10 Christmas Dinner Starters, Salads And Appetizers
1. Butternut Squash Soup
This creamy squash soup is rich and hearty but surprisingly healthy.
2. Roasted Broccoli Soup with Peppers and Onions
Roasting the broccoli, bell peppers and shallots together adds a lovely caramelized flavor to the vegetables, which translates even better when pureed into a soup. Add new flavors by experimenting with your favorite roast vegetables.
3. Roasted Potato Salad with Arugula
Adding greens to a traditional potato salad adds vibrant color, new texture and a fresh taste.
Recipe: Roasted Potato Salad with Arugula
4. Quick Balsamic Quinoa Salad
This colorful salad is super simple but full of flavor.
Recipe: Quick Balsamic Quinoa Salad
5. Harvest Kale Salad with Honey-Miso Dressing
Squash, cranberry, pumpkin seeds and crunchy kale come together in this hearty salad that's full of seasonal flavor.
Recipe: Harvest Kale Salad with Honey-Miso Dressing
6. Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Chevre Fondue and Sherry Vinaigrette
This delicious and boldly flavorful salad came to Haystack from Chef Matt Christianson, of Q's Restaurant at the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado. This recipe appears in Forrest Pritchard's "Growing Tomorrow."
Recipe: Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Chevre Fondue and Sherry Vinaigrette
7. Roasted Carrots with Harissa Sauce
This dish features multi colored carrot varieties such as black midnight, red, orange and yellow. Harissa, a Mediterranean-inspired sauce, offers a kick of spice while contrasting textures of the carrots balance out the dish.
Recipe: Roasted Carrots with Harissa Sauce
8. Pumpkin Curry
Dried curry powder evokes the flavors of India and coconut milk is reminiscent of the red, yellow, and green curries of Thailand. This unusual and flavorful curry is a delight that kids seem to love. If you're sending this to school undercook the rice a bit, mix it with the hot curry, and pack it in a wide-mouth vacuum bottle.
9. Asparagus Champagne Risotto
Asparagus stalks are boiled in broth, while savory shiitake mushrooms are sautéed simply on the stove. The Arborio rice is cooked briefly in Champagne to celebrate the coming of spring.
Recipe: Asparagus Champagne Risotto
10. Mushroom Flatbread
This is a fresh take on the classic pizza. Instead of pizza dough, you will be using the delicious Lavash bread and many fresh ingredients as toppings.
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