CategoriesAppetizers Sides
by 0

Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

The cinnamon pear balsamic roasted sweet potatoes have a unique depth of flavor. You may make these with the potato skins peeled or unpeeled. If you decide to go the unpeeled route, we recommend using new sweet potatoes. Enjoy as part of the meal or as a snack!

What you’ll need:

4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, cut into wedges, peeled or unpeeled

1/3 Cup Cinnamon Pear Balsamic

2 Tablespoons Butter Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Here’s how:

Heat oven to 400° F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a large sheet pan. Whisk together the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and Butter Olive Oil until emulsified. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and balsamic mixture until the potatoes are well coated. Arrange the potatoes on the parchment paper-lined pan in a single layer. If the sweet potato wedges are unpeeled, lay the potatoes with the unpeeled side down. Sprinkle with sea salt and roast for 45 – 50 minutes until tender and the balsamic glaze has caramelized.

 

CategoriesSides Vegetables
by 0

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Dates

These sweet and savory Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions and dates are simply delicious. The Brussels sprouts are pan sauteed with our Garlic Olive Oil and combined with caramelized onions and dates. It’s a quick and super simple vegetable dish to make. It makes a great side dish for the holidays or just an everyday option. You may also use our Medium or Robust Intensity Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil and add fresh or powdered garlic (which is entirely optional). You may also add red pepper flakes to give it some heat.

What you’ll need: 

20 oz. Brussels Sprouts

1 Medium red onion

5 – 7 Dates, pitted and diced

3 – 4 Tablespoons Garlic Olive Oil or Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Here’s how:

First, wash and cut the Brussels sprouts in half and set them aside. Then cut the red onion in half and thinly slice it. In a medium to large saute pan, add about two tablespoons of olive oil and allow it to heat up on medium heat. Add and saute the sliced onions until they are translucent and slightly caramelized. Remove the onions from the pan into a bowl, cover, and set aside. With a paper towel or cloth, wipe the pan to remove any leftover remnants. Add more olive oil to the pan and allow it to heat. Then add the Brussels sprouts and stir until slightly softened. Lastly, add back the onions to the pan, add the dates, and stir until heated. Salt to taste. Enjoy as a side or on its own!

CategoriesSides Vegetables
by 0

Roasted Spring Vegetable Medley

A seasonal vegetable medley that uses all fresh vegetables. Fresh sugar snap peas and peas are easier to find during the spring time. Feel free to make this medley with other kinds of spring vegetables that are in season.

What you’lll need:

16 oz Fresh Sugar Snap Peas

12 oz Fresh Peas

Small Head of Cauliflower

Medium Red Onion

Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Medium or Robust Intensity

Traditional Dark Balsamic (Optional)

Garlic Powder

Sea Salt

Pepper

Red Chili Flakes (Optional)

Parchment Paper (This is to keep the vegetables from sticking to the baking sheet.)

Here’s how:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut and core the cauliflower into florets and thinly slice the florets. Cut the red onion in half and cut the halves into thin slices. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Spread the snap peas, fresh peas, sliced cauliflower and onions on the baking sheet with the parchment paper. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and mix it. Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chili flakes according to your taste. Then mix the vegetables again, making sure to spread it evenly. Add more seasoning if needed. Get a sheet of aluminum foil and just lay it lightly over the vegetables (no need to tuck it). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. When serving the vegetables drizzle with the Traditional Balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!

CategoriesSides
by 0

Chili Lime Olive Oil Popcorn

Try this delicious snack and make it a movie night. You only need popcorn, our Persian Lime Olive Oil, and chili powder. You may add additional salt if the salt in the chili powder is not enough.

What you’ll need:

Fresh popped popcorn

Persian Lime Olive Oil

Chili Powder

Sea salt (optional)

Here’s How:

In a large bowl full of popcorn, drizzle the Persian Lime Olive Oil evenly over the popcorn. Then sprinkle the chili powder on top. Shake the bowl or mix with your hands. Add sea salt to taste. Enjoy!

 

CategoriesSides Vegetables
by 0

Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary Olive Oil

This is an easy peasy recipe. Not much to it. I chose a variety of root vegetables mainly for the beautiful color combination and taste. I’ve included sweet and purple potatoes, celeriac, rutabaga, and turnips.  You may choose any type of root vegetables. Yukon gold or red potatoes could be another option as well as carrots or parsnips. We tried those too and it’s equally delicious. Drizzle on the rosemary olive oil and you got yourself a yummy side dish.

What you’ll need:

1 Celeriac

1 Rutabaga

2 Medium Turnips

2 Purple Potatoes

3 Sweet Potatoes

1 small onion

4 Tablespoons Rosemary Olive Oil + more for drizzling

Sea salt

Pepper

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 400°. Peel and chop root vegetables into small cubes. Dice the onion and place everything on a large baking sheet. Drizzle on the rosemary olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Mix so that olive oil covers all the vegetables, and spread  evenly on baking sheet. Place aluminum foil over the vegetables. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, half way through turn over vegetables and continue to bake without the aluminum foil. Root vegetables are done when slightly golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven and drizzle with more rosemary olive oil before serving.

