Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Cranberry Baked Brie
• Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make It
• More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

It’s Christmas Eve, and I don’t know about you, but for me this year Christmas came extra fast!

I hate to say it, but I’m finding myself taking a lot of shortcuts this year. This is the first year, for instance, that I officially cut myself loose from creating and sending Christmas cards. They were so fun and special, but labor-intensive, expensive, and I never managed to order them or send them out in time. Stress, gone!

I’m also finding that simple, easy recipes are the name of the game. Nothing complicated for me this year, thanks!

That’s where this two-ingredient cranberry-baked brie comes in. It barely warrants a recipe – you literally just bake a wheel of brie with cranberry sauce on top.

The result is warm, gooey, cheesy, a little salty, a little tangy-sweet, and SO GOOD. Put your melty wheel of cranberry-smothered brie on a wooden board, gather some crackers and grapes and maybe some sugared rosemary and sugared cranberries around, and guests will be SO happy. I promise!

Why You’ll Love Cranberry Baked Brie

• Crowd pleaser – It feels fancy and elegant, but is so easy to make. Everyone loves it.
• Super simple – We’re talking two ingredients and a couple of minutes hands-on time!
• CHEEESE – I mean it’s melty cheese.

Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe Ingredients

• Brie cheese – You’ll want a small wheel, about 8 to 10 ounces.
• Cranberry sauce – You can just grab canned, but I love homemade cranberry sauce. This cranberry orange sauce or spiced cranberry sauce are both phenomenal in this Cranberry Baked Brie.

How to Make It

1. Cut the top layer of the brie rind off and discard it.
2. Place the brie cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Top with the cranberry sauce.
4. Bake until melty and serve with crackers. That’s it!

I hope this melty, cheesy, sweet-and-savory appetizer is as beloved by you and your family as it is ours! It’s perfectly seasonal, is super easy to make, and is such a crowd pleaser. Only have 5 minutes? Cranberry Baked Brie to the rescue!

Print

Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe

The easiest warm and cheesy appetizer ever! Savory, creamy brie + tart, sweet cranberry sauce = a match made in heaven.

Keyword baked brie cheese, cranberry baked brie, cranberry brie

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 449kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 wheel brie cheese 8 – 10 ounces
• 1 cup cranberry sauce canned or homemade

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut the rind off the top of the brie cheese. Place the wheel of cheese into a pie plate or other dish or cookie sheet with sides.And have a terrific, fun, and safe New Year’s Eve!
• Pour the cranberry sauce over the top and spread it almost to the edges.
• Bake for 15 minutes until warmed through and melty. Serve immediately with crackers and/or crostini.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

• Marinated Cheese & Olive Skewers
• Caprese Tortellini Skewers
• Kale & White Bean Dip
• Christmas Charcuterie Board

The post Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe (Simple Holiday Appetizer) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
• How to Make Them
• Tips for Success
• Freezer-Friendly Christmas Cookies
• More Holiday Cookie Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Last year, I shared a recipe for Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies which is basically a Christmas-ified version of classic chocolate chip cookies. They were super fun and I really liked having an excuse to put a year-round classic like chocolate chip cookies on my Christmas cookie platter.

So this year, I thought I’d set out to make another chocolate chip cookie that’s gotten into the Christmas spirit!

I wanted an cranberry orange cookie flavor flavor profile, and white chocolate goes perfectly. So I revisited my oldie-but-goodie recipe for white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, making them a bit thicker and chewier, with a generous amount of orange zest + dried cranberries. It was love at first bite!

Why You’ll Love These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

• No chilling required – The dough comes together quickly and they’re in the oven in no time.
• Brown sugar chewy perfection – These cranberry white chocolate chip cookies have the perfect consistency. They’re crisp around the edges, chewy and soft in the middle.
• Super easy – Just about as easy as classic chocolate chip cookies! Just mix, drop, and bake.
• Perfect for the holidays – With cranberry, orange flavors, and white chocolate these cookies are super Christmassy!
• Sturdy and portable – Perfect for mailing care packages or for a Christmas cookie exchange.

