Work-toberfest: Take 2

subtitled- "WE WIN!"

One year ago, we competed in our first annual Oktoberfest Cook-Off at Mark's work. We didn't place, even though heart and soul went into that Broccoli and Cheddar Ale Soup, and we cleaned splatters off of our walls for days. This year was a different story for us... because we WON FIRST PLACE!

Our winning recipe was Oktoberfest Lager Stew, a recipe I found on a new favorite blog, link below. Why did we win this year, and not last? Probably because, this year, we put meat in it. We won "bragging rights" (that actually wears off quicker than a cash prize would've) and a logo pint glass. For our second year entering? Not bad, kids! The winning streak begins now!

Award-Winning Oktoberfest Lager Stew

Oktoberfest Lager Stew with Sausage, Potatoes, Caramelized Onions and Cabbage

Recipe slightly adapted from The Cozy Apron

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 (14 ounce) package beef smoked sausage, sliced (I know!)
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1, 10-oz bag shredded red cabbage (or 1/2 head red cabbage, sliced)
• 1, 10-oz bag shaved brussels sprouts (or risk slicing off your fingers by mandolin-ing your own)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground caraway seeds
• Pinch salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bottle German-style lager beer (we used Green's Gluten-Free Pale Ale)
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 2 ½ cups chicken stock
• 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt, to taste

Preparation:

1. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil; once the oil is hot, add in the sliced beef smoked sausage, and allow the slices to caramelize and brown in the oil, for about 4-5 minutes. 
2. Once the sausage is browned, add in the sliced onions, stir, and allow the onions to caramelize with the sausage for another few minutes, until golden-brown and softened. When onions are caramelized, add in the sliced cabbage, stir to combine until golden. Add in the black pepper, ground caraway seeds and the pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Next, stir in the garlic, and once it becomes aromatic, add in the beer; allow the beer to slightly reduce for about 3 minutes. 
3. Add in the cubed potatoes and the chicken stock, stir, and allow the mixture to come to the boil; once it comes to the boil, place a lid on (slightly askew to allow just a little steam to escape), and reduce the heat to low to gently simmer the stew for about 40 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and finish the stew by stirring in the apple cider vinegar, seasoning with more salt to taste.

To up our chances of winning, I brought out the big guns. My very Favorite Carrot Cake. Pretend I'm not a dietitian, this isn't healthy at all, even with crushed pineapple and gluten-free flour. But it's carrot cake, and it has cream cheese icing. Indulgent! When Mark called on his way home to say we won, I was sure it was on this cake. I'm glad it didn't split our votes!

Favorite Carrot Cake

Favorite Carrot Cake
from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free, depending on your audience)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup golden raisins (or walnuts... if you believe nuts belong in a cake.)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups carrot, grated
• 1 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

For Frosting:

• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 8-oz block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, pecans, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine oil and eggs; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated carrot, and pineapple into flour mixture. Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. 
3. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cake. 

While we are on the subject of SUGAR and pretending I'm not a dietitian.. check out these homemade PayDay bars my mom made...

homemade dulce de leche in between salted peanuts... rich!

In.sane. From Michael Symon. That is all.

What's up next for a healthy Thanksgiving?

Beet Dip, a Detox, and a Huge Cake

This recipe is no joke! Get ready for a hummus makeover with killer flavor and a distinguished zip.  I can't promise your husband will enjoy it, because mine is still anti-beet. More for me!

Tahini Beet Dip with Roasted Curry Cauliflower
Ingredients
1 cup roasted beets, cooled
1/2 cup garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2+ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Drizzle olive oil in while processing to achieve a smooth texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste!

I paired this dip with cauliflower, lightly coated in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, pepper, and curry powder, roasted at 375 for about 20 minutes.

just beet it

While I can't give him credit for loving beets, I have to let you know that my Mark is a nutritional champ! Leaving (almost) no dish untasted, Mark proudly shows off his healthy-foodie-packed-lunches to his co-workers every day. He didn't even ask questions when I came home from work last month and told him I wanted us to go on a 14-day dietary detox. And he didn't complain once!

For two weeks, our diet was free from gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. We sustained on organic vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, quinoa and brown rice, wild caught fish, organic/free-range chicken, and vegan protein shakes made with almondmilk. I was the cranky one the first 3 days, not Mark! (Watching the Bachelor with no chocolate and red wine? THAT was tough.) But after a few days we both felt incredible improvements in energy levels and digestion. Neither one of us craved sugar or snacky snacks when we weren't eating them! It was an amazing reboot, and I am so proud of my other half for enduring two weeks without some of his favorite foods!!

Lucky for him, the week after our detox was Mark's birthday. I pulled out all the stops to celebrate him with the tastiest of foods. For his birthday dinner I made an organic, grass-fed ribeye, roasted butternut squash and onions with pumpkinseed oil (amazing- buy it), and kale and portobello mushrooms braised in tamari and white wine...

Now for the birthday cake! I baked him a 3-layer German Chocolate Cake, with pecan and coconut icing. I followed a recipe from America's Test Kitchen, in a cookbook given to us as a wedding gift. I didn't even try to make it healthy! (I am known for ruining baked goods when I try to make them healthier by changing multiple ingredients. Yes, I know you can't do that. But I still go for it every. single. time.) The cake was far from perfect - the icing was runny, the layers were a little thin, it was slightly lop-sided - but it tasted delicious! It was a solid first birthday cake for Mark... hopefully my birthday cake baking skillz only improve from here on out.

Happy Birthday Mark!

Join us here next time for whatever detox and cake rebound we try next!