Divine Sweet Potato Mash

 
Kid-tested...Taste-tested...This side dish scored high marks!!

Ingredients:

5 small roasted Sweet Potatoes, with skin

4 Tablespoons of raw Agave syrup

1/4 teaspoon of grated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of ground Cloves

1/4 cup of Pecans or Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven for 425*F. 

Using either the oven or the microwave, cook whole sweet potatoes until they are tender. Cut the end of the cooked potatoes open with a knife and squeeze out the warm, soft meat. Mash them in a bowl.

In a large saucepan , heat agave and all spices. Pour the sauce over the mashed sweet potatoes and mix thoroughly. Place sweet potato mash into a baking dish, and sprinkle with the chopped nuts and a pinch more cinnamon. Bake for 10 minutes or until you can smell the nuts and potatoes.

Whatever you do, please don't hide this incredible side under a mountain of marshmallows. There is no processed sugars in the recipe above, and it would be a shame to ruin a good thing. (wink!)

Zesty Falafel Patties

This falafel recipe has a story...

My first experience in a classroom was as a reading teacher in inner city Detroit. I lived with two other teachers in a run-down walk-up above a Lebanese restaurant. The couple who owned and operated the small diner, Ammon & Mina, had come from Beirut many years before. Their grandchildren attended the school where I worked. They were charmed and amused by three southern transplants living in urban Detroit. Even more amused when they learned that between the three of us, not a one could cook anything more elaborate than Kraft mac-n-cheese. Having once been transplants themselves, they took us under their wings and made it their personal mission to give us some kitchen skills. 

One afternoon a week, my roommates and I subjected ourselves to Mina scolding us lovingly in Lebanese and clucking her tongue in disgrace at what came of our attempts to cook her recipes. We traded doing mountains of dishes for cooking lessons and the best Mediterranean food we'd ever eaten. 

Mina insisted the kitchen was more than a place where you prepare food. It's the heart of the home, and every dish that comes out of it should be made with pride and love. Though we failed to truly grasp Mina's kitchen genius, we were always sent off with boxes of incredible food, including our particular favorite...falafel. 

Mina would undoubtedly be shocked into a long stream of Lebanese mortifications at seeing what I've done with her famous falafel recipe. However, she'd beam with pride to discover I'm still cooking and using the lessons she gave me long ago.

Falafel has a naturally healthy assortment of ingredients. Frying them in traditional animal lard is where the recipe becomes a health food nightmare. In my recipe, I've added the zest of red bell pepper, and changed the seasoning arrangement to kick up the sass. These delicious delights are baked not fried, but I've included instructions on searing them quickly in coconut oil if you craved that traditional falafel crunch. 

Ingredients:
1 can of organic chickpeas/garbanzo beans (drained)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of Parsley
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon of Smoked Paprika
1/4 teaspoon of Cumin
1 pinch of Cilantro
2 tablespoons of wheat flour
2 tablespoons of Coconut oil*

Directions:

Preheat your oven for 400*F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, warm the chickpeas with the chopped red pepper, onion, and garlic. When the onions and peppers start to get tender, add all the spices. Continue cooking until the onions are soft and clear, about 5 more minutes. 

Blend the ingredients in a food processor, a chunky paste will form. Mold the paste into 2 inch patties and bake them for 12 minutes, flipping them half-way through the baking time. 

*For the traditional falafel crunch: when the patties come from the oven, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pan and fry them quickly. They'll only need to cook about 1 minute on each side. 

Hidden Veggie Mac-N-Cheese

 Yum...Yum...Get you some!!

This healthy twist on a classic favorite 

is super delicious and not to be missed.

Ingredients:

1 small onion

1 small sweet potato (about 2 ½ inches long)

4 tablespoons of real butter

2 cups of real, mild cheddar cheese*

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of whole milk
a pinch of Salt

1 box of whole wheat pasta cooked according to the instructions on the box

Directions:

Cook the pasta and set it aside.

Clean and peel the onion and sweet potato, then chop it into quarters. Roast them at 375*F until they are fork tender. Place the roasted veggies, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 2 tablespoons of milk into a food processor and blend until a smooth paste forms. 

Over medium heat, melt the other 3 tablespoons of butter and the ½ cup milk in a saucepan. Now add 1 ½ cups of the cheddar cheese, ½ cup at a time, and stir as it melts into the butter and milk. (Save the last ½ cup of cheese for sprinkling over the top before baking.) Once the cheese is melted, fold in the sweet potato and onion paste and mix completely. 

Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta and mix together. Layer the macaroni and cheese into a baking dish and top with the last of the cheddar cheese. Bake at 325* F for 15 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

*Please don’t use cheese substitutes or easy melting cheeses made from partially hydrogenated oils!

