First, I must credit the hipster diner in Phoenix called Ingo’s Fine Food for introducing me to the kraut burger concept with their Farmer’s Daughter burger. Love the name. I also used to order their smashed potato chips and fermented jalapeno hot sauce and now feature my version of those dishes here on the blog because I had to have them at home (and now you can, too).

Best Ground Beef for Burgers Is Angus, Grass-Fed, Freshly Ground

Confession, I stalked the kitchen cook form Ingo’s and asked him for his pro tips for recreating their burgers in my home kitchen, and he told me it’s really all about sourcing quality ingredients at the end of the day. On that note, I recommend you source Angus or grass-fed ground beef and try to bake your hamburger buns from scratch.

Source Quality Ingredients for a Curated Burger Experience

If you’ve ever wondered why so many people order burgers from restaurants when they are so easy to make at home, listen. It’s actually not that easy to make a great burger. Unless, you really take each individual ingredient seriously and really focus on quality, quality, quality.

Ingredient Tips: Instead of yellow mustard, make a Dijonnaise; that’s equal parts Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon lives in my fridge 365 days per year) and mayonnaise (I like avocado mayonnaise). Instead of swiss cheese, look for cheese labeled “baby swiss cheese” because it melts nicely for burgers. With sauerkraut, definitely select refrigerated sauerkraut which is alive with active cultures. You can totally make your own raw sauerkraut which is always my preference from a flavor perspective.

Pro Tips for the Perfect Patty

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Kraut Burgers with Baby Swiss

Whip out that jar of fermented sauerkraut and make these epic kraut burgers. They are an unbeatable combination of complex savory flavors with a touch of sour.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword burger

Prep Time 15 days days

Cook Time 10 days days

Total Time 25 days days

Servings 4 people

Calories 637kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef Angus or grass-fed, preferably freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or any high-heat oil
• salt and pepper for seasoning
• baby swiss cheese thinly sliced
• 4 sesame seed hamburger buns preferably freshly baked
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut raw, fermented (not canned)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

• Divide the ground beef into 4 roughly equal portions and then flatten to make 4 burger patties about 3/4-inch thick by 4 1/4 inches in diameter. Preheat a skillet to medium-heat and add your favorite high-heat oil. Season burger patties front and back with salt and pepper and place in the hot skillet. Without moving, cook for 5 minutes then gently flip them over and top with the cheese. Cook 5 minutes longer. Note: A safe internal temperature to target is 160℉.
• [optional] If you can butter your buns and toast them, I highly recommend this step. Simply place the bun (butter side down) and toast in the skillet for 30 seconds.
• To assemble the burgers, place the burger on the toasted bun followed by the sauerkraut. Combine the Dijon and mayonnaise in a small bowl and smear the top of the bun generously with the Dijonnaise. Serve immediately.

Notes

For a paleo or gluten-free burger, you can serve everything “Adam and Eve” style where you take a stack of iceberg lettuce and create buns out of that. Of course, you can also make your own gluten-free hamburger buns.

Nutrition

Serving: 1burger | Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 5mg

This chicken soup recipe clocks in at 36 grams of protein per bowl so it can be served for dinner or as a light appetizer with a side of kale salad. It’s balanced, healthy and basic yet totally satisfying. As you can see, I’ve finished mine with fresh lime and chiles, but I encourage you to make it your own and have loads of ideas for you to try.

Soup is something I like to rotate between meals just to break things up. My family really enjoys soup, and it’s just another way to serve chicken that keeps it interesting to eat.

About This Chicken Broth

I practically never buy soup and it’s really because homemade chicken broth is superior in flavor. It’s just so simple to make from scratch and I’m constantly playing around with whatever I happen to have on hand.

• Ginger. Fresh, anti-inflammatory, adds a spicy factor.
• Garlic and onions. Just the right amount of potency, anti-viral, anti-bacterial.
• Salty broth. Think great for hydrating post workout or when you have the flu.
• Generous amounts of lime juice and a pinch of zest.
• A pile of cilantro – or go with fresh mint, Thai basil, kaffir lime, parsley, or rosemary.
• Coconut milk for richness (think Tom Kha vibes). Absolutely feel free to swap in half and half if you prefer.

What never ceases to amaze me about this soup is how people react. People assume this is an involved recipe because it tastes so complex, but it’s actually really simple to make.

💭Top Tip

When using delicate herbs or greens, add them at the very end so the color and flavors really pop.

White Chicken Chili Variation

Consider fanning some avocado and minced red onion on top if you’d like a white chicken chili option. Have powdered ginger and garlic? Try swapping those if that’s what you’ve got. You can even add corn (fresh or frozen) and a handful of cheese, canned beans, etc.

Preparation

Make the entire recipe start to finish or prep and freeze for later.

🔪 Instructions

Cook the chicken until they reach 165°F then set aside.

Dice the vegetables (medium chop). Use a microplane to grate the peeled ginger. This is where you can double the garlic if you prefer to swap out the ginger.

Sauté or sweat the vegetables until tender. Don’t skip this step because it forms the base layer of your homemade broth.

Add 2 cups of water and shredded chicken to the pot. Let that come to a simmer.

Finish the soup with coconut milk (for dairy free–half and half works, too), lime juice and zest, and a big pinch of fresh herb magic on top.

Taste the soup and if it needs it, add more salt.

Freezer Options

This soup can be frozen for up to 1 month and I have two options for you.

The Cook-Later Option: See the recipe card notes for instructions on how to prep, freeze, then cook the soup.

The Reheat-It Option: If you would like to cook the soup first, then freeze, you will follow the recipe as written but omit the garnish. Allow soup to cool 20 minutes then portion and transfer to freezer bags or glass containers. Simply microwave to reheat. Garnish and serve.

Scaling

If scaling up or down, keep all ratios the same except the salt; add 1 teaspoon sea salt and then add more to taste. When scaling, bare in mind you will need a vessel that can hold roughly 4 cups for the original recipe (so 8 cups if doubling, 12 cups if tripling).

Leftovers

Leftovers? But how? You mean you didn’t stand dunking your spoon into the leftovers in the pot? Just me then, okay. You can store any soup leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 days. The garnish should be stored separately and added after you’ve rewarmed it.

Nutrition, big flavor, and healing whole food ingredients make this a cold-weather (and head-cold) essential. Garlic, ginger, and lime juice? This trio can make it all better.

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Creamy Chicken Soup

Creamy homemade chicken and vegetable broth with shredded chicken and finished with citrus and cilantro. Chiles or spices may be added if you like.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cream soup

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 52 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 484kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil lard, tallow, avocado oil, or butter work, too
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
• 1 14- ounce can full-fat coconut milk or substitute half-and-half
• 4 limes remove zest from 1 lime and then extract juice (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs cilantro, mint, thai basil for garnish (chiffonade)

Instructions

Cook the chicken.

