Yellow Lentil Soup with lots of Cilantro

I made this soup with Toor Dal (Yellow lentils), You could easily make it with brown lentils and save a bit of the cooking time.


Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
pinch of ground cayenne pepper
1 heaping cup of yellow lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 small onion, halved
1 bay leaf
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped cilantro
(optional- plain yogurt for non vegetarians)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the cumin and cayenne pepper.  Stir together briefly and then add lentils, onion, bay leaf, and 1 1/2 quarts of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, until the lentils are tender and the broth aromatic.  (if using brown lentils your cooking time may be as low as 40 minutes).

2. Salt and pepper to taste.  Discard the onion and the bay leaf. 

3.  Puree half of the soup in small batches in a blender.  (be sure to cover the top of the blender with a towel and press firmly on the lid to make sure hot liquid doesn't spill on you).  Return to soup pot, stir and heat through.

4. Stir in cilantro just before serving.  (if you eat dairy, add a dollop of plain yogurt to the top of each bowl)  Will serve 4.

Piña Colada Quinoa

For breakfast or a nice sweet snack, serve hot or cold

1 cup quinoa
1 14 oz can light coconut milk
1 14 oz can crushed pineapple
1 Tbsp sucanat
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
salt to taste


Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and coconut milk to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave standing for 6 more minutes.

2. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.  Stir 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice into the cooked quinoa.  Add the sucanat and vanilla and mix well. Add a bit of salt to taste.
Stir the crushed pineapple into the mix and serve.  Keeps for 2 days in a sealed container in the fridge.



Like a tropical holiday in a bowl :)

Catalan Chickpea Stew

a warm and hearty vegetarian meal for lunch or dinner.  Benefits from being made a day or two in advance and refrigerated until it's time to reheat and serve.  Add some sliced sausage if you wish to add meat. 

Ingredients:

1 pound chickpeas, soaked overnight in 2 quarts water
1 bay leaf
salt, to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, pressed
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Drain the chickpeas and combine with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large dutch oven.  Add the bay leaf and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and skim off foam.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Discard bay leaf. Set chickpeas aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped onion.  Stir and cook until onions begin to soften (3 minutes).  Add the bell pepper and continue to cook, stirring often for 5-10 minutes (until the bell pepper is tender).  Add garlic and stir for a minute or two.  Stir in the tomatoes (with the juice), thyme, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook on medium for about 10 minutes (or until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly).  Add the chickpeas, red pepper flakes, and reserved chickpea liquid.  Return to simmer, stir, reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for about 1 hour or until the beans are very tender.  Season to taste.

Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Cranberries & Almonds

This is really nice.  Super easy and fast too! 


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion cut into thin half moons
3-4 cloves of garlic sliced very thin
1/2 head of red cabbage, sliced very thin
salt and pepper to taste
a small sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped  (just a little bit or it will overwhelm the dish)
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
1/3 cup of roasted almonds (if you opt for salted you will want to use less salt in the dish)
1 1/2 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium/ to medium high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft. 

2. Add the sliced cabbage, salt and pepper taste, stir and toss for a couple of minutes until the cabbage is warmed through and only beginning to wilt slightly.  Don't overcook.  Cabbage is yucky overcooked.

3. Add the rosemary, almonds, cranberries and balsamic vinegar, stir to combine, remove from heat and transfer to a large serving dish.  If you eat cheese you can add some crumbled feta cheese on top. 

Zucchini "Pasta" & quick Tomato Sauce

If you like spaghetti squash, your gonna love zucchini done this way. It's silky and satisfying. Even better, it takes mere minutes to prepare! If you make up a batch of tomato sauce in advance, you can freeze it for convenience. 

Zucchini "Pasta"

(4 servings)
Ingredients:

2 pounds of green zucchini (or yellow)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce (see recipe below)

Directions:
1. Peel the zucchini with a peeler to remove the skin and then continue using your peeler to cut the zucchini into lengthwise ribbons.  Peel off several ribbons from one side, turn the zucchini a 1/4 turn and peel more ribbons.  Continue turning and peeling until you reach the seeds in the center and then discard the core.  This only takes a minute or two with a good vegetable peeler.

2. Heat 1/2 of the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over med/high heat.  Cook the zucchini in 2 batches.  When the oil is hot, add 1/2 of your zucchini slices, some salt and cook, tossing and stirring.  The zucchini will not take long to reach al dente.  Just 2 or three minutes (until the zucchini is softened and just beginning to turn translucent) and the zucchini will be ready. Transfer to a serving dish and repeat with second batch.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with tomato sauce.



