This Summer Berry Salad makes a great side dish everyone is sure to love!

In my 15+ years as a recipe developer I’ve been dedicated to creating recipes that make the most of seasonal ingredients. This berry salad is a perfect example of that! Summer ripe berries are delicious on their own, so I just tossed them in a little dressing to compliment their natural sweetness.

The acidity from the orange adds some brightness and the vanilla gives it a “creamy” note without any dairy. (Sneaky, right?) You’ll definitely be asked for this recipe if you take it to a potluck brunch!

Berry Salad Dressing

I really love orange with berries. And I love vanilla with berries. And I love orange and vanilla.

So, recipe math suggests... berries + orange + vanilla = steller combo.

And it was. Holy cow. I LOVED the way this vanilla orange honey dressing added a little more sweetness and citrusy goodness to this mixed berry salad recipe.

Summer Berry Salad Ingredients

• Fresh orange juice & zest
• Fresh Lime juice
• Honey
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Sea salt (just a pinch!)

How to wash and store berries for mixed berry salad

Berries are notorious for molding quickly -- especially after washing. Here's a little trick to store berries after washing so they don't spoil as quickly.

TIP: Soak berries in a very large bowl with 3-4 Tablespoons of white vinegar for 15 minutes or so. Rinse well. Spread them out on a clean kitchen towel to dry COMPLETELY before transferring them to a paper towel lined lidded container to chill.

This vinegar soaking method also helps to remove any pesticide residue if your berries aren't organic. Organic berries can be pricey and when my kids can eat entire containers in minutes... I don't always buy organic.

How to choose good berries for berry fruit salad

1. Zest the whole orange (about 2 teaspoons) and juice it (about ½ cup). Whisk together the orange zest, juice, juice from the lime (about 4 teaspoons), honey, and the first 5 ingredients in a medium to large serving bowl.
2. Trim the greens off the strawberries and quarter them. Add the strawberries to the bowl along with the rest of the berries.
3. Stir gently to coat everything in the dressing. Serve immediately or chill and serve within 2 hours.

TIP: Make sure your raspberries aren't too soft or they'll break apart in the salad and become part of the dressing. Actually that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're not wanting that, choose ones that are more firm. And fold them in at the very end.

How to make mixed berry salad

Just whisk the dressing together in a big bowl, add the berries, then fold them carefully to get them all coated well.

Like I said before, if you're worried about your raspberries falling apart, fold them in after you've mixed the dressing into the salad to avoid breakage.

Can this Berry Salad Recipe be made ahead of time?

Berries start to break down really quickly after coated in citrus. You can probably get buy with an hour or two ahead of time, but no longer than that. Just keep it chilled until you're ready to eat.

Alternately, you can put the berries in a serving bowl and keep the dressing in another container, then combine them right before serving. That will save you a few minutes of prep time.

What to Serve with Berry Fruit Salad

If you're serving this fresh berry salad as part of a brunch spread here are some things that would go well with it!

Gluten-Free Crepes

Coconut Chia Pudding

Sweet Potato Hash with Chorizo

Quick Ham & Brussels Sprout Hash

Chicken Sausage Breakfast Bowls

Keto Breakfast Tacos

Best Homemade Granola

Berry Salad Recipe FAQs

More Fruity Salad Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you like this mixed berry fruit salad, try one of my other salad recipes with berries and other types of fruit!

Melon Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing

Cantaloupe, Prosciutto, & Burrata Salad

Strawberry Cobb Salad

Spring Greens & Strawberry Salad

Mango Cucumber Rice Salad

Asparagus and Grilled Melon Salad

Blackberry, Bacon, & Egg Salad

Grilled Jerk Chicken & Mango Salad

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Mixed Berry Salad

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This is the best berry salad I've ever had! Beautiful fresh mixed berries tossed in an orange vanilla dressing makes a colorful side dish for any meal or brunch.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 orange
• 1 lime
• 3-4 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 ½ - 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• 1 pound mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

Instructions

1. Zest the whole orange (about 2 teaspoons) and juice it (about ½ cup). Whisk together the orange zest, juice, juice from the lime (about 4 teaspoons), honey, anthe first 5 ingredients in a medium to large serving bowl.
2. Trim the greens off the strawberries and quarter them. Add the strawberries to the bowl along with the rest of the berries.
3. Stir gently to coat everything in the dressing. Serve immediately or chill and serve within 2 hours.