• Slow Cooker Method: Season chicken thighs with salt and place in slow cooker with the oil. Set to “Bake” mode for 400F for 45 minutes.

  Oven Method: Use an oven-safe pan or Dutch oven at 400F, spread oil and place seasoned chicken thighs in pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until an internal temperature registers 165℉.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Chop the vegetables (onion, celery, and garlic) and transfer them to a large prep bowl as you work to give yourself plenty of room on the cutting board. If you own a microplane, mince the ginger directly over the bowl to capture as much ginger juice as possible (as opposed to just chopping it).
• Sweat vegetables and make broth. Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so you don't burn your hands and so the chicken can reabsorb surface juices. Combine the vegetables (onion, celery, garlic, and ginger) to the hot slow cooker or Dutch oven. Sauté on high heat for 7 minutes. Stir then add 2 cups of water. Return the shredded chicken (discarding the bones) to the pot.
• Finish the soup. Bring to a simmer then add coconut milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Allow the soup to warm then serve along with salt to taste. Top with fresh cilantro, mint, or Thai basil for Asian flavors or try adding avocado or red onion for Southwest.

Notes

Freezer Instructions:

FREEZE TOGETHER:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (additive free)
• 4 limes (zest of 1 lime plus 1/4 juice)

INSTANT POT: From frozen, add 2 cups water then high pressure for 13 minutes + 10 minutes natural release.

SLOW COOKER: Thaw first, and then cook 6 hours on high.

FINAL STEP: Shred the meat and serve with cassava pasta, baked sweet potato, cauliflower or broccoli rice, zucchini noodles, etc.

If you regularly make batches of smoked chicken thighs, you can simply shred that for a smoky version of this soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 526IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 6mg

As always, if you try a variation to this recipe that you like, you can leave it in the comments so you have a record for when you come back to make it again.

Picture perfect roasted Brussels sprouts packed with flavor. That’s these miso citrus glazed Brussels sprouts. Seasonal sides need not be predictable or dry. This is how you get everyone to eat their vegetables.

We eat a healthy serving of vegetables every night for dinner. These roasted Brussels sprouts will be a forever favorite–and for good reason.

My not-so-favorite part of a vegetable side? When it’s served dry and just lifeless. I simply can’t abide a sauceless vegetable. Not no way. Not no how.

As the resident saucier of the house, I set out to deliver a new and lighter (yet saucier) Brussel sprouts dish (this time no cheese). Going for something fresher in flavor, memorable, interesting.

And the perfect backdrop for our sauce? Little crisp, dry pockets of perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts.

Tip #1: Roast Brussels Sprouts at 400F, Tossing Every 5 Minutes

Steaming has ruined so many people on Brussels sprouts. If you want just crispy and caramelized-not-mushy sprouts?

1. Spread them out: crowding = steaming = gross
2. season with salt and pepper: and I mean generously
3. lightly toss with avocado oil: your go-to high heat oil
4. stir them every 5-minutes until they look really caramelized, are tender, have crisp edges, but not mushy: this is how you guarantee success regardless of the size of your Brussels sprouts

Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Vegan POW Sauce

To sum, this sauce says “pow.” It hits your entire tongue in an instant with some seriously savory, floral notes. It’s definitely an unexpected experience. It’s different but in that way that you are craving.

Ingredients Explained:

How to Roast Brussels Sprouts

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ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH CITRUS MISO GLAZE

DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN

I'm firmly in the camp that we underestimate the value of bitter greens. Take these Brussels sprouts. On their own, they're bitter and slightly spicy. When roasted? These become caramelized, less bitter, and pair spectacularly with this citrus-based sauce. You get umami, floral, and mustard flavors from this dish that leaves your taste buds wanting more.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword Brussels sprouts

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 138kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Brussels Sprouts:

• 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts halved, stems removed
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil high-heat, neutral oil
• ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt or use truffle salt
• Fresh ground black pepper 15 turns

Citrus Miso Glaze:

• 1 ½ teaspoons tamari
• 1 ½ teaspoons miso paste such as white, chickpea, or yellow
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh citrus juice ideally yuzu or a combination of lemon and grapefruit
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tiny pinch evaporated cane sugar
• ¼ teaspoon truffle oil*
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil neutral oil

Instructions

• Roast. Preheat oven 400F. Toss Brussels sprouts, oil, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and lay out on a sheet tray, making sure not to crowd. Roast until golden brown and tender, stirring every 4 minutes.
• Toss Brussels sprouts with the glaze. In a medium prep bowl, combine tamari, miso, yuzu, nutritional yeast, and sugar. Whisk while adding oil one drop at a time until emulsified. Toss roasted Brussels sprouts with the glaze and use tongs to serve.

Video

Notes

Truffle oil: You may replace the salt in this recipe with truffle salt (that’s salt sold with pieces of truffle in it) and omit the truffle oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1half cup portion | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 856IU | Vitamin C: 97mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

These are my “extra” brownies because they’re loaded with chocolate galore. 275 grams of dark chocolate to be exact. Can you imagine?

Just look at that crinkly golden hued top. This may be the only indicator that these brownies are, in fact, made from gluten-free flour (which doesn’t brown the way wheat flour does when baked).

Let Chocolate Be Thy Cure

It’s. Been. A. Week.

If you’re here, maybe you’ve had A week, too. These undetectably gluten-free, dairy free and sugar conscious brownies are just the cure to whatever ails your spirit. They offer a dopamine hit straight to that part of your brain that signals pleasure and reward. Treat yo-self.

For the sugar detectives of the world, of course there’s sugar (and lots of it) but I did replace half of the normal refined sugar portion found in not-sugar-conscious brownies. You will love the brown sugar-esque taste of the coconut sugar in this recipe. It’s rich and will remind you of caramel.

Healthified Brownie Ingredients

• Dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate: Look for dark chocolate (any percentage will work) that also contains sugar; if you only use “baker’s chocolate” you will be using 100% chocolate and your brownies won’t be sweet enough
• coconut oil, refined or unrefined; the primary fat in this brownie helps achieve a fudgy texture
• eggs: you will use 2 large eggs, plus add an extra egg yolk for a rich flavor
• pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste: this adds depth and dimension to chocolate desserts; I don’t recommend imitation vanilla even though it’s cheaper.
• evaporated cane sugar: this is the more process sugar (it replaces granulated white sugar)
• coconut sugar: a less refined sugar that has a rich flavor and is available in the baking aisle
• gluten-free flour (tested brands that work in this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour, Namaste 1:1 Flour blend, or sorghum flour)
• flax meal (made from whole flax seeds): there are a lot of health benefits of flax. You can make your own flax meal by grinding whole brown or golden flax seeds in a spice grinder (aka a coffee grinder). Ground fresh flax seeds have a shelf life of about 3 weeks. This ingredient acts a bit like an egg and helps bind these brownies together.
• Kosher or sea salt: a brownie without salt is a sad thing, indeed. Salt enhances the flavor of chocolate like no other ingredient can.
• baking powder: the leavening agent; be sure your baking powder is fresh (within 1 year old)

Step-by-Step Brownie Recipe (plus some Tips)

Step 1: Preheat the oven and line the brownie pan. 

