80--- Caesar Buddha Bowl with Chicken Mushroom Meatballs

Making a batch of meatballs is such an easy way to get in an extra serving of vegetables {in this case mushrooms}! I love making these and freezing the leftovers on a baking sheet before transferring them into a ziplock bag for later.  Then you can grab and go for lunches or another dinner.

Buddha bowls are such a fun way to mix up your meals.  Add a grain {in this case Banza chickpea pasta}, some veggies, and a protein. Drizzle with a sauce and you've got a meal.  Even if you use the same grain, veggies, and protein the next day, choose a different sauce or dressing to switch up the flavors entirely!

Chicken Mushroom Meatballs
Makes 28

1 Tbsp olive oil 
1/2 large yellow onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 lb fresh mushrooms (slice or whole), chopped
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 lb lean ground chicken
1 egg
1 cup panko crumbs
1 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp dried oregano
8 large basil leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook until softened and liquid is mostly absorbed, 6-7 minutes more.  Transfer mixture to food processor and mix until a puree is formed.  Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes (fridge will cool if faster).

When mushroom puree is room temperature, add remaining ingredients and use your hands to combine ingredients evenly. 

Form meatballs by rolling ~3 Tbsp mixture in your hands.  Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs reach 160 degrees internally. 

Nutrition info per 1 meatball: 67 calories, 3 g fat, 5 g protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber

Caesar Buddha Bowl
Serves 4

8 cups fresh baby arugula leaves
1 box Banza pasta of your choice, cooked per package instructions
1/2 cup caesar dressing of your choice (I like the greek yogurt Opa brand)
4 oz parmesan or other Italian cheese, if desired
Balsamic syrup, if desired

Toss arugula leaves with caesar dressing.  Place 2 cups of arugula, 2 oz pasta, and 3-4 meatballs in a bowl.  Sprinkle with parmesan and drizzle with balsamic syrup if desired.

80(ish)--- Candied Yam Bisque

Here is one more holiday meal recipe for you! Again, like my Green Bean Casserole Dip, this recipe is based on the premise that you want to make ALL THE FOOD but don't necessarily need the leftovers of ALL THE FOOD.  

Who doesn't love a sweet potato casserole? It's the one time of year where marshmallows on the dinner table is not only acceptable but encouraged.  However it can be overshadowed by the other favorites at Thanksgiving.  This recipe brings you all the flavors, simple ingredients, and easy make-ahead prep!  It's even lightened up a bit.  Consider serving this for a lighter meal earlier in the day to save room on the dinner table!  It will surely get everyone excited for the meal to come.

Pro tip: when placing those bowls topped with marshmallows under high broil, don't take your eyes off of them, not even for a second.

Candied Yam Bisque

Serves 6

32 oz sweet potatoes, unpeeled (~2 extra large)

1 Tbsp olive oil

5 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or other plant milk of your choice)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup, plus additional for drizzle

2 oz chopped pecans

~36 mini marshmallows

Dash salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop sweet potatoes into 1" cubes (yep we're leaving that peel on). Spread cubes onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until cubes are softened.

When sweet potatoes are cooked, heat almond milk in a saucepan over medium heat.  When bubbly, add sweet potatoes, a dash of salt, and maple syrup.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (alternatively you may transfer the mixture to a large blender in batches and puree, then return to saucepan). 

* If making the day ahead, stop here.  Transfer contents to a large covered container and refrigerate. Reheat in a saucepan prior to serving.

When ready to serve, preheat oven to high broil.  Ladle servings into oven-proof bowls and top each bowl with 5-6 mini marshmallows.  Place bowls under broiler and watch carefully for marshmallows to toast, ~30-60 seconds is all that is needed!

Remove bowls with toasted marshmallows from the oven and sprinkle each with chopped pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Nutrition info per 1 1/2 cup serving: 255 calories, 5.5 g fat, 4 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber

20(ish)---Green Bean Casserole Dip

Now that Halloween is over we can get going on that holiday menu planning!  If you have a small(ish) family like ours, you may be finding that serving ALL of the traditional dishes just isn't feasible without resulting in a ton of uneaten leftovers.

One of these dishes in our family is the infamous Green Bean Casserole.  While it's delicious, it's no one's favorite, so it often ends up forgotten.

But this year, I want to bring back the love.  In an appetizer form.

And I present to you, the Green Bean Casserole Dip.  All of the fabulous flavors, I promise you.  Just offered before the bird.

Green Bean Casserole Dip
Makes 4 cups

2 tsp butter
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos
12 oz plain Greek yogurt
8 oz neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese)
3 cups fresh green beans, stemmed and chopped into 1/8" pieces
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup crispy French fried onions (more if you love 'um)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic and onions and saute until softened.  Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and soy sauce and cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a food processor and chop finely.  Add yogurt and cream cheese and mix until a puree is formed.  Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

In a medium mixing bowl, add chopped green beans, then stir in pureed mixture and parsley.  Transfer mixture to an oven-safe baking dish.  Top with crispy onions.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serve with melba toast, slices of sourdough, or other crackers of your choice.