Roasted Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Take a moment to let that picture above really sink in. 

Brussels sprouts, delicious, roasted cruciferous vegetables filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber---smothered in a generous covering of smoky, tasty, scrumptious bacon.  This paleo-friendly Thanksgiving recipe isn't too good to be true though. It's real, and it's really good. Now, wipe your drool, shove your tongue back into your mouth and read on for the recipe. 

Let's face it, Thanksgiving has a tendency to be a carb-fest nightmare of astronomical proportions. Pie crust, dinner rolls, mouth-watering mashed potatoes, more rolls, more pie crust, sugar-sugar-sugar. It's important then to find a way to make sure that the vegetables on offer are tempting enough to make it onto your plate. You could try this Root Vegetable Mash recipe, or, may I present: Roasted Bacon Brussels Sprouts.  All the health of the sprouts, roasted in the oven with a little bacon (PROTEIN, you guys!) served up on the Thanksgiving table to add a little variety to your plate of carbs. It's Paleo-friendly, easy to make, and a perfect new holiday tradition. 

Roasted Bacon Brussels Sprouts:

Gather:

• 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts
• 2-3 tablespoons melted coconut oil or coconut butter
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 4 bacon slices, diced
• Aged balsamic vinegar

Method:

Preheat oven to 400F

Trim the ends of the Brussels Sprouts, cutting off brown pieces. Then cut sprouts in half. 

Toss sprouts with melted coconut oil or coconut butter

Scatter sprouts evenly onto a foil lined baking sheet, making sure to keep them in one even layer. 

Sprinkle the diced bacon over and around the sprouts

Place the baking sheet in the oven for 30-35 minutes--stopping to flip the sprouts and bacon every 10 minutes to cook evenly.

Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. 

Voíla! The perfect side dish (PLUS BACON) for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Thursday night, Sunday Morning, Midnight Snack, Whatever. 

Check back next week for another Thanksgiving Healthy Recipe Hack to save your diet. 

Healthed Up Pumpkin Pie

We hope you're not tired of pumpkin yet! (How could you be? This is autumn, for goodness sake!)

Today's Thanksgiving inspired recipe, part of our November series on healthier versions of holiday recipes, (see last week's here) is for a Thanksgiving staple, Pumpkin Pie.  This version is creamy and sweet without using a lot of nasty oils and dairy. Instead, the recipe features oats, flax, coconut milk and a healthy dose of cinnamon--all healthy on their own and when combined create a dreamy version of the dessert you know and love. 

Make the pies ahead of time and freeze them, or if you are trying to avoid crusts completely this would be excellent as a thick mousse, pumpkin bars or even mini-pumpkin "muffins" baked in a tin. However you get your pumpkin pie fix this Thanksgiving holiday, this recipe is so tasty that you'll  be glad to replace the old standby. 

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15oz) pumpkin or sweet potato puree
• 1 (13.5oz) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup rolled oats (20g)
• 2 tbsp ground flax
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• pinch pure stevia, or 2 tbsp extra brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Method:
 Preheat oven to 400F. 
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Pour into a prepared pie crust  in a 10-inch round pan. 
Bake 27 minutes and allow to cool
Refrigerate at least 5 hours uncovered for the pie to thicken.

Holidays should be fun, delicious and shouldn't be a day of regret over "wrecking your diet". By making better decisions you can enjoy treats the whole season while staying on track. Check back next week for another holiday recipe that's probably better than the one you are used to using. (And PS, pumpkin pie is good for other times besides Thanksgiving. Like Sunday dinner, or...lunch on a Wednesday. Whatever.)

Root Vegetable Mash

Mashed potatoes are SO last autumn. 

Mashed root vegetables? Now, that's what is hot right now. As in piping hot, on the stove. With butter. And herbs. Hungry yet?

Ok, so Thanksgiving isn't here yet, but over the course of the next few weeks, we here at Norton want to give you some alternative recipes to either bring to your family dinner, or to help you prepare for the feast at your own house. First up, this delicious take on mashed potatoes. 

There is nothing wrong with potatoes, per se. They contribute to heart health, skin health, digestive health and aid in lessening inflammation and blood pressure among other things. So, potatoes are good. Slathering them with TONS of butter and milk and cheese or whatever is NOT good. Root vegetables and cruciferous vegetables hold a lot of the same benefits with the added bonus of Vitamin A in carrots, folate and vitamin C in parsnips, and the detoxification and antioxidants in cauliflower. Really, a nutrition powerhouse side-dish instead of the dairy filled nightmare you usually serve. Because the carrots and parsnips have a subtle, nutty taste, and the cauliflower has a creamy consistency when mashed, the dish is somehow more satisfying than just potatoes. 