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients

• Butter – You’ll want unsalted butter. Make sure it’s room temp so it’s soft enough to be able to beat and mix with the sugars.
• Brown sugar – I like to use dark brown sugar in these cookies.
• Granulated sugar – Your standard white sugar.
• Orange zest – Zested from around two medium-size oranges. I usually just grab a couple of navel oranges.
• Eggs
• Pure vanilla extract
• Flour – All-purpose.
• Baking soda
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt in my baked goods.
• White chocolate chips
• Dried cranberries – If you prefer, you can swap in dried cherries, but you may want to chop them up a bit first (I personally find them a bit large for cookies)

How to Make Them

1. Using either a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter until it’s pale and fluffy, then add the sugars and orange zest. Mix until well-combined.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating them in each time.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Mix until it forms a dough, then stir in the white chocolate chips and cranberries.
6. Scoop onto a baking sheet and bake until golden-edged.
7. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Jump to the full, printable recipe

Tips for Success

• For perfectly round chocolate chip cookies, invert a drinking glass over the freshly baked cookie (still on the cookie sheet) and move it in a circular motion around the cookie. This will help rein in any odd edges for a round shape.
• Top with extra white chocolate chips and cranberries for a prettier look that tells everyone exactly what’s in these delicious cranberry white chocolate chip cookies!

Freezer-Friendly Christmas Cookies

To freeze baked cookies, cool completely then transfer to a freezer-safe container with airtight lid or a freezer bag. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes and you’re good to go!

To freeze and bake later, scoop balls of dough onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and label. They keep for up to 3 months. To bake, simply pull a few out, line on your baking sheet, and bake for a minute or two extra.

I hope these Orange White Chocolate Cranberry Chocolate Chip cookies are as big a hit with your family as they are with mine! They’re chewy and holiday-coded and perfect for cookie platters. We love ’em!

If you make these, I’d love your star rating! It’s super helpful for other readers (and helps my small business grow).

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Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

No ordinary chocolate chip cookies, these orange cranberry white chocolate chip cookies are a little more elegant and a lot more festive. Thick and chewy with soft centers, a hint of orange, creamy white chocolate, and chewy dried cranberries.

Keyword cranberry white chocolate cookies, orange cranberry white chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate chip cookies

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Calories 189kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest from about 2 medium oranges [I use navel]
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 420g
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 8g
• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt 7g
• 2 cups white chocolate chips 12 ounces
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer).
• Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and orange zest. Continue beating on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat each time until well-incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
• Scoop 2-tablespoon-size balls (I use a #30 cookie scoop) onto a baking sheet, spaced at least a couple of inches apart.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, until edges of cookie begin to turn golden. Remove cookies from the oven and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes on the cookie sheet so the cookie can start to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cookies stay fresh when kept in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 – 4 days, or can be frozen for up to two months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

More Holiday Cookie Recipes

• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (vegan)
• Christmas Sugar Cookies
• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Mini Gingerbread Cookies
• Gingerbread Trees

The post Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

With tender baby kale, sweet roasted butternut squash, tart dried cranberries, and creamy avocado, this is a winter salad idea I can get firmly behind.

I love this winter kale salad recipe so much because, well, one, it’s absolutely freaking delicious! But it’s also super flexible and can be made vegan, vegetarian, or meaty – and every variation is so tasty.

So if you’re looking for green salad recipes for winter, start here! You’ll love this one.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind The Recipe
• Winter Kale Salad Ingredients
• How to Make It
• Variations/Additions
• Tips for Avoiding a Soggy Salad
• More Winter Salad Ideas

The Story Behind The Recipe

This recipe came to Kitchen Treaty during a time when I was feeling frustrated by my limitations – I was having to eat dairy-free and wasn’t yet comfortable creating 100% plant-based recipes.

So I asked around, and by a mad stroke of luck, two incredible food bloggers agreed to share recipes here on Kitchen Treaty every month or so – Gina, and, for this recipe, Brandy from Nutmeg Nanny created some serious salad deliciousness.

Every time I make this salad, I have to force myself to stop eating it – it’s that good!

Winter Kale Salad Ingredients

• Baby kale: This plate of deliciousness is made with baby kale because I personally find it to be a bit easier to eat for salads. If you wanted to you use regular curly kale it’s still totally doable, but you might want to give it a little massage first.
• Roasted butternut squash
• Dried cranberries
• Avocado
• Hard boiled eggs
• Apples
• Blue cheese

And for the dressing, we have:

• Olive oil: Because every good vinaigrette starts with olive oil!
• Red wine vinegar
• Meyer lemon juice: Meyer lemons bring the wintertime vibes and are a little sweeter than traditional lemons. But you can use regular lemon juice too!
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

How to Make It

First, roast the butternut squash. While it’s cooking, you can work on chopping your other winter salad ingredients.