Notes

• Make sure your raspberries aren't too soft or they'll break apart in the salad and become part of the dressing. Actually that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're not wanting that, choose ones that are more firm. And fold them in at the very end after mixing the salad together.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

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The post Easy Berry Salad with Orange Vanilla Dressing appeared first on Perry's Plate.

This white chocolate popcorn recipe was kind of an accident. I needed to make a quick treat for something, so I pulled my air popper out, dug some white chocolate out of the cabinet and started scrounging for toppings.

The result turned out to be my kids' favorite treat that Christmas! And many MANY more batches were made in the years to follow.

White chocolate covered popcorn is an inexpensive and EASY treat to give to neighbors and friends, take to parties, or munch on during movie night. 

I figured it was time to share it here. :)

Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Popcorn Ingredients

For this recipe, you only need a few ingredients:

• Popped popcorn
• Melted white chocolate
• Orange Zest
• Dried Cranberries
• Pretzels
• Sea salt flakes (optional)

Can I use microwave popcorn in this recipe?

I have a low key obsession with my air-popper, but I understand that not everyone has (or wants) one.

Here's a link to a newer version of the one we have: Presto Air Popper. We had air-popped popcorn all throughout my childhood, and it's been a staple in our family, too. We literally pull it out every weekend.

You can use microwave popcorn for this recipe -- you'll need two bags. Make sure you use a natural or very lightly buttered one so the flavor doesn't overpower what you're adding. Save the movie theater popcorn for movie night. :)

Adding the orange zest

SUPER IMPORTANT TIP: When you add the orange zest to the white chocolate be sure that your orange is COMPLETELY DRY. 

Why? If any water droplets get into the melted white chocolate it will seize up, get clumpy, and you'll be using some choice words as you toss it out.

The natural moisture in the zest is mostly oils, so it doesn't cause the white chocolate to seize.

What kind of white chocolate do I use?

I like to use white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli or Guittard usually) or white chocolate melts.

You can also use things labeled almond bark, candy coating, or candy melts, but they're usually lower quality than white chocolate chips. However, almond bark or candy coating is easier to use and more forgiving.

Whichever you prefer will be fine.

How to melt white chocolate

I like to take the easy route and use a microwave safe bowl to heat the chocolate in 20-second intervals, stirring after each one, until it's completely melted. Be sure not to over heat the white chocolate because it burns easily.

If you'd rather not use your microwave, set up a double-broiler situation on your stove by nesting a glass or metal bowl inside a medium saucepan. Put 1 inch of water in the saucepan and heat it to boiling. Put the chocolate in the bowl and stir as it beings to melt.

It's a gentler way to melt chocolate. You'll never want to melt chocolate on the stove in a pan -- it'll burn too easily!

Making the popcorn

All you need to do is drizzle the orange-flavored melted chocolate over a really big bowl containing the popcorn, dried cranberries, and broken pretzels.

Stir well, then spread it out over a really large piece of parchment paper. I like to sprinkle some sea salt flakes while it's still wet to add a little extra flavor.

It'll set in about 15-20 minutes depending on the temperature inside your house.

Adaptation ideas

Make these gluten free: Use gluten free pretzels! Or replace the prezels with salted peanuts or thicker potato chips to keep that salty component in the popcorn.

Lower the sugar: Use Lily's White Chocolate Chips (I've melted them in the microwave like I described and they melt well.) and use unsweetened dried cherries (cut in half).

Packaged popcorn as a gift

I love to package this popcorn up in cellophane bags with a simple bow and give to neighbors and teachers. Here are the bags that I used: Cellophane bags for treats. They're the same bags I use for my Simmer Pot Kits.

