Sunday Fall Side Dishes!

Fall is my favourite time of year.  The colours, the crisp autumn days and all the amazing comfort foods that start showing up at family dinners.  My 8 year old spotted these carrots at our local organic market and insisted we buy them.  In gorgeous fall colours what mom could refuse.  Purple, white, yellow and traditional orange made up the 3 pound bag.  The flavour profile was the same, although not as sweet as orange carrots the purple, white and yellow variety tasted only slightly more like a parsnip.  While my 8 year old was happy to eat them raw, I roasted the majority to have as a side with our grass fed steak.  The other side dish, a zesty red cabbage and kale stir fry.

Afordable and plentiful carrots, cabbage and kale are nutritional and culinary workhorses. Raw or cooked these veggies can be enjoyed in a multitude of dishes.

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

2 lbs peeled carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
To prepare carrots, cut each one lengthwise and then each half in half again.
Place in a roasting dish, toss with olive oil and spices.
Place roasting pan in oven for 45-60 minutes.  Depends on how thick the carrots are.
Cook until tender.

This dish is a nutritional powerhouse.  Chalked full of antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals, kale and cabbage prevent cancer and help the liver eliminate unwanted toxins from the body.  Hearty and satisfying this colourful side is amazingly addictive. 

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)

1/2 bunch of kale, ribs removed and torn into bite sized peices

1/2 onion, sliced

3 slices bacon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chili flakes

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp honey or brown sugar(optional)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (walnuts and almonds work to)

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until brown,  remove and set aside.

Remove all but 2 Tbsp of bacon fat from the pan.

Add onion, garlic, mustard seeds and chili flakes and cook for 3 minutes

Add cabbage and kale and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add apple cider vinegar and brown sugar, mix in and cover.

Cook for another 10 minutes.

Add nuts, crumble in cooked bacon

Season with salt and pepper.