Then, mix your vinaigrette dressing right in your big salad-mixing bowl.

Add the veggies to the salad bowl and top with the butternut squash. Toss well to incorporate the dressing, then top with hard-boiled eggs, chicken, tofu, and/or any other protein you like!

Variations/Additions

Amp up the protein. If you prefer a little more protein with your salads you can also add more eggs or dice up some marinated baked tofu. Or, if you’re a carnivore, some crispy fried bacon pieces and some grilled chicken.

Go flexitarian! This winter kale salad can be made One Dish, Two Ways style by separating it into individual servings and topping the carnivores’ portions with sliced chicken.

Try a different winter squash. So many winter squashes lend themselves to roasting and would be amazing in this salad. Kabocha, buttercup, or delicata would be great, especially because they’re small and roasting one would be just about perfect for the quantities in this salad. Pumpkin would be excellent too! I’m partial to Long Island Cheese Pumpkin.

Cook the eggs differently. This winter salad would be so excellent with soft-boiled or even poached eggs in lieu of the hard-boiled eggs.

Tips for Avoiding a Soggy Salad

Now I know in the pictures the salad is perfectly dressed and everything is perfectly placed BUT in real life I do not make a salad like this. In real life it all gets tossed together so every single bite is sure to have some sort of deliciousness hanging out in it. So here is my little tip just to make sure you don’t get a soggy overdressed salad:

1. Make your dressing right in your large salad bowl
2. Throw in your greens and then top with all your other ingredients as they cook and cool.
3. When you’re finally ready to eat the salad, THEN toss quickly and serve.

That way you don’t try dress the salad too early and make it soggy OR make the salads and try to toss the dressing on the plate. (This method is also great for dinner parties!)

More Winter Salad Ideas

I love these green salad recipes for winter:

• Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad with Almonds
• Rainbow Kale Salad brings all the colors!
• This simple fall salad is marketed for autumn but a great fit for winter too
• This Massaged Kale Salad with Chickpeas is another one of my faves.

Print

Winter Kale Salad

Roasted butternut squash, avocado, baby kale, and cranberries join together for a hearty winter salad that can be customized in so many different ways.

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword kale

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 574kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the roasted butternut squash:

• 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed cut into 1/2-inch chunks; from about 1/4 of a medium butternut squash
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the salad dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice can substitute plain lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, minced about 1/2 teaspoon
• Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil

For the salad:

• 5 ounces baby kale washed and dried
• Prepared roasted butternut squash
• 1 avocado cubed
• 1 apple cored and cubed (Fuji is great in this salad)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 4 hard-boiled eggs peeled and halved

Optional toppings:

• Grilled chicken sliced
• Crispy bacon crumbled
• Marinated tofu cubed

Instructions

Roast the butternut squash

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Add butternut squash to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat the squash. Roast until soft and slightly golden in color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before putting on the salad.

Make the salad dressing

• In a large salad bowl (the one you will use for serving) add vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, kosher salt and pepper. Whisk together until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and combined. Taste the dressing and add more kosher salt and pepper if desired.

Assemble the salad

• Top the dressing with the baby kale, butternut squash, avocado, apple, blue cheese, and cranberries. Toss to combine and make sure all ingredients are evenly coated. Top with eggs and serve.

Notes

Meat option:

Add slices of grilled chicken or cooked crumbled bacon. Or both.

Dairy-free option:

Omit the blue cheese.

Vegan option:

Omit the blue cheese and eggs. Add cubed marinated tofu and/or vegan feta. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 9609IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 2mg

Originally published Feb. 29, 2016.

The post Winter Kale Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

(Luckily, they don’t literally scream, because that would be terrifying.)

Anyway, we’re talking two ingredients and only about 10 minutes active hands-on time for the perfect sparkly holiday garnish. Read on for all you need to know about how to make sugared cranberries!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Sugared Cranberries
• Ingredients
• How to Make Sugared Cranberries
• How to Use Sugared Cranberries

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I make sugared cranberries and sugared rosemary every Christmas. The sparkling layer of sugar makes simple garnishes so magical! So I thought it was high time I shared how to make them.