How to store white chocolate popcorn

Store it in an airtight container for several days. After that, the popcorn tends to get a little chewy, but it'll still taste good.

More easy holiday treat ideas on Perry's Plate

Loaded Chai Caramel Popcorn - GF/DF Popcorn covered in a chai caramel coating mixed with dried apples, toasted coconut flakes, and toasted pecans.

10-min Candied Pecans with Cocoa & Chili - GF/DF Knock off of the Cocoa-Chili Pecans that Trader Joe's used to make. They're sweet with bit of heat.

Keto Chocolate Nuggets - GF/DF/Keto Knock off of the Keto Nuggets made by InnoFoods sold at Costco. A mixture of toasted coconut and seeds. These are nut-free, too!

Homemade Peppermint Bark - GF This can be dairy-free and keto friendly depending on the chocolate you use!

Thai Toasted Coconut Cashews - GF/DF Sweetened cashews toasted with coconut and a pinch of chili flakes.

Paleo Cookie Dough Bites - GF/DF Almond flour based "cookie dough" bites perfect for snacking!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Sweet & Salty White Chocolate Popcorn

Yield: Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This white chocolate popcorn is studded with sweet dried cranberries, salty pretzels, sea salt flakes, and a surprising hint of orange zest! It's the perfect last-minute gluten-free holiday treat.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 batch of air popped popcorn
• 2 cups broken gluten-free pretzels
• 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
• 16 ounces white chocolate chips or melts
• 1 orange
• ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

Instructions

1. Put the air-popped popcorn in the biggest bowl you can find. Add the prezels & dried cranberries.
2. Put the white chocolate chips or melts in a small bowl and microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each one, until it's completely melted. Be careful not to overcook it. White chocolate burns easily.
3. Be sure your orange is COMPLETELY dry if you just washed it. Zest the orange and add the zest to the melted white chocolate. If any water gets into that melted chocolate, it's all over, friend. You'll have to start over.
4. Stir the zest into the chocolate well and pour it over the popcorn mixture. Mix well, coating everything in the white chocolate.
5. Lay a very large piece of parchment on a table or countertop. Spread the popcorn out on the parchment and let it sit for 15-20 minutes until it sets and is not longer wet.
6. Store white chocolate popcorn in an airtight container for up to a week. Or package it up and give it to friends!

Notes

1. My air popper uses ½ cup of popcorn kernels per batch. If yours uses less or more, you may need to adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
2. If you don't have an air popper, you can use two bags worth of microwave popcorn. I recommend using a lightly flavored one. And omit the sea salt flakes so it isn't too salty.
3. If you can't find gluten-free pretzels, using some salted peanuts or broken potato chips is also good. Find ones that are a little thicker, like ones with ridges or kettle-cooked.
4. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe, I've had success with Lily's white chocolate chips. Just melt them like it directs in the recipe. You can also swap out the dried cranberries for unsweetened dried cherries cut in half.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Maldon Salt Company, Sea Salt Flakes, 8.5 Ounce (240 gram box)
• 
  White Chocolate Style Baking Chips By Lily's Sweets | Stevia Sweetened
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver
• 
  Presto 04821 Orville Redenbacher's Hot Air Popper

Nutrition Information

Yield 10 Serving Size About 1 ½ cups
Amount Per Serving Calories 367Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 10mgSodium 272mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 2gSugar 46gProtein 4g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Popcorn appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Did you know it’s possible to make an amazing (and easy!) beet soup without turning your kitchen into a murder scene? Keep all of that gorgeous fuchsia color contained by using a slow cooker or an Instant Pot.

My recipe pairs sweet beets with tart citrus and a cool & crisp apple slaw for a unique flavor combination! The soup is great on its own as a light meal or in along with a salad.

Why you will love this recipe for Beet Soup

Have I ever told you that my favorite color is beet? I love the deep, purple-y fuchsia of a freshly cut beet and the way they turn everything bright pink.

I have mixed feelings about beets, despite adoring their color. I only a have a handful of beet recipes on my site (linked below!) because deep down I think they taste a little like dirt.

