Shop Local: Thanksgiving Sides Recipes

Outside temperatures haven’t plummeted yet and Fall produce abounds so make a visit to your local market a part of your Thanksgiving prep this year. Choosing between Broccoli Salad, Eat a Rainbow Salad and Sautéed Apples might be too hard though so you should probably just make them all.

Thanksgiving is all about abundance, generosity, community and celebration so today we’re sharing three recipes for healthy, vegetarian side dishes you can add to your Thanksgiving Feast or bring along to your Friendsgiving pot luck .

Recipe Number One: Eat a Rainbow Salad

Red potatoes, shredded butternut squash, apples, red onions on a bed of salad greens topped with toasted pecans and a dollop of ricotta cheese. Gluten free and vegetarian. To make it vegan use your favorite non-dairy cheese or forego it altogether.

The shredding attachment on my food processor made easy work of this butternut squash.

Eat a Rainbow Salad

Ingredients:

* 1 cup shredded raw butternut squash

* 1 cup boiled red potatoes, cut into small wedges

* 2 cups salad greens (sprouts, shoots, baby greens, etc)

* 1 crisp, red skinned apple, cut into matchsticks

* 1 shallot, minced

* ½ small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1/4 cup toasted pecans

*3 0z fresh goat cheese, ricotta, or any other soft, white cheese

* Ingredients available seasonally at your neighborhood Greenmarket

Instructions:

1. For dressing- Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a small bowl
2. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, squash, apple and onion
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine
4. Add in greens, tossing gently
5. Top  with cheese and nuts

Tip: To toast pecans, heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.  Add nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant

Recipe Number Two: Broccoli Salad

This salad has an Asian twist and the crunch factor is off the charts between the steamed broccoli and the walnuts. I used toasted sesame oil for a little extra oomph.

Naturally vegan and gluten-free (if you use gluten-free soy sauce.)

Broccoli Salad

Serving: 4-6

Ingredients:

* 2 heads of broccoli

* 4 cloves of garlic

¼ cup sesame oil

1 tbsp olive oil

½ cup of crushed walnuts

1-2 tbsp soy sauce.

* Ingredients available seasonally at your neighborhood Greenmarket

Instructions:

1. Cut broccoli into florets including stems.
2. Steam broccoli until tender but crunchy 5-8minuets.
3. In a colander rinse broccoli with cold water.
4. Sautee garlic with olive oil.
5. In a small bowl combine garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Toss together with broccoli and walnuts and enjoy!

Recipe Number Three: Sautéed Apples

With a little help from some whipped cream or vanilla gelato, we could happily call this dessert. HOWEVER, on Thanksgiving there is pie so let’s serve these apples on the side. Get these on the fork with some cranberry sauce and some juicy turkey and you’ll never look back.

Sautéed Apples

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

∗ 3 tablespoons butter
∗ 4 large apples (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* Ingredients available seasonally at your neighborhood Greenmarket

Instructions:

Cook butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add apples and sauté until tender, about 9 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients; stir to blend. Cool. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

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Here are the nearest Greenmarkets:
Brooklyn Greenmarkets:

Fort Greene Park on Saturdays
Grand Army Plaza on Saturdays
Bartell Pritchard Square on Wednesdays
PS 154 on Sundays
Parkside on Sundays
Cortelyou Road between Argyle & Rugby on Sundays – open year round.
Borough Park on Thursdays – 14th Avenue between 49th and 50th St.
Sunset Park on Sundays – 4th Ave btwn 59th & 60th St, Brooklyn. Open Saturdays, July 9 – November 19
Bensonhurst on Sundays – 18th Ave between 81st and 82nd St