Grab an 8 by 8-inch aluminum or glass pan and line it with parchment paper (hanging over for easy lifting).

Step 2: Melt chocolate and combine with oil. 

Double Boiler Explained: If you’re unfamiliar, a double boiler is how you want to melt whole dark chocolate. You set a heat-proof bowl on top of a small pot (there’s about an inch of water in the pot). Set the heat to medium or bring to a simmer. Stir the chocolate with a spatula (holding the bowl with a kitchen towel to prevent burns). DO NOT let water get into your chocolate or it will seize.

Step 3: Beat egg mixture for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Make dry ingredient mixture.

Step 5: Combine chocolate mixture with egg mixture then add dry ingredient mixture. Also, add additional chopped chocolate. 

Step 6: Spread batter then bake in prepared pan.

Tool Tip: Use an offset spatula (an angled spatula) to smooth the top of the brownie batter before baking for an even height.

Allow your brownies to cool. Since these are fudgy brownies, we need to wait (up to 1 hour) to fully allow the center to set properly.

You’ll be grateful you used parchment paper which makes for easy lifting. Simply lift and cut into squares on a cutting board. At this point, the brownies should be served at room temperature for the best experience in taste and texture.

Variations and Serving Ideas:

This is where you get to customize your favorite mix-ins, add-ons and presentations. While I recommend sampling the original recipe first, some great additions to try are:

• Chopped walnuts (up to a quarter cup folded into the batter then baked)
• A quarter teaspoon of instant espresso powder
• Served with a dollop of whipped cream and Mexican cinnamon
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis
• Topped before baking with flaked sea salt
• Frosted with a buttercream, such as dulce de leche, peanut butter, coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, or toasted marshmallow

If you’ve sampled these goodies, please let me know your exact gluten-free flour blend/brand. I’d love to feature your comment!

More Gluten-Free Recipes For You:

• Cold and Creamy Chocolate Coconut Ice Milk
• Creamy Carob Mousse (a no-cook, dairy free pudding)
• Go-To Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

*In response to our tester’s feedback, we increased the cook-time from 30 minutes to 38 minutes. Please note oven performance can vary.

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GLUTEN-FREE BROWNIES RECIPE

DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGETARIAN, NUT FREE

These modestly sweet brownies are fudgy and decadent, yet contain loads of wholesome ingredients for quality you can taste. Let me tell you about the premium ingredients: There's melted and chopped dark chocolate, high quality fats (egg yolk, coconut oil, and ground flax), even unrefined coconut sugar!

While you could mix these by hand, you should get out the stand mixer. Following the recommended mixing times and steps will ensure that these delicate brownies hold together and set properly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 9 brownies

Calories 621kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 stand mixer
• 1 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups (200 grams) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
• 1 cup (225 grams) coconut oil, refined or unrefined
• 2 large whole eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• ¼ cup (43 grams) evaporated cane sugar
• 1 cup (182 grams) coconut sugar
• 1 cup approximately185 grams gluten-free flour (tested brands that work in this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour, Namaste 1:1 Flour blend, or sorghum flour)
• 5 teaspoons (15 grams) flax meal (ground flax seeds)
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) Kosher or sea salt
• ½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
• ¾ cup (75 grams) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

• Preheat the oven and line the brownie pan. Preheat the oven to 320F. Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with foil or parchment paper (hanging over for easy lifting) and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt chocolate and combine with oil. Melt chocolate over a double boiler, once melted remove from heat with kitchen glove and add coconut oil. Mix well.
• Beat egg mixture for 10 minutes. Combine eggs, yolk, vanilla, and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip 5 minutes on speed 2. Scrape the bowl and mix 5 more minutes on speed 2 or until doubled in volume.
• Make dry ingredient mixture. Sift gluten-free flour, flax meal, salt, and baking powder together. Set aside.
• Combine chocolate mixture with egg mixture then add dry ingredient mixture. Also, add additional chopped chocolate. Switch stand mixer to the paddle attachment. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture and mix to combine. Add dry ingredient mixture. Mix until it just starts to come together. Add chopped chocolate and mix in.
• Spread batter then bake in prepared pan. Spread brownie batter evenly in prepared pan using an offset spatula. Bake for 19 minutes, rotate and bake an additional 19 minutes (so 38 minutes total). Note: Toothpick should NOT come out clean because these brownies contain so much chocolate. Cool then cut into squares (cleaning your offset spatula between cuts will help you get cleaner lines).

  Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

Coconut oil: If your coconut oil is solid, melt it before measuring to get the correct volume. Since there is so much chocolate and vanilla in this recipe, you can use either refined or unrefined coconut oil without a detectable coconut taste.

Ingredient Tip: Buy flax seeds whole. You can make your own flax meal by grinding whole flax seeds (gold or brown flax seeds work) into a powder using a coffee grinder. Store ground flax in the refrigerator and use it within 2 weeks. Whole flax seeds are quite shelf stable and will last for years before going rancid.

Flavor Variations: Try espresso (add ¼ teaspoon espresso powder to the batter); add ¼ teaspoon ground cassia bark or “Mexican cinnamon”

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 621kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

This is no ordinary sheet pan salmon. You will love the unique flavor of the Asian-ingredient sesame sauce and how it sticks to everything in that way. It has a spicy, sweet, and tangy flavor that totally surpasses the ritualistic salt+pepper+salmon trio.

Where to start?

Roasted and glazed sweet-spicy salmon and sweet potato wedges all piled into a bowl with crispy ribbons of bok choy? Yes. Wow. Repeat. 

With a sheet tray and a hot oven, it’s amazing what you can create in 30 minutes. I think you’ll find that the star of this dish is actually the sauce, which adds so much personality to the sweet potatoes and salmon.

And the best part? 

This is a sheet pan to bowl preparation which makes it weeknight possible. 

Instead of rice, sweet potato plays the chewy starch role. Bok choy is your bitter green counterpoint, which gets roasted to perfection. Then there’s salmon. It gets just slightly brown, which, of course, we love.

Now, let’s zero in on the sauce. 

Its got toasted sesame oil, which combines beautifully with the classic Asian flavors. And would you look at that glossy sheen? To give it that slick consistency, you just whisk in a flavorless thickener called xanthan gum. I like it because it’s allergy friendly, but you could replace it with cornstarch if that’s what you have. One thing to note: the sticky magic happens when you heat it.

