Brussels sprouts are cooked with bacon, parmesan cheese and black garlic in a cast iron skillet. Before I came up with this recipe, my wife and children hated Brussels sprouts. If needed, sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top.
An orange bell pepper-carved and ready for Halloween-becomes an edible bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese.
Directions:
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve. Remove the seeds and membranes. Put the peppers and the tops in the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge the peppers into the ice bath. Once cool, remove them and use a sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into one side of each pepper.
Return the water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain (don’t rinse the pasta).
Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Off the heat, add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season with salt if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes, then divide the mac and cheese among the peppers and cap each with a pepper top.
This hasselback aubergine parmigiana is delicious twist on a classic Italian dish. Crisp aubergine slices are baked in a rich tomato sauce and sprinkled with parmesan.
Get more inspiration with our 20 best aubergine recipes, including a tasty aubergine and feta frittata.
Ingredients
1 large onion
5 tbsp olive oil
3 crushed garlic cloves
2 tbsp tomato puree
500ml tomato passata
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 ½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp caster sugar
Large pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
2 large aubergines
50g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 mozzarella ball
30g dried breadcrumbs
Small handful fresh basil
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Halve, peel and slice the onion. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 8-10 minutes to soften. Add the crushed garlic, then cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour in the passata, chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp of the dried oregano, caster sugar, a large pinch of chilli flakes (optional) and some salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly reduced. Pour the sauce into the baking dish.
Take the aubergines and make widthways cuts at 1cm intervals, three quarters of the way through, so the slices are still attached at the bottom. Drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil, getting into the cuts. Spoon a little tomato sauce into the cuts, along with 30g grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Arrange the aubergines in the baking dish on top of the sauce and bake for 30 minutes until the aubergines are slightly charred.
Cut the mozzarella ball into 6-8 pieces, then dot over the aubergines. In a small bowl, mix the dried breadcrumbs with 20g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp dried oregano. Sprinkle over the aubergines and bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is golden and the aubergines are tender. Top with fresh basil and serve with crusty bread or a green salad.
NUTRITION: PER SERVING
CALORIES
782KCALS
FAT
48.5G (17.1G SATURATED)
PROTEIN
30.3G
CARBOHYDRATES
47.4G (32G SUGARS)
FIBRE
17.6G
SALT
1.3G
delicious. tips
You’ll also need a 2-3 litre capacity baking dish.
You can make the parmigiana up to 1 day ahead. Cool, then chill, covered. Reheat in a low oven for 30-40 minutes to serve.
Prep Time:15mins Cook Time:40mins Total Time: 55mins
WHAT IS CURRY POWDER?
Since curry powder is responsible for all of the seasoning in the bowls, let’s take a minute to chat about it. If you’ve never had curry powder, it’s a warm blend of spices that are pre-ground and blended to mimic the fresh spices used in Indian cuisine. This blend usually includes cumin, turmeric, coriander, and other spices. Every curry powder blend is unique, so you may need to experiment with different brands or recipes to find one that suits your palate. If you’d like to try making your own curry powder, try this recipe for homemade curry powder from Spice it Upp.
ADD MORE TO YOUR CURRY ROASTED VEGETABLE BOWLS
I kept my curry roasted vegetable bowls simple because I like simplicity, but you can add more to make them a little more fancy, if you’d like. I think a light sprinkle of raisins would add an incredible pop of sweetness to contrast the savory curry powder and tahini dressing.
Slivered almonds would offer an amazing crunch to these bowls without competing with the already strong flavors.
If you want to add some meat, rotisserie chicken would be great, as would some Yogurt Marinated Chicken.
SWAP OUT THE VEGETABLES OR GRAINS
This recipe is super flexible. You can swap out the vegetables for anything you like. Try broccoli, sweet potatoes, asparagus, sweet bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, or whatever vegetable you like.
The same goes for the “bed” for these bowls. If you don’t like brown rice you can swap it out with white rice, couscous, quinoa, your favorite grain, or even salad greens.
HOW LONG DO THE LEFTOVERS LAST?
Simple bowl meals like this hold up in the refrigerator for about four days, with the dressing kept on the side. Your mileage may vary depending on the freshness of your ingredients and the conditions within your fridge. I’ll link my favorite meal prep containers for meals like this in the recipe below.
INGREDIENTS:
1cuplong grain brown rice (uncooked)($0.40)
1headcauliflower($2.29)
3carrots($0.24)
1red onion($0.37)
1cupfrozen peas($0.60)
2Tbspolive oil($0.32)
2Tbspcurry powder($0.30)
1/2tspsalt($0.02)
LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
1/3cuptahini($1.13)
1/3cupwater($0.00)
1/4cuplemon juice($0.18)
2clovesgarlic, minced($0.16)
1/2tsp ground cumin($0.05)
1/4tspcayenne($0.02)
1/4tspsalt($0.02)
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin the rice first because it takes the longest to cook. Combine the uncooked rice in a pot with 2 cups water. Place a lid on top, turn the heat onto high, and allow the water to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the rice simmer for 45 minutes (no stirring). After 45 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest with the lid in place for an additional five minutes.
Once the rice is started, move on to the curry roasted vegetables. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Peel and slice the carrots. Slice the red onion into ¼-inch wide slices.
Place the cauliflower, carrots, and red onion on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then add the curry powder and salt. Toss the vegetables until everything is evenly coated in oil and spices. Spread the vegetables out over the baking sheet in a single layer.
Transfer the seasoned vegetables to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes give them a good stir, then roast for another 15 minutes. Next, add the frozen peas and toss together with the roasted vegetables, then return the baking sheet to the oven for the an additional 5 minutes. Taste the vegetables and add additional salt, if needed.
While the rice is simmering and the vegetables are roasting, make the lemon tahini dressing. Place the tahini, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, cayenne, and salt in a blender then blend until smooth. Set the dressing aside.
When the rice has finished cooking, fluff with a fork. Place about ¾ cup rice into each bowl or meal prep container. Top with ¼ of the roasted vegetables. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of dressing just before serving.
Everyone will be eating their vegetables thanks to this stunning salad.
This bright and beautiful salad is filled with flavor, thanks to fresh heirloom tomatoes and a homemade bacon vinaigrette.
YIELDS:8servings TOTAL TIME:0 hours 15 mins
INGREDIENTS
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
Fresh chives, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Cook bacon in a medium skillet on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 mins. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; pour off all but 2 Tbsp. grease. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add sherry vinegar and Dijon mustard; cook, scraping up any brown bits, until incorporated, 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk in olive oil. Arrange tomatoes on a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with bacon, blue cheese, and chives.
SERVES 2 
