“Pour some Maple Syrup on me” via Foodstand

Salad dressings, smoothies, pan sauces, coffee, tea, marinades, and glazes are just a few things I have and will continue to use maple syrup in. As a Personal Chef for the busy professional, you must continue to bring something new to your clients’ homes and dinner tables to excite their palate. Maple syrup is that something I bring to mine. Check out what Foodstand has to say about it! – CHEF FLO

Maple Roasted Pumpkins and Sweet Potatoes (minus walnuts and raisins)

“Maple syrup – it’s not just for pancakes! We have seen this sweet stuff popping up in unlikely recipes everywhere- and we’re loving it.  You don’t have to be Canadian to indulge your maple syrup obsession either (although Canada does now produce 80% of the world’s maple syrup!)

Maple syrup is trending on Foodstand because of its versatility and ability to bring a unique kind of sweetness.  As a natural sweetener, we can take advantage of maple syrup as a replacement for sugar, while reaping health benefits too. In moderation, maple syrup can keep you looking young and it shares similar health benefits to wine. It contains 54 antioxidants that keep eyes and skin in good shape, and 5 of these antioxidants can’t be found anywhere else in nature.  An added bonus: the maple syrup tapping process doesn’t hurt the maple trees or affect their lifespan at all, so no need to worry about our tree friends. =) “

Blog — Foodstand.

Roasted Maple Glazed Pumpkin and Sweet Potatoes

This next one is one of my own creations and a favorite holiday recipe. I made it this past Thanksgiving and for a Friendsgiving celebration that I had with my close friends and family. I came up with this recipe while creating my menu for the holidays. We all usually have mashed potatoes at most holiday spreads as well as a Sweet Potato Casserole topped with sweet and fluffy marshmallows. Well that just seemed redundant to me. Two mashed roots on the same table was one too many. So I thought, “Why not roast one of the dishes but still make it spiced and somewhat sweet?!”

The best part of this recipe is that you can mix up the type of squash you use in place of the pumpkin. The last time I made this, I used butternut squash and acorn squash. Whatever you may find to make it easier for you the better. Another thing, to make this the best possible dish on that table, you have to make sure you buy REAL MAPLE SYRUP. You can tell it’s the real deal by looking at the ingredients. It should ONLY say that it is made with 100% MAPLE SYRUP. That is my only exception if you make this dish. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use REAL MAPLE SYRUP. Don’t ruin an incredible dish for your friends and family by using Aunt Jemima’s. She ain’t got nothing on this sweet tree nectar. Anyway, here goes!

Maple_Syrup_Bottles maple-syrup-trees

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

  • 2# of sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-3″ spears (Sweet potatoes are not uniform so don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect. Most importantly is that you make each piece similar in size for even cooking.)
  • 1-2# of pumpkin squash, peeled and chopped into 2-3″ spears (You can vary the type of fall (hard) squash if you can’t find any pumpkin. Squash usually takes a bit longer to cook. So when you cut them into pieces, you can make them thinner or smaller than the sweet potatoes.)
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • salt & pepper TT
  • 1 cup 100% maple syrup
  • 1 cup golden raisins, garnish
  • Maple Glazed Walnuts:
    • 2 cups raw walnuts
    • 2 tbsp 100% maple syrup
    • Method: Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix two ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Please on a small roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes

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Method:

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, toss your sweet potatoes and pumpkin/squash with all four spices. Spread root vegetables onto a non-stick roasting pan or baking sheet trays. (If not a non-stick surface, line the pan with foil or oven proof parchment paper.) Drizzle maple syrup over the root vegetables evenly. (To prevent burning, try to get as little as you can onto the baking tray itself) Roast for 45 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Do NOT overcook.
  • Once root vegetables are  cooked, to prevent overcooking, remove from tray and place in a service dish.
  • Garnish with your Maple Glazed Walnuts and the holden raisins. To add some more color, sprinkle a bit of finely hipped parsley on top. Serve and enjoy!
Maple Roasted Pumpkins and Sweet Potatoes (minus walnuts and raisins)

Happy Holidays!

 

-Chef Flo