Sweet Potato, Two Ways

For most of us, January brings the resolution to eat healthier, work out more, and improve our health.  And I love that so many people get excited at the prospect of leading more healthful lives; but let's face it, eating healthy can be challenging, mostly because it can be hard to think of what to eat!  So many of us gorge ourselves on candy, junk, and baked goods over the holidays, and I am no exception to that.  We get used to giving into our every craving for sugar, excess salt, and fat.  Some of us do this for weeks in a row, and this can make it difficult to transition toward healthier eating habits, especially if you decide to go cold turkey off the junk!

Alas, have no fear!  I promise there are so many healthy recipes and delicious foods you can make that are much more valuable to your overall health and wellness than you may think.  Today, I am going to feature two completely different recipes, both of which include one common ingredient that is both healthy AND tasty:  Sweet Potato!

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamins A (over 400% your daily recommended daily intake in one medium sized spud), C, and B6.  They are also an excellent source of potassium; and while they carry more grams of natural sugar than white potatoes, they are far more nutrient dense and have fewer calories.

There are not very many people I know who don't like sweet potatoes... in fact, I can't think of one person I know that doesn't like it.  However, any ingredient will become boring to you if you run out of ways to use it in recipes -- even if you love it!  Sweet potatoes are just as versatile as white potatoes, and you can easily create tons of recipes that are tasty, healthy, and exciting!  Below are two completely different recipes, both featuring our lovely ingredient of the week:

Sweet Potato Fritters

Everyone loves a fritter!  And these sweet potato fritters are so easy to put together, it really doesn't take much cooking, the work is really all in the prep and these bad boys are easy as eating pie (because actually baking a pie from scratch isn't as easy as the cliche makes it out to be).  This recipe can easily be doubled to make extra, and it freezes very well, whether they are cooked first or frozen raw.

Try this recipe this weekend, and make a batch for yourself.  These are delicious eaten on their own, or topped with an egg for breakfast.  Try playing around with the spices, too; it's all about having fun, and making food the way you want it to taste.  I will be making these on a weekly basis, as they are the perfect make-ahead recipe to grab and go when life gets hectic.  

Sweet Potato Fritters
Yields:  12 fritters
Ingredients:
2 C shredded sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 to 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded with a grater)
3 scallions, diced
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 C coconut flour
2 T manioc starch (*if you aren't restricted to a grain-free diet, substitute with corn or tapioca starch)
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1/2 t paprika
Pinch cayenne powder
Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, using a fork, mix together shredded sweet potato and beaten eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix together coconut flour, manioc starch, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt & pepper.  Mix well and add to the sweet potato-egg mixture.  Mix well with a fork.  Add scallions and mix to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with tin foil or cooking spray.  Spoon 2 heaping Tablespoons of the fritter mixture into your hands and shape into patties.  Place each one on the prepared baking tray, leave about 1" room between each.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping once.  They are ready when edges are crisp and center is stiff.  Remove from oven, let stand at least five minutes before consuming.  Top with cilantro, a spritz of fresh lime juice, and a few drops of hot sauce to really punch these babies up!

*Tip:  Alternative to baking, you can heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Fry in heated oil for about 3-4 minutes per side, until edges are crisp and center is stiff.

****************************************************************************

Sweet Potato-Butternut Squash Curry Soup

One of my favorite things about Winter is SOUP.  If I started listing all the different kinds of soup, I would be writing for days... weeks even.  If you think sweet potato on its own is versatile, just look at a few soup recipes and tell me you couldn't find one you don't like:  Cream of Mushroom, Classic Chicken Noodle, Vegetable Minestrone... these classics are what most people think of when they hear the word, soup.  I love all of those, and there are still thousands of other soups ringing in my ears... but this recipe is all about our feature ingredient:  Sweet Potato!

I decided to compliment the sweet potato with butternut squash.  Butternut squash is less sweet and less starchy, adds great color, and a beautiful nutty flavor to this already delicious soup.  Flavors of cumin, turmeric, cardamom, and coriander are brought forward, leaving you with a feeling of warmth from the inside out as you devour this beautifully fragrant soup.  It freezes beautifully and thaws quickly over low heat in a pot for easy consumption later on... that is if you can manage not to eat it all at once.

Sweet Potato-Butternut Squash Curry Soup
Yields:  12 Cups
Ingredients:
3 C sweet potato, peeled and chopped
3 C butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 onion, diced
2.5 liters chicken stock (veggie stock would also be beautiful, for all our Veggie/Vegan friends out there)
2 cans lite coconut milk (68% less fat)
2 T curry powder
Salt & pepper

Directions:
In a large stock pot, throw in chopped sweet potato and squash, diced onion, chicken stock, curry powder, and salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and let simmer until potato and squash are fork tender.  Remove from heat, and blend using an immersion blender until completely smooth and free of lumps.  Add both cans of coconut milk, blend to combine.