Optional Add-Ins:

• Avocado, sliced and fanned or cubed

• Green onion, sliced oh-so-thinly on the bias

• Rice – white, brown, sticky or fluffy. I think this is a great dish to try forbidden rice, which has a purple hue when cooked

And if you’re striving for more veggies (who isn’t?), this salmon mash-up makes for one beautifully balanced bowl!

My Eat the Rainbow Philosophy

Creamy, almost candied, sweet potatoes (orange) meet tender ribbons of bok choy (green) on the same tray with the salmon (pink) and Asian-inspired sauce. Colorful ingredients spark my creativity and I know that eating just a little bit of different colored fruits and vegetables every day is a sure way to get more vitamins and nutrients from whole foods.

Sheet Pan Ingredients (Salmon, Veggies, and Sauce)

• sweet potatoes: any sweet potato will work in this recipe; be sure to remove the peel
• bok choy: small or large heads (one per person), cut into 1-inch ribbons; tatsoi, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts make good substitutes
• Avocado oil: for drizzling
• Sea salt: seasoning the vegetables on the tray will draw out moisture and aid in caramelization, which=flavor
• fresh salmon skin-on or off, best flavor will be if the salmon is very fresh; please use clean tweezers to remove any bones
• sesame seeds: preferably buy toasted to save time or toast your own in a dry skillet (note: this can take up to 30 minutes on low heat)

Sesame Glaze Ingredients:

• rice wine vinegar: this is a shelf stable Asian vinegar that has a mild acidity and slightly sweet flavor profile; it’s most similar to white wine vinegar; look for rice wine vinegar (made from fermented white or brown rice) in the Asian ingredient or vinegar/spice aisle of your local grocery store
• Sriracha: an aged chili-garlic sauce available with other Asian condiments in most grocery stores
• tamari: this is your salt/umami source; look for “gluten-free” if you have dietary restrictions; shoyu is a great substitute
• coconut sugar or Evaporated cane sugar: this adds just a touch of sweetness and a hint of umami as well due to being less processed. You can also use a small amount of honey or maple syrup instead but I just really like the way palm sugar tastes in Asian-inspired recipes.
• Xanthan gum: This is used to thicken the sauce. It has a tendency to clump so be sure to whisk it in thoroughly. It is very shelf stable. Cornstarch or arrowroot powder make good substitutes.
• sesame oil: toasted sesame oil is a fabulous, richly flavorful ingredient and has no great substitute.
• avocado oil: this is a flavorless high-heat cooking oil that I love for it’s health properties in cooking; a great alternative in terms of health cooking would be refined coconut oil

Step-by-Step Recipe Rundown

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables.

Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces. Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; julienne (cut into strips, roughly ½-inch thick).

Step 2: Roast the sweet potatoes. 

Place the sweet potato pieces on a sheet pan. Drizzle with avocado oil and season with salt. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast approximately 15 minutes to cook halfway through.

Step 3: Make the sesame glaze.

Add the rice wine vinegar, sriracha, tamari, coconut sugar/cane sugar, xanthan gum, and oils to a small pot. Whisk to combine (note: xanthan gum will clump if you don’t). Set aside.

Step 4: Add the bok choy and salmon to the sheet tray and roast. 

Use a spatula to stir then slide the sweet potatoes to one side of the sheet tray; add the bok choy off to the side making sure to overlap the greens. Drizzle lightly with avocado oil and season with a pinch of salt. Place the salmon (skin side down) off to the other side and rub the top with a very thin layer of glaze, about 1 tablespoon.

Bake for 6 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon.

Technique Tip: Your salmon should flake easily with a fork when cooked through.

Ingredient Tip: Your sweet potatoes are done when they can be pierced with a fork and have some brown color.

Step 5: Bowl it up.

Just before serving, heat the remaining glaze to a simmer and immediately remove from the heat. Toss the roasted sweet potatoes with the glaze and pile into bowls. Portion off some salmon and bok choy then top with toasted sesame seeds for some crunch.

Sheet Pan Salmon FAQs

Broccoli Sheet Pan Salmon How to Make: You can replace the bok choy with 1 head of broccoli broken into florets. Simply add the florets to the tray and with the salmon and cook until you see some browning.

Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus: If making in Spring, you can also replace the bok choy with asparagus. To prepare the asparagus, simply remove the tough end of the stem and then cut into two-inch long sections. Add to the tray with the salmon and bake until slightly crispy.

How long to cook sheet pan salmon: In a 450F oven, you will begin the sweet potatoes only and partially cook through for 15 minutes. You will then add the green vegetable of your choice along with the salmon fillet. Now, continue cooking for 6 to 12 minutes, more or less depending on the thickness of your sweet potato slices and the thickness of your salmon. Total Recipe Cook Time: Approximately 20 to 35 minutes.

Asian Ingredient Online Resources:

If you need to order an ingredient online, here are some quick links to some of my favorite brands:

Eden organic brown rice vinegar and if you do a lot of Asian cooking like I do, you can get a great deal by purchasing a gallon at a time, such as this Marukan Rice Vinegar

I’ve used this Japanese brand of toasted sesame oil and it lasted for up to 1 year at room temperature.

The thing to know about toasting your own sesame seeds is that you should rinse them first and toast in a dry skillet on low heat while stirring occasionally for up to 30 minutes. They are done when golden and very crunchy. Store after they are totally cool for months at room temperature and sprinkle over sushi rice, mango sticky rice, or as a garnish for pumpkin porridge.

Sriracha has a fermented chili-garlic flavor profile. You can use any brand you like but I recently tried the Sky Valley Sriracha and thought it was very fresh tasting.

A bag of coconut sugar is pretty much essential if you ever cook Asian food because it has a savory flavor profile and is far less processed than brown sugar. You can even use it in baking (try my farmer’s carrot cake).

Tamari is my gluten-free soy sauce of choice. If you are not sensitive to gluten, you can buy shoyu if you prefer (it has slightly more umami depth in my opinion). Whatever you do, never buy soy sauce that contains caramel color or flavor; this type of ingredient has an inferior artificial taste because it often does not involve fermenting the soybeans at all.

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SESAME GLAZED SALMON WITH BOK CHOY AND SWEET POTATO

Serves 4 / Prep time: 5 minutes / Cook time: 30 minutes

30-Minute | One Pot

Dairy Free, Gluten-Free

In this quick-cooking recipe, sesame and a soy-based chili sauce form the glaze and serving sauce for the salmon. Two sides round it out: crispy roasted bok choy and tender sweet potato.

Cook's Notes: Sheet pan meals are effectively about reducing dishes and timing all the parts so that they come out at the same time. Since the sweet potatoes take the longest to cook, I like to start those first and then add everything else to the same tray later. You can make the glaze while the sweet potatoes are roasting.

