Martha's Sausage Pear Stuffing

Thanksgiving is slowly becoming one of my favorite holidays. Especially in California where the dishes get healthier and more creative every year. (This year set the bar high with lamb meatballs, curried mushroom bruschetta with goat cheese and pomegranate cranberry relish.) I may not be breaking new ground with this recipe but it's damn good. 

I make a lot of healthy recipes on The Plate. I wouldn't call this one of them. Regardless I've been eating this for the past 3 Thanksgivings because it has everything you want in a stuffing. Fruity, savory, crunchy, bready... I followed Martha Stewart's recipe + lemon juice and red pepper flakes. 

There are only two hard things about this recipe: Keeping up the stamina to chop all of the ingredients, and finding a large enough pot to mix everything together (without a sizable percentage ending up on the ground). 

This stuffing deserves to get made more than once a year. I might just have to make it again to give it the attention it deserves - not take a backseat to some stupid turkey. Plus I have a second fennel bulb I need to do something with...

Gratitude Journal Entry: I'm grateful Friendsgiving is a thing. It turns strangers into family. I met one of my best friends at Friendsgiving 3 years ago. And this year, my mom got to celebrate her birthday with a bunch of new and old friends - candle in a piece of pie and everything.  

Sausage Pear Stuffing

1 loaf day-old rustic break, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups)

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 large onions, chopped

2 small leeks, sliced (about 3 cups)

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 large fennel bulb, chopped 

3 firm-ripe Bosc or Anjou pears, chopped

course sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

2 cups turkey or chicken stock

1 lemon, juiced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisped but not golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool. In a 14-inch straight-sided skillet (or 2 large skillets), melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, leeks, celery, fennel, and pears; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and pears are softened and start to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in rosemary and sage.
• Meanwhile, cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally and breaking into large crumbles, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Stir into vegetable mixture, then transfer to a large bowl. Add bread cubes and toss well. Drizzle stock over mixture, add eggs and parsley, and toss to combine well. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Use 10 cups stuffing to fill bird; place remainder in a buttered 8-inch-square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and top is browned, 40 to 45 minutes.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pomegranate & Pecans in Tahini Maple Dressing

Is it just me or are persimmons the new kale? I see them everywhere. I know they're in season but they're at every stand at the farmer's market, grocery store, restaurant menu, Pinterest page. This is the first season I've really embraced persimmons. I had an incident with an unripe Hachiya persimmon a couple years ago that turned me off of them for a while. Do not, whatever you do, eat a Hachiya persimmon that isn't completely soft, or your mouth will dry up in a severely uncomfortable way. 

I've been eating Fuyu persimmons all month but this was my first ripe Hachiya. Dang, it was incredible. The cute, hippy farmer girl gave me the best one in her stand. Find these in a farmer's market near you immediately. 

Unlike persimmons, Delicata squash couldn't be found anywhere today. The recipe from Minimalist Baker originally had Delicata, but butternut squash played really well tonight. (Maybe I should chill on the Friday Night Lights episodes).

Something else I became obsessed with today: tahini. Hello, it's in hummus, I knew it wouldn't be bad. But as the star in it's own sauce, it really freaking good. Tahini founds it's way into both of my dishes tonight.

I'm not sure which one I liked more. This white bean and kale salad in tahini dressing I will definitely make again. Garlic French bread croutons on anything though...

Gratitude journal entry: I'm grateful for yoga. It's always a good activity for a Sunday to sweat out the weekend, breath in and out for the week ahead and remember that everything in this moment is okay. 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pomegranate & Pecans in Tahini Maple Dressing

Squash

• 1 butternut squash (or 2 Delicata squash), halved lengthwise, seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• Pinch sea salt

Dressing

• 3 Tbsp tahini
• 1/2 lemon, juiced 
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Toppings

• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/4 cup dry roasted pecans, loosely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
2. Add sliced squash to a bare baking sheet (1 large or 2 small, depending on size of squash) and toss with oil and sea salt, then arrange in a single layer.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point to ensure even baking. You’ll know it's done when fork tender, golden brown, and slightly caramelized.
4. While squash is baking, prepare dressing by adding tahini, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine, then add hot water 1 Tbsp at a time and whisk until pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. To serve, arrange baked squash on a serving dish and top with dressing, pomegranates, pecans, and parsley. Best when enjoyed immediately.

Rosemary Sweet Potato & Spinach Grilled Cheese

Last week was all about family. It started with a trip down the peninsula on Monday to visit my Oma at Stanford Hospital recovering in post-op. (She's feeling better!) Thursday night in Oakland celebrating my sister's birthday with Sophie and my mom. Then Saturday night was girls night out in the city with Sophie before she heads off to South America for 2 months (!) 

And then before I knew it, it was Monday again. It was one of those Monday mornings when you just can't get out of bed. Turn on the coffee pot. Jump back in bed. Muster the courage to get up for the coffee. Get back in bed with coffee. Finish all of the coffee, and only then get out of bed to stand in the shower for an unnecessary amount of time. You know the kind. 

Gratitude Journal Entry: I'm forever grateful for coffee. You've been part of my daily ritual for over 15 years now. I wouldn't be where I am today without you. 

19,000 steps later, I walk back through my door and treat myself to one of my favorite sandwiches. (I actually had it for the second night in a row, but I was no less excited for it tonight). I made a side of balsamic roasted brussels sprouts and chopped persimmons #becausefall

*This sandwich was originally designed to be made with kale instead of spinach, but this substitute worked out just fine. 