Despite (because of?) their "earthy" flavor, (Which, if we're being honest, is a euphemism for "tastes like dirt") I do think they're delicious under certain circumstances.

Like this beautiful pureed soup!

This recipe is one from my Crock Pot cookbook (The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking) which is in the process of being out of print. (sob)

I didn't want it to be gone forever so I wrote up some adaptations for Instant Pot and stovetop and gave it a home here on my site.

Instant Pot Beet Soup Ingredients

This soup is a fun mixture of root vegetables, fruity orange and apple flavor, and a licorice bite from fennel.

(PS. I don't really like fennel normally, but it's REALLY good in this soup. Trust me.)

(P.P.S. And no, I don't make a habit of creating recipes with foods I don't like.)

This pureed beet soup is also paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free! Also meatless and if you use vegetable stock it's even vegan. For this Beet Puree Soup you will need:

• Beets
• Fennel bulbs
• Shallots
• Carrots
• Dried tarragon
• Apple juice
• Red wine vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Chicken stock
• Sea salt
• Oranges
• Full-fat coconut milk
• Apple
• Lemon

Beet Soup Recipe Steps

1. Place the beets, half the fennel bulb, shallots, carrots, tarragon, apple juice, vinegar, mustard, stock, sea salt and zest and juice from one of the oranges into your instant pot.
2. Put the lid on your cooker and set it to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let it release steam naturally for at least 5 minutes before releasing pressure manually.
3. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. Stir in the coconut milk.

Apple and fennel slaw:

1. Thinly slice the apple and the other half of the funnel bulb.
2. Place the apple, fennel, orange juice, lemon juice, and a generous pinch of salt in the bowl. Toss to coat.Serve soup with a couple forkfuls of slaw in each bowl.
   Enjoy the soup with a couple forkfuls of slaw in each bowl!

Instant Pot Beet Soup Tips

• If you can’t get the soup smooth enough with an immersion blender, blend in batches using a countertop blender.
• Use all purple beets if you want to create that beautiful fuchsia color. If you use a mix of purple and golden beets the color might look a little muddy, but it would still taste great.
• Make sure you don’t flip the steam release button as soon as the pressure cycle is over. You might end up with scalding soup sputtering out of the valve. Wait at least 5 minutes.
• If you aren’t avoiding dairy, replacing the coconut milk with heavy cream is a delicious option.

Storing this recipe for Beet Soup

Store your beet soup for up to 5 days in the fridge in an aitight container.

You can also freeze your soup! Just let the soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer safe container. I like to use these freezer-safe deli containers for soups.

To reheat your soup, place it on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes or until it’s heated throughout.

More Healthy Beet Recipes on Perry's Plate

The Best Borscht Recipe -- it really is. It's the recipe that helped me give beets a chance. I even made it for a native Russian and he said it was better than his mother's.

Sauteed Beets with Balsamic Orange Glaze is a bomb Thanksgiving side. Or any time of the year side.

Superfood Beet Brownie Bowl is a tasty breakfast or healthier option for a dessert! Turns out beets make great brownies. I love these beet brownies over some chia pudding topped with berries, nuts, and chocolate.

Candy-Striped Beet & Carrot Slaw makes a nice, cool side dish alongside just about any beef or chicken dish. If you can find candy-striped beets, you'll love their pink and white striped insides!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Beet Puree Soup FAQs

Recipe for Beet Soup

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Beet soup is such an impressive looking soup with its vibrant color! It's so easy, though -- just toss everything into your Instant Pot and blend it up when it's all cooked! The apple-fennel slaw is the perfect topping, too.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 cups chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 medium oranges
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 large apple
• 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Place beets into the insert pot of your Instant Pot.
2. Trim the long stems off of the fennel bulbs and set them aside. Cut the bulbs in half, and slice thinly. Place half of the slices into the Instant Pot. Place the other half in a medium bowl and set it aside.
3. Place the shallots, carrots, tarragon, apple juice, vinegar, mustard, stock, and sea salt into the cooker. Add the zest and juice from one of the oranges to the cooker as well.
4. Put the lid on your cooker and set it to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let it release steam naturally for at least 5 minutes before releasing pressure manually.
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk. Taste, and add more salt, if necessary. Cover and let it stay warm while you get the slaw ready.
6. Slice the apple thinly (peeling not necessary) and add it to the bowl with the reserved sliced fennel. Add ½ of the juice from the other orange, ½ of the juice from the lemon, and a generous pinch of salt to the bowl. Toss to coat.
7. Serve soup with a couple forkfuls of slaw in each bowl.
   