Bok choy: plan for at least 1 head per person

Sweet potato: Peel then extra large dice (for roasting)

Glaze shelf life: 5 days if refrigerated

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword bok choy, salmon, sweet potato

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 bowls

Calories 455kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes peeled
• 4 small heads bok choy or 1 large bok choy
• Avocado oil for drizzling
• Sea salt
• 1 pound fresh salmon skin-on or off
• Toasted sesame seeds for garnishing*

Sesame Glaze Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 4 teaspoons tamari
• 2 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar or Evaporated cane sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Instructions

• Prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 450F. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces. Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; julienne (cut into strips, roughly ½-inch thick).
• Roast the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potato pieces on a sheet pan. Drizzle with avocado oil and season with salt. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast approximately 15 minutes to cook halfway through.
• Make the sesame glaze. Add the rice wine vinegar, sriracha, tamari, cane sugar, xanthan gum, and oils to a small pot. Whisk to combine (note: xanthan gum will clump if you don’t). Set aside.
• Add the bok choy and salmon to the sheet tray and roast. Use a spatula to stir then slide the sweet potatoes to one side of the sheet tray; add the bok choy off to the side making sure to overlap the greens. Drizzle lightly with avocado oil and season with a pinch of salt. Place the salmon (skin side down) off to the other side and rub the top with a very thin layer of glaze, about 1 tablespoon. Bake for 6 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon. If you aren’t sure, see notes. Your sweet potatoes are done when they can be pierced with a fork and have some brown color.
• Bowl it up. Just before serving, heat the remaining glaze to a simmer and immediately remove from the heat. Toss the roasted sweet potatoes with the glaze and pile into bowls. Portion off some salmon and bok choy then top with toasted sesame seeds for some crunch.

Video

Notes

 

You can remove the salmon at any point if you think it is cooked and simply return the sheet tray to the oven if the sweet potatoes need more time. With salmon, you want to look for the texture to flake easily with a fork. If you own a good thermometer, you want a reading of 145F. You can cut the salmon filet into 4, 4-ounce portions then cook or you can simply cook the whole filet and use a spatula to break into pieces. It’s really just a presentation preference.
I think a 4-ounce portion of salmon is on the small side but the sides help make this a meal. Feel free to increase to 1 ½ pounds of salmon if you like.

Sesame seeds should be toasted. If you can only find raw sesame seeds, you will have to toast them in a dry skillet over low heat until they are fragrant, brown and crunchy. This requires frequent stirring and can take up to 20 minutes. I like to do a big batch at once because they store for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Ingredient tips:
If you would like to use coconut aminos, use 2 tablespoons in place of both the tamari and coconut sugar in this recipe.
Avocado oil – This is a flavorless high-heat oil. You may use any neutral high heat oil in this recipe, such as refined coconut oil or even your favorite cooking olive oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1090mg | Potassium: 3072mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 53613IU | Vitamin C: 383mg | Calcium: 932mg | Iron: 8mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

These gluten-free mini pizzas are so good to me.

Ravenous toddlers and infants gobble them up *silently*. Newly gluten-free husbands insist they are as good (if not better than) the local gluten-free pizza restaurant.

Oh, and they must be easy to make because I have made them more than any other recipe this year.

How to Save $ with Bulk Buys

Do you shop at Costco? These days, pretty cost conscious and set about creating this recipe to save money and keep pizza Fridays. Turns out, you can buy and freeze two giant bags of shredded mozzarella from Costco. Costco also now stocks a very decent gluten-free flour blend by a brand called Namaste.

And in case you don’t already know, canned Marzano tomatoes with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning make the world’s BEST pizza sauce (dramatic, I know, but true). You can even find the toppings at Costco; we like the canned mushrooms, salami, and basil pesto.

At the risk of sounding bossy, stock these ingredients and you will always have a dinner back-up plan when you need one. Definitely convenient, tasty, and staggeringly cheaper than eating out.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust with Yeast

Let’s talk about this crust: It’s mellow in flavor and tastes best when slightly on the crispy side. Basically, just follow the recipe and you’ll be in gluten-free pizza heaven. You’ll get zero complaints.

Let’s talk about yeast: I am recommending active dry yeast in this recipe which gets combined with lukewarm water and sugar; in other words, you have to activate it. While you don’t have to allow your crust time to rise, if you like tiny airy bubbles, you really should be patient and wait. I’m patient about 50% of the time, and I always prefer the crust best when I let it rise.

How to Make Mini Gluten-Free Pizzas – Step by Step Process

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil is one of the key ingredients for making pizza dough; for flavor and texture
• coconut sugar or honey for the yeast. Feel free to substitute granulated white sugar if that’s what you have.
• active dry yeast
• gluten-free flour: You can use your own bread flour blend or use something like a cup-for-cup all-purpose blend. I like Namaste 1:1 Perfect Flour Blend but we also tested Robin Hood Gluten-Free Flour Blend and it worked well, too. If you try your own homemade blend, feel free to share in the community chat below.
• xanthan gum optional but I like to leave it in because it makes the dough slightly more elastic and easier to spread; you can find xanthan gum (online) in the baking aisle and it’s one of those ingredients that has a long shelf life, so don’t worry about buying it in bulk if you plan on regularly baking gluten-free.
• fennel seed: ground fennel seed is an optional spice that will remind you of the flavor of sausage. Feel free to leave it out, if you desire.
• salt is for enhancing the flavor of the crust. I like sea salt and Kosher salt.
• egg optional–makes for a softer pizza crust–note: I prefer a crispier crust and leave the egg out

Topping Ingredients:

Feel free to use whatever toppings you’d like. These are my favorites:

• Canned san Marzano peeled tomatoes: I like to simply use my fingers to crush the large pieces of tomatoes as I’m topping the pizzas and then use a spoon to get the liquid sauce directly from the can. You won’t believe the flavor of this simple sauce!
• Italian seasoning completes the flavor of the sauce (just a sprinkle per pizza).
• Mozzarella cheese low moisture part-skim shredded: I like to do a thin layer from edge to edge.
• Salami thin sliced such as Genoa, cut into small squares: I sometimes favor salami over pepperoni but feel free to use whatever you like.
• mushroom slices can be fresh or canned; feel free to substitute black olives if you prefer!
• Fresh basil leaves thinly sliced adds something fresh in flavor and color.
• Red chile flakes for serving, if you don’t mind a little heat.

To activate your yeast, be sure to use warm water (below 110F). Bubbles are an indication that the yeast mixture is ready to use.

Whisk your gluten-free flour with the xanthan gum then combine with yeast mixture, salt, and olive oil to form a thick paste (pictured above).

Using the back of a spoon, you can smooth the batter to form flat, disks approximately 1/4-inch thick. Be sure to do this step on top of parchment paper so the pizzas hold together while they bake.

Technique Tip: Keep the toppings light. You don’t want to overload your pizzas because then the crust won’t get as crispy.

Variation Instructions and Inspiration

Deep dish style: You can line a cast iron skillet with parchment paper and spread the batter on the bottom and up the sides. Partially bake for 20 minutes, then add your toppings: sauce, cheese, etc. Bake another 20 minutes, then slice and serve your pizza pie. This recipe yields 1 deep-dish pizza.

