Holiday Side Special: Cranberry Sauce

It's a really fun experience to make your own cranberry sauce instead of just taking it out of a can. With a basic recipe, the variations are endless. In this recipe, you can bump up the orange taste by adding the zest of an orange, if you like. Another variation you could do is by adding fresh grated ginger (from a two-inch knob) and ½ teaspoon cinnamon for a spicier sauce. For a sugar-free sauce, replace the sugar with an equal amount of Splenda®.

Holiday Side Special: Brussels Sprout Casserole

As you all know, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Currently, I am racking my brain trying to come up with some interesting side dishes for this year's feasting. I came across this recipe in the AHA Cookbook and tried it out last night. I have never cooked a Brussels sprout in my life and this dish turned out beautifully! For a great dinner for one, I cooked some brown rice and served the casserole over top. Serves 8.

Historically, the Brussels sprout has gotten a bum rap for being bitter and mushy. The real culprit is overcooking. Cooked properly, Brussels sprouts have a surprisingly mild flavor in comparison with their other cruciferous brethren. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Not to mention, the cruciferous family of vegetables are believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Looking for a fast and healthy dinner? These enchiladas are vegetarian, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious. They are the perfect canvas for a wide variety of toppings and salsas, so customize to your palette's desire. This recipe was adapted from the American Heart Association cookbook. Serves 8-10.

Chicken Curry (Murgh Kari)

There's nothing better than a pot of hearty, spicy chicken curry to warm the spirit on a gloomy winter day. This amazing recipe is adapted from the Cook's Illustrated book, The Best International Recipe. With this recipe, it is very important to have your ingredients "pot ready"—all prepped and ready to go.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

Whenever I visit Tacoma, I seem to always end up at Pho 38th. Their rice noodle salad with chicken is simply amazing. It's chock full of vegetables (and flavor!) and yet seems to last and last in your stomach. So, naturally, I find myself needing to recreate this dish at home. The result was so good and so authentic, I urge you to try this for yourself. This recipe serves 1.

Arroz con Pollo

This savory dish is chicken and rice, but even better. A Latin flavor profile with peppers, vinegar, cilantro, and tomato sauce give this dish an interesting bite. It tastes really great topped with extra cilantro, pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, and served with a corn tortilla. This dish serves 4–6 people.