I had a bit of barley and a few black-eyed peas in the pantry that I didn’t want to go to waste. So I picked up some kale and carrots, and put together this hearty, warming stew.

When I made up this recipe on the fly, I thought it would be good, but kind of plain, similar to Hoppin’ John. I didn’t anticipate how amazing the chewy texture of the barley was with the creamy black-eyed peas. It’s really a killer combination, and it makes me wonder why I don’t eat barley much more often. I used Umbrian barley, and I think it was especially good. But any pearled barley will be fine here.

Black-eyed peas and barley are nutritious on their own, but the addition of kale makes this dish into a nutritional superstar. You really can’t pack much more fiber and vitamins into one bowl.

I can’t think of anything more satisfying and comforting for a chilly night. Or lunch at your desk, for that matter.

Black-Eyed Pea, Kale and Barley Stew

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups, packed)
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup dried black eyed peas, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
14-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably small dice (I used Bionaturae)
4 cups water
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Sauté the garlic, onion and carrot for 10 minutes. Add the kale and sauté another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the black-eyed peas and barley are both tender, about 1 hour.  Season with salt to taste (it may not be necessary if your stock was salted.)

Serves 4

When I first started the Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge, I was a little worried that no one would participate. Silly me! I’m thrilled to report that 26 bloggers contributed amazing recipes. And many others offered kind words (and tweets) of support. I’m gratified to know that there is so much interest in making Thanksgiving a more heart-healthy holiday. So a big thank-you to all of you.

I’m posting the roundup now to make sure people can use this as a menu planning resource. I will add new entries here as they come in up to the day before Thanksgiving. The day after T-Day, I’ll announce the winner of the book giveaways (one blogger and one commenter will have the choice of Myra Kornfeld’s The Healthy Hedonist Holidays or Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas.)

UPDATE: The winners were Valentina from Cooking on the Weekends and a commenter named FridayDelights!

With no further adieu, here are the recipes! The photos are linked to the original posts, so click away. I’ve also included three recipes I developed for the Challenge, and the ones from my two guest posters, so everything is in one place. Enjoy.

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To top off the Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge, I’m excited to bring you a butternut squash galette from the wonderful Stacy of Little Blue Hen. When I finally met Stacy in person at the International Food Bloggers Conference in Santa Monica last weekend, she told me her idea for this tart and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. I love the interplay between the earthy mushrooms and the sweet onions and squash. And I would have never thought of using rye flour in a tart crust – great idea.

Stacy pointed out that she broke one of the rules laid out in my 10 Tips for a Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving by using Earth Balance, but that’s quite alright. Rules are made to be broken!  My usual oil crust can’t be easily folded over for a tart like this, so Stacy’s crust makes sense for the job. Enjoy.

The sole vegetarian in my family, Thanksgiving dinner meant mashed potatoes and a dinner roll. The potatoes and rolls were good, but they wouldn’t fill a cornucopia, much less convince me that this was a celebratory meal.

When Cathy contacted me about writing a post for her Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge, however, the timing was perfect. My husband and I bought a house this summer and it’s our first year hosting Thanksgiving. We’re having 8 people over, including some friends, our 4-year-old niece, and my sister-in-law who is allergic to dairy.

Drunk with power at the prospect of complete menu control, I envisioned a centerpiece-worthy vegetarian dish (it ended up vegan to remain dairy-free). Caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and roasted butternut squash tossed with sage are nestled in a flaky rye crust for a festive and flavorful whole grain galette. The sweet squash and onions, hearty mushrooms, and dusty sage are balanced with just enough salt and a flavorful pastry that will satisfy even a meat-eater. Add some green beans for contrast, and you won’t even miss the turkey.

Bonus feature: everything can (or even should) be made up to 3 days in advance. It’s easily assembled and baked the day of.

Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Galette

Use your favorite crust recipe if you have one, but I liked the nuttiness of the rye flour from this recipe adapted from Kim Boyce’s elegant Good to the Grain. The dough comes together much like pie crust; I used my food processor which is described in the recipe. To un-veganize it, just use butter. It would also be good with a little Fontina or feta cheese. (Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free)

Rustic Rye Dough

Ingredients:

1 cup rye flour
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces (1 stick | ½ cup) vegan margarine such as Earth Balance, cold
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1.) Sift together dry ingredients. Add to food processor bowl.