Not much of a story, but sometimes there just isn’t one! 🙂

Why You’ll Love Sugared Cranberries

These pretty sparkling berries make a high-impact, low-effort garnish that livens up everything from cocktails to galettes to Bûche De Noël (yule log cake), which I’m determined to master this Christmas. They look amazing on pies, cheesecakes, and Christmas charcuterie boards.

Not to be confused with the viral popping cranberries that are covered in powdered sugar, baked, and *pop* when you bite them, these sugared cranberries are smothered with frosty granulated sugar for loads of sparkle and tend to be used more as a garnish than as a treat.

So how do you make them? It’s SO EASY.

Ingredients

• Fresh cranberries – throw out the shriveled ones; only the freshest, plumpest cranberries need apply!
• Simple syrup – this acts as the “glue” for the sugar.
• Granulated sugar – For the ultimate in sparkly, frosty goodness!

How to Make Sugared Cranberries

1. To make them, first rinse and dry your cranberries.
2. Then make your simple syrup, let it cool, and give the cranberries a roll in the simple syrup.
3. After they’ve dripped and dried for awhile, you roll them in the granulated sugar. Frosty!
4. Let them sit for awhile longer to dry. Sparkly!

How to Use Sugared Cranberries

Sugared Cranberries holiday-up everything! A few years ago, I dotted an apple galette with a few. Instant festivity! They would look stunning on a vibrant cranberry curd pie, tart, holiday worthy cheesecake like this delicious vanilla chai cheesecake, or dress up a perfectly frosted vanilla cake.

They’re also lovely decorating Christmas punch, dropped into a festive mug of hot spiced Gluhwein, or spear three or four on a cocktail stick and top a cup full of mulled cranberry cider.

I hope you give this pretty cranberry garnish a try this holiday season, that you love them as much as we do! Oh, and for the full sparkly Christmas garnish experience, try my sugared rosemary, too!

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Easy Sugared Cranberries

Add a bit of sparkly magic to the season with sugared cranberries. They're super easy to make and make everything look about 1000% more festive!

Keyword sugared cranberries

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Kare

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Sugared Cranberries

• 2 cups fresh cranberries washed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Make Simple Syrup

• Set a medium saucepan on the stove. 
• Add water and 1/2 cup sugar. Turn heat to medium. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is bubbling around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

Make Sugared Cranberries

• Set a cookie rack in a baking sheet to catch the drips. Add cranberries to simple syrup mixture and stir to coat all of the berries. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cranberries from the syrup, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the cookie rack. Let sit on your kitchen counter for 45 minutes so the excess drips off and the simple syrup thickens a bit. 
• Spread 1/2 cup granulated sugar on a platter. Working with about 1/3 cup at a time, roll and toss cranberries in sugar to coat. Set coated cranberries on a clean cookie sheet to let the sugar harden; about another 45 minutes. 
• Use cranberries as a garnish on cakes, platters, in cocktails … you name it. Sugared cranberries keep for about 3 days. Store uncovered at room temperature.

The post Easy Sugared Cranberries appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Creating the Recipe
• Herbed Quinoa & Wild Rice Stuffing Ingredients
• How to Make It
• Tips for Success
• More Stuffing Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

This totally delicious wild rice quinoa stuffing recipe is a completely vegan AND gluten-free stuffing. Perfect for when you have vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-freers at the table, but you want to serve food that EVERYONE will love. This one fits the bill!

I first shared this wild rice stuffing here five years ago and it’s been one of my top-viewed Thanksgiving recipes ever since.

Stuffing is indeed one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving. Buttery, crunchy chunks of bread – what’s not to love? But sometimes it’s nice to shake things up a bit.

So I thought I’d create a rice-based, gluten-free stuffing with all of the traditional stuffing flavors we love. Something that’s a little more dense and hearty – a vegetarian (and vegan!) stuffing that’s naturally gluten-free, too.

Why not cover all of the dietary bases while also making something everyone will no doubt clamor for? That was my goal here.

Creating the Recipe

We have a wild rice blend – I used a half-and-half blend of wild rice and brown rice. And quinoa – a nice bit of hearty protein added to the mix so that this stuffing can also double as a main dish for those that prefer to skip the turkey.

The rice and quinoa simmer with tart apples, vegetables, veggie broth, and a splash of wine on the stovetop until tender. Then in go a few handfuls of herbs, dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans.

