Let the Sides Shine! - CulinArt Group

Eat Well Blog

Let the Sides Shine!

We have reached the holiday season and we’re letting the sides shine! Holiday gatherings are usually associated with festive, indulgent meals made from cherished family recipes. When it comes to side dishes, you do not have to sacrifice flavor-seasonal produce yields great nutrition and taste while adding to the festive look of the holiday table. Make the sides shine bright by using seasonal fare and simple substitutions.

Squash such as butternut and acorn, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins are fall favorites. Enhance their flavor and bring out their natural sweetness by roasting and finishing them with a light glaze of honey and tangy balsamic vinegar.

Mashed potatoes, another holiday standard, can be turned into a protein and probiotic powerhouse by using Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. Heart healthy fiber and fats can be added to sweet potato casserole by creating a crumbly oat and nut based topping.

Make your sides sparkle by adding ruby red pomegranate. Called arils, the seeds of the pomegranate are packed with powerful antioxidants, potassium, and fiber. Decorate your dishes by adding them to everything from Brussels sprouts and green beans to cranberry sauce and salads.

Stuff your stuffing with whole grains to add a nutty, earthy flavor; consider using fiber-filled brown rice or protein packed quinoa. Toasted nuts such as walnuts or pecans add a hearty-health crunch, and seasonal fruits such as apples or pears add a hint of natural sweetness.

Bring the sides to the center of the table by roasting a whole cauliflower and dressing it with the colors of the season. Earthy herbs, sweet cranberries and pomegranate, and crunchy pine nuts add sweet and savory flavor.

Sometimes, it’s not all about the main entrée – this holiday season, let the tasty side dishes get the spotlight!

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  • December 2, 2019

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What our clients are saying

“What a wonderful dinner we had tonight for our international families. The food was delicious and well presented as well.”

“Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

“Thank you and your staff for all the care and thought you give CSW adults and students. You approach events with such care and elegance- I don’t know how you do it! Especially day after day. Please thank all your staff for their wonderful work and kind manner with all of us. Here is to a great year!”

“Many, and I do mean many, thanks for a great Parents Weekend.  I heard from so many happy parents and you all work very hard to make it happen.  In gratitude and kindness…”

“We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

“With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

“I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

“I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

“Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

“I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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