Not Your Momma’s Meatloaf!!

So good, folks never know it's meatless!!

It's even better the next day in a meatloaf sandwich. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 long Carrots, steamed and chopped

1 red or yellow Bell Pepper

1 medium white Onion, chopped

2 teaspoons minced Garlic

1 package extra firm Tofu (I prefer sprouted tofu)

1 cup cooked Brown Lentils

1 ½ cups of Black Beans (approx. 1 can)

1 cup of Brown Rice
½ cup of whole wheat Bread Crumbs (or a gluten-free variety)
1 Egg* 

¼ cup of Ketchup

¼ cup Soy sauce (or Tamari)

2 tablespoons of Worchestershire sauce

2 tablespoon Spicy Yellow Mustard

4 teaspoons dried Parsley

2 teaspoons dried Oregano (or Italian seasoning)

1 teaspoon dried Rosemary

1 teaspoon ground Paprika

1 teaspoon of dried Cilantro

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

* Optional (you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder instead for Vegan meals)

I am a life-long meatloaf lover. This recipe was born from a black-bean burger recipe, but perfected as a meatloaf...enjoy!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking pan with parchment paper. 

Steam carrots in microwave until tender and then chop them into small pieces. Prepare the lentils and brown rice according to the directions and set aside to cool. Saute chopped onions, peppers, and garlic until onion turns clear.

In a food processor, place the black beans, lentils, all spices and all wet ingredients into a food processor and blend until thoroughly pureed. Using a food mallet, or a heavy fork, mash up the tofu and steamed carrots to make a heavy paste. Add the mixture from the food processor and stir with a spatula. Next add in the sauteed vegetables and finally fold in the rice and bread crumbs.

Place in a loaf pan or square baking pan. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. (Hint: Remove the foil 10 minutes before it's finally done so the top browns nicely.)

This recipes makes 8 servings. 

This recipe is:
-Vegan/Vegetarian
-Gluten Free 

Wait! Don’t Throw That Out. Freeze it!

5 Re-usable Foods… 

Bananas, Berries, Broth, Bread, and Bell Pepper Seeds

  

Aging, Brown Bananas

Your favorite post workout snack is starting to go brown in your fruit bowl and you see the fruit flies circling for a landing. What do you do? You freeze them! Frozen, over-ripe bananas are a healthy kitchen staple. They can be recycled from a healthy fast-food fuel-up into pancake recipes, muffin mixes, and smoothie staples. Don’t toss those brown bananas. 

                                                                           Freeze them!

Over-ripe Berries

You went to the fridge to grab a handful of berries and saw they’re looking less than tempting. It’s time to put them in a plastic baggie and freeze them for another day. Frozen berries add nicely to muffin and pancake batters, smoothie blends, and dessert compotes.

Vegetable Soup Broth

You made a large kettle of vegetable soup and you’ve been eating on it for a week. You’re tired of veggie soup but there’s still a quart of liquid left in the pot. No problem! Put it in a plastic container and put it in the freezer. Veggie Broth add great flavor when used to cook wild rice, boil potatoes, or steam vegetables.

Stale Bread

That irresistible loaf of whole grain bread you bought from the farmer’s market is now week old and hard as nails.  Please don’t throw it out, put it in a plastic bag and stick it in your freezer. Stale bread is great for making meatloaf and toasted whole grain croutons. You can even defrost it later and use it to make a healthy version of old-fashioned French toast.

Bell Pepper Seeds

Red, yellow, orange or green…the next time you chop a bell pepper, scoop out the little white seeds and dry them in the open air. You can buy dried pepper seeds and flakes at your local healthy market; or you can create your own by re-purposing the ones from peppers you chop. If you usually use pepper flakes, run your dried seeds through a food processor before using them. Dried bell pepper seeds are great for spicing up chili, black beans, meatloaf, veggie burgers and guacamole. Allow them to thoroughly dry (about 2 days depending on the humidity of your region) and placed them in an air tight container.

Stuffed Cockroaches

I first had these little critters in the Caribbean, served at a sea-side seafood boil. It took serious bravery to get past their name! My hosts laughed when they saw the look on my face. Such a horrible title for this an amazing appetizer! 
Are you brave enough to give them a try?

Ingredients:

15-20 whole medjool dates

1/4 cup of Greek Feta Cheese

Sea salt for sprinkling

Almonds or Pecans

Directions:

Easiest appetizer ever!  Mash your feta cheese with a fork to soften it. Split your dates open and gently fill each one. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Top with almonds or pecans.

When you offer your friends one of these grotesquely named delights they're sure to be hesitant. After one bite, they'll be hooked. The sweet-salty combo delights the palette. 