I have to give a shout-out to Michelle, here. She is my hairstylist and friend, and I told her I wasn’t quite happy enough with this recipe. She suggested dried cranberries for texture and another touch of sweet flavor, and it totally did the trick.

So after stirring in those bits of deliciousness, you scoop it all into a casserole dish and bake. The flavors meld and bits of rice on the tops and edges get all irresistibly crunchy. Just like a good stuffing should.

Herbed Quinoa & Wild Rice Stuffing Ingredients

• Olive oil – For greasing the baking dish and for sautéing all of those delicious veggies and other ingredients.
• Onion – I use a standard yellow onion.
• Celery – In my opinion, celery is nearly as essential as sage in a good stuffing recipe. But if you hate celery, it’s okay to leave it out.
• Apples – Go with a tart apple that will keep its shape like Granny Smith.
• Garlic – Adds so much flavor (don’t skip it!)
• Thyme – I like to use fresh thyme, but if you don’t have it, you can use half the quantity of dried thyme.
• Salt – asdf
• Wine – A dry white wine adds immense flavor. Grab one you’ll want to drink, too. I like Sauvignon Blanc or dry Chardonnay here.
• Vegetable broth – Grab a box from the store or make your own vegetable broth.
• Wild rice blend – Go with whatever mix you can find. I try to find a 50% brown rice and 50% wild rice blend, but I know that exact mix may be hard to find. And if you’re needing a 100% gluten-free stuffing, pay careful attention to the ingredients here, because sometimes wild rice blends contain pasta.
• Quinoa – Don’t forget to rinse it off before using it! Quinoa is coated with a substance known as saponins. They can lend bitter flavor if not rinsed off.
• Dried cranberries
• Pecans
• Parsley – Both for flavor inside the wild rice stuffing and for garnish to make it look extra pretty!
• Fresh sage – I call for 1/4 cup of fresh sage leaves. I did have one reader who thought this was too much; if you’re not sure, you can start with half that quantity which will still add lots of lovely sage flavor.

How to Make It

1. First, you’ll saute the veggies then cook the wild rice and quinoa in a pot. Add the cranberries, pecans, and herbs.
2. Pile the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish, leveling it out but not mashing it down.
3. Bake until warmed through and golden brown. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley. That’s it!

Tips for Success

• When transferring the wild rice stuffing from the pot to baking dish, lightly pile it – don’t smash it down! This helps maintain a light and fluffy texture.
• Make ahead: Prep this herbed quinoa and wild rice stuffing up to 3 days ahead of time by assembling it up to the point of baking. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake, then proceed with the recipe.

I hope this Herbed Quinoa & Wild Rice stuffing is a huge hit at your holiday table (or anytime!) It’s one that we’ve made time and again around here – definitely a beloved vegan + gluten free stuffing option.

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Herbed Quinoa & Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe

Specked with fresh herbs, apples, cranberries, and pecans, everyone will love this flavor-filled stuffing – and nobody will guess its little secret: it's vegetarian, vegan, AND gluten-free! Plus, the addition of protein-rich quinoa gives this hearty stuffing main-dish cred – perfect for those that prefer to skip the turkey.

Course Side Dish

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword gluten free stuffing, quinoa dressing, quinoa stuffing, rice dressing, rice stuffing, vegan stuffing, wild rice dressing, wild rice stuffing

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 461kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for greasing the baking dish + more for drizzling over the top
• 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped [about 1/2 cup]
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/2 cup dry-ish white wine I like Sauv Blanc for both cooking and drinking; Chardonnay would work well too
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups uncooked wild rice blend* I prefer a blend of 50% wild rice and 50% brown rice
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed well
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
• 1 cup raw pecans chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley + 1/4 cup more for topping after baking
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves minced

Instructions

• Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil. When hot, add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the apples, garlic, thyme, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute. Stir in wine, then add broth. Bring to a boil. Stir in the wild rice blend and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and cover again. Cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 more minutes. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, 1/2 cup parsley, and sage. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub a large (9-inch x 13-inch is best) casserole dish with a little olive oil. Lightly scoop the rice mixture into the casserole dish, lightly mounding it instead of mashing it down.
• Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley. Serve.