CategoriesMain Dish Sides Vegetables
by 0

Harvest Bowl

We’re calling this the Harvest Bowl. It includes the wonderful abundance available in the fall such as winter squash, brussel sprouts, dried cranberries, and pumpkins seeds. We used acorn squash in this recipe but any winter squash may be used. We roasted the squash and brussel sprouts in butternut squash seed oil and finished the dish with it, along with the Neapolitan herb dark balsamic vinegar. It makes a great side dish or a main meal.

What you’ll need:

2 cups Brown Rice, cooked

2 cups Quinoa, cooked

2 pounds Brussels Sprouts, cut in half

1 Acorn Squash, cut and cleaned with skin

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 cup Dried Cranberries + 2 tablespoons for sprinkling

2 tablespoons Butternut Squash Seed Oil + more for drizzling

Neapolitan Herb Balsamic Vinegar for drizzling

Sea salt

Here’s how: 

Preheat oven to 400°. On a large baking sheet, add brussels sprouts on one side of the sheet and the squash on the other side. Add butternut squash seed oil and sea salt and then mix until well coated. Roast it in the oven for about 30 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together brown rice, quinoa, brussels sprouts, and dried cranberries. Add salt to taste. Lay the roasted squash around and on top of the mixture. Sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Drizzle with butternut squash seed oil or roasted pumpkin seed oil and Neaopolitan herb balsamic.

CategoriesSides
by 0

Pineapple Coconut Couscous

We tried something completely new with couscous by giving it a taste of the tropics. Coconut white balsamic is added to the water so that the coconut flavor is absorbed into the couscous, and mixed in sweet tangy pineapple bits. This side dish pairs well with spicy grilled kebabs or any other dish with heat.

What you’ll need:

1 cup couscous

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup Coconut balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Here’s how:

Pour water and coconut balsamic vinegar into small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat. Add the couscous and stir so that couscous is moistened. Cover the pan and let it sit for about 10 minutes so that the water can absorb the couscous. Gently fluff the couscous with a fork. Squeeze out the juice of the pineapple bits and mix it into the coucous. Garnish with cilantro.

CategoriesSides
by 0

Wild Mushroom Sage Stuffing

If I had to choose a Thanksgiving dinner side dish that I cannot do without, it would have to be the stuffing. Thanksgiving just would not be the same without it. Our Wild Mushroom Sage extra virgin olive oil is the star of this stuffing. No sage is needed because the sage flavor from the olive oil really shines through.

What you’ll need:

1 loaf of herb bread, a day old

1 pound mushrooms (Shitake, Cremini, Button)

3 celery stalks

1 small onion

1/3 cup So Olive Wild Mushroom Sage Olive Oil

1/2 cup pecan pieces

3 cups vegetable stock + more to add

Sea salt

Parsley for garnish

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut loaf of bread into small medium cubes and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for about 10 minutes.

Finely chop celery stalk and onions. Then roughly chop the mushrooms. Heat olive olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add mushrooms and allow to cook until tender. Add onions and celery and cook until softened. Add pecans and vegetable stock. Bring the stock to a boil. Add toasted bread cubes and fold gently until stock is evenly distributed throughout. Add more stock if needed. Season with sea salt. Transfer stuffing to a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish, greased preferably with the wild mushroom sage olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown for about 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on parsley as a garnish.

CategoriesSides Vegetables
by 0

Lemony Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I have Ina Garten to thank for roasted brussel sprouts. Growing up, I could not stand them because they were cooked into mush and very bitter. Sorry, Mom. So years back, while watching Barefoot Contessa, Ina pulled out the brussel sprouts. Oh no, not the brussel sprouts, I thought, but because it was Ina I continued to watch. How she prepared them was so different, it was an epiphany. Wow, I can roast them! Why did I not think of that? So I gave it a try, and it has been a staple side dish ever since. Overtime, I’ve seasoned them in different ways and these brussel sprouts are given a delicious lemon flavor.

What you’ll need:

3 pounds fresh brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons So Olive Lemon Olive Oil + 1 tbsp for drizzling when serving

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh gound pepper

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut off brown ends of brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Lay the brussel sprouts on the baking sheet. Drizzle the first two tablepoons of the lemon olive oil over them and sprinkle on the lemon sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix them together and then spread evenly on sheet. Roast in oven for 30 – 35 minutes. Pour in serving bowl and drizzle on the remaing olive oil. Best served while still hot. Feel free to drizzle them with a nice dark balsamic vinegar.

CategoriesSides
by 0

Roasted Squash with Balsamic Reduction

One thing I love about winter squash is how versatile it is; from soups to desserts, the possibilities are endless. Sometimes just keeping it simple is the way to go and this recipe is all about that. Just cut up the squash into even sized wedges. No need to peel. Then place it on the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and pop it in the oven to roast.  Balsamic reduction and toasted pecans give it a more fancy touch, which is especially great for the holiday season.

What you’ll need:

Winter Squash (I used Carnival Acorn, Delicata, and Kabocha)

3 tablespoons Varietal Olive Oil such as Picual or Coratina (high intensity)

2 teaspoons sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup pecan pieces

Balsamic Reduction

1 cup So Olive Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in wedge like pieces. Lay on sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pan in oven and roast for 30 – 40 minutes until squash is tender.

Balsamic Reduction

Pour balsamic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow balsamic to come to a gentle boil until it is reduced by half. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat so it can cool, making sure that it does not become to thick to drizzle.

Lightly toast pecans in a toaster oven or in a pan.

When squash is done roasting, drizzle the balsamic reduction over the squash, and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.