-fried onions. Spoon vegetable mixture into a 3-quart rectangular baking dish.

Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and remaining French-fried onions. Bake about 5 minutes more or until heated through. Makes 12 servings.

To Tote:

Cover tightly. Transport in an insulated carrier.

For 6 Servings:

Prepare using the method above, except spoon vegetable mixture into a 2-quart square baking dish.