Christmas is finally here and everywhere you go you are greeted with the smells of mulled wine and roast turkey. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and we cannot wait to say goodbye to the office and hello to doing nothing for a week or two surrounded by our nearest and dearest. Ah Christmas – there are so many things to love about you.
I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that above everything, the highlight of Christmas is all the food we get to eat. Christmas is about quality gluttony and most of us will eat several spectacularly large meals over the holiday season. Not to mention all the chocolates and treats we end up grazing on throughout the course of the day. Food is pivotal to Christmas, but that doesn’t mean it has to be traditional. This year, why not jazz up your Christmas dinner by adding a modern twist to your old favourites. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Balsamic Glazed Potatoes and Asparagus
If you’re not so keen on the heavy, oily roast potatoes of Christmas past, jazz it up with this simple recipe. Grab yourself a large roasting tin and pour in some garlic infused olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Next, add in the potatoes – new potatoes cut into quarters work best for this. Toss the roasting tin so the potatoes get fully covered in the oil and vinegar then roast for 20 minutes at 200C. After 20 minutes, chuck in some asparagus and drizzle on a little more olive oil. Cook for another 15 minutes before adding a dash more balsamic vinegar and serving up.
Creamy Garlic Cauliflower Rice
Tired of cauliflower cheese? Try something different this year. Turn your cauliflower into rice! Cook a cup of brown rice and then put it to one side. Then, bring a mixture of vegetable broth and water to boil and throw in your chopped up cauliflower. Cook for ten minutes and then transfer to a food processor. Blend the cauliflower until it is creamy and pour over the rice. In a pan mix butter and garlic and add the cauliflower rice mixture. Season with salt and cover with cheese on top.
Stuffing Muffins
Forget about messy stuffing pouring out of your turkey. These cute stuffing muffins are the best way to get your stuffing fix this Christmas. Sauté garlic, onions, celery, butter, salt, pepper, and sage in a pan until soft and set aside to cool. When cool, dump them in a mixing bowl and add tiny cubes of bread and parsley. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 2 cups of chicken broth and pour them over the bread and sautéed vegetables, making sure everything is soaked through. Now, fill a muffin tray with the mixture and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Maple Glazed Carrots
Maple syrup is one of the best ways to bring out the natural sweetness of carrots. This recipe is simple and will convert even the pickiest eater into a fully fledged carrot lover. Best of all, it’s really easy. Coat your carrots in olive oil and roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Take them out of the oven and put butter and maple syrup directly into the roasting tin. Let it all melt and then toss the carrots in the mixture so they are well coated. Roast for another five minutes and you’re done!
