Here is one of my side dishes from Thanksgiving this year, full of seasonal root vegetables along with the flavors of fresh ginger and maple syrup. The vegetables can be prepped the night before, or during the day while the turkey is cooking.

While the turkey is cooking, prepare the dish and place it in the oven during the last 20 minutes of the turkey cooking time. Once you remove the turkey, increase the heat to 400F and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 more minutes. This gives you time to let the turkey rest and get the rest of the food ready, then pull out the vegetables right before serving.

When preparing the vegetables, cut everything to the same relative shape and size. This will ensure that all the vegetables cook at the same rate, and that way you don’t end up with mushy carrots and rock-hard sweet potatoes.

Ginger Roasted Root Vegetables w/ Pecans
adapted from Food & Wine magazine

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
2 large parsnips, peeled and sliced about 1 inch thick
4 medium to small carrots, peeled and sliced about 1 inch thick
1 container (8 oz) whole baby bella mushrooms, rinsed and halved
1 cup whole pecans
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (about a 2 inch piece)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 /4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup maple syrup
Ground cinnamon, optional

Preheat the oven to 400F and brush a 13×9 inch baking dish with olive oil.

Combine the prepared vegetables in a large bowl along with the mushrooms and pecans. Add ginger, olive oil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss all of the ingredients, coating the vegetables.

Add vegetables to the prepared baking dish, then drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon just before serving, if desired.

Originally, this recipe came from the local newspaper. When I started making it, however, it called for 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cheese in the soup. That gave me pause because I have never used that much butter in soup, and it didn’t seem like a cheese-based soup. It seemed like the recipe was using butter and cheese to add flavor, rather than building the flavors of the soup with herbs, onions, and other healthy ingredients.

I started tinkering with the recipe, as I tend to do, and ended up with something very different from the original. I changed proportions, added and subtracted ingredients, and completely disregarded the use of butter or cheese. The end result was fantastic! James and I both enjoyed this hearty soup, packed full of vegetables and protein-rich great northern beans. A relatively small amount of sausage (1/2 lb) gives flavor and body to the soup.

Great Northern Bean & Sausage Soup

1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
sea salt
2-3 small or medium carrots, diced
1 can (14-15 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cans (15 oz each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken stock or broth
6 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
black pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned, crumbling with a wooden spoon. Add onions, garlic, carrots and a pinch of salt. Saute until onions soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes with liquid, thyme sprigs, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Add beans and cook until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 5-7 minutes.

Add chicken stock to pan. Using wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and stir in chopped spinach. Reduce heat to low and simmer until spinach wilts, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add black pepper to taste. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Frugal Breakdown:
1/2 lb sausage: $1.48
1 onion: $0.50
3 garlic cloves: negligible
sea salt: negligible
2-3 carrots: $0.75
1 can diced tomatoes: $1.05
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme: $0.50
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes: negligible
2 cans great northern beans: $1.78
6 cups chicken broth: $2.29
6 cups fresh spinach: $2.00
black pepper: negligible
TOTAL: $10.35

Verdict: So close! Though the sausage is not necessary, which would bring the total to $8.87. Some of the broth could be replaced with water, which would decrease the total as well. The total would probably increase even more with the original version including butter and cheese.

Regardless of the price, this was a huge hit. We also had couple rolls on the side from the local bakery, which added $1.50 to the meal. There are easily 6 servings of this soup, so even at the original price that is only $1.72 per serving, plus about $3 for rolls. The soup is even better the next day, after the flavors have a chance to mingle.

Another Soupified recipe, this one has been the favorite since the project began. James and I both enjoyed this simple soup, packed full of vegetables and a flavorful broth. With some easy substitutions, this could easily transform into a vegan recipe (swap out vegetable broth for chicken stock and substitute oil for butter).

Caraway seeds do not show up often in my recipes, even though they have a wonderful, anise-like flavor. If you do not have caraway seeds, try using dried basil with a pinch of dried thyme or ground anise seed.

Cauliflower Soup
adapted from Cooking Light

2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large head cauliflower, chopped or broken into florets
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat; add onion with a pinch of salt and saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Add the cauliflower, potato, carrot, and caraway seeds. Cook 6 minutes or until cauliflower begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in salt and pepper.

Above: Top individual bowls of soup with fresh ground black pepper, if desired.

