Pomegranate Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Recipe adapted from eatyourselfskinny.com.
 
This recipe is perfect for the holidays – brightly colored, nutritious, and delicious!
 
Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved lengthwise

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

•  ¼ cup pine nuts

• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

 
For the glaze:

• 1/3 cup pomegranate juice

• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

 
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° degrees F. If you have an air fryer, you can use that instead.

2. Spread the brussels sprouts in an even layer on a cookie sheet pan or in the air fryer and drizzle with a little olive oil, tossing them so that they are evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Roast brussels sprouts in the oven for ~15 minutes, stir with a spoon, then place back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. If using an air fryer, stop and stir the brussels sprouts after 8 minutes, then restart for another 8 minutes or so until fork tender.

4. While the brussels sprouts are roasting, whisk together the pomegranate juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a small saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil. Recue the heat to medium and let the mixture boil for 5-8 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and is syrupy.

5. When the brussels sprouts, have 5-6 minutes remaining to cook, sprinkle the pine nuts onto the sheet pan and let them roast, until the brussels sprouts are golden and crispy.

6. Transfer the brussels sprouts from the pan onto a serving platter and drizzle with pomegranate glaze over top, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, roasted pine nuts and additional salt/pepper, as needed.

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
Recipe adapted from Institute for Functional Medicine.
 
A gluten-free, grain-free pancake option. Not your typical cake-y pancake, these have a higher egg ratio and still make into pancakes that you can top with your desired toppings. I added almond butter and fruit. You could make extras and store in refrigerator or freezer.
 
Makes 2 servings.
 
Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 tablespoons almond meal or almond flour

• ½ cup pumpkin purée

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt

• 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil

 
Directions:

1. Mix egg in a large measuring cup or bowl. Add almond meal, pumpkin, and vanilla. Stir to combine well. Mix in baking soda, spices, and salt.

2. Heat a large griddle or pan. Add the coconut oil and allow to melt. Stir the oil into the pancake mixture, leaving a little to use for cooking pancakes.

3. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on top, then flip and cook another minute.

4. Top with your desired toppings and enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Kale Salad
Adapted from eatyourselfskinny.com.
 
A perfect seasonal salad – beautiful, delicious, and hearty. I opted to make extra sweet potatoes and quinoa and made this salad again later in the week in just a few minutes.
 
Makes 4 servings.
 
Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

• Spritz of avocado oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa

• 1/2 cup chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water

• 3 cups kale or mixed greens

• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

• 1 medium avocado

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon minced shallots

• 1 teaspoon honey

• Salt/green herbs

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425° degrees F if you don’t own or wish to use an air fryer.

2. Rinse sweet potatoes, chopping them into 1/4 inch cubes. Toss with spritz of avocado or olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and chipotle chili powder until completely coated. Spread sweet potatoes out on baking sheet in a single layer and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping them once OR place in air fryer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, using a mesh strainer, thoroughly rinse the quinoa. Add a 1/2 cup of chicken (or veggie) broth to a small saucepan and add rinsed quinoa. Bring quinoa to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, keeping quinoa covered, and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes then fluff quinoa with a fork.

4. Combine kale, quinoa and pomegranate in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Fold in roasted sweet potatoes, top with avocado. Serve and enjoy!

Berry Baked Oatmeal
Recipe from The Cancer Diet Cookbook: Comforting Recipes for Treatment and Recovery written by Dionne Detraz.
 
This recipe is delicious. Seriously! This is not a boring oatmeal. It’s a great recipe to serve the family or group that can be prepped in advance. It's so tasty that it could even serve as dessert. Yum!
 
Makes 4 servings.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

• ½ cup chopped walnuts, divided

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch sea salt

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil OR unsalted butter (preferably grass-fed), melted

• 1 cup unsweetened plant-milk (almond, oat, coconut, or other)

• 1 large egg

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 bananas, sliced into coins

• 1 cup berries, fresh or frozen, divided

 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

2. Spritz an 8x8 inch baking dish with avocado or coconut oil.

3. In a medium bowl, mix oats, ¼ cup of the walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted oil or butter, egg, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.

5. Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup of the berries. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts and 1/2 cup of berries. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and the oats have set.

6. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, spooned into bowls. Enjoy!

Persimmon Pie

Recipe adapted from The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit for Life Kitchen written by Marilyn Diamond.
 
Serves 8-10.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 Lisa’s Standard Fruit Pie Crust (recipe below)

• 7 medium ripe and soft Hachiya persimmons, stems removed

• 3 large dates

• 3 tablespoons psyllium husks

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

• 1 tablespoon shredded unsweetened coconut

 
Lisa’s Standard Fruit Pie Crust 

• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds

• ½ cup sesame seeds

• 1/3 cup pecans or almonds

• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• ½ cup raisins

• 1 cup pitted soft dates

 
Directions:

1. For the crust, grind the seeds, nuts, and coconut to a fine meal in a food processor. Add the fruit and process until mixture forms a ball.

2. Press mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. The crust will nearly be ¼” thick. Flute the edges with the thumb and forefinger. Set the crust in refrigerator or freezer to chill. Crust is ready to be filled.

3. Place filling ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high speed until a thick pudding forms. Pour into prepared pie crust.

4. Chill and serve cold.

Wishing you all a happy & healthful holiday season!

In Health,
Natalie