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Kale & Sweet Potato Hash

Can I just tell you how much I used to hate sweet potatoes?  In fact, I don’t know if hate is a strong enough word.  Remember the first boy/girl that made you cry in like, 5th grade?  The one bully that inevitably said something earth-shattering, like your blinky sneakers were totally lame, or your Sally Jesse Raphael glasses were stupid, or your tapered jeans weren’t tuck/rolled properly.  These, of course, are complete hypothetical examples, because I would never have worn blinky sneakers, and my tuck/roll was impeccable, and my mom assured me that my large red plastic glasses were the coolest.  But if I had, I can assure you I was nothing short of a vision.

Kids can be so mean.

kale
Anyways, that’s how much I hated sweet potatoes.  Until like… 3 years ago.  I want to say it was because I saw the light and realized how insanely delicious/nutritious they are, but I’m pretty sure it’s because I tried a sweet potato fry once and my life hasn’t been the same ever since.

sweet potato hash

Now I can’t get enough of them.   I actually feared my skin would turn orange after eating them every day straight for a week one time, and I’d look like a snookified/oompa-loompa version of myself, but good news: I didn’t.

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But that could just be because my skin refuses to turn any other shade but pale and I’m no less than 4 feet taller than both of them.  Regardless, this recipe was one I immediately bookmarked because I knew I’d love it, and if you share a love (new-found or not) for sweet potatoes, I’m sure you will too.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato and Kale Hash
Serves: About 4
Cook time: About 30 min
You’ll Need:
2 T coconut oil
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 bunch of leeks, cleaned & thinly chopped
1 large bunch kale, stems removed and cleaned
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or more if desired)

Directions: In a large pot, heat coconut oil and cook potatoes and leeks, until leeks are tender (about 5 minutes).  Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth, chili powder, and a dash of salt and pepper, cover the pot and cook for another 7-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.  Uncover, add another 1/2 cup broth and stir in kale, sprinkle with nutmeg, and cook another 5 or so minutes until kale is tender.  Serve with a handful of chopped walnuts and additional salt/pepper if needed.

(Slightly adapted from Pure Provender)

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This is a great, warm and filling fall/winter dish, and I am positive I’ll be making it many more times.  Although I will not be wearing blinky shoes or tapered jeans while I do so.  …Or will I?


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My New Favorite Salad

Spoiler alert:  It’s summer, you guys.

Which means it’s H-O-T hot.  I don’t really remember summers always being this hot in the past, or this brutal on my allergies.  But here I am, wearing only clothing that won’t show sweat marks as to maintain some level of dignity, and sporting my glasses for the umpteenth time since apparently my contacts have sprouted little razor blades inside them and waged a full on attack on my eyeballs.

How’s that for imagery?

Anywho.  Since it’s been so muggy and sweat-tacular these days, my cooking has come to a little bit of a halt.  Besides grilling whenever possible, I mostly try to prepare meals that don’t involve me turning the oven dial past 4oo, and I don’t  partake in a whole lot of stove-top action.  So I end up making a lot of salads.  Which gets boring.

Enter my new favorite salad.

Peanut Curry Slaw Salad.  It’s a delightful blend of sweet and savory, and with a nice little how’s your father kick from the sriracha.  It’s a quick and easy vegetarian dish, but can also be just as tasty with some diced up chicken thrown in for added protein.  I make this about once a week now, and have been known to eat the entire bowl in record time.


Though, in all fairness, the bowls not that big.

Peanut Curry Slaw Salad
Prep time:  About 10 minutes
Yields: About 4 big servings
You’ll Need:
1 bag of shredded broccoli slaw
15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup golden raisins
The sauce:
1/4 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. curry powder
Splash rice wine vinegar
Splash of water if needed, to thin out the sauce
1-3 T sriracha (or more, depending on your preference of heat)

Directions:  Combine slaw, chickpeas and raisins in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and whisk until very smooth.  Toss with the salad and serve.

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This works great as a main-course or as a dinner side.  I had it one night with some salmon and it was deeeelish.

It also pairs wonderfully with my other favorite summer activity…

Any favorite salads you’d like to share for when I inevitably grow tired of this one?


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Pesto Tortilla Pizza

I am the girl that makes everything more complicated.  (The fact that I’ve accepted it is a huge step.)  But what’s ironic is that it’s usually in trying to find a short cut wherein the problem presents itself.  If I had a dollar for every time someone told me to “slow down!”, well, I’d be writing this blog from a much nicer bar stool, preferably in some expensive tropical resort somewhere.

I realize that my knack for multi-tasking is a double-edged sword.  (I think I’m using that analogy wrong… anyways.)  On one hand, it’s fantastic for handling lots of projects at once and delivering results in a timely manner.  On the other hand, however, it can result in a treacherous fall down your basement steps while clutching a laundry basket with one hand, and telling your best friend in high school about how hot the lead singer of the band you saw the weekend before was.  Next thing you know, you’re sprawled across the cement floor, yesterdays gym socks strewn about, and the phone just a few feet away, but  close enough that can still hear your friend calling your name between uncontrollable bursts of laughter.  And just as you try to drift off to sleep and forget about the whole incident, your mom wakes you up every 30 minutes just to be sure you aren’t concussed.

If I had only slowed down and thought of a more rational approach.  Or taken a moment to realize that by simply putting the phone in the basket for .5 seconds I maybe wouldn’t have almost broke my neck.  But I just can’t do things the easy way.

Which brings me to this dinner.  How, on Earth, have I never made a tortilla pizza before?  I mean, I always have tortillas in my fridge, along with a plethora of delicious pizza toppings, so it was only natural that this meal present itself to me.  And with some leftover arugula pesto, the simple solution was staring me right in the face.  Thankfully I was not talking on the phone, watching Bethenny Ever After, reading a blog post and trying to find last year’s taxes at the same time or I would have never thought of it.*

Pesto Tortilla Pizza
Serves: 1
Cook time: About 15 minutes
You’ll need:
1 soft flour tortilla, I used Mission Carb Smart
2 T pesto (Homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup sautéed veggies of your choice (I used mixed pepper strips)
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:  Preheat oven to 375.  In a coated pan, cook vegetables over med-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until softened.  Place the tortilla on a baking sheet, lined with foil.  Spoon pesto on the tortilla, then veggies, then cheese.  Cook for about 10 minutes, or until crispy and cheese is melted.

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I realize this is one of those “wow, are you serious with this recipe, that’s so stupidly easy.”  That’s the point friends.  It’s the easiest.  And so ridiculously good.  Also, if you’re like me and can take down an entire frozen pizza in under 5 minutes, this is a great alternative.

*I was in fact, doing all those things when I made this.  Call it a fluke.

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