South of the Border Sweet Potato & Quinoa Bowl

I'm delivering the first of three quinoa incorporating recipes, starting with this, what I'm calling my South of the Border Sweet Potato & Quinoa Bowl.

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, looks like a grain but it's actually a seed.  It is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids our bodies need, making it a great option for vegans and vegetarians concerned about getting the proper amount of protein.

Quinoa boasts a ton of other health benefits too.  It contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.  Basically, its an excellent choice if you're looking for a healthy, filling, versatile food to add to your diet.  Another bonus - it's gluten free!!!  I'm not always super conscientious of gluten-containing products when I come up with recipes but, this recipe is gluten free and, if I may be so bold, is quite possibly one of my top five, favorite recipes I've ever created slash posted… ever!

So, like I said, quinoa is great because it's filling but I also really enjoy it because of it's unique texture.  It's fluffy yet you can almost feel the little seeds bursting in your mouth as you munch down with each bite.  As of right now, the taste is very difficult for me to describe.  I have eaten it several times over the last month or so and every time I try to pinpoint what exactly it is that quinoa reminds me of, I just can't quite put my finger on it.  I want to say it almost tastes like outside smells when it's sunny and you can faintly detect the smell of golden grass in the air… if that makes any sense at all…

I guess you'll just have to try it out for yourself and see.

The first time I purchased quinoa from the grocery store, I had no idea how to cook it.  I Googled "cooking quinoa" and found this site, Cooking Quinoa.net, which has a post entitled, "How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly."  What more could a quinoa novice ask for?!

I followed the well outlined directions they gave for perfectly prepared quinoa and the results were just that, perfect.

This is what it looks like when it cooks up.  The seeds become somewhat translucent and puff up to create a light bed of simultaneously fluffy and crunchy delightfulness.


I'm going to break down the ingredients and preparation of this recipe into it's two main parts:  The Sweet Potato portion and the Quinoa portion.
Quinoa Portion:
- 2 1/2 c. prepared quinoa
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 c. finely chopped, fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbl. dijon mustard
- 5 twists, fresh ground black pepper shaker
- 3/4 c. Pace's chunky salsa (medium heat)
Sweet Potato Portion:
- 1 1/2 Tbl. olive oil
- 2 lg. garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 med./lg. sweet potatoes
- 1/2 tsp. ground blk. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 15.5 oz can blk beans, rinsed & drained
- 3/4 c. diced scallions



Preparation:  Prepare quinoa according to "How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly" directions on Cooking Quinoa.net.  Portion out 2 and 1/2 cups.  In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fresh chopped cilantro, dijon mustard, and fresh ground black pepper.  Whisk together until well blended.  Pour mixture over quinoa.  Stir in Pace's Chunky Salsa and mix until all ingredients are well blended.  Set aside.

Pour 1 Tbl. olive oil into saucepan over medium heat.  Crush two cloves with garlic press and add to olive oil.  Mix cinnamon with garlic and oil, coating the bottom of the pan.  Toss in chopped sweet potato pieces (I try to keep mine no larger than about 1/4" thick and 1/2" wide) and coat with cinnamon/oil/garlic mixture.  Add remaining 1/2 Tbl. of olive oil and toss to coat.  Sprinkle sweet potatoes with ground black pepper, garlic powder, and salt.  Stir to mix.  Make as even a layer as possible of seasoned sweet potatoes on bottom of pan and reduce heat to medium, low.  Let cook for about 10 minutes or until all pieces are tender (this time will vary somewhat depending on the thickness of your pieces; you may also want to occasionally stir the potatoes throughout this cooking time so as to prevent any burning).  Once potatoes are tender, toss in rinsed black beans and chopped scallions.  Cook for an additional 4 minutes then remove from heat.

Place about 1 c. of quinoa mixture into a bowl and top with about the same measure of sweet potato mixture.  Garnish with a little fresh cilantro and enjoy.

This dish tastes great whether served hot or cold.   This combo is abso-friggin'-posi-lutely delicious and I sincerely hope you will enjoy it as immensely as I have.

Remember to check back again this Friday for two more quinoa containing, meatless recipes that are surprisingly satisfying and seriously scrumptious.


Affectionately,
Rachel

Loaded, Sweet Potato Mash

Sweet potatoes are often relegated to one day a year - Thanksgiving.  Even then, they're usually loaded with brown sugar, butter, and topped with a layer of marshmallows. Now, far be it from me to knock this American classic but, the health benefits, along with it's satisfying texture and taste, should make this a more regularly relished spud.

Why it's so sweet:
- high levels of beta-carotene
- rich source of vitamin A
- unique anti-oxidant properties
- contains anti-inflammatory nutrients
- contains:  vitamin C, manganese, copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, iron… as well as many other health-promoting benefits.

