HOLIDAY EDITION SIDE DISHES

Side dishes can be boring if we make it the same way all the time, especially during the holidays. This recipe is traditional but with some unexpected ingredients that works to make it more delicious, healthy and easy to prepare.

Green Beans with wild mushrooms

Ingredients

1. 2 pounds of green beans

2. 1 1/2 pound of wild mushrooms or any kind of mushrooms sliced

3. 8 ounces of diced smoke ham ( if you are in Virginia) use VIRGINIA HAM

4. 1 chopped garlic clove

5. 1/2 cup pomegranate seed

6. 1/3 cup of slide almonds

7. olive oil

8. 1 tablespoon of good feed grass quality butter like Irish Butter

9. Sal, pepper and red pepper flakes (optional)

EASY DIRECTIONS

The controversial part: remove or not to removed the ends of the green beans its totally up to you. I prefer to remove the ends because I don't like to bite into sharpie edges.

You could steam or "blench the green beans" if you like. I think its fine either way. I prefer to blench them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes and rinse them.

Now to the cooking part, In a large sauté pan add some olive oil enough to cover the pan add the mushrooms turn on the heat at medium high. DO NOT OVERCROWD the fungus 😊 this guys are full of water and they tent to release liquid when they are to close to each other. However if that happens the cooking process might take a little longer. Just let them be and do not stirred them. After 5 minutes it should start browning on the edges stir to allowed browning on both sides after 10 minutes you can seasoned with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and set it aside. To the same pan turkey on the heat at medium and add the diced ham, sauté for 3 minutes then add the green beans and add some seasoning not much just sprinkle some salt and pepper. Then add the chopped garlic and the wild mushroom. Combine all ingredients then add the butter, pomegranate seeds and almond. Turn off the heat and let the butter melt, then add the red pepper flakes.

SIDE DISH TWO

The most underrated but delicious carrots 🥕

THIS RECIPE IS AS DELICIOUS, HEALTHY AND EASY

GLAZED CARROT WITH MAPLE SYRUP

Ingredients

1. 1 pound of carrots like the picture above

2. 1 chopped garlic clove

3. 1/2 cup of dry grand berry orange flavor from Trader Joes

4. 1/3 cup of pecan

5. 1/4 cup of maple glazed my favorite is from Trader's Joes

6. 1 teaspoon of brown or raw sugar

7. Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (optional)

8. 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of good quality butter like Irish Butter

Easy Directions

In a medium pan bring some water to a boil, enough to cover and boil the carrots and add a teaspoon of salt and the brown sugar. Once the water boils add the carrots and cook until tender about 10 minutes on a medium heat.

Then removed from a pan and set aside. On a large sauté pan add olive oil and garlic, sauté for less than a minute then add carrots and cook for 5 minutes, then add the dry cranberries, pecan and seasoned with salt and pepper. Last minute of cooking lower the heat at low and add the maple syrup and butter, combine well and let the butter melt super easy. Last if you like a little heat add the red pepper flakes.

DELICIOUS GOOEY SWEET POTATO WITH MARSHMALLOW AND PECANS

Ingredients

1. 4 sweet potatoes, washed

2. 1/3 olive oil

3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon

4. red pepper falkes

5. 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

6. 1 teaspoon of cumin

7. Salt and pepper, to taste

8. 1/2 cup maple syrup

9. 1/4 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

10. 1/4 cup light brown sugar

11. 1/2 cup or maybe more mini marshmallows

Directions

Prepared Hasselback potatoes by making by slicing the sweet potato. Using a brush add the oil oil, and season with cinnamon, red pepper flakes, cumin, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Roast for 25 min or so in the air fryer at 390 degrees. In a bowl, mix together maple syrup, pecans and coconut sugar. If you don't have coconut sugar add brown sugar. Remove the sweet potatoes from the air fryer and if they are done removed them from the oven and drizzle the maple mixture to the sweet potato and add the mini marshmallows, place the potatoes in a broil in your oven until marshmallows are golden! Enjoy

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