Sweet Potatoes- YUM!

The sweet potato is one of the world's healthiest foods and delicious, too! Read all about the health benefits of the sweet potato right here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64

I love to eat sweet potatoes and they lend themselves well to a variety of preparation methods. Here are two of my favorites!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes -- i like to make lots :D
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp season salt (I probably use a bit more but I LOVE season salt)**
** Be aware that most season salt has sugar in it. If you are trying to cut out sugar, either look for one without sugar or season with sea salt, a dash of red pepper, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of paprika)

~ Slice the sweet potatoes into french fry shape. If you are lazy like me, you will just cut circular slices about 1 cm in thickness and then slice those in half to make half-moon shapes.

~ Place the slices into a ziplock bag and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the season salt or the seasoning mixture. Mush the bag all around until all the pieces have some seasoning and coating on them.

~ Spread the sweet potato fries onto a baking sheet in a single layer. You will probably need two sheets and you can put them on seperate racks in the oven just fine. I like to spray the top with olive oil spray or Pam cooking spray but it works fine without that step.

~ Bake at 400* for about 30 minutes or until the fries are slightly browned. Enjoy!

~ I dip mine in sour cream.....


Sauteed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes
2 tsp olive oil
sea salt

~ Cut the sweet potatoes as described in the above recipe. Layer onto a microwave safe plate and cook on high power for 5 minutes.

~ Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

~ Add the sweet potatoes and cover. Allow to cook for a minute or two and then stir/flip/etc. Cover and repeat.

~ Once the potatoes are fully cooked through, emove the lid and turn the heat up for a bit of browning. The moisture will evaporate and the potatoes can be easily moved around the pan until they brown lightly.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

This is a great (EASY) side dish that is low in calories, high in flavor, full of good-for-you foods and the perfect compliment to a meal on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

1 pkg Broccoli Slaw (available in the produce section of both Walmart and Publix)
1/2 C- 1 C (as desired) Ken's Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame Salad dressing
1 C diced fresh or canned pineapple (drained)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
Ginger (either a dash of the powder or up to a Tbsp of the fresh stuff)
1/2 C Peanuts (optional)

Combine the slaw, pineapple, red pepper, and ginger in a bowl. Pour half the salad dressing over top and stir. If more dressing is desired, add it. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or up to 1 day before serving. The flavors intensify with time. Garnish with the peanuts, either whole or chopped.

Delish!

Getting the most out of rice

Rice is one food that can be argued and debated forever; from what kind to how to prepare. This is merely how we prepare it in our house, as well as a delicious dish you can make from it. We tend to use jasmine rice primarily, due to the awesome flavor. Yes, it's white rice, but it's not bleached. It's just tasty.

First step is to heat up a pot (on medium high heat) and add 1/2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then, add 1 or 1.5 cups of jasmine rice. Liberally salt the rice and stir to eavenly coat the rice with the oil. Let the rice brown for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. This will release alot of flavor and aroma. After it's browned, add 1.25 cups of chicken broth per 1/2 cup of rice. Turn the heat to high, cover the rice, and then wait til it boils. Once it boils, turn it to medium low and let cook for 15 minutes, or until the broth is totally absorbed.

That's all. It's done.

But to add a unique twist to rice, here's what you do:

Before you throw in the rice to sautee, sautee half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic for a couple of minutes. Then throw in the rice and cook as listed above. Once the rice is cooked, throw in half a bag of spinach. You will have to do this in handfuls as it will need to wilt to all fit in. Then, throw in 1/2 cup of dried cherries. Mix it all together, and voila!

Sun-dried Tomato and Artichoke Couscous

This is another quick standby with lots of possible variations. We use it as a one dish meal or as a side dish. It has all the necessaries (as do most of our one dish meals) and is jam-packed with flavors! Couscous is wonderful, as it cooks in moments, and though I prefer the whole wheat kind because it adds a better punch of protein and fiber, the regular couscous works just fine. Make extras to take leftovers as a power packed lunch that is light enough to allow for an after work run or is easy to digest after a lunch time workout.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 C Couscous
1 C broth or water
1 Can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 Can artichoke hearts, chopped or quartered and drained
1/2 C. Feta Cheese
1 C chopped sundried tomatoes

Lightly Saute the onion and garlic in a tsp of olive oil in a 2 Quart pot over medium high heat. After 2-3 minutes, add the broth and bring to a boil. Pour in the Couscous, cover and remove from heat. Couscous cooks very quickly. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes while you assemble the other ingredients. Then, fluff the couscous with a fork and add the rest of the ingredients.

4 Servings

**You can drizzle a smidge of olive oil over the finished recipe if you love the flavor but I never feel I need to do so. Or you can create a quick oil and vinegar dressing to go over it from olive oil, balsamic dressing, salt, pepper and a squirt of lemon juice.