Recipe: Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving anymore! I can’t take the credit for this recipe. I don’t know the source or where I got it, but I know it’s not mine. It’s great and packed with nutrition. Check out sweet potatoes at www.whfoods.com.

Category: Vegetable
Prep Time: Approximately 1 Hour
Cooking Style: Conventional Oven or Outdoor Grill
Complexity: Easy
Servings: 4+
Date: January 6, 2009

1-2	ea	Sweet Potato (Large)	Peeled and cut into “French fry” pieces. American fry cut is ok, too!
4	Tbs	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2	Tbs	Mrs. Dash Grilling Blends, Chicken	Substitute other favorite flavors

SMART POINTS!

1. I put together a food plan each week. I designed it to substitute foods that are on the American Dietetic Association’s (www.eatright.org) pyramid based on what type of food I want to eat in a week and the amounts. The website www.webmd.com has a tool for setting up a healthy food plan based on the ADA’s pyramid. I follow the sales at my favorite supermarket and purchase foods on sale that fit my weekly plan. The key to eating right is to understanding your body’s needs to either get healthy and/or stay healthy!

2. Make sure that the sweet potatoes don’t start to smoke. You don’t want the extra virgin olive oil to start to burn. George Mateljan (www.whfoods.com) says the smoke from oil is toxic.

3. Prepare enough of this recipe so you have extra to take to work and heat the sweet potatoes in the microwave for a mid-morning or afternoon snack.

Sweet Potato Preparation: Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and mix in the extra virgin olive oil and Mrs. Dash seasoning. Set aside for 15-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Cooking:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes (until soft).

3. Let the sweet potatoes cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve as a healthy snack or with your favorite main dish. I served them with some homemade sauerkraut and lean ham tonight, and it was an awesome meal!

Enjoy!

Shef D

Recipe: Rutabaga

If you’re thinking about making mashed potatoes, consider making a rutabaga instead. Refer to the bottom of this blog for links to compare how a rutabaga is packed with nutritional benefits over a potato. Not a bad substitute, eh? I’ve added flax seed to boost the health benefits from this dish!

Category: Vegetable
Prep Time: Approximately 45 Minutes
Cooking Style: Stove Top
Complexity: Easy
Servings: 2
Date: January 4, 2009

1	ea	Rutabaga (Large)	Peeled and cut into 1” pieces
4	ea	Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1	Tbs	Flax Seed	Ground
3/4	cup	Vanilla Flavored Soy Milk
1/2	Pkt (1oz)	Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing & Season Mix	Found in the salad dressing section at Meijer.

Cooking:

1. Add chicken bouillon cubes and rutabaga to a pot with water. (Enough water so the rutabaga is floating about 2-3” from bottom of pot). Boil until pieces are soft. (Stir once boiling to disperse bouillon).

2. Drain water from rutabaga using a colander.

3. Add ranch seasoning mix, flax seed and soy milk and beat with a mixer until the texture is similar to mashed potatoes.

4. Add sea salt and fresh, ground pepper to taste.

Compare the Health Benefits of a Rutabaga versus a Potato:

Rutabaga: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-rutabagas-i11436

Potato: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-potatoes-boiled-i11367

Enjoy!

Shef D

Recipe: Butternut Squash (Without the Butter!)

I always loaded my squash with butter, but not anymore. This is a simple recipe and cooking method that produces a tasty, healthy side dish-without the butter!

Category: Vegetable, Side Dish
Prep Time: Approximately 1.5 Hours
Cooking Style: Conventional Oven
Complexity: Easy
Servings: 4
Date: January 2, 2009

1	ea	Butternut Squash (Medium)	Cut in half and seeds removed
3	cups	Chicken Bouillon

Preparing for the Oven:

1. Place the squash with the halved sides down on a cutting board. Insert a pointed knife through the outer skin of the squash several times, so are vent holes the length of the squash.

2. Pour the chicken broth into a 9” x 13” casserole pan (I prefer glass), and place the butternut squash into the pan/dish with the halved sides down.

Cooking:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place squash into the oven and bake approximately 45 minutes or until the skin starts to darken slightly.
3. Remove from the oven and stick a fork or knife through the skin to confirm the squash is done (soft).
4. Let the squash cool for about 30 minutes on the counter. The squash will absorb the chicken broth.
5. Scoop the squash from the shells and add sea salt and pepper as desired.

Serve as a side dish at any meal! We like it with meatloaf instead of mashed potatoes when counting calories.

Enjoy!

Shef D

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Vegetable Stir Fry

Do you like stir fried vegetables? Then get out the wok and give this healthy dish a try! It is nutrient rich and even includes your protein!

Category: Vegetarian
Prep Time: Approximately 1 Hour
Cooking Style: Wok
Date: December 29, 2008

4-5	ea	Bok Choy Stalks (Include Greens)	Angle cut into bite-size pieces
2 1/2	cups	Soy Beans (Frozen)
1	ea	Green Pepper	Chopped into 1/4” pieces
1	ea	Red Pepper	Chopped into 1/4” pieces
2 1/2	cups	Spinach (Fresh)
1	ea	Sweet Potato (Large)	Cut into 1/4” Cubes
1	ea	Asparagus (Bunch, Approx. 4” Diameter)	Cut off bottoms. Cut into 1/2” pieces leaving 3” tops
1	ea	Red Onion (Small)	Halved and then sliced thin
1	cup	Shiitake Mushrooms (Discard Stems)	Sliced into bite-size pieces
1	ea	Sun-Bird Sweet & Sour Seasoning Mix	Found in the Asian section at Meijers
1/4	cup	Teriyaki Sauce
1	Tbs	Ground Ginger
1/4	cup	Cornstarch
1/2	cup	Chicken Broth
1	cup	Water
2	Tbs	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2	Pkts	Sugar Substitute
2	Tbs	Hot Sauce

Marinade for Vegetables: Mix cornstarch, water, sweet and sour seasoning mix, teriyaki sauce, hot sauce, and sugar substitute.

Vegetables: In a large bowl, combine bok choy, soy beans, green pepper, red pepper, asparagus, and red onion. Stir in the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes. Mix vegatables occassionally to disperse the marinade.

Sweet Potatoes: Mix together extra virgin olive oil and ginger. Stir in sweet potatoes and set aside for 30 minutes.

Cooking:

1. Heat the Wok to a high heat level.
2. Add about 1/4 cup of chicken broth to the wok and as it starts to sizzle, add the sweet potatoes. After about 2 minutes, add the shiitake mushrooms. Stir fry until the sweet potatoes start to soften (Approximately 5-8 minutes). Add small amounts of chicken broth as needed to keep the sweet potatoes from sticking to the wok. Don’t let the sweet potatoes get too soft.
3. Add the vegetable mix and stir fry until the sauce thickens (Approximately 3-5 minutes).
4. Add the spinach leaves and continue stir frying until the spinach starts to soften.
5. Continue stir frying until the mix is steaming (Approximately 5 minutes). You want the vegetables to remain somewhat firm, so be careful not to overcook.

Serve with brown rice.

Enjoy!

Shef D