I myself have "feared" simple starches because of how some get converted into simple sugars by our digestive tract. However, research shows that sweet potatoes actually improve blood sugar regulation.  Now, I don't pretend to fully understand all the ins and outs of this point but, suffice it to say, this is one stellar tuber that I enjoy incorporating into my family's diet.

Most recently, we enjoyed it in the form of this Loaded, Sweet Potato Mash.  A combination of baked sweet potatoes, fresh green onions and a few black beans comes together in a side that is filling, nutritious and delicious.  What more could a hungry girl ask for?

Shopping List:
2 med./lg. sweet potatoes (often labeled as "yams" in the grocery store)
about 4 sprigs, green onions
1 c. black beans
milk alternative
salt & pepper

Tools:
fork
mixing bowl
microwave (or you could bake them in the oven)
hand held, electric mixer

Preparation:  Wash sweet potatoes well but don't peel.  Prick skin with fork 6-8 times all around before placing in microwave.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Turn over.  Cook for 5 more minutes.  While potatoes bake, chop up about 1/3 to 1/2 c. green onions and drain and rinse black beans.  Once potatoes are soft all the way through, cut off and discard ends.  Cut remaining potatoes into about 1/2 inch rounds and place in mixing bowl.  Pour in a splash of milk alternative (measurement not exact here; kind of depends on your texture preference).  With electric mixer on low, slowly begin to mix potatoes, gradually increasing speed as potatoes mash.  Once you've achieved a desirable texture (I personally like mine a little chunky), blend in black beans and green onions.  Sprinkle with salt and crushed black pepper to taste.  Then, enjoy.

You may lose a lot of heat in the mixing process, so you might need to zap your sweet potato mash or stick in in the oven to come out warm with the rest of your dinner.

This recipe also lends itself really well to a healthy, lunchtime option.  Granted, it does take about 10 minutes in the microwave which might be a little bit awkward in the office lunch line but, if you grabbed a sweet po'tater', a handful of green onions and black beans on your way out the door, this would be a tasty, filling lunch time meal.

You may also prefer this dish with the potato skins peeled.  I don't know!!!

What I do know, is that if you want to eat healthy but you're scared that being healthy = being annoyingly hungry, then this might be a nice, new addition to your healthy, tasty, hunger-squelching food arsenal.

XO,
Rachel

Oh So Sweet Potato

Ahhhh the beautiful sweet potato. Though rarely seen other than under a blanket of brown sugar and marshmallows at Thanksgiving, the sweet potato really should become a weekly family favorite.  The orange hue of this beauty lets you know that it's PACKED with vitamin A, also known as the power-punch-packing antioxidant, beta carotene.  Sweet Potatoes are absolutely loaded with beta carotene, as well as being rich in vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron.  Now, I may be one of the lucky few who enjoys the skin on my potatoes but, if you're someone who always removes the skin before cooking them, then... STOP IT!!!  The skin contains the greatest amount of health promoting, cancer preventing, antioxidant activity so, figure out a way to enjoy your potatoes with the skin on (I recommend starting with this recipe for my Sweet Potato Chips) and enjoy this fibrous food that will make you feel full while providing you with a ton of health benefits.

Shopping List:

2 sweet potatoes (often labeled as "yams" in the grocery store)

From the Pantry:

olive oil cooking spray

salt

pepper

paprika

Tools:

cutting board

cookie sheet

sharp knife

Consideration:  These "chips" will bake down in size considerably the longer they're in the oven.  Though your cookie sheet may seem rather full when you begin, by the time they're through, all the chips should crisp up nicely.

Preparation:  Thoroughly rinse skin of sweet potatoes, removing the ends and any indented black spots you see.  Slice sweet potatoes into about 1/8 to 1/16 inch rounds; basically, the thinner, the better the chips will crisp up in the oven.  Spray cookie sheet lightly with olive oil and spread out sweet potato rounds evenly.  Spray tops of sweet potatoes lightly with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste (I add a little cayenne to mine sometimes too when I'm hankerin' for a little heat).  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes in oven for 15 minutes.  When timer goes off, remove potatoes, flip over, repeat olive oil spray and seasonings, and bake for additional 15 minutes.  This dish really seems to delight friends because it's easy, fun, and super delicious (and few people know just how nutritious).  Enjoy sans condiments or with a side of ketchup.

There's really never enough of these to go around so, it's hard to determine a recommended serving size.  Sweet potatoes are virtually fat free, provide about 180 calories, 4 grams of protein, and 76mg of calcium in about a one cup serving.  So just remember,  you get tons of nutrients for relatively few calories, a natural source for dietary fiber, which is great for your digestive health, and a plethora of other wonderful enzymes and antioxidants that work harmoniously to promote health and wellness in your body.

Try and improve this recipe with your own flavor combos and let me know how it goes.  I bet this recipe with a little bit of parsley, garlic, or oregano might be delish but, it could also be the BOMB! with just a sprinkling of cinnamon.  The options are endless and I can't wait to try them all!!!