Large size thin crust pizzas: You don’t have to make 3-inch miniature pizzas. You can spread your crust out as far as you like (this recipe yields two large thin crust pizzas) as long as you remember to do everything on top of parchment paper on a tray. It’s easier to transfer a tray with a large pizza into the oven than it is to try and move the pizza.

Toppings: thinly sliced ham, pineapple, jalapeno, barbecue sauce, barbecued pulled pork, sausage, peppers, onion, roasted garlic, artichoke hearts, banana peppers, parmesan, buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, shredded Rotisserie chicken.

So what toppings have you tried? If you like a gluten-free flour, please share your favorite blends in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

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GLUTEN-FREE MINI PIZZAS

If you don’t already know, gluten-free pizza “dough” has a spreadable consistency (think: batter) and is unlike wheat pizza dough in that regard. What I LOVE about this recipe is that it requires yeast, so it will remind you of regular pizza dough. For best results, I recommend a few fundamentals: keep the crust ultra thin, top sparsely, and cook until nice and crisp–all on top of parchment paper!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free, pizza

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9 mini pizzas (about 3-inches wide)

Calories 151kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for greasing sheet trays
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or honey
• 1 cup lukewarm water 105F
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour favorite brand: Namaste 1:1 Perfect Flour Blend
• 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum optional but I like to leave it in because it makes the dough slightly more elastic and easier to spread
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed optional
• ½ teaspoon salt
• *1 egg optional–makes for a softer pizza crust–note: I prefer a crispier crust and leave the egg out
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• Toppings:
• Canned san Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Italian seasoning
• Mozzarella cheese low moisture part-skim shredded
• Salami thin sliced such as Genoa, cut into small squares
• 1 can mushroom slices drained
• Fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
• Red chile flakes for serving

Instructions

• Lightly coat 2 half-sheet trays with olive oil and line with parchment paper*.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the sweetener of choice in water and add yeast. Wait until you see bubbles, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, fennel, and salt. Combine flour mixture with bubbly yeast mixture. Stir briefly to combine. Add egg (if using) along with 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir to form a thick, creamy paste.
• Spoon batter onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to form 6, 3-inch pizzas: With circular motion, spread each circle out with back of spoon to about 3 inches in diameter. Thinner cooks better so get that crust as thin as you can.
• Cover with inverted baking pan and let rise 40-45 minutes. Note: You can skip this step and cook right away but I think the flavor and texture of the dough is lighter, airier, crisper, and more flavorful if you wait.
• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Top each mini pizza with a thin layer of tomato sauce from the can (as in the sauce and any whole tomatoes that you sort of smash or tear up real small), a pinch of Italian seasoning, mozzarella cheese spread all the way to the outer edges (I love the way it crisps on the outside), salami, and mushroom slices.
• Dribble remaining oil over each mini pizza.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly browned. Best served warm with fresh basil and red chile flakes.

Video

Notes

Note: With gluten-free pizzas, it’s necessary to spread the batter using the back of a spoon. You really need to do this on top of parchment paper or the dough will stick and be difficult to remove.

Testing Note: If you would like to cook the pizza on the parchment paper directly on the oven’s rack, so no sheet tray, you can. I recommend sliding the parchment using a pizza peel or cutting board onto the rack. When opting to do this, I typically do one larger pizza at a time on parchment paper because otherwise the toppings tend to fall off.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini 3-inch pizza | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

This recipe is part of my cooking Basics series, a collection of recipes that are all about how to cook basic, everyday things.

My dad notoriously undercooked wild rice throughout my childhood. It was always a task to eat it, and I didn’t learn how to cook it until I went to culinary school.

Turns out, you want to cook wild rice like pasta. That is to say, in salted boiling water. You also want to look for the grains to sort of burst open. Trust me, it makes all the difference.

Wild rice fetches a premium price because it can involve being harvested by canoe as it grows in water like a grass; making it difficult to cultivate.

How Much Water to Use When Cooking Wild Rice

Unlike regular rice which involves precise measurements, wild rice is less finicky because the outer shell prevents it from turning mushy. You don’t have to be as precious about the ratios of water to wild rice. Just be sure the rice has plenty of room to cook. In other words, you can’t have too much water when cooking wild rice (but you could have too little).

How to Tell Wild Rice Is Done

Simply dump it into a pot of boiling water and cook until you see the grains burst open. You do want to remove the rice as soon as this happens. It is possible to over-do it with the cooking. As a rule of thumb, wild rice takes anywhere from 35 to 55 minutes, depending on the brand. Just begin checking every 20 minutes or so.

Best Way to Serve Wild Rice

Once strained, the wild rice will have the best texture if you allow it to steam and fluff it with a fork.

You can serve wild rice like a salad with a shallot vinaigrette and some dried cranberries or with a hearty wild mushroom sauce like my mushroom stroganoff. It’s lovely as a side to some broiled salmon and those pan drippings can double as a sauce for the rice, too.

Hope you enjoyed this basic cooking method. Now, grab your apron and let’s go!

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How to Cook Wild Rice

You want to treat wild rice less like rice and more like pasta.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword wild rice

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 158kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups wild rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Instructions

• Boil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and the wild rice. Stir every so often to ensure the rice cooks evenly. Note: You can check the bag for approximate cook time. Typically 35 to 55 minutes.
• Strain and serve. When you see the grains visibly split open, immediately strain using a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with some olive oil or butter to fluff and allow steam to escape. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cup portion | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

You only need 5 ingredients and hot skillet to get these sautéed snow peas on the dinner table in a flash.

After a long winter, I eagerly await fresh spring offerings, especially snow peas. When I can grow them, I’m usually one to simply eat them right off the vine but then I feel guilty because I know I really should share with the rest of the family.

So here’s a proper recipe and a reason for us all to gather and enjoy together.

Now, snow peas are such a fun raw snack so I wouldn’t dream of distracting from their subtle virtues: their crispness, their mild sweetness, their lovely color.

This is one simple recipe but don’t let that fool you. It packs a punch (especially if you can sneak in some minced mint or tarragon right at the end).

Snow Peas vs Snap Peas – What’s the Difference?

Snow peas have a flat pod with tiny, premature peas inside whereas sugar snap peas are more rounded with larger peas. Since their flavors are quite similar, you can easily use them interchangeably in this recipe.

5 Basic Ingredients for Sautéed Snow Peas

There’s just salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil (or butter) and a squirt of lemon juice right at the end. And don’t forget the zest.

Cooking Tips for Snow Peas

Definitely get your pan nice and hot from the start. You don’t want the food to steam too much. Just a quick toss with some fat will bring out the color a bit and will intensify the flavor while preserving the crunch.