Rosemary Sweet Potato & Spinach Grilled Cheese

*Makes 2-3 sandwiches

1 sweet potato, sliced into thin rounds

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 handfuls spinach (or kale), roughly chopped

3 slices Havarti cheese

drizzle balsamic vinegar 

4 slices cracked wheat sourdough bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet pan, cover with tin foil and arrange sweet potato slices. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast for 12-15 minutes, until tender. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté red onion for 10-15 minutes, until almost caramelized. Add in spinach and quickly toss around until just wilted. 

Arrange half of the cheese on bread, top with greens and onions, drizzle balsamic and sweet potato slices. Top with remaining cheese and bread. Grill in same skillet until golden on each side and cheese is melted. 

Sautéed Salmon with Capers, Tomatoes & Chard

For as long as I've been buying groceries, I've had an aversion to buying excess of what I'll use in a week. Sometimes I'll only buy enough for half the week. 2 bananas, 1 can of tuna, 6 pack carton of eggs... you get the idea. I've been made fun of for this, but I have three reasons why for this behavior:

1. I walk to the grocery store (1.7 miles each way to my TJs). That walk back will make you question whether or not you truly need that second can of beans. 

2. Throwing out bad food makes me incredibly angry with myself. As if I've failed at a task, the task of eating. (Also, America fails at the task a lot. Estimated 25-40% of food goes to waste each year). 

3. I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment when I've managed to clean out my fridge in a week. In my mind, I've succeeded at the task of eating. 

Tonight put me one step closer to cleaning out my fridge. A few fresh vegetables and some stocked away leftovers came together in a fresh, healthy meal. What to do with a single frozen filet of salmon, nearly-too-old cherry tomatoes, 1/4 of an onion, and leftover broth? Just put it on top of whole wheat pasta and give yourself a high five. 

The flavor of capers, dijon mustard and garlic will make anything taste fancy. Can you top it off with finishing oil because finishing oil makes everything better? Of course you can. 

Salmon (not pictured)

Sautéed Salmon with Capers, Tomatoes & Chard

2 cups whole wheat pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 red onion (shallot, or white onion)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon capers

1 salmon filet

salt and pepper

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup swiss chard (kale, or spinach), chopped

1/2 lemon juiced

1/4 cup vegetable or seafood broth (splash white wine if you have it)

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

red pepper flakes

grated parmesan cheese

finishing oil

In a pot, cook pasta per instructions. 

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in garlic and capers and let cook another minute. Place salmon filet in pan along with tomatoes and greens. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for 2 minutes, then flip salmon over and add lemon, broth and dijon. Stir sauce around pan sauté until salmon is cooked through. 

Scoop salmon and vegetables on top of pasta. Top with red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, and finishing oil, if desired. 

Gratitude Journal Entry: I'm grateful for big comfy sweaters. It's actually getting downright cold in SF this week and I'm taking the opportunity to pull out the scarves, sweaters and boots! Gloves still might look ridiculous. 

A Lesson in Ribollita

I got some quality mama time this weekend. Friday night at mom's apartment meant whiskey cocktails, good food, and an old movie. Bright and early Saturday morning, she treated me to breakfast at one of the many diamonds in the rough of Oakland, Homestead. 

Our simple order of pour over coffees, homemade toast with apple pear jam, and warm veggie strata topped with creme fraiche was absolutely delicious. 

Watching the baker pull her fresh bread and doughnuts out of the oven in the wide open kitchen made it all the more home-y. 

Chai twist doughnuts though...

And on the counter, all of the baby bread dough with bright futures. 

Tonight's dinner was a learning experience. First the win: olive oil + rosemary + lemon peel + garlic = better olive oil. I was licking the spoon. 

I am all about substitutions. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't work as well as you'd hoped. In this case, swiss chard stems weren't the best substitute for celery. The consistency seemed interchangeable, but the flavor was a bit intense. This Ribollita recipe should be followed as seen on Feasting at Home. 

Luckily, nothing is bad with a snow fall of parmesan, avocado and toasted bread...Drizzled with a healthy serving of finishing oil!

Gratitude journal entry: I am feeling so grateful for a sweet Sunday night at home. Oh, and the pumpkin spice coffee I get to look forward to in the morning ;)

Healthyish Pumpkin Pie

Happy Halloween from The Plate! I celebrated at a low-key pot-luck house party in the Richmond. Because of my love affair with all things pumpkin, I made a couple semi-homemade pumpkin pies. While we are all capable of making our own pie crust, my girl Marie Callender's has been doing this longer than I have and her recipe happens to be dairy free (bring on the lard instead!) 

You make two pies so you can give one away and then have one leftover to reward yourself for your generosity with the first pie. Also, lunch dessert is a thing during the holidays. Keeping your health in mind, pumpkin pie is a slam dunk. It's about as close as a dessert gets to a salad since it is made up of mostly vegetable. Win, win, win. 

Healthyish Pumpkin Pie

Adopted from Skinny Taste

• 15 oz canned pumpkin 
• 2 tbsp whipped butter, softened (I used coconut oil)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, unpacked
• 1/2 cup fat free milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 frozen pie crust sheet

*Double recipe for (2) pies. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly dust a large cutting board or flat surface with flour. Roll out a room temperature pie crust sheet, so that it becomes thin enough to cut off about 30%, so that your final crust is 5 oz. Place into a 9-inch pie dish, cutting off excess dough. (I didn't do this, but it cuts out a ton of calories).

Place pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Add butter/oil, and mix well. Using an electric mixer, mix in brown sugar, milk, eggs, egg whites, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

Bake about 70 to 75 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into 8 slices and serve with whipped coconut cream or whipped cream if desired.