How to spice up your Thanksgiving side dishes

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — If you’re looking to spice up your side dishes on Thanksgiving Day, Erica Bethe Levin has some ideas for you.

Erica is the founder of Globowl for Future Foodies. She also was a semi-finalist on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars on Fox over the summer.

Here are some of her creative ideas on cooking up a memorable Thanksgiving Day meal to accompany the turkey.

Moroccan-spiced carrots:

1 bag of carrots
1-2 tbsp. brown sugar (you can also use agave, honey, or syrup)
3 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
Orange zest
3 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper/red pepper flakes
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin
Chopped parsley, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar.
3. Cut carrots in half lengthwise (keep them consistent in size).
4. Toss carrots with the olive oil mixture and lay flat on a large sheet pan.
5. Roast carrots for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven), flipping them halfway through cooking.
6. While carrots are roasting, whisk together orange juice, red pepper, cumin and cinnamon.
7. Once carrots are removed from the oven and still hot, pour orange juice mixture on top and toss.
8. Plate the carrots and garnish with orange zest and fresh parsley.

WPTV

Smashed brussel sprouts with garlic and parmesan

1 bag of brussels sprouts (ends chopped off)
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brussels sprouts sold in plastic bags can be heated up directly in the microwave. Puncture bag with a fork to let out steam. Place in microwave and cook on high until Brussels are soft and can be smushed with a fork.
3. While in the microwave, chop garlic and mix into olive oil in a small bowl.
4. Lay Brussels sprouts flat on a baking sheet (careful opening the plastic bag - it's very hot!). Smash them with a fork or the bottom of a glass so that they're flat.
5. Using a pastry or cooking brush, spread the olive oil (with the chopped garlic in it!) on top of each smashed sprout.
6. Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of Parmesan on each sprout and put in oven just until cheese is melted.

Mini pumpkin muffins

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. milk (any kind)
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (from a can)
2 tbsp. apple juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a hand mixer, combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Spray muffin tins to grease them (you can use an oil spray OR butter). Fill mini muffin pans to about 3/4.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes. Depending on your oven, I generally start at 12 minutes and use a toothpick to test for doneness. When toothpick comes out clean, they're ready to go.

WPTV

(Makes about 2 dozen mini muffins)