After only a couple of minutes of tossing the snow peas in the skillet, you finish the snow peas off with a small amount of acid from the lemon to really make the green color deepen.

These are so pretty, you can’t NOT want to pop them in your mouth.

Serving Ideas

If you’re looking for a few sides to throw together. You can make a great meal with a protein side:

• Broiled Salmon with Honey Mustard Glaze
• How to Make Crispy, Juicy Chicken Thighs
• Pan Seared Steak with Blistered Shishito Peppers

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5-Minute Snow Peas Recipe

Snow peas are a cold weather crop so they are harvested in Spring and Fall. Since the seeds aren't fully mature, they have a mild, sweet delicate flavor.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword snow peas

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 79kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 16 ounces 1 bag snow peas
• olive oil or butter
• sea salt
• lemon zest and juice
• freshly ground black pepper or red chile flakes optional

Instructions

• Prep the snow peas. Grab any hard stems and pull to remove any thick fibers that might be unpleasant to eat.
• Sauté, season, and serve. Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat with a glug of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Add the snow peas and stir occasionally cooking just a few minutes. Season with salt (pepper, too, if you’d like) and shave some lemon zest over top (a quick squirt of lemon will brighten the green color even more). Serve as a bright, crisp side to salmon or enjoy as-is!

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cup serving | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1233IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

There’s nothing wrong with classic vanilla crème brûlée but sometimes you want something a tad brighter–even just a drop of lemon makes vanilla spectacularly more interesting. That’s what this crème brulee recipe is all about. Dynamism!

Tap. Tap. Crunch. Eye-brow raise. That is the scene I want to paint you. You simply can’t help be surprised by the subtle, yet striking, lemon flavor that sort of hits you a moment after the vanilla. It’s really pleasant, and I highly recommend you experience it for yourself.

P.S. We really love lemons around here (and vanilla). There’s also this creamy, very lemony ice cream. These creamy lemon possets (like crème brulee minus the crunch), and meyer lemon bars.

Vanilla Crème with Lemon Brulee Recipe

Brûlée: to burn.

What are we burning today? Why, lemon infused sugar, of course!

If you infuse the sugar topping with fresh lemon peel, what you get is this amazing crackly, lemon-marshmallowy top layer. It’s an unexpected twist to the traditional crème brulee experience.

Basically, the oils from the lemon peel seep into the sugar adding plenty of gorgeous lemon essence. You just use the sugar and discard the peel (which is bitter and overpowering when burned).

Grab your apron and let’s celebrate lemon season crème brulee style!

Top Tips for Making Lemony Crème Brulee at Home

Broiler Method: Usually the problem with making creme brulee at home is how to create a thin enough crunch on top of the creme. Many recipes require the use of a small culinary propane torch. While fun, it’s not an everyday appliance, whereas most people have a broiler setting in their oven.

Use less sugar: My best tip is to use only a teaspoon of sugar per ramekin. More sugar makes it much too hard to tap-tap-break with a spoon.

High fat cream and chill: Vanilla crème brulee is such an exquisitely rich and elegant dessert but if you don’t use high fat cream and chill long enough, it can be soupy instead of creamy. If you are looking for a slightly lighter version, you can replace up to 1 cup with half and half (just be sure to use 1 cup heavy cream).

Infusing sugar takes time: While your custard is chilling, make your sugar+lemon zest and set to the side so it gets good and lemony. It’s normal for the sugar to appear wet and clump together (that’s how you know it’s working).

WATER BATH EXPLAINED

A water bath is where you fill halfway up the sides of the ramekin. This technique allows the custard to cook slowly and evenly when transferred to the oven.

6-Ingredients = One Heck of a Crème Brulee

It’s really amazing how few ingredients you need to make a remarkably good crème brulee. You will need:

• heavy cream: provides the right balance of fat and ensures the texture will thicken and set as it chills 
• vanilla: use a good quality vanilla extract or a vanilla bean for the purest flavor
• salt: just a pinch of sea salt will really enhance the flavors
• egg yolks: for a rich and flavorful custard
• granulated sugar: gives the custard a sweet flavor and is used for the topping
• lemon: we are only using the outside rind/zest to flavor the sugar that gets caramelized

Let’s Look at the Steps

As you can see, I am using a split vanilla bean to infuse the custard mixture, but you could just as easily use vanilla extract.

Step 1- Make Custard Mixture.

Step 2 – Bake. Chill. Make Lemon Sugar.

Step 3 – Serve.

Notice how the broiler method can leave the topping a bit rustic looking? I love this effect and think it makes this crème brulee really unique. The bits of sugar that are a bit moist get extra charred, which imparts even more campfire marshmallowy goodness.

Lemon crème brulee in Lemon

While I love especially shallow ramekins for crème brulee (you get more crunchy topping to filling), you could try setting a hollowed out lemon cut lengthwise on top of a ramekin and filling the lemon peel with the crème brulee. Not only is it eye-catching, it tells you what flavors you are about to taste. Due to moisture, you should serve this right away because it will cause your dessert to sweat.

Storing and preserving homemade lemon sugar

Your leftover lemon sugar will last for many months stored in a sealed bag or container (if it makes it that far). You could totally use the lemon sugar inside the custard portion of this recipe! Another idea is to use it to further enhance homemade lemonade.

CITRUS VARIATIONS (YUZU, GRAPEFRUIT, ORANGE)

Since we are using the zest to infuse the sugar, you could try any citrus. I don’t add the zest to the crème because I like the smoothness of vanilla, but you could add the zest finely grated if you want a more intense citrus flavor.

FAQs

Can you freeze crème brulee?

No. For the best texture, I recommend refrigerating crème brulee and enjoying fresh.

How to store crème brulee?

Wrap the custard tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, unwrap then add the sugar and broil immediately. Serve bruleed custard right away.

Can creme brulee be made ahead?

You can make it ahead up to the custard stage just be sure to wait until the last moment to torch or broil the sugar-topping for the right amount of crunch.