Try it out, serve it up and if you really have to have some potatoes, throw a few in with the rest of the vegetables. The more vegetables, the merrier. 

Root Vegetable Mash

Ingredients: 

1 head of roasted garlic

4 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 onion coarsely chopped

5 medium parsnips, coarsely chopped

3 large carrots, coarsely chopped

1 small head of cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup water

sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

miced chives or green onion (optional)

chopped rosemary (optional)

Method:

Roast the garlic using coconut oil. (Recipe for Roasting Garlic)

Melt three tbsp of coconut oil in a stock pot over medium heat, sautéing the onions until translucent.

As onions are cooking, cut all vegetables. 

Place all chopped veggies into the pot and add the roasted garlic.

Add the broth + water to the pot and bring contents to a steady boil.

Lower the heat to simmer, and cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. 

Season to taste and add last tbsp of coconut oil.

Purée the mixture in a blender or using an immersion blender-- to whatever consistent suits you best. Like your mash smooth? Go for it. Like it chunky? That's all you, dude. 

Top with chives, green onions or rosemary (but not all three, gross)

Give this recipe a try. It's a great switch up on regular mashed potatoes, and is prepared much more healthfully. Feel free to add other root vegetables: rutabaga, yams, or a few regular potatoes. 

Enjoy, and see you back here next week for another healthy recipe to change up your Thanksgiving routine. 

Autumn Quiche

Quiche is a delightful food. A food group all its own, really. It effortlessly transitions from season to season, highlighting the fresh vegetables of the moment. And at no other part of the year is it more welcome than autumn. 

In our society, it is not unusual to find spring berries ripe in our grocery stores in December, or late summer carrots in early spring. We live in a connected world where everything is available all the time. Which  can be awesome. 

But, it's also in a way, unfortunate, because this convenience can hold us back from eating what is locally in season. Which is where all the nutrients are. ( and FLAVOR!) So this week's recipe focuses on the nutrition offered by seasonal vegetables, tucked into a Quiche that is just as satisfying at breakfast as it is for dinner, and healthy to boot.

Feel free to add or leave out any vegetables of your preference, and make the dish suited to your dietary needs. 

Gather:

1 pie crust (store bought is fine. Preferably a whole grain variety)

4 slices of bacon, diced (turkey bacon or ham will work also)

2 cups butternut squash, chopped

1 small vidalia onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

6 eggs, (or 3 egg whites and 4 eggs)

3/4 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp  sea salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

3 handfuls of arugula, kale or spinach, chopped

4 oz of crumbled gorgonzola or goat cheese

Method:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

-Lay prepared pie crust in an ungreased pie plate. Bake for 5 minutes, then set aside.

-Cook bacon in a saute pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan, leaving grease. Add butternut squash and onion to greased pan, and saute for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the squash is tender. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute.

-In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder, milk, salt, and black pepper. Stir in  sauteed vegetables, greens of choice, cheese, and cooked bacon. Stir until well combined.

-Pour the quiche filling into crust, and smooth surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow the quiche to rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice and serve warm. Can be frozen.

This recipe is perfect for doubling and then freezing the extra quiche, (Hello, next week's dinner!) Feel free to play with the recipe and use the vegetables and flavors that are in season for you, as eating local + in season is an important part of nutrition wellness. 

Hunter Gatherer Stew

Autumn, hunting season and belly-filling foods seem to go together perfectly. Today's recipe is hearty, paleo-friendly and doesn't have too many ingredients. Throw it all together, simmer, and you have a hot dinner with protein, vegetables and the surprising burst of blueberry.

Yes, I said blueberry. And what an excellent way to get your antioxidants too. When the weather starts to change, for some reason we tend to consume less fruits and vegetables, and instead gravitate more towards heavy meats, gravies, potatoes and carbs. Not that there is anything wrong with any of the aforementioned foods, but a diet that is lacking in variety is a diet lacking in vitamins. It is important to incorporate as many different plant varieties into our cooking, all the year round.

Not only is the blueberry important nutritionally, but the sweet flavor mingles with the savory  in this recipe making for a complex, delicious stew. (If I do say so, myself.)

