Sorry, Turkey: This Thanksgiving, It’s All About the Sides
Compared to the turkey—the unchallenged star of the Thanksgiving table—side dishes are often an overlooked afterthought, thrown together in a halfhearted attempt to work some veggies into a traditionally carb- and meat-heavy meal.
But this year, we think it’s about time these unsung heroes get the attention they deserve. Don’t worry, making better Thanksgiving side dishes doesn’t mean spending more time in the kitchen—trust us, we know better than to recommend that. In fact, Ocean Mist Farms’s new Season & Steam products offer home cooks a way to create stepped-up side dishes so quickly, you won’t even have to miss a round of turkey basting.
Unlike other pre-packaged steam bags, Season & Steam allows home chefs to season before cooking—users just open the bag, add seasoning, and reseal with the zip lock before microwaving for 3–5 minutes. This exclusive packaging technology is available for: Brussels sprouts (in multiple sizes and cuts), kalettes, artichokes and sweet baby broccoli each which yields a healthy side dish ready to be placed on the Thanksgiving table in a matter of minutes.
Check out some of our favorite Season & Steam bags below, along with easy-to-make recipes ideal for stepping up your side dish game come Thanksgiving dinner.
Whole Brussels Sprouts
If there’s been one veggie comeback kid of late, it would have to be Brussels sprouts. It seems that foodies are rediscovering the beauty of this healthy, versatile, and all-around delicious product. Yet cooking Brussels sprouts may sometimes feel easier said than done, as getting them evenly cooked can be both difficult and time-consuming. Thankfully, Ocean Mist Farms cuts down the cook time significantly with their Season & Steam Whole Brussels Sprouts, ready after just a few minutes in the microwave.
Thanksgiving side dish recipe: This Marinated Brussels sprouts recipe requires just two ingredients: a bag of Season & Steam Whole Brussels Sprouts, and a bottle of your favorite Italian dressing. Voila, a side dish your guests will remember for years to come!
Quick-Cook Brussels Sprouts
Whether you want to cut down even further on cooking time or just prefer your sprouts halved and quartered, the Season & Steam Quick-Cook Brussels Sprouts are here to rescue your Thanksgiving sanity. As with the heartier whole variety, this bag of veggies is ready in minutes, serves four, fits pretty much all dietary restrictions, and offers your daily dose of greens. Win, win, win, win.
Thanksgiving side dish recipe: Want to prove to your guests that healthy food doesn’t mean giving up flavor? Whip up this cheesy mac and sprouts recipe. Cooks add Alfredo sauce, cheese, cooked macaroni, nutmeg, garlic salt, and water or chicken broth to the bag before cooking, and the ideal indulgent dish—packed full of health benefits—is ready to plate in just six minutes.
Kalettes
If you haven’t yet heard of Kalettes, then today is your lucky day. Seriously, this new veggie could change the way you look at (and eat) greens forever. The first new vegetable to emerge in more than a decade, Kalettes are a hybrid of kale and Brussel sprouts—thus, the über-healthy vegetable has the best of both worlds and offers consumers a double dose of superfood benefits. The Season & Steam Kalettes bag cooks in just three minutes in the microwave, and can be seasoned to create a wide range of ready-to-serve dishes.
Thanksgiving side dish recipe: A simple and classic recipe that lets the unique flavor of this new vegetable shine, this Fresh Lemon & Garlic Kalettes recipe packs enough flavor to easily compete with the turkey headliner. To get this finished dish, just add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to the bag and reseal before steaming it, letting it cool, and serving it up.
Supershred Super Foods
Superfoods are more than just trendy—they’re remarkably good for you, and popular for reasons that include their versatile flavors and diverse varieties. The Season & Steam Supershred Super Foods bag, composed of shredded Brussels sprouts, is a perfect way to get the most bang for your buck—or, er, get the most benefits from your vegetable side dish. The shredded sprouts come washed and ready to use either raw—ideal for a salad base or tacos—or to season and microwave to cooked perfection.
Thanksgiving side dish recipe: This apple-cranberry Brussels sprouts medley recipe starts with seasoning the Season & Steam bag with cinnamon, apple, garlic salt, and cranberries. After resealing the bag, steaming for five minutes in the microwave, and allowing it to sit for a minute, cooks—and their guests, should they choose to share—can dig into the ready-to-eat dish.
This Thanksgiving, don’t let your turkey steal the spotlight—again. Instead, pay some extra attention to your side dishes by starting with Ocean Mist Farms’s Season & Steam bags. Learn more—and find more recipes, videos, and product profiles—at OceanMistFarms.com.