A tasty, and healthier, alternative to mashed potatoes

We all grew up loving mashed potatoes... or at least I did in my mainly Irish-descent home. They can be fluffy, dense, filling, buttery, and delicious. But there's so much butter and salt in this lovely dish that makes it, well, delicious! It's also super high in starch which is great in moderation, but lets face it... who can only have one helping of this fluffy side dish?

So my solution? White bean puree. I know I know, it sounds like something on the menu at an elderly assisted living home menu. But I assure you it's SO much more!

Here's what you'll need for this yummy alternative to it's starchy and fattening counterpart:

2 15oz cans white bean, drained and rinsed
2-3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1 tbs tomato paste
1-2 tbs finely chopped rosemary
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tbs olive oil

In a food processor, drop in garlic cloves and pulse a few times to chop up garlic. Add white beans, oil, and chicken broth. Pulse until mixture is smooth (we don't want any chunks, unless that's how you like it!)

In a skillet (preferably after cooking a nice piece of meat, but without is OK too) add 1 tbs olive oil and heat over medium heat. Once oil shimmers, drop in tomato paste and rosemary. Stir together and cook about 20-30 seconds. Add white wine and boil an additional 30 seconds. Lastly, add bean puree and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

Voila! You have a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes! It's a little less "together" as potatoes are, but it's just as delicious and much healthier. Add salt and pepper to taste, but don't over-do it!

Pictured above:

pan seared steak, bean puree, and broccoli sauteed with dried thyme

Stuffed Artichoke side dish

 So you're having friends over for a dinner party. Everyone is expecting your usual dishes... pasta, chicken, green beans, rice... sound familiar? Well go ahead and make your usual meal, but how about sprucing it up a little?

What you'll need:
- 1 artichoke per person (the whole choke!)
- Panko bread crumbs (or any PLAIN bread crumb- NO SEASONED CRUMB PACKETS! That's cheating :-P)
- 4 whole lemons
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh flat leaf parsley
- Gorgonzola cheese (about 2oz per choke)
- S&P
- 1tbs heavy cream
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- Olive oil

What to do:

In a very large pot, fill 3/4 with water and salt. While water is boiling, trim the chokes. Cut off stem as close to base as possible, so choke can stand level on a plate; trim any pointy leaves left on choke with kitchen utility scissors. . Cut approximately 1 inch off the top, so the heart of the choke is exposed. Cut lemons in half. Add chokes to boiling water, squeeze lemon into water and add leftover lemon rinds to water. Allow to boil approximately 25 minutes, or until softened (I suggest between 25-30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In the meantime, add Gorgonzola cheese, cream, 1tbs finely chopped thyme, garlic, a pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper. Mix together in a kitchen bowl and place in fridge until you're ready for the next step! In a separate bowl, gently mix 1/4c panko with 1tbs roughly chopped parsley, a pinch of finely chopped thyme, and a small pinch of both salt and pepper. For an extra kick, try adding just a little chili pepper to the bread crumbs.

Once chokes are done, remove from water and allow to cool. I suggest turning them upside down to make sure all the water gets out. Once these are cooled off, take a small spoon and remove the inner choke heart (usually a pinkish area). Don't remove too much, though! Fill empty cavity with cheese mixture, generously sprinkle with panko, lightly drizzle with OO, place on a sheet tray and place in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven after 25 minutes, or when panko is nice and golden.

That's it! It's a gorgeous little side dish, and something that will certainly impress your friends. For those who want something a little more substantial out of this side dish, keep the choke hearts you removed, roughly chop, and add to the cheese mixture with a couple teaspoons of breadcrumb.