FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Scalloped Potatoes & Turnips With Gruyére

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Oh Thanksgiving! Or as I like to call it, casserole season!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons. It’s the first of the major family holidays I grew up celebrating. It’s paired with a long holiday weekend. And it’s filled with so many bites {and I love bites}.

I’ve never been a huge turkey eater. But I’m also extremely attached to the way my family did Thanksgiving, especially now that I don’t make the trip back to Florida anymore. So that means, I always cook a turkey. And it also means that I cook very similar sides that are made from real food ingredients. While not everyone in my family is on the healthy eating train, everyone is headstrong about cooking with real butter, real milk, real cheese, and fresh vegetables.

And because, all year long, I’m a fan of sneaking vegetables into ordinary dishes, I created a whole food, sneaky veggie casserole that’ll leave you feeling totally satisfied this casserole season: Scalloped Potatoes & Turnips with Gruyere {scroll down for recipe}.

If you’re new to cooking with turnips, there are a few things you should know. Most importantly, turnips are different than potatoes nutritionally. Turnips contain over three times as much Vitamin C, one third as many calories, and one third as many carbohydrates as white potatoes. Texturally, they aren’t as soft as potatoes, which can be great in certain recipes because they don’t fall apart. And flavor wise, they get a little sweetness when cooked. Ultimately, I don’t recommend completely swapping potatoes for turnips unless you’re a seasoned turnip lover. But I completely recommend swapping portions of potato recipes to increase the spectrum of vitamins you’re consuming as well as lower the calories and carbohydrates of your dish without sacrificing the use of real butter, real milk, and real cheese.

I was able to purchase all of the ingredients for this recipe at the new Whole Foods Market 365 store in Cedar Park, which is a huge plus especially during the busy holiday shopping season. I get super frustrated when I have to go to a separate store to find items and it was a huge relief to see that turnips and chives were both available in the Whole Foods Market 365 produce department.

The prices at Whole Foods Market 365 were also noticeably cheaper. I was able to purchase every ingredient for this recipe, and mostly organic products, for $20.80. Had there already been flour in my pantry and milk in my refrigerator, the I would have only spent $15.42, which is quite the steal for a casserole made with quality ingredients.

And lastly, I really loved the feel of the Whole Foods Market 365 store. It was clean and orderly beyond belief. The produce department was top notch. For almost every grocery item I purchased, there was a store brand available. And!! Oh, and this is the best part. The Whole Foods Market 365 store in Cedar Park collaborates with local companies like Juiceland {cold pressed juice to order}, Easy Tiger {freshly baked breads}, and Snap Kitchen {healthy eats to go}. Overall, shopping at this store was as pleasant as it gets. I’ll definitely be making the trip to the Whole Foods Market 365 Cedar Park store {20 minute drive} as often as I can to load up on 365 products.

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Bite-Sized Banh Mi

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Homemade Bite Size Banh Mi Recipe

Bite-sized banh mi might just be the most adorable food to ever come out of my kitchen. Inspired by an Asian-themed tea party,  these tasty, little sandwiches are filled with tender meat, crisp vegetables, and spicy mayo.

Shredded Slow Cooker Pork

And other than the bit of muscle this recipe requires for chopping vegetables, it really only involves some slow cooker and assembly action. Banh mi are definitely not as intimidating as I imagined {which is usually the case}.

Pickled Banh Mi Slaw

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Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats

There’s something about cold weather that makes me crave the coziness of meaty red sauce.  But it’s still January and I’m still in the constant process shedding the holiday fluff, so I got to thinking about a no-noodle alternative.

Zucchini Boats

And since I’m always stuffing zucchini into meat dishes, why not change it up and stuff meat into a zucchini dish? And that’s how this recipe was born.

Zucchini Boat Stuffing

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Beef Soup With Carrot & Potato {Easy Recipe}

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Beef Soup_

Every few days, a chill hits the air in Austin.  And just like that I’m faced with a soup craving, every few days.

Beef Soup - Stew Vegetables

I’ve made a giant pot of beef soup twice this week because it’s cozy and filling without leaving you stuffed and sleepy.  It’s really the perfect meal to have on hand these days, feeling appropriate for the occasional 30 degree night, 80 degree day, and all that falls in between.

Crockpot Beef Shoulder Roast

And it’s simple, simple.  Requiring little ingredients and even less skill, a recipe like this makes a compelling argument to ditch the can this winter!

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