Notes

Wild Rice/Gluten-Free Note

Some wild rice blends contain pasta, so if you need a 100% gluten free stuffing, please be careful about the blend you choose!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg

More Stuffing Recipes

• Cornbread Stuffing
• Vegan Buttery Herb Stuffing
• Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Stuffing
• Sourdough Herb Stuffing

Originally posted Nov. 3, 2015

The post Herbed Quinoa & Wild Rice Stuffing appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

This vegan stuffed delicata squash makes for the perfect transitional side. And by transitional I mean it can be a side for the meat-eaters but easily transition into a main dish for the vegan and vegetarian folks. (I also call these substantial sides or meal-worthy sides because apparently it is in my nature to be wildly inconsistent. Either way: Super-handy for multi-vore households!)

After all, they say Thanksgiving is all about the sides. And as someone who doesn’t partake in turkey, it’s safe to say that I agree. This stuffed delicata squash side dish is one that I’m pretty excited about, too; with wild rice, lentils, and cranberries, it hits all the right marks.  

This stuffed delicata squash recipe uses one of my favorite winter squashes to cook with, delicata squash. I’ve had these things in bowls, baskets, rolling around on my kitchen counter, and roasting in my oven all season long. Love the things, just love ’em. 

This stuffed delicata squash might be my application so far.

What is Delicata Squash?

If you’re new to Delicata Squash, I thought I’d share a bit about it here. It’s one of my faves! (By the way, I love squash so much, I recently launched a whole new website about it. For real!)

Delicata squash is a delicious winter squash that has really exploded in popularity over the past decade or so.

Pale to bright yellow in hue with green or orange vertical stripes, delicata squash’s small, oblong shape is similar to that of a chubby zucchini. Delicata, though, is a winter squash (zucchini is a summer squash).

Inside, delicata squash is a pale orange. The squash is creamy, light, and, well, delicate in taste – if Sweet Potato Lite was such a thing, delicata would taste a lot like that.

One of the best things about delicata squash is that the skin is great for eating – it’s thin and a bit chewy when cooked. Being able to leave the skin on makes for a prettier presentation – and whole a lot less preparation. Win!

How to Make It

Half and de-seed your delicata squash, brush with olive oil, and place the oven to roast. While that’s happening? Whip up a your hearty wild rice pilaf, amped up with French green lentils, flavored with curry powder and cumin, and dotted with dried cranberries and pecans. Yess.

Once your pilaf is done and your squash is roasted, just fill in your little squash boats, sprinkle with parsley, and away you go. 

Can’t you just see this on your Thanksgiving table? 

Oh and did I mention these bad boys are vegan AND gluten-free? Perfect for when you have guests with special diets – just cover ’em all in one swoop. Well, and if you have anyone with nut allergies coming to the table, you could totally leave those out too – this dish is still plenty delicious without. 

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Wild Rice & Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash with Cranberries & Pecans

Wild rice pilaf heartied up with lentils, flavored with curry spices and cumin, and dotted with sweet dried cranberries and crunchy pecans – all served up in delicious roasted delicata squash halves. Yum!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 348kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 3/4 cup wild rice blend rinsed well
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1-2 teaspoons curry powder to taste*
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup French green lentils rinsed
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar packed
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

For the squash:

• 3 delicata squash stems cut off, halved vertically, seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the garnish:

• A few leaves of fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make the pilaf. Set a large saute pan with lid (or a medium dutch oven) over low heat. Add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until a few pieces of the rice start to get golden on the ends, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
• Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth, the brown sugar, and the lentils. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer, stir, and cover. Set the timer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture begins to get too dry before being cooked all of the way, add additional broth. If the mixture seems too wet after cooking for awhile, vent the pan to help some of the liquid evaporate. I’ve found making the pilaf is not an exact science as each pan is different, so just monitor your pilaf as it cooks. Pilaf is done when it’s relatively dry and the lentils and rice are tender, about 40 minutes.
• Remove pilaf from heat and stir the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Taste and add the remaining teaspoon of curry powder and more salt and pepper if you wish.
• Meanwhile, while the pilaf cooks, prepare the delicata squash. Cut the stems off the ends, half lengthwise, scrape the seeds out with a spoon, and brush the inside of each half with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until fork-tender and golden around the edges. Remove from oven.
• When ready to serve, flip over the delicata squash and spoon pilaf into the squash halves. I like to mound it just a bit but not too much or serving will become interesting (as in messy). You may have some pilaf left over. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 872mg | Potassium: 953mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 3362IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Wild Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash with Cranberries & Pecans appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I love this Apple Cranberry Crisp for Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert. It is SO EASY to make, and it’s such a crowd-pleaser (especially with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Table of Contents

• Ingredients
• Best Apples for Apple Crisp

• Jump the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Reviews & Comments

Ingredients

This vegan and dairy-free version of the happy fall/winter classic swaps coconut oil in for the butter, and you’d never know it. But if you prefer to stick with butter, just swap it on in for the coconut oil. That’ll work too!