Notes

Slow Cooker instructions: Follow the recipe the same way, but increase the chicken stock to 4 cups. Add the ingredients to a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker. Cook for 6-7 hours on low (or 4-5 hours on high). Blend and stir in coconut milk as directed.

Stovetop instructions: Bring all of the soup ingredients (except coconut milk) to a boil in a large soup pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the beets are cooked through and soft. Blend, add the coconut milk, then serve with slaw.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 266Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 3mgSodium 415mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 6gSugar 25gProtein 7g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Beet Puree Soup with Fennel & Citrus (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

If I'm being honest, I've never particularly liked mashed sweet potatoes.

They seemed too sweet and sorta... blah.

Until I made these mashed sweet potatoes.

This is actually a recipe from my Instant Pot cookbook -- The Big Book of Paleo Pressure Cooking.
It's one of the recipes that doesn't have a photo, so it exists quietly in the book and is likely overlooked by people who prefer recipes with photos.

I added it to my blog because it's a perfect alternative to white mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and it's naturally gluten free.

And the combination of sweet potatoes + orange + chili is rather unique. It has me sold on mashed sweet potatoes from here on out.

Why use a pressure cooker to cook sweet potatoes?

The biggest reason is that you don't have to fill a big pot of water, babysit it on the stovetop, and then drain the dang thing (the worst part). Mashed potatoes (of all kinds) was a rare thing for me to make because it's a pain!

Now? Much more often!

Even if you aren't making a mashed potato side dish, you can use this method to cook sweet potatoes for other things like sweet potato casserole, sweet potato mash for baking, or making baby food, even.

Tip for making Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes (or regular mashed potatoes)

• If you need to drain the potatoes, use a silicone steamer basket. It makes it MUCH easier to separate the potatoes from the liquid. My basket needs the wire rack underneath, but the one I linked to is specifically made for Instant Pot and provides enough structure so you don't need the wire rack.
• Don't cut them too small. Because of all of the hot steam in your electric pressure cooker, sweet potatoes cook pretty quickly, so you don't need to cut the potatoes into small pieces. 2-3 inch pieces are all you need. I mash mine right into the serving bowl, too.

Orange-Chili Butter? Really?

Let's talk about this orange-chili butter for a second. Did you know sweet potatoes and orange are a REALLY good flavor combination?

I love this flavored butter on the mashed sweet potatoes because the butter gives it richness, the orange zest compliments the sweet potatoes really well, the apple cider vinegar offsets some of the overall sweetness and the pinch of red pepper flakes gives it a subtle pop of heat.

It's so easy, too. Just melt the butter and mix it with the other ingredients, then pour it over the freshly cooked sweet potatoes. I mash them with a potato masher right in the serving dish.

Can I make this dairy-free?

I'd recommend using a dairy-free butter replacement so you still have that rich, buttery flavor.

Sometimes people who have a sensitivity to dairy can use ghee instead of butter and do alright since ghee is butter with the milk solids removed. Using ghee would also make this recipe Whole30 compliant.

It's easy to make your own ghee (or clarified butter as its often called). Here's my tutorial! How to Make Ghee

Can I leave out the red pepper flakes?

Yes. If you're not into heat, just leave out the red pepper flakes and they'll still be really tasty.

Alternative Seasoning for Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If the orange-chili combo is freaking you out, here are a couple of suggestions for seasoning sweet potato mash. 

Garlic Herb: Use the same amount of butter & salt and add 1-2 cloves of minced or Microplaned garlic and 2-3 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary or thyme. A little cream would make these creamy mashed sweets super tasty.