Quick Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
(Tomato Sauce)

6 large tomatoes, processed in a blender quickly
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 shallots, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. chili pepper flakes
1/2 handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 handful of fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp. red wine
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat a med sized pot (or sauté pan) over med/high heat and heat oil. Add garlic, shallots and chili flakes, cook for 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes, cook for 4 minutes and add basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for another minute, add red wine and cook for another 5 minutes to reduce a bit.

Back Country Bean Salad

This is a great choice for a light weight but satisfying meal to carry in your pack.  Make it the night before, freeze it in a ziplock and serve it up the next evening in camp with a warm corn tortilla and fresh avocado & salsa! 

Ingredients:

1 tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can green chilies, drained
1/2 can of corn, drained
1/2 jalapeño, diced
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, jalapeño and chop onion.  Open and drain cans of chiles, beans and corn.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

3. Spoon into large ziplock bags, remove air, fold and double bag.  Freeze overnight.  By the time you go to eat dinner the next evening,  your meal will be thawed but not spoiled (and it won't have spilled out into your pack either!).

4. Serve with fresh avocado and some premade salsa inside some warmed tortilla's. 

5. If you wish to make this for a meal at home, you can add chopped lettuce (and even grated cheese if you eat cheese).  (Skip the freezing part of course). 

Jicama, Cucumber & Lime Salad

File this recipe under "who would have guessed it".  I have never even tried Jicama before but this was one of the great recipes that our rafting outfitter sent along with our food package (on my Grand Canyon trip) .  I like the vegetable julienned so I have presented the recipe that way.  You could simply slice it into thin 1/2 inch strips.  I also added the jalapeño pepper.   I made this salad a couple of times on the trip and it was a hit with everyone!  Jicama is now on my fav list.

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
1 Jicama, peeled and julienned
2 limes, the juice of
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
salt, to taste
chili pepper, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste.

Directions:

1. Toss everything together and serve.  Easy!

Baked Polenta Fries

Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Polenta Fries are an easy treat anytime.  You could make your own polenta from scratch first, or simply use a prepared tube like Scarpone's brand.
You should probably know.  I use my convection mode on my oven for almost everything.  I know a lot of you don't actually have convection ovens so I never really mention that.  

Ingredients:
1 tube plain prepared polenta
Olive oil
Coarse Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 450°.
2. Remove the plastic sleeve from the tube and cut your polenta in half crosswise.  Then cut in half length wise and cut those into 4 or 5 strips each. The fries taste best when they are not too thick.
3. Drizzle some olive oil on a baking sheet and place your polenta wedges on the sheet.  Use a brush to brush some more olive oil on the tops of the polenta strips.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and place your cooking sheet on the middle rack of your preheated oven.  Bake for 40 minutes or so (until lightly browned) , turning once about 1/2 way through the cooking time.
4. Remove your fries when they are crisp and lightly golden, place them on a paper towel.  You could at this time toss them with some nice spices like oregano or season salt.  Serve with ketchup.  Make a nice chipotle ketchup if it is an evening meal!

Roasted Squash Salad with Pomegranate Dressing, Crisp Apple & Toasted Pistachios

It has been raining for weeks, so I have been craving comforting meals.  This salad has the depth of roasted Butternut squash , combined with the fresh summery tastes of apple and pomegranate juice. An ideal  light meal for a cool and stormy evening.  

Ingredients:
Salad-
2 cups baby spinach (washed)
2 cups butter lettuce (washed and torn into bite size pieces)
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 large red apple, diced
1/2 cup toasted pistachio nuts
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt- to taste
fresh ground black pepper- to taste
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Dressing-
3/4 cup 100% pomegranate juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp shallots, diced
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425° and move the rack to the top position.

2. Toss your cubes of butternut squash in olive oil and place in a medium casserole so that each piece has it's own space.  Sprinkle liberally with salt/pepper and red pepper flakes.  Roast on top rack for 20-25 minutes.  Until the squash pieces are lightly browned.  Remove from oven , transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

3. While the squash is cooking you can begin making the dressing.  In a small saucepan, bring your pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar and shallots to a boil.  Reduce heat to low/medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes until slightly reduced.

