Found: The Thanksgiving Side That Will Make Your Skin Glow
While a typical Thanksgiving table might be enough to induce a stomachache based on sight alone, we think of the holiday as an opportunity to nourish your body, in addition to your soul. With that in mind, we reached out to Jessica Murnane, author of the best-selling cookbook One Part Plant, and host of the mega-successful podcast One Part Podcast, for her Thankgiving favorites.
Her plant-forward food philosophy has helped her (and Lena Dunham, who wrote her book’s foreword!) deal with the oft-debilitating pain of endometriosis, and her easy-to-make recipes will help even the least confident cook bring a wow-worthy dish to the table. Today,
When it comes to the ultimate plant-based Thanksgiving, Murnane told mindbodygreen "It's all about taking the classics and making them more plant-based!" She’s shared her recipe for Za’atar Sweet Potatoes and Garlicky Kale with us, which is a great example of making a Thanksgiving classic a standout dish with some superfood and super spice additions.
Za'atar Sweet Potatoes and Garlicky Kale
Sweet potatoes are in the anti-inflammatory family of foods, which can help with the bloat during the holidays. Don't get me wrong; I'll probably still be having some good old-fashioned mashed potatoes, too. But it's good to mix it up. Feeling less bloated is always a bonus on this holiday!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 medium-size sweet potatoes, cut into cubes (about 4 cups)
- Olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bunch kale, destemmed and roughly chopped (about 6 cups)
- Sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To make the za’atar, first toast the sesame seeds. In a small dry pan, heat the seeds over medium for 3 to 5 minutes, until they’re lightly browned. Stir occasionally, so they don’t burn. Let them cool. In a small bowl, combine the sumac, thyme, sesame seeds, and salt.
- Fill a medium pot halfway with water, and bring it to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and parboil them (cook them just until they start to soften). This will take 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a medium bowl. Toss them with a glug of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the za’atar seasoning until coated.
- Spread the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and roast them for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, move them around on the baking sheet and continue roasting for another 5 minutes or until they begin to slightly brown.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the remaining za’atar and set it aside.
- In a large skillet, heat a glug of olive oil over medium. When the pan is hot, add the garlic. Sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant, about a minute. Add the greens and stir until they turn bright green and begin to soften. Add the sweet potatoes and heat everything for a few more minutes. Top the vegetables with some of the za’atar and oil mixture and serve.
Source: Mindbodygreen
By: Liz Moody