2.) Cut butter into ½ inch pieces and add to dry ingredients. Pulse to combine, about 15 seconds. Butter should be slightly broken up but need not be uniform.

3.) Add vinegar. Add 6 tablespoons of ice water and pulse to combine. Pinch a piece of dough between your fingers; if it’s crumbly, add more ice water, one tablespoon at a time.

4.) When the dough stays together when pinched, scrape it onto a piece of plastic wrap, sprinkle a few drops of ice water on top, and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

5.) After the dough has chilled, turn it out onto a floured surface. Shape it into a square and roll it into a rectangle about 8×11 inches. It’s ok that the dough is ragged, it will come together.

6.) Fold the dough in thirds like a letter. Rotate the dough so that the seam is farthest away from you. Roll the dough out into a 8×11-inch rectangle again and fold it a second time. Rotate, roll, and fold a third time, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or up to 3 days before baking.

Filling:

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, approximately 1 pound
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into half moons
12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini and oyster)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon rubbed sage, or 1 tablespoon fresh minced sage leaves
Optional: ¼ cup dry white wine

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375F. Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half length-wise, and scoop out the seeds. Dice the squash and place in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of olive oil and stir to coat. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until tender.

2.) While the squash bakes, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add onion slices. Add ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Add about ¼ cup of water to deglaze the pan.

3.) Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a skillet and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes until mushrooms are amber. Add ¼ cup of wine, if using, and stir until reduced.

4.) Combine squash, onions, and mushrooms. Sprinkle with sage and ¾ teaspoon of salt, mix well.

5.) At this point you can refrigerate the fillings, or you can assemble and bake the galette.

Assemble and bake:

1.) Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2.) Unwrap chilled dough on a floured work surface. Roll into a circle about 14 inches across, turning frequently. Use a bench scraper to transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.

3.) Pour filling into the center of the dough and spread out about 9 inches across. Fold extra dough over the edge, pleating roughly. It doesn’t have to be elegant – it’s supposed to be rustic and homey.

4.) Bake galette at 400F for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden brown. Slice and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8 as part of a Thanksgiving meal

I’m bringing back my mashed potatoes and celery root from last Thanksgiving, but with a little twist. I’ve added parsnips to the equation and they make this dish better than ever.

As I said back then, the typical holiday mashed potato recipe contains nearly a stick of butter, along with whole milk or cream. Not exactly on my heart-healthy diet plan. So I substitute low fat buttermilk or soy milk and heart-healthy olive oil. Replacing some of the potatoes with other root vegetables lightens up the dish and creates a new depth of flavor.

Don’t be afraid that your more traditional family members will stick up their noses at the celery root and parsnips – these are still very much mashed potatoes – and they’re the perfect foil for gravy (like my delicious vegan gravy!)

You’ll feel a lot less stuffed when you eat potatoes like this instead of the usual heavy, artery-clogging version. You might not even be groaning in pain after your Thanksgiving dinner!

Note: Yes, I’ve used the same mashed potato photo here as last year … because, well, they look exactly the same!

Mashed Potatoes, Celery Root and Parsnips

2 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 large celery root (about 1¼ pounds), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk of choice: reduced-fat buttermilk or soy milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the celery root, parsnips, potatoes and garlic in a large pot and cover well with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are all tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain, return to pan and shake over high heat for 20-30 seconds to evaporate the moisture. Put through a ricer or mash well with a potato masher. Continue to mash as you add the oil, then the milk, adding the milk gradually until you get the texture you prefer. Stir in chives (if using), salt and pepper.

Serves 8

I’m thrilled to bring you a guest post from one of my favorite bloggers, Trudy from Veggie num num. Because Trudy is Australian, she wasn’t that familiar with American Thanksgiving dishes. So I pointed her to the traditional green bean casserole, usually loaded with saturated fat and sodium, and topped with deep-fried onions. I’m sure making a healthy version was a major challenge, but she really came through. Her casserole is creamy and mushroom-y, and has a great crispy topping – yet it’s totally heart-healthy. Brilliant!