4. Remove pomegranate juice dressing from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Add mustard to pomegranate juice dressing and whisk until combined.  Add olive oil to dressing slowly, whisking continuously until it is all combined.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5.  In a large salad bowl combine your lettuce, spinach, apple and pistachios (reserve a bit of the apple and pistachio for final garnish).  Add dressing and toss.  Add the roasted squash, toss once, garnish with a few more pistachios and diced apple.  Serve.

Natural No Bake Carrot Cake

Ok so it's not really a cake.  It's pretty darn healthy though and tastes awesome!  

Ingredients:

4 cups grated carrots
1 cup of medjool dates, (pits removed)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp organic apple butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 cup organic shredded coconut
1 cup organic raw walnuts
organic coconut oil for greasing your 9x9 pan

Directions:

1. Use a food processor to grate the carrots, remove carrots and set aside.
2. Place your dates, ground flax seeds, apple butter, cinnamon and lemon juice in a food processor and process until blended.  Add the coconut and walnuts and process until the walnuts are coarsely chopped.
3. Add the carrots back to the food processor, process just enough to blend.
4. Press your finished mixture into a greased 9x9 pan and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. 



Icing Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw whole cashews (soaked)
2 medjool dates (pits removed)
1/2 Tbsp agave nector
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
shredded coconut for topping
lemon zest for topping
walnut pieces for topping

Icing directions:

1.  Process the cashews, dates, agave, lemon juice and vanilla extract  in a food processor until smooth.  Add the water until desired consistency of icing is reached.
2. Spread icing on carrot cake, top with coconut, lemon zest  and walnut pieces.

Gluten Free Onion Rings!

Ok so I have been craving onion rings for , oh I dunno, about 2 years! Eventually I had to give in and tonight we actually made some of the delicious crispy onion treats. Of course I will need to pull a double at the gym tomorrow to work off the extra fat, but it was worth it.


Ingredients:

2 yellow onions, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch sections, rings pulled apart
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
1/4 cup medium yellow cornmeal
3 liters vegetable oil
sea salt
Fresh ground pepper


Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°F (you will keep your onion rings crisp and warm in there as you do them in batches).

2. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 tsp. salt and a tsp. fresh ground pepper. mix and toss in your onion rings, toss to coat and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper.

4. Preheat your vegetable oil to 350°F. We used a deep fryer, but you could easily use a dutch oven and an attached candy thermometer. (note we did our deep frying in the garage so as to avoid stinking up my little house with the scent of frying oil)

5. When your oil is hot, dredge a few onion rings in the flour mixture and place in the oil. You must work in small batches so don't crowd them! Cook for a total of 2 minutes, turning once with some tongs about half way through the cook time.

6. Remove your batch of onion rings from the oil and place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet, salt lightly. Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven to keep the onion rings warm and crisp for up to 30 minutes while you deep fry the rest.

7. Eventually you will tire of making onion rings and then you will know you have enough. Serve with ketchup, and dinner (if you have any room after gorging yourself on crispy onion rings.)

Roasted Carrots & Sweet Potatoes

After eating the super garlicy RAW cauliflower dish for lunch, I was craving something cooked. Roasted to be exact. I'm pretty sure I will never be a RAW foodist. :)

Ingredients:
2 small sweet potatoes, washed, trimmed & cut into thick wedges
1 bunch of small organic carrots, washed & peeled
2 or 3 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a large bowl, drizzle sweet potato wedges in olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper, toss to coat.
3. Place sweet potato wedges on a foil lined cookie sheet & roast on the middle rack for about 15 minutes
4. Toss the carrots in olive oil, salt and pepper. Remove cookie sheet from oven & add to your carrots to the sheet in a single layer.
5. Turn oven up to 475° and return cookie sheet to oven.
6. Turn potatoes & carrots occasionally until they are browned nicely.

simple and delicious!


I have never mentioned that I have a convection oven. but I do and I use the convect setting all of the time. just so you know.

Fluffy Macadamia & Cauliflower Mash

I brought home my new Kitchenaid food processor last night! This is the first recipe I made with it. Todays recipe is raw & vegan so take note: raw garlic is very strong. Just a little warning in case you forgot.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cauliflower, ground in a food processor
1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts, ground in a food processor
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tiny little clove of garlic, peeled


Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until fluffy.
2. Add fresh ground pepper to taste & a few broken macadamia nuts as garnish.