*Tip:  try adding a peeled, cored, Granny Smith apple to this soup.  It adds a pleasant sweet, but also tart element to this already amazing soup.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

WTF is "Caulfredo"?

Cauliflower is being used in all sorts of recipes that normally it would have no business being part of. I've seen recipes out there for cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower mashed potatoes; and cauliflower rice. But never had I heard of cauliflower alfredo sauce, aka "Caulfredo", until now. I honestly thought it was going to be terrible when I heard about it, but it knocked my socks off and I had to share this recipe with everyone immediately.

You don't have to be lactose intolerant or follow a Paleo diet to enjoy this delicious recipe. Except for an extremely mild cauliflower presence, only in the sweetness at the middle notes of the flavor, it is pretty much uncanny to regular alfredo (but way healthier).

"Caulfredo" (Mock Alfredo Sauce)

Yields: 2+ C

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, chopped (small for faster cooking)
1 onion, diced
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 C chicken stock
1/4 C coconut milk
2 T clarified butter (ghee)
2 t oil
salt, pepper, nutmeg

Directions:

In a large sauce pan, heat 2 t oil and add onion and garlic. Sauté until softened and onions are transluscent, about five minutes.

Add chopped cauliflower and chicken stock. Cover until cauliflower is tender. Add coconut milk and remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, blend cauliflower mixture until the sauce is absolutely FREE of lumps. Add ghee, salt & pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. Blend quickly to incorporate spices. Serve hot over zoodles (zucchini julienned and sautéed ), cooked spaghetti squash, or even regular pasta.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Paleo Morning Glory Muffins

After a lot of unhealthy food choices lately, I've decided to start eating Paleo again. It just gives me more energy and makes me feel so much better. One of my favorite things about this dietary choice is that you can make a lot of the same foods you love, you may just have to tweak the recipe.

Morning glory muffins are probably my favorite. I've been craving them lately, so I decided to come up with a simple dairy-free, gluten-free recipe. These muffins are healthy, filling and sweet with a hint of spice from cinnamon and cardamom.

Paleo Morning Glory Muffins

Yields: 9 muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 C almond flour
1/2 C mashed sweet potato
1/4 C shredded carrot 
1/2 C shredded coconut
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C walnuts
1/4 C palm sugar
2 eggs
2 T chia/flax/hemp seeds
2 t vanilla extract
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cardamom
1 t baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with papers, or grease the pan.

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well blended. Divide into muffin wells and bake 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from the pan... consume!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

I managed to give my KitchenAid Stand Mixer a run for her money this weekend and baked several different types of cookies - all with the help from my lovely friend, Chenelle :) **click here to see the various models and colors offered at The Bay.ca - we have the Artisan 5qt Stand Mixer in Metallic Chrome with the meat grinding attachment that I am dying to use!**

 

If any of you know me, or have followed my blog for a while, then you know that I really love chocolate. It is definitely my weakness! and I try to incorporate it into my recipes as often as I can. I always enjoy baking as much as possible during the holidays, since I like to give out giant gift baskets to my families instead of individual gifts - it just seems more personal and far less commercialized than purchasing individual gifts for each family member. It's also financially suitable since I have a very large family.

 

These Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies have become a part of my Christmas Countdown this year and it is the first time I've tried these. They have a very chewy, almost pillowy texture, which I really loved. I wish I had added some chocolate extract to enhance the richness of the cookie, but the flavor is still there since I used unsweetened baking squares instead of cocoa powder. The texture of the dough is quite soft and can be a little difficult to roll if it is too warm, if you have trouble, pop it into the fridge for 30-45 minutes and it should be chilled enough to roll nicely.

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies:

Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C butter, softened
1 C granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 oz unsweetened chocolate baking squares
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
20 caramel squares, unwrapped
Pecan halves *optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and chocolate. Mix well. Add flour and blend until well combined.

Shape into 1" balls and press one square of caramel into the center of each cookie. Bake 10 minutes, top with a pecan half and transfer to a cooling rack.

*Next time I make these, I am going to melt the caramels down with a bit of milk so that the caramel stays soft. The caramel squares harden and are a little tough to bite through, unless the cookies are dipped in tea or another hot liquid, which is very nice if I do say so myself.



Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Chocolate Double Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

I am the type of person who refuses to acknowledge Christmas until December 1st. Today happens to be that day, and I am launching my annual Christmas baking countdown. My last post, "White Chocolate-Cranberry Cookies" technically launched this motion, but now that it is officially December, I am planning to bake at full force.

My initial goal is set to two recipes per week, but I will definitely be crunching in extra recipes the closer we get to Christmas. I have eight recipes lined up, but I wanted to begin with an easy one.

My mom used to make these when I was younger and over the years I have tweaked them here and there. I have baked these so many times over the years, I could make them with my eyes closed.

