May 16, 2012

Sah-weet! Sweet Potatoes 3 ways!


I love sweet potatoes. An they are just so easy to make, serve, store and so good!. Here are three of my favorite Sweet potato recipes - from hardest to easiest, but all quite tasty and worth it!

Sweet Potato & Arugula Salad.
Dressing:
1/4 c canola oil
3 T apple cider vinegar
1 t dijon mustard
1 t turbinado or brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t red pepper flakes

Salad:
2 c bite size pieces of sweet potato
2 T apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
1 T canola oil
salt & pepper
1/4 lb pancetta (I used bacon....mmmm bacon!)
5 c arugula
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

In a blender or food processor, combine all the dressing ingredients until emulsified.

To make the salad: preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the apple cider, oil, salt & pepper. Place on baking sheet and road of 10-15 minutes, or until tender, but not overly soft. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the pancetta or bacon until crisp.

In a large salad bowl, combine the the roasted sweet potatoes, pancetta or bacon, arugula, and almonds. Drizzle with the dressing and slightly toss.


Sweet Potato Rosemary Soup (Recipe care of Seth, Tracy & Sasha, age 2, who very much approves!)
Makes 8 Servings

1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups vegetable broth
4 cups cubed organic sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup low-fat milk

In a large pot, saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 25 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Be careful as liquid will be hot. Return puree to pot and stir in pepper, salt, rosemary and milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until hot throughout.

I added an onion with the garlic and that was tasty too!


And of  course the easiest of all....roasted.  These are easy to store in the fridge, they freeze well and make such a great snack.  I love them cold, skins and all. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Cut several sweet potatoes in half length wise, quarter if they are big ones.
Coat with olive oil or canola oil, lightly salt and roast in a 400 degree oven until tender. (about 1/2 hour).
Done. Easy potato peasy.

I make these about once a week or so.
Drool.

May 06, 2012

A Big Hunk o' Pasta Love.



I forget sometimes just how easy it is to actually throw leftovers together to actually make something decent I look forward to eating. And is food, real food!

Since I've been biking more to work of late, PB&Banana sandwiches have been my go to lunch - easy to make the night before, not much to carry in the bag and I don't have to leave the safety of my desk after a sweaty run to go to the microwave to heat up.  Oh and they are just so darn good.

But a girl can only eat so much PB&Banana sandwiches before her hips start letting her know.  

Sorry Elvis. 

So tonight as I was about to put away our left over pasta (on sale for $.77/box!) dinner, I had a thought.  

I *was* going to wait to get some Italian dressing at the grocery store tomorrow, but thought....wait. 

I have olive oil.  vinegar.  I bet there is something I could do with that. 

yup.  

Grabbed some chives from the garden, a little salt, a little (pardon me do you have any) dijon, a little pepper and whisk and ta da!  

Pour over pasta.  Wait!  There's more.  Add some of the spinach on sale today and we have our selves a lunch tomorrow!  

YES! 

Anndd.....I just remembered we have a conference, with catering. for lunch tomorrow. 

Ok, so lunch on Tuesday then.  Save the PB&B for Wednesday.



May 01, 2012

baby, I would run to you

Why does one's mouth taste like metal?  I really ought to look that up.