(this will serve 4 people)

Apple Butter Baked Acorn Squash

Since I work from home most mornings, it's easy for me to prepare a hot breakfast like this, but even if you don't have that luxury, this dish is so easy you could do it too! Just pop the squash in the oven when you get up and by the time your dressed for work, voila! hot breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash
2 Tbsp organic apple butter
2 pats of butter
salt & Pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut your acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and extra pulp.

2. Place your acorn squash pieces skin side down in a shallow baking dish. Fill each squash with a generous dollop of apple butter, top with a pat of butter and season with salt & pepper. Add some water to the dish (about 1/4 inch). Bake on the middle rack for about an hour (or until nicely caramelized).

3. Serve hot. Use a fork to scoop out your yummy squash.

Baked Sweet Potato Breakfast

For breakfast, or lunch, or dinner, or anytime! I love sweet potatoes. Luckily sweet potatoes are very good for us! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare them. I always make extra so I can keep some in the fridge for a snack. A sweet potato baked with skin is an excellent source of vitamin A. They are also a very good source of vitamin C and manganese. In addition, sweet potatoes are a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. (you must eat the skin!)

Ingredients:

3-5 small sweet potatoes (I usually buy the yellow flesh variety from my organic market)

2 Tbsp of either quality vegetable oil or olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

butter


Directions:

1. Move oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400° F.

2. Wash and dry the outer skins of the potatoes. Cut off any small hard bits. Using a fork, stab the potatoes three or four times each.

3. Rub the potatoes with oil to cover and arrange them on a foil lined baking sheet with space in between. Bake for 40-50 minutes (do not turn) or until a knife slips easily into the center.

4. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with a little butter if you are feeling decadent. (they taste really great without I promise!)

Superman Salad

Oh Nooos! Kencent has gone and suffered a leg injury on the ski hill. I want to help so I will be feeding him extra healthy meals to speed up his recovery. That's where this salad comes from. The bonus is that it tastes most excellent. But it has every good thing imaginable inside.

Ingredients:

1 head of romaine lettuce, washed , dried & sliced
1 red grapefruit, cut peel away & segments removed between the membranes using a sharp knife, do this over a bowl and reserve the juice
1 navel orange, cut peel away & segments removed between the membranes using a sharp knife, do this over a bowl and reserve the juice
2 small kiwi fruits, cut in half & fruit scooped out with a spoon
1/4 cup fresh blueberries, washed
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
1 small avocado, cut in half, stone removed and avocado flesh scooped out and cubed.
2 scallions, washed and chopped
1/2 cup sunflower sprouts, washed and chopped
1 Tbsp shelled hemp seed
1/4 cup organic raw walnuts


Dressing Ingredients:

1 Tbsp reserved fruit juice (see above)
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. cold pressed organic canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. cold pressed organic flax seed oil
salt & pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Prep all of your fruits into one bowl and your greens into another separate bowl. That way you can save any leftovers for the next day or prepare this ahead for lunch.

2. Combine your salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

3. In a large bowl, add salad greens and fruit until desired portion is reached. Pour some dressing over and toss all to combine. Sprinkle with hemp seeds and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Many Lentil Daal

You can make this with as many different types of split lentils as you like.
If you only have 2 kinds (like I did tonight) That works fine as well.

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp split green lentils
5 Tbsp split red lentils

(if you have any split gram lentils ; split and husked black lentils (urad dal) ; or split yellow lentils, you can substitute some of the volume with those)

1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
2 Tbsp ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. ground garam masala
1 tomato, chopped
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 lemon, juice of

Tadka-
1 Tbsp ghee
1 dried red chili
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
4 cloves
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Mix all of the lentils together, wash under running water. Leave them to soak in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain.

2. Place the lentils in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. tumeric. Bring to a boil, skim if necessary. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes (or until the lentils are are very soft).

3. While the lentils are cooking, heat the ghee in a frying pan until hot, add the onion and cook until golden brown. Add the remaining salt and tumeric, the chili powder, the the garam masala and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomato and cook until soft.

4. Pour the onion and tomato mixture over the lentils and bring to a boil. When it has all reduced to your liking, stir in some fresh cilantro and a splash of lemon juice. Remove from the heat and keep lid on.

5. Make the tadka quickly- heat the ghee in a small saucepan until smoking, add the whole red chili, cumin seeds, cloves and garlic. As the garlic begins to turn golden, remove from heat and pour over the lentils. Cover with lid again and let sit for 2 minutes. Remove lid, stir once and serve immediately.