Gather:
2 lbs cubed beef (or meat of choice. Lean beef is best for the recipe though)
2 handfuls fresh blueberries (frozen is okay too, just make sure they are thawed)
1 tsp of butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt + pepper + oregano + garlic to taste
2 cups baby carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
1 large onion, sliced
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
Optional: beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Method:
1. Brown beef in skillet with coconut oil, simmer on medium with onions until onions are soft.
2. Add seasonings, carrots, celery, 1/2 cup of red wine, a splash of worcestershire sauce and  enough water (or beef broth) to mostly cover the meat and carrots.
3. Stew for 30 mins on medium heat
4. In the final 10 minutes, add berries with butter.
5. When carrots are cooked to fork tender, serve.

This recipe is quick while still tasting like a meal that's been stewing for hours. The flavor is rich and varied...perfect for fall.

Enjoy, and see you back here next week for another Autumn recipe to keep your fitness goals on track.

Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal

Mmmm Breakfast. So essential to your day, your diet and your energy levels. Starting off your day with a filling, healthy and nutritionally diverse breakfast can be an important step in your fitness goal success. 

As the seasons change, we start to crave different things though. Smoothies and shakes are awesome in the spring and summer, but autumn can bring about the desire for different flavors. Cinnamon, ginger and of course, pumpkin. (Obviously a favorite around here at Norton)

A hot breakfast can be a daunting task though. Who has time to make breakfast during the week? Especially when sleeping in sounds so much better. (Those 10 extra sleep minutes could be beneficial to your health!) Or maybe you need a quick bite because you just got back from an early workout and need to get out the door.  Whatever your situation, this recipe is perfect for people short on time...and who like waking up to a delicious smelling house. Gather the ingredients, put them in a bowl, stir, place in a crock-pot, add a little water around the bowl, and then turn on LOW before bed. You'll awake to a perfect autumn breakfast, that will keep you full well past lunch.

Gather:

1. 1 cup  steel cut oats (Not instant!)
2. 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
3. 3 cups water
4. 2 tsp. vanilla extract
5. 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
6. 2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
7. 1 tsp stevia (to taste), optional
8. 1/3 cup chia seeds
9. 1 pinch salt

Method:

1. In a bowl that will fit in your crockpot, add all of your ingredients and stir. Place the bowl in the crockpot and than fill the crockpot with water until the water comes up at least half way of that inner bowl. Set the your crockpot on low for 8 hours.
2. After the 8 hours, spoon into your bowl and top with your choice honey, maple syrup, coconut butter or oil, cranberries, dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, or nuts.

Note: It is important to place a bowl into the crockpot, and cook the oatmeal in that bowl instead of just the crockpot. This prevents the oatmeal from overcooking/overheating and sticking to the sides of the pot. Keeping it within the inner bowl seems to help lock in moisture also. 

Enjoy eating that pumpkin for breakfast!

Pumpkin Protein Fudge

Yes, you read that title correctly. The following recipe is a guilt-free, delicious, protein-rich and fiber dense PUMPKIN FUDGE. Before you even make it, let me just say, you're welcome. You are so very welcome, and later we can think of a way for you to pay me back for the wonderful thing I just did for you by making this recipe. 

It's fall, and for some reason, as the temperatures begin to dip, sweets start sounding, well, a little sweeter. Our sweet tooth is in over drive with the idea of pumpkin rolls and pumpkin pies and pecan bars and all kinds of dental rotting goodness. So what if you had a recipe for something to satisfy your craving, while still keeping that diet and exercise plan on track? Win-win, right?

Well, then, without further adieu:

Gather:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp natural almond butter
• 4 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• ½ banana
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 
• 1 heaping tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3 packets stevia --- or you could also use 2 Tbsp of coconut palm sugar, or 2 Tbsp of pure maple syrup 

Method:

• Heat coconut oil in a saucepan at medium heat. Add in pumpkin puree and sautee until warmed (about 3 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together almond butter, stevia, banana, and almond milk. (The mixture may be a little clumpy from the banana but that is fine!)
• Add the almond butter mixture to the saucepan with the pumpkin and oil and stir together.
• Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and protein powder.
• Transfer the entire mixture to a food processor or blender and process/blend until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a muffin mold/brownie pan/cake pan and garnish with cinnamon. (I used a silicone muffin mold which makes it very easy to pop the fudge out when it's done, alternatively you can make these into bars by using a brownie pan)
• Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

That's it. Whip up a batch this weekend and you can send thank you notes right to the Norton P.O. Box. Have a great day and be well!