The Holidays are here and the New Year will be here shortly after. It’s time for parties, family gatherings and lots of Holiday cooking. I recently had the opportunity to work with California Endives, Nudo Olive Oil, and Rios de Chile Wine to come up with some starters for the Holiday season.
Endive is a great alternative to bread, chips, and crackers. Because our Holiday meals are so heavy, having a lighter/ low carb starter is a great alternative to loading up on chips and dip. There are endless ways to use endive. You can put them in a salad, spread your favorite dip on them, or “stuff” them. These two starters will please your guests this Holiday season:
Endive Stuffed With Cranberry, Quinoa, Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese
This recipe is so simple to make. Chop butternut quash into small cubes. Make the quinoa according to instructions however use chicken stock instead of water to give it added flavor. While the quinoa is cooking, use a little Nudo Olive Oil, water, and fresh garlic to saute the butternut squash, cover for a bit to cook. Add salt & pepper to taste. Once the quinoa and butternut squash are finished cooking, mix together in a bowl, adding in the cranberries and goat cheese. Spoon into an endive leaf and plate. Drizzle a little Nudo Olive Oil on top and enjoy.
Taco Endive Boats With Sriracha Sour Cream:
Another easy recipe and I had most of the ingredients at home already. Cook ground turkey with fresh garlic, onion, cayenne pepper & a bit of Nudo Olive Oil. While cooking, chop avocado into small cubes. When the meat is done cooking, mix in corn and cheddar cheese. Spoon into endive leaves and top with avocado. In a small dish (I used an egg cup), mix sour cream & sriracha to taste. Spoon a small amount of sriracha sour cream on your “taco boat” and enjoy. These are also perfect for football Sundays.
Once your appetizers are complete, set out on your table and enjoy with a glass of Rios de Chile Sauvignon Blanc.
Click here for more great endive recipes!
About California Endive: Endive is a member of the chicory family, which includes radicchio, escarole, frisee and curly endive. It has a crisp texture and a sweet, nutty flavor with a pleasantly mild bitterness — great served raw or cooked. Click the image to learn more.
Image from http://endive.com
About Nudo Olive Oil: Ideal for drizzling, dipping and holiday cooking. Nudo Olive Oils are produced in the Marche region of Italy so it is easy to impress your guests with the freshness and flavor of 100% Italian olives. Click here for more information or to order.
About Rios de Chile Sauvignon Blanc ($10): It comes from the Central Valley Region of Chile. Tasting notes say that it is a very fresh wine with an intense aroma of tropical fruits with fine mineral notes and citrus accents. It has a lively palate and pleasing finish. I am no wine expert which is why I used the tasting notes. I really enjoyed the taste and thought it was refreshing, especially after being in a hot kitchen.
Happy, Healthy Eating This Holiday Season!
Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation for this post. I received samples of products to come up with sides or starters for the Holiday season. All images unless noted are my own. All information in italics came from the home site linked in the about sections or from press.
I recently discovered I love quinoa. My husband bought a giant bag at Costco one weekend and we have tried to come up with different dishes to use it up. I also love Mexican and crave it often. To satisfy my crave and use up that bag, I came up with an alternative that wasn’t loaded down with cheese and is easy to throw together on those busy evenings.
The mornings can be chaotic. My daughter has to be at school at 8:45 and most days the girls aren’t up until 8 which makes getting them dressed and fed rushed. I usually have to make something quick. My girls love pancakes but with the rushed mornings it’s impossible for me to get all the ingredients together for homemade ones. I always have a box of 
Tastefully Childish 