6. Serve with basmati rice and chutney.

Lefse

Lefse is a Norwegian flat bread made with potatoes. My grandma used to make huge batches for us and send them via greyhound every Christmas. I decided to make a gluten free version and I must say it worked out very nicely!

Ingredients:
6-8 cups boiled russet (or similar dry potato) potatoes (boil them with the skin on)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
dash of salt
as much Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour as needed (between 1-2 cups). You don't want too much moisture in your potatoes or your finished dough.


Directions:

1. After boiling the potatoes, rice them with a potato ricer and let them sit until they are completely cooled down and room temperature.

2. Once the riced potatoes are cool, add the vegetable oil and salt and mix. Next add some flour (just a little at a time) and mix it in. The dough should end up firm enough to roll out like pie crust. Sprinkle flour on the rolling surface before trying to roll out the lefse rounds. You want them very thin. As thin as you can make them. For this reason we rolled ours out on a sturdy cutting board in order to slide the lefse round onto the griddle without it breaking.

3. Place the rounds one at a time onto a hot frying griddle. You could use a pancake griddle, a lefse griddle or even a cast iron pan if that is what you have. Do not grease the griddle.

4. Cook each side until lightly browned. Remove from heat and place on paper towel to cool a bit. Store between sheets of wax paper.

5. Lefse tastes great with a little butter spread on it and rolled up. As kids we loved rolling it up with peanut butter and honey. You can make a sandwich with it. It freezes excellent (between sheets of wax paper). It also keeps nicely in the fridge for a few days.


I love LEFSE!

Mom's Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Balls

I have always loved this treat that my mom makes. She only makes them at Christmas. Still, there was a nagging concern about some of the traditional baking ingredients she used (like icing sugar and hydrogenated peanut butter). So I fixed them up a bit to make them healthier. I didn't say healthy. I said "healthier"........
Your going to love these.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic natural crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup finely ground almond flour
1/4 cup milled flax seeds
1 cup finely chopped organic walnuts
1 cup finely chopped organic dates (remove pits first of course)

2 cups organic dark chocolate baking chips (gluten free)


Directions:

1. In your stand mixer, cream the peanut butter with the almond flour until light. Add the milled flax seeds and mix well. Add the finely chopped walnuts and dates and mix in. The "dough" should be stiff enough to roll into balls at this point. (if it isn't you can add a bit more almond flour)

2. Shape into round balls (1 Tbsp. each), place on cookie sheet and freeze.

3. Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler (or carefully on 1/2 power in microwave)

4. Dip balls into chocolate- with tongs. Shake off excess chocolate. Place on wax paper (on a cookie sheet again) and freeze until firm.

You can let them come to room temperature for serving, though they are awesome cold as well! The dates are so sweet and delicious and hey, with the added milled flax seeds there is plenty of fiber! let's review- chocolate, peanut butter, walnuts, dates, almond flour and flax. Go for it! Make them!

Arctic Blast Sweet Potato Smash

I loved those little potato smashes so much, I wanted to find a way to make them even healthier.
Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse compared to regular white potatoes. Actually sweet potatoes are a member of the morning glory family and not potatoes at all. They come in orange flesh and white fleshed varieties. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, loaded with vitamin A and potassium & they are a rich source of antioxidants in the carotenoid family.

I chose the smallest organic sweet potato I could find for this mornings breakfast. The squishing process is a little less pretty than with the whole little potatoes, but the taste is amazing! The sweet potatoes will brown faster than a white potato so keep your eye on them.

Ingredients-

1 small sweet potato- washed and any hard bits cut off (leave skin on)
a generous drizzle of olive oil
course salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Directions:

1. Cut your washed sweet potato into quarters (or new potato sized pieces) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the sweet potaoes, boil until fork tender. While they are boiling, pre-heat the oven to 450 with the rack on the top.

2. Generously drizzle a sturdy cookie sheet with olive oil, After draining your cooked sweet potatoes, place them on the oiled cookie sheet with space in between. Score the sweet potatoes lightly with a knife to make little cube-like protrusions. Use a potato masher to gently squish the sweet potatoes. (it works best to squish each on a little, turn the masher a quarter turn and then squish them a little more). Be gentle, you want your sweet potatoes to look about cookie shape at this point. Brush some olive oil onto the squished potatoes, add some salt and fresh ground black pepper.

3. Place the cookie sheet with the squished sweet potatoes on the top rack of your pre- heated oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are nicely browned and crispy. Enjoy them on a cold morning.