Interesting story about this recipe: during one of my visits to the doctor’s office, I spotted a great recipe for Vegetable Couscous Pilaf in Food & Wine magazine while in the waiting room. I figured I would find it online afterwards, but after trolling Food & Wine’s website as well as countless Google searches, I finally gave up my quest. Fortunately (or not, depending on your view of the situation), I returned to the doctor’s office two weeks later and hunted down the magazine. I was in the middle of hand copying the magazine when the doctor interrupted me and tore out the pages. What a nice guy!

While I did make some minor adjustments, the recipe was excellent. The spice combination of cumin, paprika, and caraway seed gave the dish a subtle, exotic seasoning complimented by hearty carrots, parsnips, and fresh zucchini. This couscous is flavored with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, which adds to the overall flavor. It is not quite an all-in-one meal, but a simple side of eggplant, mushrooms, or meat would create a balanced dinner.

Above: Sauteed veggies simmer in a stockpot. 

Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
adapted from Food & Wine

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium parsnip, peeled and finely sliced
1 medium carrot, finely sliced
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup golden raisins

Heat oil in a large stockpot or deep skillet. Over high heat, saute parsnip and carrot until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown slightly.

Add cumin, paprika, and caraway. Saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, then cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in golden raisins just before serving.

Above: Just after fluffing the couscous.

Economically Friendly: Fresh veggies are always inexpensive, along with onions and garlic. Things like chicken stock, couscous, and golden raisins are pantry staples for me and can often be found on sale. The spices in this recipe are fairly common, caraway seed is not something I normally use but is in the spice rack. At only 1/4 teaspoon, it could be omitted without sacrificing too much flavor. Fennel seed or anise seed would be adequate substitutions.

Environmentally Responsible: Root vegetables are typically considered “all season” even though they peak in autumn, as they keep for longer than most produce. Zucchini can be purchased locally in most areas this time of year as well. A dish like this also makes meat a “side” item rather than the main attraction.

Excellently Healthy:Vegetables, spices, and couscous are great for balancing a diet. Keep the rest of the meal in check and this is a very healthy (and delicious) dish.

One of the most popular recipes on the website is Moroccan Chicken Couscous, which I made last summer with a bounty of vegetables from the Farmer’s Market. The one thing I did not like about the dish is that the spices were very subtle, and the amounts probably needed to be increased for more flavor.

While searching for recipe ideas for Veganomics, I came across a recipe from Cooking Light magazine with tons of vegetables and spices with couscous, and decided to try it. I made several modifications to accommodate what I had on hand, and you could use just about any vegetables you like in this recipe. Chick peas would be a great substitution for the mushrooms, zucchini would also be excellent.

I did not peel the eggplant, though you certainly could if you find the skin too tough. Look for an eggplant with smooth, unblemished skin that weights about 1 pound. Larger eggplant can be bitter and have more seeds. The couscous I used is particularly flavorful: tricolor with sun-dried tomato and spinach flavors.

Vegetables simmering before addition of couscous:

Moroccan Eggplant with Couscous
adapted from Cooking Light

2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of saffron threads (substitute turmeric if not available)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large eggplant, about 1 lb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each), undrained
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup orange juice
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  

Heat oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger, saute 2-3 minutes. Add spice mixture, eggplant, tomatoes with juice, carrots and cabbage; saute 3 minutes.

Add orange juice and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Summary:

Economically Friendly: The eggplant, which is often substituted for meat in dishes, was $0.99 per pound. Ground beef, however, was originally priced $4.39 per pound, and on sale was only reduced to $3.59 per pound. Pantry staples like canned tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic and onion didn’t break the bank either.

NOTE: Saffron is crazy-expensive, but I bought it months ago and haven’t used it, so I felt this was an appropriate time to get my money’s worth. Turmeric is a reasonably price substitution, and sometimes referred to as “the poor man’s saffron.”

Ecologically Responsible: Aside from avoiding the use of meat, this recipe can be adjusted to accommodate the vegetables currently in season. It is also an all-in-one meal, which reduces energy needs for cooking and the amount of dishes to be cleaned.

Excellently Healthy: Loaded with tons of veggies, plus spices for flavor, a generous 2 cup serving has approximately 300 calories. Adding chick peas would give it a boost of protein. Garlic, ginger, and cinnamon have all sorts of proven health benefits. I found this dish to be surprisingly filling and satisfying.