Chocolate Double Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
1/3 C cocoa powder + 1 square unsweetened baking chocolate
1 t baking powder
2 C all-purpose flour, less 2 T
2 T cornstarch
2 t peppermint extract
white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Mix on a medium speed and add one egg at a time, then add peppermint & vanilla extracts and melted baking chocolate.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour & constarch, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Pour into mixing bowl, in 1/2 C intervals, while blending in between additions. Mix until well blended.

Fold in white chocolate chips, scoop onto prepared baking sheet and bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and let stand 5 minutes before consuming.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Almond Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are one of my top favorite kinds of cookies, but since I switched over to a Paleo diet, we haven't had peanut butter in the house. Instead, we have almond butter and I've been dying to come up with a good Almond Butter Cookie recipe.

Some people don't realize that baking is a science. All the ingredients involved work together to create chemical reactions that allow for certain qualities in baked goods to happen. Some key points to know in baking are which ingredients provide structure and which ingredients provide softness, sweetness and color. Check out this brief guide below:

Flour & eggs for structure; fat and sugar for tenderness:
In baking, flour and eggs are the structure-builders and essentially hold the recipe together. Fat and sugar do the opposite and provide tenderness and moisture. Baking soda and baking powder are used as leavening agents and cause baked goods to 'rise' during baking.

Eggs provide two parts: whites dry out baked goods, while yolks provide velvety, smooth texture. Since yolks are full of fat, you can add extra yolks to add smoothness to your baked goods without having to add more oil/butter.

When using sugar, most people assume it is used as a sweetener, i.e. in coffee/tea. However, in baking its role becomes more complex as it adds volume, tenderness, texture and color.

Brown sugar vs granulated sugar:
These two sugars are virtually interchangeable, however, using brown sugar will create a moister result with a more "butterscotch" flavor as the molasses in the brown sugar will add depth.

Initially I wanted the recipe to be Paleo-friendly, so I used honey in my test batch. While the cookies had great flavor, the texture was far too cake-y for my liking -- I prefer cookies to have a crispy outer edge and a chewy center.

My second round was far more successful as I nixed the honey and replaced it with good ol' fashioned sugar. While these cookies are no longer Paleo-friendly, they certainly are sweet tooth-friendly!!

Almond Butter Cookies:

Yields: 12 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C natural almond butter
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 C ghee or regular butter, melted
1/2 C almond flour
1 large egg
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4-1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t cardamom
1/2 t sea salt
1 t vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl; cream together almond butter, both sugars and ghee. Add vanilla and egg and beat together until mixed well.

In a separate mixing bowl; add almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom,  and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold together. Mix until well incorporated.

Spoon tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 10-14 minutes, turning once. Adjust baking time to suit your oven. I baked these in a convection oven and had to add about 2-4 minutes to the baking time. Serve warm with a cold glass of milk!

*Try adding finely chopped nuts to this recipe. Next time I make these I will add some roasted pecans/hazelnuts to increase the "nut" flavor I was going for. Don't skip the cinnamon and cardamom, they add a beautiful hint of warmth and spiciness that are perfect for Autumn

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Raw Paleo Energy Orbs

One thing I've noticed recently is that a lot more people are getting out and being active. I see more people outdoors, in their workout gear, on their bikes or on a run and it's inspiring! It creates motivation in others to see people getting out there and being physical and staying healthy.

Ensuring that you are consuming enough energy to fuel your marathon runs or your epic bicycle trek into work is very important. My mom is a long distance runner and has been looking for a simple, easy snack that she can bring with her on those treks to hit the pavement. These Raw Paleo Energy Orbs are perfect for that little bite you need to add that burst of energy to your longer, more strenuous exercise days.

I am sure you have seen many recipes that are similar to this and the beautiful thing about food is that you can add/remove pretty much anything you want, because creating flavors to your preference is what it's all about!

Raw Paleo Energy Orbs

Yields: 24+ balls

Ingredients:

1 C pitted dates
1 C mixed nuts *no peanuts if you are following a Paleo diet
4-6 T chia seeds
4 T coconut oil
4 T almond butter
*Optional: shredded coconut
*Optional, but highly suggested: 4 squares semi-sweet baker's chocolate

Directions:

In a food processor, blend dates, nuts and chia seeds until finely chopped.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter. Add to nut mixture and mix well. Melt chocolate and add to the same bowl, mix until thoroughly incorporated.

At this point you may want to add 1/4-1/2 C almond flour to the mixture if it is too runny. You want to be able to form ball shaped orbs. You can also add more chopped nuts/dates, shredded coconut or chia seeds to absorb some of the extra liquid.

Form 1 T size portions into balls, chill in the fridge/freezer and wrap in parchment paper. Consume before your exercise regime or bring some along with you!

*You could also form these into small squares by pressing the mixture into a small, square shaped pan. Chill and cut into small squares.

Nutritional Info:
per 1 orb serving
92 calories
9.4g carbohydrates
3.7g fat
1.29g protein
12.6mg sodium
6.8g sugar
(please note, nutritional info is approximate as it was provided by MyFitnessPal)


Enjoy and Buon Appetito!