Sweet Cinnamon: Use the same amount of butter, a pinch of salt, ¼-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and a splash of cream for a yummy sweet version. Heck, throw some marshmallows on top if you must. The natural sugar from the sweet potatoes should be enough to sweeten this, but if you'd like it sweeter, drizzle in some maple syrup, honey, or a bit of brown sugar.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Sure! Just store them in an airtight container for up to a week and then reheat in the microwave, stirring between 30-40 second intervals. You might have to adjust the seasonings, so taste them before serving.

What kind of sweet potatoes are good to mash?

I like the "garnet yams", which are just oranged fleshed sweet potatoes. Confused about the sweet potato - yam situation?

Difference between sweet potatoes and yams

All of the orange fleshed potatoes are labeld "yams" at the grocery store and the white ones are usually labeled "sweet potatoes".

The truth is -- they're ALL sweet potatoes!

True yams have white flesh with a thick, bark-like skin and are difficult to find in the US. 

Here's a post I wrote about it! Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams

Try using butternut squash!

For a twist on this recipe, try using butternut squash! It'll have a more savory taste since butternut squash isn't quite as sweet as mashed potatoes. It would be good with any seasoning suggestion in this post.

What Can I Serve with Mashed Sweet Potatoes?

Serve it at Thanksgiving or during the holidays!

For those who don't care for the marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes traditionally served (*cough* like me) or those who are looking for an alternative to regular mashed potatoes, they'll appreciate this recipe or my Instant Pot Cauliflower Puree. It'll go beautifully with my Dry Brine Turkey with Orange-Rosemary Butter, too!

A simple Roasted Chicken. Or a rotisserie chicken and a salad kit you pick up at the store for an easy dinner.

Grilled chicken -- like my Grilled Lemon Chicken or Easy Grilled BBQ Chicken. See this post for My Favorite Grilled Chicken Recipes!

Hearty beef dishes like steak or Mini Skillet Meatloaves.

Other BBQ recipes like Instant Pot Ribs or Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

What Can I Serve with Mashed Sweet Potatoes?

Serve it at Thanksgiving or during the holidays! For those who don't care for the marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes traditionally served (*cough* like me) or those who are looking for an alternative to regular mashed potatoes, they'll appreciate these or my Instant Pot Cauliflower Puree. It'll go beautifully with my Dry Brine Turkey with Orange-Rosemary Butter, too!

A simple Roasted Chicken. Or a rotisserie chicken and a salad kit you pick up at the store for an easy dinner.

Grilled chicken -- like my Grilled Lemon Chicken or Easy Grilled BBQ Chicken.

Hearty beef dishes like steak or Mini Skillet Meatloaves.

Other BBQ recipes like Instant Pot Ribs or Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Orange-Chili Butter (Instant Pot)

Yield: Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These mashed sweet potatoes are easily made in your Instant Pot and have a unique orange-chili butter mixed in! This flavor combination is STELLAR and more delicious than you'd think!

Print

Ingredients

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-2 ½ inch chunks
• ½ cup melted butter or ghee
• Zest from ½ of an orange
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Put a cup of water in the insert pot of your Instant Pot. Add the wire rack and a silicone steam basket, if you have one (see note). Put the sweet potatoes in the steam basket.
2. Put the lid on the cooker, locking it and moving the steam release valve to "sealing". Set the cooker for 10 minutes at high pressure. When the pressure cycle is finished, let it sit for about 5 minutes before releasing the rest of the steam manually.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan or skillet. Add the zest, vinegar, and red pepper flakes and remove it from the heat. Set aside.
4. When the potatoes are finished, lift them out of the cooker and drain off the water. If you have a steam basket with a handle, this makes it much easier.
5. Transfer the cooked potatoes into a large serving bowl. Mash them with a potato masher or a large fork. Pour the orange-chili butter over them and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything together well. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

1. I highly recommend using a steam basket. Mine doesn't have handles, so I use it over my wire rack. There are some that are specifically made for use in an Instant Pot that have handles and enough structure so you don't need the wire rack. Here's a link to one: Instant Pot Silicone Steam Basket.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot Official Silicone Steamer Basket, Compatible with 6-Quart and 8-Quart Cookers, Green
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver
• 
  Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart

The post Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Orange-Chili Butter appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I REALLY hope you saved some leftover cranberry sauce for these orange cranberry bars. I used my Wassailed Cranberry Sauce, but you can use any prepared cranberry sauce -- bonus points if it has some orange flavors in it.

