Spicy Sweet Potato Salad

Did you know there is a difference between sweet potatoes and yams? It’s common for most people to confuse the two!

Sweet potatoes are yellow to cream-colored inside, drier than yams, with a mild, nutty taste, where as Yams are moist and sweet and orange when you cut into them.

Be creative with your sweet potatoes and yams!  They can be used in most recipes calling for potatoes, pumpkin, squash and even bananas when use in breads, cakes and cookies. They are high in fiber, high in antioxidants, have a low glycemic index and are an excellent source of potassium.

Ingredients:

8 large sweet potatoes

1 c olive oil

sea salt and ground black pepper

1/2 c white wine vinegar

2 medium red bell peppers

4 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp grated orange zest

1 c sliced scallions

1 c fresh minced basil leaves

1.5 jalapeno peppers,minced

1/2 raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into bite- sized pieces. Put them on a baking sheet, drizzle with 4 tbsp of the oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast turning occasionally, until crisp and brown outside and just tender inside, about 30 minutes. Remove and keep on the pan until ready to dress.

2. Make the dressing while the potatoes cook. Put the remaining oil in a blender along with the vinegar, bell pepper, cumin and zest. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

3. Toss the warm potatoes with the scallion, basil, jalapenos and raisins. Add 1 c of the dressing and toss to coat, adding more if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately or a room temperature.

I found this recipe in a little booklet that came with my last purchase of yams- you can find more recipes here!

xo erin

Sweet Potato Turkey Meatballs in Green Curry

Quick delicious meal in only 30 minutes!

Recipe adapted from The Healthy Glow Co.

 

ingredients

meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken

1/4 c old fashioned oats, gluten free

1/4 c coconut flour

1 small sweet potato, grated

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tbsp olive oil ( add more for frying)

 

curry sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 (15 ounce can) coconut milk

1 small red onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1.5 zucchini, cut into cubes

1.5 c cauliflower

1.5 c snow peas

3 tbsp green curry paste

3.5 tbsp lime juice (1.5 limes)

salt to taste

directions

1. preheat oven to 375F
2. in a large bowl, mix together all ingredients for the meatballs (except for olive oil)
3. Heat a large, oven safe skillet over medium heat and add olive oil to the pan. Make balls, 1 inch in size with your hands. It works best of your hands are slightly moist with water. Place in skillet. Repeat.
4. Brown meatballs for 4-5 minutes (they don’t need to be fully cooked.) Remove from heat. Set meatballs aside.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, mix coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
6. Heat olive oil in the same skilled you used for the meatballs. Add red onion, red pepper and snow peas. Saute veggies for 2 mins. Add coconut curry sauce to the pan. Bring to a boil.
7. Add browned meatballs to the skillet so they are sitting in the curry mixture. Place in the oven and bake at 375F for 15 minutes.
8. Serve on a bed of rice or spinach.

serves 6.

 

 

Tikki Masala

my  friend was coming over for lunch and I didn’t have much time to fix something so I threw this in a pot and I was pleasently surprised by how delicious it was!! well I guess I used 2 pots to make some garlic rice- yum my favorite! A family that I ate with on my mission would make this garlic rice that I died over every time! They make it a lot in brazil…so I guess it’s not Indian to go with this dish but you can add garlic to about anything right? The recipe for this delicious garlic rice will be coming soon!!

 

ingredients

1.5 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 onion, chopped finely

1 can chickpeas (540 ml)

1 can diced tomatoes (540 ml)

1/8 tsp cayenne

1 tsp salt

1/2  tsp pepper

1 tsp corn starch

1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp ginger

2 tsp coriander

2 c spinach

directions

1. Add olive oil, garlic and onion to a pot and let it brown for about 10 minutes.
2. Add spices, chickpeas, coconut milk, diced tomatoes to the pot.  Mix cornstartch with a little bit of water before adding to the pot so it mixes well.
3. Let it cook for about 15 minutes. Simmer for about 10. Add spinach right before serving and mix together.
4. Serve with rice.

*serves 4

xo

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

 

 

If you know me…you know I LOVE me some tacos! The saddest part was that my avocados were nowhere near ripe….but I wanted these tacos so bad I couldn’t wait! Although avocado does makes everything better…am I right?! SO make sure you have some ripe avocados 🙂 Happy Taco Tuesday!

ingredients

4 small sweet potatoes

black beans (540 ml can)

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/4 small onion

1/8 jalapeno

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

sea salt and pepper to taste

1/4 red cabbage thinly sliced

2 carrots shaved with vegetable peeler

1/3 c cilantro

corn tortillas

lime (if you would like more juice on top of tacos)

1 large avocado

cream sauce

1/4 coconut cream

juice from 1/2 lime

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 large garlic clove, minced

sea salt and pepper to taste

directions

1. Cut sweet potatoes into big chunks and boil until tender ( about 20- 25 minutes)
2. While sweet potatoes are boiling warm black beans on the stove.
3. You can also make your cream sauce while you are waiting, add all ingredients to mini food processor and mix together.
4. When sweet potatoes are done, mash with a potato masher. Add garlic, onion, cumin, jalapeño, smoked paprika and salt and pepper. Once combined, mix in black beans.
5. Wrap corn tortillas in paper towel and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds…you may need to add more time depending on how many tortillas you have!
6. Add sweet potato mixture to taco shells and top with cabbage, carrots, avocado, cream sauce, avocado and lime juice

*This made a lot, so you can have left overs for lunches during the week!

xo

Zucchini Boats

From Skinny Taste Blog. These were AMAZING!!

Ingredients:

For the enchilada sauce:

• coconut oil spray
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 or 2 tbsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce, more if you like it spicy
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the zucchini boats:

• 4 (about 32 oz total) medium zucchini
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 3 tbsp water or chicken broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Topping:

• 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• chopped scallions and cilantro for garnish

Directions:

For the enchilada sauce: In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

For the Zucchini Boats:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4″ thick. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside.
3. Drop the zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute; remove from water.
4. In a large saute pan, heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini and cilantro; season with salt and pepper and cook about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, water, and tomato paste and cook a few more minutes, thenadd in chicken; mix and cook 3 more minutes.
5. Place 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large (or 2 small) baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up. Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup chicken mixture, pressing firmly.
6. Top each with 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce, and 1 1/2 tablespoons each of shredded cheese.** cheese optional.
7. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.

Top with scallions and cilantro for garnish.

xo erin