THE DISH

Have a Happy, Healthy Holiday

This year, put a healthy twist on traditional holiday dishes with a renewed focus on vibrant colors, bold textures and a fun set of flavor combinations.

BY SIDNEY FRY, MS, RD PHOTOGRAPHY BY BIG DREAMZ CREATIVE

If your annual holiday spread has gotten a little ho-hum or a little heavy, why not try these fresh spins on some old-fashioned favorites? Sweet potatoes get stacked and bathed in luscious browned butter. The star of the side show —dressing — takes center stage with the addition of flavors found in cheesy spinach and artichoke dip. And to round the roster out, there’s a bountiful bowl of glorious greens, filled to the brim with fall goodies like apples, Brussels sprouts, almonds and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

You’ll notice there’s no turkey here. Most families already have their deeply rooted traditions when it comes to the big bird, so go with what you love. Or toss the turkey this year! These delicious and super nutritious sides can definitely rise above their usual supporting role. Secret Ingredient:

Browned butter (used in the Sweet Potato Stack recipe) is a single-ingredient secret weapon in the kitchen; stir in a touch of maple syrup, and you’ve got yourself a spoonful of liquid gold. But watch the butter carefully; that gold can tarnish and burn quickly if you aren’t paying attention.

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apples & Marcona Almonds

This delicious take on Brussels sprouts earns the best-dressed award at the holiday dinner party. When shaved, Brussels sprouts result in an unbelievably delicate, yet bold, base for a salad. Add traditional autumn ingredients like apples, and give it all a holiday-worthy upgrade with decadent Marcona almonds and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. What I do love most about this simple-but-oh-so-delicious side? You don’t have to cook anything! I like to lean on already-shredded Brussels sprouts, which are a huge time saver, something we all need around the holidays. SALAD:

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot (or red onion) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar Dash of salt 1/4 cup boiling water 2 (10-ounce) packages shaved Brussels sprouts 1/2 cup chopped Marcona almonds 1 pink lady or honey crisp apple, cored and thinly sliced 3-ounces shaved ParmigianoReggiano cheese

To prepare salad, combine sliced shallot, ¼ cup vinegar, sugar and dash of salt in a small bowl. Add boiling water; let sit 15-20 minutes.

Combine pickled shallots, Brussels sprouts and almonds in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Top with apples and shaved ParmigianoReggiano cheese.

DRESSING:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or red onion 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

To make dressing, combine oil, 3 tablespoons vinegar, mustard, chopped shallot, honey and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk until combined.

Serves 8-10 Recipe can easily be cut in half.

Cheesy Spinach & Artichoke Dressing

It’s your all-time favorite dip — tucked, folded and stuffed right into the table’s most coveted side dish. This dressing is loaded with all the cheesy, creamy, appetizer-inspired goods, but lightened with layers upon layers of veggies, greens and sprouted grains. Sprouted grains contain nutrients that have been unlocked, meaning they are more readily available and easier to absorb and digest. They’re also delicious! And, they make a great base for hearty greens and savory cheeses, like cave-aged Gruyere (great for those decadent and gooey cheese pulls!). A hint of parmesan lends a rich-but-not -too-heavy flavor boost.

Holiday Bonus:

This dish is made a day ahead of time! This not only allows all those beautiful flavors to meld together overnight, but it’s also one less 18 JOYTOLIFE.ORGthing to worry about during the Thursday countdown. 1 (1-pound) loaf sprouted whole grain bread, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 (9-oz) bag baby spinach 2 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 ounces cave-aged Gruyere, shredded 2 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and very crisp, rotating pans halfway through.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook 10-15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and wine; cook 5 minutes or until spinach wilts and wine is reduced by half. Stir in artichokes; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat. In a large bowl combine bread and artichoke mixture and half of each cheese; toss to combine. Pour half of egg mixture over bread mixture; toss to coat. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cover with foil; refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350º. Bake at 350º, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly and center is cooked through.

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter 12-24 sage leaves 1 tablespoon maple syrup 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Melt butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add sage. Cook 8-10 minutes or until butter is golden brown and fragrant, swirling occasionally. Place sage leaves on a paper towel-lined plate. Stir in maple syrup. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375º. Thinly slice sweet potatoes (using a mandolin if you have one) into ⅛-inch thick (or thinner) rounds. Combine sweet potato slices, oil and salt in a large bowl; toss well to coat.

Layer slices into muffin tin coated with cooking spray, stacking slightly above the rim of each cup.

Bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender in the center. If tops of potatoes start to brown too much, cover loosely with foil.

Let stand 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around rim of each cup, and lift potato stacks from cups using a spoon or thin spatula. Transfer to a serving platter.

Drizzle each stack with 1 teaspoon browned butter mixture; sprinkle evenly with pecans. Top each stack with one or two sage leaves.

Serves 12

Sweet Potato Stacks with Maple Browned Butter & Crispy Sage

Thinly sliced, elegantly stacked, expertly baked and crowned in a mapleinfused browned butter? Now that’s what I call a sweet potato queen! Traditional sweet potato casserole could easily have its place at the dessert table; one ½-cup serving has more sugar than a slice of apple pie (and I’m not even counting the extra marshmallow topping you’ve dolloped on top). Rather than cover those already-sweet potatoes in a blanket of streusel and sugar, these stacks lean on browned butter, a hint of maple syrup, crispy sage and nutty pecans.

PRO TIP:

If you have one, use a mandolin to slice the sweet potatoes. When stacked all together in a muffin tin, the tin acts like a mini-oven, creating crispy edges and butterysoft middles. Make sure you buy potatoes that are less than about 2.5-3” in diameter so each round easily fits into the muffin cups.