More Citrus Desserts for You

• How to Make a Lemon Posset Dessert
• Lemon Custard Ice Cream
• Fresh Lemon Cookies with Lemon Cranberry Glaze
• Meyer Lemon Bars
• Angel Food Cake with Orange-Vanilla Glaze (you can swap lemon for orange if you like)

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VANILLA CREME WITH LEMON BRULEE

If you love classic crème brulee, you might be surprised how much you love this lemon version. You taste so much of the vanilla but get just a lovely lemon crunch from the topping. Simply marvelous!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword custard

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 38 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 43 minutes minutes

Servings 4 ramekins

Calories 584kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 5 egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar plus ¼ cup for lemon-sugar topping
• 1 lemon

Instructions

• Make custard mixture. Preheat oven to 325F. In a saucepan over low heat, combine cream, vanilla bean and salt. Cook just until hot (do not simmer/boil). Let sit for a few minutes then discard vanilla bean (add vanilla extract now, if using). In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together for 1 minute. Stir about a quarter of the vanilla mixture into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir.
• Bake, chill and make lemon sugar. Place four 6-ounce ramekins in a baking dish then divide custard mixture into each cup; open the oven door and set the baking dish with ramekins on top then pour boiling hot water halfway up the sides to create a water bath. Transfer carefully to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center is barely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours and up to a couple days. Use a peeler to remove one big strip of lemon peel. In a small bowl or ramekin, combine the lemon peel strip with ¼ cup sugar. Stir to distribute the sugar around the lemon peel. Set aside to infuse.
• Serve. When ready to serve, use the back of a spoon to break up any clumps of sugar then top each custard with an evenly distributed teaspoon of lemon sugar. It’s important to form a thin layer so it can easily be cracked by a light tap of a spoon. Place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve within 2 hours.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1ramekin | Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 377mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 2080IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Brisket cooked in the oven until tender and juicy with a smoky crust! The trick with brisket is cooking slow until an internal temp reaches 175 degrees. Sliced brisket can be served with drippings and a side of potatoes that you slow-roast underneath the brisket.

This spice rubbed oven baked brisket is perfect for chilly days!

I love a smoked brisket but it’s way simpler to throw one in the oven, especially when you skip the foil mess and use a Dutch oven. You can make-ahead, cook, and store all in the same pot. Ba-da-bing bada boom…

Let’s talk about brisket fears. You have them. I have them. We all have them.

First up, how do you cook beef that’s this lean without it drying out? Simple. You cook it covered and monitor it by temperature. Not only can you cook an incredible brisket in the oven, it will be as juicy and tender as anything.

Second, what if you only want to cook a half brisket? Brisket can be cut in half and frozen. With this recipe, it’s easy to cook whatever size brisket you have because it’s really about two things: low oven temperature and internal temperature.

Leftover brisket keeps well and makes for a magnificent sandwich with some bbq sauce.

How to Make Spice Rubbed Brisket in the Oven (VIDEO)

You can see that the brisket in this video has a fat layer trimmed to 1/4-inch.

Spice Rub Ingredients

Beef can handle a lot of bold spices. At a minimum, it needs salt, heat, and smoke (maybe a touch of sweet). Therefore, my spice blend is simply:

• Kosher salt: you can easily see where the salt lands on the beef for even coverage
• black pepper: you can use ground flakes or freshly ground
• smoked paprika: adds a touch of sweet, smoky flavor, and a bit of heat; chili powder is a good substitute
• dry mustard: intensifies the flavors without imparting any mustard flavor

The list may seem overly short, but it works because the brisket fat caramelizes the flavors in a way that makes a big impact.

Temp For Brisket

You want to target a temperature of 175 degrees in the thickest part of the brisket. Think of this temperature as an indicator that the brisket muscles have had enough time to relax. If you pull your brisket too soon, your meat will be tough. If you pull your brisket too late, you get dry beef.

Sliced Brisket

How you slice a brisket can greatly affect how tender and juicy it feels in your mouth. Consider these 3 tips when slicing your masterpiece:

1. Thick not thin. You can slice brisket on the bias or straight up and down. The key is to keep the slices nice and thick (as in 1/4-inch) so that the meat holds some juices.
2. Let it rest. Before slicing, be sure to fully rest cooked brisket for 30-minutes.
3. Locate the grain. Slice against the grain.

MAKE IT A MEAL

When you cook brisket in the oven, you have an opportunity to cook a side dish at the same time. I love baby potatoes because they don’t require any prep and they won’t overcook. They catch a lot of the drippings from the brisket that you’d never want to waste.

Baby Potatoes Side: Halfway through cooking, you can dump a bag of waxy baby potatoes in the Dutch oven and set the Brisket on top. You won’t believe how flavorful brisket basted potatoes are! Add a sprig of fresh oregano on top for even more flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions and Cooking Tips

Step 1: Make the dry spice rub then smear all over the brisket.

Make-Ahead Tip: After applying the dry rub, you can store the brisket in the refrigerator (in a Dutch oven with lid or wrapped in foil) for up to 2 days.

Step 2: Cook low and slow in the oven, turning halfway through with tongs for approximately 3 hours (1 hour per pound) or until your thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket reads 175°F.

Technique Tip: Turning your brisket will baste it in it’s own juices and give you a nice caramelized outer crust.

Note: After about 2 ½ hours in the oven, you should see caramelization (brown color) but if you desire more color, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Step 3: Rest and slice brisket on the bias into 1/4 -inch thick slices. Serve with the cooking juices for dipping.

Oven Baked Brisket FAQs

How to make a fall apart brisket in the oven?

To get a fall apart texture, you actually want to cook the brisket past the recommended time for slicing. So, instead of 175°F, you’d be cooking the brisket to an internal temperature of 225°F.

How to reheat brisket in oven?

Cut your brisket down into portion size pieces and heat in the oven just until warmed through, so 450°F for about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness.

What temperature for brisket?

Brisket is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 175°F because it will be tender when sliced. If you continue to cook the brisket to 225°F that texture will be far more fall-apart tender.

You should keep a constant low temperature when cooking brisket. For example, your oven or smoker should be set within the range of 175°F to 300°F–whatever temperature you choose, be sure to keep that heat as constant as possible (so try not to let that temperature swing too much or you run the risk of drying out the meat).

What to Serve with Brisket

Since brisket is quite flavorful and heavy, I’d recommend something light:

• Collard Greens
• Thinly sliced kale tossed with Essential Lemon Garlic Sauce
• Garlicky Green Bean Salad
• Minty Melon Cucumber Salad

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SPICE RUBBED OVEN BAKED BRISKET

This is a temperature driven recipe for how to cook a brisket in the oven and have it turn out juicy AND tender. This means it’s easy to scale the brisket according to the size/weight you’d like to cook. While you can plan on about 1 hour per pound cook time, this is only a guide. I like to use an oval-shaped Dutch oven (great for roasts) but you can also wrap your brisket tightly in foil and cook it on a baking sheet, too.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword brisket

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 358kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 3 pounds brisket fat trimmed to ¼-inch thick
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

• Make the dry spice rub. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set the trimmed brisket in a Dutch oven. In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients: salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dry mustard. Mix then rub all over the brisket.
• Cook low and slow in the oven. Transfer the Dutch oven (lid on) into the oven. Cook, turning halfway through with tongs for approximately 3 hours (1 hour per pound) or until your thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket reads 175°F. After about 2 ½ hours in the oven, you should see caramelization (brown color) but if you desire more color, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Rest and slice brisket. Allow the brisket to cool for at least 30 minutes. Then move to a cutting board and cut on the bias into 1/4 -inch thick slices. Serve with the cooking juices for dipping.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (8 ounces) | Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 955mg | Potassium: 787mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 5mg

Photography by Adam Rahman