What a wonderful idea to provide healthy and tasty recipes for everyone to enjoy this holiday season! I love Cathy’s flair and enthusiasm for bringing honest healthy food to the table and sharing wonderfully delicious recipes on What Would Cathy Eat.

I’m so happy to be guest posting here today and sharing my version of the traditional green bean casserole. I only hope that as an Aussie I managed to rec-create a dish you’ll love to share with your family this Thanksgiving.

Farm-fresh greens bean are layered with sautéed mushrooms and a creamy walnut sauce and topped with crispy baked red onions tossed in quinoa flakes and almonds. I hope you’ll enjoy this tasty and healthy casserole. And thanks so much Cathy for the opportunity to share a little recipe with you all. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole

For the casserole filling:

1 pound (550g) fresh green beans
3½ ounces (100g) raw walnuts, soaked (preferably overnight or for at least 30 minutes)
1 tablespoon tahini paste
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used rice milk; use dairy milk if you prefer)
½ pound (240g) cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon organic canola oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon tamari or soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free version)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon plain unbleached flour (use sweet rice flour or a gluten-free flour mix for a gluten-free version)
2 bay leaves

For the topping:

1 medium red onion, sliced into thin rounds
½ cup quinoa flakes
¼ cup flaked (sliced) almonds
2 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to 350 degrees (176°C).

Top and tail the green beans and steam for about three minutes, until bright green. Remove from heat and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the topping: Separate the sliced onion into rings and toss with the quinoa flakes, almonds, olive oil and marjoram.

Drain the walnuts and blend in a food processor with the tahini and half the milk, until smooth and creamy.

Heat the canola and olive oils over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the mushrooms, tamari or soy and cayenne pepper. Continue to toss, cooking the mushrooms evenly until soft and golden. Add the flour and cook, stirring, over a low heat for one more minute.

Add the walnut mixture, the remainder of the milk, and bay leaves. Bring to a very gentle simmer and allow to reduce and thicken over low heat for a few minutes, stirring. Once the sauce has thickened, season with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt to taste, and remove the bay leaves.

Arrange the steamed green beans in a good-sized casserole dish, top with the mushroom sauce and then the onion topping.

Bake for around 20 minutes, until it’s bubbling hot and the top is nicely golden.

Serves 6-8 as a side

Other healthy green bean recipes you might like:

Join the
Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge!

 

 

 

Cabbage and beets are truly under-appreciated vegetables. Which is a shame, because they are both tailor-made for Thanksgiving! The dish I’m sharing today is not only easy to prepare, it can be made in advance and brings both color and nutrition to the holiday table.

I usually make red cabbage with apples, but here I’ve married cabbage with beets and leeks. Some full-bodied red wine and a hint of maple syrup add just enough sweetness to balance out the earthiness of the vegetables.

I like this cooked until the vegetables are very soft, but if you cook it a long time, the color of the cabbage does fade a bit (hence the raw ingredient photo here.) You can cook it less if you want the cabbage to keep more of its texture and color. But in any case, no one will be complaining about the aesthetics when they’re wolfing this stuff down on Thanksgiving. I made a huge amount of it for my pre-Thanksgiving dinner the other day, and my friends kept on going back for more.

Note that the beets in the photo are pink and white stripped chioggia beets because I grew those – but if you use red ones your dish will have a deeper color.

Braised Red Cabbage, Beets and Leeks

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large leeks, thinly sliced
1 medium head red cabbage, thinly sliced
3 medium red beets, shredded on the large holes of a box grater
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1½ cups water
2 tablespoons maple syrup, or more to taste
1½ cups full-bodied red wine (I used a Primitivo)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the leeks and cook, for about 3 minutes, until leeks are softened. Stir in the cabbage and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for 25-40 minutes or until the cabbage as tender as you like it. Taste it and see if you think it needs a little extra oomph – if it does, toss in a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar during the last minute of cooking time.

Serves 8

A few other great red cabbage recipes you should check out:

Join the
Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge
!