These would be a good snack to take with you while you're shopping all weekend. Are you a Black Friday fanatic? I wasn't until recently -- if you stay away from big discount stores, department stores, and electronic stores it isn't so bad.

I mostly hit up the fabric store. It might seem like a nightmare waiting in line at the cut counter, but it's not bad -- at least at ours. They've got the young ones working on Black Friday so it's actually faster than it is on a regular day with the 120-year-old women doing the cutting.

Either way, having something to munch on would be nice.

I prepped the dough in my food processor! You can use a bowl and a hand mixer if you like, too. Either way it's a one-bowl deal. One of the benefits of alternative baking is that overmixing isn't as much of an issue because you aren't using wheat flour. I use my processor a lot for stuff like this.

This dough is actually a tweaked version of the Big Chocolate Chip Cookie dough from my paleo slow cooker cookbook with some orange zest.

When you spread the dough in the pan it'll seem like there isn't much there, but it'll puff up when it bakes.

Mmm. I never knew how much I could like cranberry sauce. My Wassailed Cranberry Sauce has a mix of spices mimicking . . . wassail. (My recipe naming abilities are pretty fantastic, right?) It goes so well with the orange in the crust!

Then you mix the reserved dough with the cranberry sauce to make it all swirly like.

Talk about smelling good. These cranberry bars are WAY better than a scented candle.

Honestly, I loved them better chilled. They're also easier to cut and handle with they're cold. Also somewhat crumbly, but even at room temperature you can get them out of the pan pretty easily.

Since they're paleo friendly you could take them to someone who eats gluten-free or is mostly paleo for a holiday treat!

More Paleo Dessert Bar Recipes on Perry's Plate

These Paleo Samoa Cookie Bars are DELISH and bonus -- there are NO nuts in this recipe! These Girls Scout cookie knock offs are such a great grain-free dessert.

If you're wanting something rich and fudgy, make some Paleo Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars. They remind me of the swirled oatmeal fudge bars I ate as a kid.

Flourless Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars only have 5 ingredients! Use any kind of nut butter you like if peanut butter isn't your thing.

Also, check out this round up of Gluten Free Christmas Cookies over at What the Fork for more gluten-free (and probably easily adaptable) Christmas cookie recipes.

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Paleo Orange Cranberry Bars

Yield: 15 bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

I REALLY hope you saved some leftover cranberry sauce for these orange cranberry bars. They're especially good with my Wassailed Cranberry Sauce!

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Ingredients

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• ½ cup palm oil shortening (see note)
• ½ cup almond butter
• 6 Tablespoons coconut sugar or honey
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10-15 drops vanilla stevia
• Zest from 1 large orange
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• ⅓ cup tapioca flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup leftover Wassailed Cranberry Sauce (or prepared cranberry sauce)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor prep bowl (or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) combine the palm oil shortening, almond butter, coconut sugar, and coconut oil. Process until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla extract, stevia, and orange zest. Pulse until smooth.
3. Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, and baking soda. Blend until smooth.
4. Transfer ¾ of the dough to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Add the cranberry sauce on top and spread that evenly, too. Add the remaining dough by spoonfuls on the cranberry sauce, and use a knife to swirl the dough around with the cranberry sauce a bit. Make sure that there isn't too much dough piled up around the center -- push it toward the edges of the pan if necessary.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the bars cool completely before slicing. (Chill them if you have time and they'll stay together more easily. I preferred them chilled!)

Notes

Nat's Note: Be sure to find palm shortening that is made from 100% palm oil and not a combination of palm and coconut oils. The consistency of the bars won't be the same if it's not 100% palm oil.

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