These two dishes are flavorful and festive additions to your holiday spreads

As the holiday season is in full swing, I worry a little bit about the copious amount of food that I will be faced with at dinners, potlucks, and family gatherings. Part of the memories we make at these events is sharing great food with the people we love to be with. Sadly, it’s still hard to find many greens or vegetables at buffet tables, with greens left to the wayside in favor of lechon. However, with these sides and appetizers, you can get your five-a-day in, without compromising the flavor! 

READ: The planetary diet with Mesa ni Misis

Camote Marshmallow Pie

Famously served alongside turkey during Thanksgiving, this pie is a great side dish for anything. Add a dash of cinnamon to give it an extra holiday twist. 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

6 to 8 camote or sweet potatoes, preferably yellow or orange
1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter
2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 cup unsweetened plant milk
4 cups small to medium marshmallows

Procedure

1. Peel and boil the camote. Cut into small squares.
2. In a bowl, mash and mix together the camote, butter or vegan butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, cinnamon, and plant milk. Alternatively, you can run the mixture through a food processor.
3. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole or pie dish and smooth it out evenly.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar on top.
5. Arrange the marshmallows on top of the camote mixture, working your way from one side of the dish to the other.
6. Preheat the oven to 250°C and bake for 15 minutes, carefully watching to make sure the marshmallows do not burn. Serve as a festive side dish or on its own! 

Bahay Kubo Vegetable Tart

Serve this as an appetizer, and cut it into little squares. Serve the kangkong pesto on the side as an extra dip, or serve your favorite dip on the side.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (store-bought), cut in half

For the paayap hummus
1 cup paayap, soaked for 12 hours then boiled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the kangkong pesto
2 cups raw kangkong
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water
salt, to taste 

1 singkamas, very thinly cut into rounds
6 pieces kalabasa, cut into half-moon shapes
4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6 slices red onions
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup eggplant, cut into rounds
1 cup sigarilyas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
olive oil, for drizzling
sea salt, for finishing
1 cup feta cheese (optional)
1 small bunch kalabasa flowers (optional)

Procedure

1. Defrost the puff pastry. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay out the puff pastry sheets. Using a knife, score the pastry a 1/2 inch from the edge to create a border. 
2. To make the paayap hummus, put the boiled paayap, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
3. To make the kangkong pesto, combine the kangkong, olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeas,t and cashews in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
4. Spread the hummus in the center of the puff pastry sheet, leaving room near the edge. 
5. Press down the singkamas and kalabasa slices on the puff pastry sheet, followed by the tomato, onions, garlic, eggplant, and sigarilyas. Try to fill the empty spaces to create a pretty pattern. 
6. Sprinkle with rosemary and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Bake in a preheated 250°C oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven. You can also use a toaster oven. When the puff pastry is golden brown, remove from the oven.
8. Dot the kangkong pesto all over the tart. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.
9. As an option, add crumbled feta cheese and garnish with kalabasa flowers.