Brussels Sprouts, Garlic and other scary things...
A discussion with some fellow foodies, in a bar Saturday night, has prompted me to address the concepts of marinating and roasting.
I recently had a housewarming party and, in order to offer a variety of foods that everyone could eat, I decided to offer my favorite roasted veggies. I included crimini mushrooms, onions, butternut squash, artichoke hearts, brussels sprouts...brussels sprouts?! Yes, and everybody raved about how delicious "those vegetables" were. Some, not having had the little cabbages (voluntarily) for quite some time, had to try to figure out what those little yummy morsels actually were!
If you ever have to feed vegetables to children or picky eaters, try marinating and roasting them! Roasting brings out a natural sweetness as the veggies carmelize and a smart marinade (like a simple vinegrette) unifies the flavors so while each item's individuality remains intact, nothing stands out like a sore thumb.
I'd really hoped to have some leftovers for lunch the next day...well, that didn't happen.
When I say garlic, my boyfriend says "Ew!" I've always loved the stuff. I'll always love him, but I cannot go three days without that stinky rose! While he's eating, my honey will rave about how delicious a dish is, even when garlic is included; but when the inevitable post-meal burp comes around..."EW! Garlic!" How do I get around this conundrum? ROASTED GARLIC!!! Now, I know it doesn't completely erase any sort of...ahem...after-effects, but roasting garlic mellows the flavor and the aroma, leaving you with a nutty, butteriness that just cannot be beat!
My favorite way to sneak roasted garlic into my boyfriend's meals is to blend it into soup. Creamy asparagus, roasted eggplant/cauliflower; all my blended soups get the garlic treatment. I just don't use as much as I would for myself. The soup I call "My Favorite's Favorite" is a fire roasted tomato/bell pepper brew, blended with chipotle pepper and roasted garlic. It's a vibrant, red, firey meal he enjoys with plenty of cilantro, extra white pepper and a few crusty slices of toast on the side. Until I told him, he had no clue that I blend half of a head of roasted garlic into this soup! And he still loves it!
With Halloween coming, I even considered inflicting a garlic soup on him...maybe not!
The key is: don't run from these healthy items. If you find the flavors too harsh, try roasting them into a sweeter version. You'll be able to fill up on nutrition, without making the "yucky face!"
I recently had a housewarming party and, in order to offer a variety of foods that everyone could eat, I decided to offer my favorite roasted veggies. I included crimini mushrooms, onions, butternut squash, artichoke hearts, brussels sprouts...brussels sprouts?! Yes, and everybody raved about how delicious "those vegetables" were. Some, not having had the little cabbages (voluntarily) for quite some time, had to try to figure out what those little yummy morsels actually were!
If you ever have to feed vegetables to children or picky eaters, try marinating and roasting them! Roasting brings out a natural sweetness as the veggies carmelize and a smart marinade (like a simple vinegrette) unifies the flavors so while each item's individuality remains intact, nothing stands out like a sore thumb.
I'd really hoped to have some leftovers for lunch the next day...well, that didn't happen.
When I say garlic, my boyfriend says "Ew!" I've always loved the stuff. I'll always love him, but I cannot go three days without that stinky rose! While he's eating, my honey will rave about how delicious a dish is, even when garlic is included; but when the inevitable post-meal burp comes around..."EW! Garlic!" How do I get around this conundrum? ROASTED GARLIC!!! Now, I know it doesn't completely erase any sort of...ahem...after-effects, but roasting garlic mellows the flavor and the aroma, leaving you with a nutty, butteriness that just cannot be beat!
My favorite way to sneak roasted garlic into my boyfriend's meals is to blend it into soup. Creamy asparagus, roasted eggplant/cauliflower; all my blended soups get the garlic treatment. I just don't use as much as I would for myself. The soup I call "My Favorite's Favorite" is a fire roasted tomato/bell pepper brew, blended with chipotle pepper and roasted garlic. It's a vibrant, red, firey meal he enjoys with plenty of cilantro, extra white pepper and a few crusty slices of toast on the side. Until I told him, he had no clue that I blend half of a head of roasted garlic into this soup! And he still loves it!
With Halloween coming, I even considered inflicting a garlic soup on him...maybe not!
The key is: don't run from these healthy items. If you find the flavors too harsh, try roasting them into a sweeter version. You'll be able to fill up on nutrition, without making the "yucky face!"
posted by OrganiCat | 12:38 PM
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