A grain-free life does not have to be free of comfort food! When you're craving a big bowl of garlicky pasta, cook up these zucchini noodles aglio et olio (garlic and oil) instead. The real comfort here, other than that fragrant garlic, comes from "breadcrumbs" created from toasted almond meal; I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed their flavor and texture.
Keep reading for this protein-packed, Paleo-friendly recipe for pasta.
We've got a partnership with the recipe, equipment, and product testing gurus at America's Test Kitchen. They'll be sharing some of their time-tested recipes and technical expertise with us weekly. This week: how to perfect a nostalgic side, the tater tot.
We recently found that our nostalgia for frozen tots, like many kid-friendly foods, outshone the reality. Determined to right this wrong, we hit the test kitchen in search of potato tots with a golden, crunchy exterior and light, fluffy interior. After 100 pounds of potatoes, we finally got a recipe for tots that adults can't get enough of, either.
Why this recipe works: Many recipes simply mix coarsely ground potato with flour and egg, which fry up into raw, dense nuggets. We found that parcooking the chopped potato in the microwave was a step in the right direction, but the tots were still too heavy. Reducing the flour and omitting the egg helped, but the tots were still not light and fluffy. To minimize the gluey texture of potato starch, we tried processing the potatoes with water. Perfection. This step rinsed off the excess starch, and a small amount of salt in the mixture kept the interior downy white.
Keep reading to see the recipe for tater tots.
Flaky, multilayered biscuits are unbeatable, but when I want to whip up a batch of biscuits in a flash, the supersimple drop biscuit comes into play. These biscuits — essentially a dump-and-stir operation, aided by the heat of a cast-iron skillet — are a useful addition to your baking arsenal for days when a buttery treat needs to come together with minimal effort.
These are best warm (or reheated) and are tangy enough to be enjoyed plain, thanks to a hefty dose of buttermilk. They're extra special when drizzled with honey or split in half and spread with jam or a hearty pat of butter.
Pickled vegetables are an excellent way to add flavor to your meals, especially if you're looking to lose weight. Not only are pickles low in calories, but studies have also shown that adding vinegar to your diet can help keep you feeling fuller and more satisfied for longer. And it's not just about weight loss: other studies have shown that vinegar can lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure; the pectin in apple cider vinegar can also help with constipation.
I used cucumbers, onions, and red jalapeños in this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other produce to see what kind of pickles you like best. You can serve these pickles after a few hours in the fridge, but they taste best after a few days.
Those who are passionate about potatoes au gratin seem to fall into two camps: those who prepare the dish with cheese, and those who skip it, insisting that cream, when reduced properly, imbues the dish with umami-packed cheesy goodness. Now, I'd like to say that I fall into the latter purist camp, but let's be real: as delightful as cream is, it will never hold the same place in my heart as a hearty helping of tangy-twangy Gruyère cheese. This version reflects that.
Cooked to perfection at high heat, this très Francais side is comfort food, elevated. It rounds out near any manner of meals wonderfully. Or, if you're feeling truly indulgent, make it the star of a meal, supplemented by a crisp green salad — your secret's safe with me.
Like with nose-to-tail cookery, there's something about utilizing a vegetable from tip to top — or in this case from root to greens — that is immensely satisfying, and, at least in this case, utterly delectable. The next time you snap up a bundle of beets, think twice before discarding their earthy, leafy greens, and instead make the most of the humble beet's bounty by cooking up the greens alongside the sweet and tender roots. Not only do they provide flavor and textural contrast, but they're also a thrifty, eco-friendly addition.
Jazzed up with a splash of soy, a sprinkling of sesame seeds, and enticing Asian-inspired aromatics, this simple side is one you'll turn to with surprising frequency.
Do you ever cook with beet greens?
Fast, easy, flavorful, and healthy: what more could you want from a side dish? We guarantee there's no side vegetable with a greater effort-to-taste payoff than this sesame bok choy. The secret's as much in the technique (a screaming-hot sear) as it is in the ingredients (umami-packed oyster sauce and sriracha). Watch the video, print out the recipe, and try it for yourself.
St. Patrick's Day is 'round the corner, therefore we're giving Irish cuisine a gander. While I can only claim to be Irish-ish, I do know a thing or two about marrying potatoes and butter.
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish that is basically mashed potatoes mixed with kale or cabbage, green onion, and Irish bacon, which is similar to Canadian bacon. Colcannon is a revered dish in Ireland; there are even songs written about it! While I'm not likely to write a song about my colcannon rendition, I will sing its praises. In addition to kale and green onions, this dish contains pancetta, because I like thin, crispy, bacon-like bits in my mashed potatoes. Who knew kale could taste so good, enveloped in fluffy mashed potatoes and salty pieces of pancetta?
In our daily process of ripping open package after package, nothing brightens our eyes more than fresh produce. Most recently, Stokes Purple sweet potatoes enticed me with their vibrancy, and I snatched them up like precious jewels. I had a plan for these purple beauties: they had french fries written all over their future. Baked french fries, to be more specific.
While I'll never pass up deep-fried sweet-potato french fries at a burger joint, it's rare for me to make them homemade, which involves slopping half of my oil supply in a saucepan for just one batch of fries. Thanks to my mom and the '90s low-fat rage, I know a way to get my french fry fix without the oily mess: please meet the baked french fry.
These sweet-potato french fries crisp up thanks to being tossed in oil, then whipped egg whites. I recommend dipping the french fries in homemade ketchup or ranch dressing seasoned with spicy cayenne pepper.
It is often said some of the most delicious dishes are prepared simply; such is the case for this roasted brussels sprouts recipe. Sometimes, when I feel up to it, I'll also dress the sprouts with honey and soy sauce, and on rarer occasions, I'll throw in some bacon pieces. But most of the time, I'm just dousing them in peanut oil and a heavy hand of red pepper flakes. The peanut oil amplifies the roasted flavor, and the Texan in me thinks everything tastes better with heat, hence the chili flakes. Once you learn the easy, breezy technique, you'll want to put brussels sprouts on the table every night.
From Anna Monette Roberts, PopSugar Food
Recipe Notes
I do not flip the brussels sprouts — that way they achieve that beautiful charred color — but feel free to do so halfway through the baking time if they begin to color too fast.
Ingredients
1 pound brussels sprouts, cut in half
2 tablespoons peanut oil or other high-heat oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less, to taste
Salt, to taste
Directions
Serves 4.
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