For ingredients, we’ve got:

• Apples
• Fresh cranberries
• Cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla – mmmm sweetness and flavor.
• Cornstarch – this helps thicken up the filling just enough to be scoopable without being runny.
• And for the topping, we have rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, coconut oil (feel free to swap in butter if you prefer), and pinch of sea salt.

Best Apples for Apple Crisp

You have a few choices apple-wise with this one. You can go with straight-up all Granny Smiths, the star of the apple pie world. Known for their tart flavor and the fact they don’t just all go to mush, they’re perfect in this apple cranberry crisp.

But sometimes it’s nice to add something more intensely apple-y and sweet – honeycrisps, golden delicious or braeburns are all solid choices.

And then we have the cranberries. Many years ago, I shared this recipe for apple cranberry pie, and I make most every year. But it calls for cranberry sauce. For this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp, I envisioned a fresh cranberry situation – some nice tart bites as a counterpoint to all the sweetness going on here.

And oh goodness – I loooove fresh cranberries in this dessert. I may even need to go back and revisit that pie recipe.

I think this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp is a perfect casual yet festive choice for Thanksgiving dessert. I mean, some folks aren’t huge pumpkin pie fans, so this one’s a nice alternative. Plus – no dairy or eggs! You can probably even make this gluten-free if needed – try some one-for-one gluten-free flour or oat flour (I haven’t tried either but will report back as soon as I do!)

But trust me – special diet or not, this one is a crowd pleaser.

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Apple Cranberry Crisp

Sweet apples, tart cranberries, a kiss of vanilla and cinnamon … perfection. This festive yet simple dessert is a total crowd-pleaser, and it just happens to be dairy-free and vegan!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 372kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

Filling:

• 5 medium Granny Smith apples about 2 pounds (A half-and-half combo of Granny Smith and honeycrisps, braeburns, or golden delicious are also wonderful), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups fresh cranberries rinsed and picked over
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar*
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 1/2 cup solid coconut oil

For serving:

• Vanilla ice cream optional but highly recommended. My favorite non-dairy/vegan vanilla ice cream is Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To a large bowl, add the filling ingredients. Toss well to combine. Pour into a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and spread into a relatively even layer.
• To a medium bowl (or rinse and wipe out the large bowl to reuse), add the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until well-combined. Add the coconut oil and cut in with a pastry blender or butter knives. Mix well, until topping resembles coarse crumbs. Pour evenly over apple cranberry filling.
• Bake until bubbly, apples are fork-tender, and the top is golden-brown, 35-40 minutes.
• Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then serve – preferably alongside a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

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Nutty Chickpea Pilaf. The title is straight-up, succinct, to the point, a little silly. Kind of like the recipe itself. Well, except the actual dish is not all that silly. But it is nice and simple. Relatively few ingredients, not too much hands-on time. It’s a keeper.

Substantial sides like this one are crucial to the balance we try to maintain in our multi-vore kitchen. With hazelnuts, pecans, and chickpeas added to the mix, the protein makes it satiating – the perfect main for me. And then, if my guy wants, he can treat it more as a side and have meat with it.

Hey, we all need a little nuttiness in our lives! 

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Nutty Chickpea Pilaf

A hearty pilaf with a satisfying nutty crunch and, thanks to a handful of dried cranberries, a touch of contrasting sweetness. A plethora of chickpeas elevates what's typically a side to entree status. My favorite dinner lately!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 large or 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup brown Basmati rice rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 1/3 cup unsalted hazelnuts chopped
• 1/3 cup unsalted pecans chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped

Instructions

• Set a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic, rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice begins to crackle, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the vegetable broth, the dried cranberries, and the chickpeas. Increase heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes. If the liquid cooks off before your rice is cooked through, add a little more water and keep cooking until the rice is done.
• Fold in the hazelnuts, pecans, and parsley. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Remove from heat and serve.

