Two Favorite Vegetarian Recipes from Chef Alexis Sicklick

Incorporating more vegetarian options into your diet (or going full-in) can be daunting. Recently, I had a great conversation for our In Good Taste Denver Podcast with Chef Alexis Sicklick of Syncopated that included really doable, flavorful ways to make sure what you’re eating is nourishing your body, values, need for some goodies once in a while, and busy lifestyle. After the conversation, which you can hear here, Alexis generously shared two of her tried and true, favorite recipes with In Good Taste Denver, caramelized Cauliflower Puree which can be a dip, sauce and addition to mac ‘n cheese and Spicy Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies.

Two Favorite Vegetarian Recipes from Chef Alexis Sicklick

Cauliflower Purée

Recipe courtesy of Chef Alexis Sicklick, Syncopated
Yield: approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
Olive oil, as needed
Water, as needed
Salt, as needed

Instructions:

1. Cut the cauliflower florets and stems into small pieces.
2. Heat a wide rondeau over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, let it heat up for two minutes, then add the cauliflower.
3. Cover the pot with a lid (or foil if you do not have a matching lid) and let the cauliflower steam and soften while caramelizing. Every few minutes, give it a stir to make sure the pieces are not sticking to the pan, then cover it back up and let it cook. If you feel that the pieces are sticking too much, you can add a bit more oil to the pan.
4. Once the cauliflower pieces are soft, you can remove the lid and let it continue cooking until all the pieces are golden brown. Every so often, give it a stir to make sure they are all caramelizing evenly.
5. After the cauliflower is golden brown on all sides, transfer it to a blender. Turn the blender up to high, and using the blender tamper to help the pieces move around, blend until the cauliflower achieves a smooth, luxurious texture. If you are struggling to create that consistency (depending on the size of your head of cauliflower (on the smaller side) or your blender (on the larger side), it might impact how it comes together), you can add a little bit of water, about 4 tablespoons at a time, until it starts to vortex and becomes velvety in texture. Season with salt.
6. Serve as desired – as a purée, a dip, or even as a sauce for something like mac and cheese! Add a little nutritional yeast to bring that cheesy funkiness too!

Spicy Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies (¡Chocolé!)

Recipe courtesy of Chef Alexis Sicklick, Syncopated from her book, This Cookbook is for Dancing: A Taste of The Nutcracker available on her website and on Amazon.com.
Yield: 16 brownies

 For the Brownies:

Ingredients:
6 ounces Dark Chocolate
6 TBS Almond Flour
2 cups Sweet Potato, mashed (about 4 medium-sized)
2 TBS Almond Butter
2 tsp Water
½ tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
½ tsp Baking Powder
2 TBS Cocoa Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1 tsp Coriander, ground
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Salt
½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips

For the Glaze:
3 oz Dark Chocolate
½ tsp Cinnamon, ground

Instructions:

1. For the Brownies: Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into small chunks. Put them into a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer until soft and tender, about 15-20 minutes. Strain and cool, then mash and measure out 2 cups.
3. In a food processor, blend the 6 ounces of dark chocolate until it becomes crumbly. Add in the almond flour, mashed sweet potato, almond butter, water, apple cider vinegar, and baking powder and blend until smooth. Incorporate the cocoa powder, spices, salt, and chocolate chips, pulsing until combined.
4. Spread into a parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan and bake in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
5. For the Glaze: While the brownies are baking, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Mix in the cinnamon and set aside.
6. To Serve: Let the brownies cool, then drizzle with the glaze. After it sets, cut them into 25 squares.

-Story by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher/Managing Editor of InGoodTasteDenver.com and Host of In Good Taste Denver Podcast