Healthy(er) Holiday Recipes FROM

Stone Town Grill

It’s holiday season again already?

I don’t know if this makes sense, but for me, all the events and bizarreness of 2020 seemed to seep right into 2021, making 2021 feel like it didn’t exist. Can you relate? Well, no matter how I feel, it is that time of year again, and for most of us, it is a time centered around gathering with loved ones and sharing a special meal together. My family’s Thanksgiving tradition for more than a decade has been for my parents to host and all my siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins (over 30 people) gather for the day on the family farm in southeast Iowa. It is the one time of year that we all get to see each other, and it is special. My mom prepares the meats and sometimes a large batch of party potatoes (how very Midwest of us), and everyone else contributes some sort of dish to the meal. It is easy to get lost in a sea of mashed potatoes, gravy and bread, so I usually make a vegetable side for a healthier option. Here are two easy dish ideas for holiday get togethers that are easy, healthy and delicious. Additionally, both recipes easily incorporate one of the made-from-scratch sauces available at Stone Town Grill.

Curried Sweet Potatoes w/ Kale & Lentils

Sweet potatoes and kale are a delicious food pairing, and curry spice is amazing on sweet potatoes. This dish works well as a hearty side or even an entrée (it is a favorite in our home).

ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes, 6-8 cups (peeled and chopped into half-inch chunks)

¼ cup oil (avocado oil, or another high smoke point oil)

1 tablespoon curry spice blend

Salt

1 cup lentils

3 cups veggie broth

1 large head kale (stem removed, coarsely shredded)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1-2 cups prepared curry sauce directions

Preheat oven to 400 F and line two large cooking sheets with parchment paper. Place peeled, chopped potatoes in large mixing bowl with lid. Add oil and curry spice to bowl, put lid on bowl, and shake to coat potatoes. Spread potatoes over lined sheet pans, sprinkle with salt, place in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes (until slightly crisped on edges). While sweet potatoes are in oven, place lentils and veggie broth in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and stir occasionally. The lentils should soak up most of the broth and be cooked by the time the sweet potatoes finish roasting. When sweet potatoes and lentils are about five minutes from being ready, add two tablespoons oil to a large, deep skillet along with one tablespoon minced garlic. Sauté garlic on medium heat until fragrant. Add shredded kale and lemon juice and sauté for 1-2 minutes until kale beings to wilt. Add cooked lentils and roasted sweet potatoes to skillet with kale and stir together. Serve with crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional) and top off with coconut curry sauce from Stone Town Grill.

Pesto Roasted Potatoes & Green Beans

This recipe is super simple and delicious.

ingredients

2 cups fresh green beans (or 16 ounces frozen green beans)

6 cups red potatoes (cut into 1 inch cubes) 16 ounces prepared pesto (Stone Town Grill’s Kale Pesto is a solid option) directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line 2 large cooking sheets with parchment paper. Place all chopped potatoes and green beans in a large mixing bowl with lid. Pour one and a half cups of pesto into bowl, place lid on top, and shake to coat everything. Spread out potato-green bean mixture over lined sheet pans. Place in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until veggies crisped on edges. When ready to serve, pour remaining pesto over top.

Both the pesto and curry sauces are versatile and pair well with all sorts of vegetables, so if you prefer zucchini and broccoli over potatoes and green beans, go for it. Both sauces also compliment a lot of the traditional fare served at holiday dinners, so it should fit right in with your family meal. Whatever your holiday traditions may be, we truly hope your 2021 holiday season is filled with gratitude, joy, good health and delicious food!

ALL SAUCES AT STONE TOWN GRILL are available for purchase to take home in 8 ounce and 32 ounce portions. Visit stonetowngrill.com for more details.