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I can’t stop eating them.

They are just … yum. Perfect right out of the fridge. Sort of chewy, but not crazy chewy. A little sweet, a little salty.

But they’re chock full of good, good stuff. Oats, pumpkin seeds, even some chia seeds thrown into the mix. I could be wolfing down a lot worse, right?!

I am pretty much obsessed as evidenced not only by how much I love to eat these things (my guy has a hard time keeping his hands off of them, too), but I am also obsessed with:

1. How easy they are to make. Five minutes to whip up!
2. How handy they are to have around. Homemade grab-and-go food – the best kind of grab-and-go food!
3. How delicious they are. Oh wait; I’ve covered that, haven’t I?

I first came across the recipe for these granola bars in my brand-spankin’ new Food 52 Vegan cookbook by Gena Hamshaw. This version of the recipe, No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars with Dried Cranberries & Pepitas, is a slight spin on the original. I’ve swapped the raisins for cranberries, added chia seeds, and chosen salted pepitas. Yum.

These no-bake granola bars are a tasty, tasty problem indeed.

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating! And, if you find it share-worthy – which I hope you do – please share. Tag #kitchentreaty on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, and don’t forget to check out my other recipes!

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No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars with Dried Cranberries & Pepitas

These refrigerator granola bars take mere minutes to assemble. Our favorite homemade grab-and-go snack!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup toasted salted pepitas unsalted/untoasted work too
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds optional
• 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter I use the natural stuff
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup brown rice syrup can sub agave nectar

Instructions

• Line an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. I like to use a long piece with the sides sticking out so I can use them as "handles" to lift out the bars later on.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pepitas, cranberries, and chia seeds.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter and 1/2 cup brown rice syrup.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon. If the ingredients aren't quite sticking together, add a little more brown rice syrup, stirring after each addition, until they do.
• Pour into the baking dish and press flat with your hands. The more firmly you can press, the less likely they are to be crumbly!
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm. Lift from baking dish and cut with a sharp chef's knife. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Notes

Gluten-free note:

This recipe is already gluten-free; just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats to be safe.

Adapted from Food52

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I wore white, and a woman approached me and looked me up and down. Laughing, she told me I was brave. I didn’t get it. Several wineries later, as I swirled my wine like an amateur, I splashed precious Zin all down my front. I didn’t really care, though, because I’d discovered the single greatest red wine in all the land. (Having several tastings under my belt didn’t hurt, either).

So why waste my very favorite wine on a batch of cranberry sauce?! Oh, my friends, it’s not a waste. I mean, you may not want to use the $50 stuff (YUM – my fave splurge) or anything, but don’t feel bad about sacrificing a hefty splash of reasonably priced Zinfandel in this Raspberry Red Wine Cranberry Sauce. (Plus, now I’ve given you an excuse to crack open a bottle. You’re welcome!)

Because zinfandel often smells to me like the most luscious of raspberry jams, I thought it would pair perfectly with raspberries for this unique (but super simple!) red wine cranberry sauce recipe. Instead of using water like we typically do for homemade cranberry sauce, we’ve got this rich red wine thing going on. Yes, yes, yes. Cinnamon, meanwhile, plays off of zinfandel’s spicy tendencies and brings us back around to fall, Thanksgiving style.

I’ve already made up a big batch of this cranberry sauce, and it eagerly waits in the freezer for this year’s Thanksgiving. I’m going to take it, along with a bottle of Zinfandel, to Thanksgiving dinner. And I’m going to wear white, dang it!

Bravery. It’s a good thing.

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Raspberry Cranberry Sauce

Red wine, raspberries, and cinnamon make for a special – yet still surprisingly simple – homemade cranberry sauce. Tart, just a bit jammy, and warmly spiced. Love!

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 6 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup honey + more to taste can substitute granulated sugar [will not be refined-sugar free] or pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup red zinfandel wine not white zinfandel!
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Rinse cranberries and discard any unripe or shriveled berries. Pick over raspberries and do the same. Place in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup honey, zinfandel, and cinnamon.
• Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries pop and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Taste and add additional honey until the sauce has reached your desired level of sweetness. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve.
• Keeps for up to one week refrigerated in an airtight container, or for up to two months in the freezer.

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