You can impress your guests with your attention to dietary detail and explain that starting with a high-fiber, high-protein appetizer reduces the impulse to over-eat because your body feels satisfied sooner. And they're so delicious! Before they have time to compliment your kitchen savvy, the plate will be clean and you'll be on your way back to make more!

The Perfect Date

 

Unless you've lived across the pond or you're a big fan of the Mediterranean Diet, it's likely you don't consume many dates. Which is sad. Sure, they're shriveled, brown, and oddly shaped; but come on, looks aren't everything! These delicious darlings have incredible worth where it counts...on the inside!

 The hidden beauty of dates. . .

1) Dates Don't Raise Blood Sugar

Despite their decadent sweetness, dates have relatively no impact on glucose levels.* While they contain high amounts of natural sugars, they are actually a low-glycemic index food. The next time you need a sugary afternoon fix, skip the cookies and have some dates. Three times the benefit, and none of the sugar crash.

 

2) High in Fiber

Health journals and fitness writers are forever preaching the merits of a high-fiber diet. Most of the time, when we read these articles, our minds conjure images of cereal bowls piled high with tasteless, crunchy grain products. Next time, think Dates! Dates are loaded with fiber. One serving of Medjool dates (4-5 dates) contains 6.7 g of fiber. That's 25% of the recommended daily intake!**

 

3) Vitamin Powerhouses

Need more B-6? Vitamin A or K? Dates are the way to go. Dates are good sources of B-complex vitamins, B-6, niacin, and Vitamin K.** These vitamins are essential in helping the body metabolize proteins and fats.

Notes:

*Nutrition Journal,  28 May 2011

**USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

Vegetable Lentil Soup

Healing and healthy...a savory soup delight!

Spring has come to the Carolinas and so has allergy season. I noticed I was feeling run-down this week, which means it's time to make this wonderful, healing soup. 

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon of water
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5-6 medium sized carrots, chopped
6 stacks of celery, split and chopped
1 yellow or red pepper, chopped
1 lime or lemon, cut in half
1 large clove of garlic, split in half
2in piece of raw ginger, cut in half
1/4 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Rosemary seeds
3 teaspoons of Sea Salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups cooked brown or green lentils (or 1 cup dry)


Directions:

This is one of those soups that cooks itself. Very little babysitting is necessary. Simply chop your vegetables and herbs, and place them in a large soup kettle. Pour 1/2 gallon of water over them and allow them to simmer for about an hour. No need to stir, nature's working it's magic. When you're nearly ready to serve, add your cooked or dry lentils and allow to simmer about 15mins more until lentils are tender. Enjoy!

. . . .

Healthy Soup Hints

1) Use an assortment of brightly colored vegetables and greens. 
    Pick your faves. This recipe uses mine, next time use yours!
2) Go fresh! Avoid dry ingredients in soups unless you're using spices. 
     Fresh ingredients have higher nutrient values. 
3) Don't add unnecessary oil or fat.
4) Simmer them slowly to bring out the best nutrient assortment. 
5) Don't skip on the liquid...even if you've prepared too much broth, 
    refrigerate or freeze it. Homemade vegetable broth is a great way 
    to prepare other healthy dishes like wild rice or quinoa.

Pecan-Crusted Tofu

Hint: As pretty as it looks, this recipe is even tastier!

Plus, it cooks up in a jiffy, and is a great way to use left-over ingredients.

We all have aging bread or pitas sitting forgotten in our pantry. Most of us even have containers of nuts with not enough left in them to do much with. You could throw them out or throw them together in your food processor to make this tasty, elegant main dish.

Ingredients:
1 package Extra-Firm Tofu (I love sprouted versions!)
1 egg, scrambled
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 cup of Pecans or pecans pieces*
1/2 cup of Whole-Wheat or Gluten-Free bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of dried Parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried Cilantro
1/4 teaspoon of Basil

Directions:
Preheat your over to 350 degrees F.

Press your tofu to remove any excess water. Cut the tofu into 1-in thick slices. Place your stale bread, or bread crumbs, seasonings and nuts into a food processor. (*This recipe calls for Pecans, because they are one of my favorite nuts and they're often in my home. I've also made this recipe with Almonds, and once even made it with a nut assortment. Be creative!) Run your food processor until a light powder forms.

Scramble the egg and water together in a small bowl. Dip your tofu slices in the egg wash to help the crust coat better. Now dip the egg-moistened tofu into the crumb mixture and coat completely. Lay on a non-stick baking pan and bake until golden brown. Serve while still crispy and warm from the oven.

I like to serve the Pecan-Crusted Tofu slices with my Creamy-Garlic Red Potatoes (as pictured above) or with Stuffed Tomatoes. You can find the recipes for both side-dishes on this site.