Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

 I love salads that are born out of "kitchen sink" items that turn out spectacular!

This is what happened with this salad.  A little rummaging through the refrigerator and I came up with some leftover cooked green beans, a sweet potato, and some carrots.

So let's make a salad!  But this one is special.  Why?  The roasted, caramelized sweet potatoes lend such a great warm comforting feeling to this salad.  Not to mention the wonderful sweetness!  I used an actual sweet potato, which you will notice is more of a white color.  You could use a yam, which are orange fleshed.  That would certainly make the color pop, but the taste will be the same.  

The green beans were leftovers, which I kept at room temperature for this salad, giving a nice crunch.

So taking simple ingredients that are fresh, make for a spectacular salad!  Topped with a simple yogurt dressing that is tangy, yet light.  The perfect lunch if I do say so. 

I hope you find this inspiring enough to make your own comforting salad.  Please come back and let me know what you think of it once you try it.

Enjoy!


Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

serves 4

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1" chunks
8 oz of green beans, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 c shredded carrots
mixed spring greens

Dressing:

1 c plain low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place potato chunks on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat.
Spread potatoes in a flat layer.  Roast for 20 minutes, stirring half way through.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing in a small bowl or mason jar.  Add all ingredients and shake until thoroughly combined.  Set aside.

Assemble salad by placing  equal parts lettuce on each plate.  Top with potatoes, green beans and carrots.  Drizzle with dressing.  Serve.

Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, and Noodle Stir Fry

How are everyone's New Year's Resolutions doing?

I always vow to eat healthier in the new year and I think each year I get better at it!  It's certainly not easy when it's cold outside and all you want is some comfort food.

So, the other day I treated my self to one of my small vices.  Buying a cookbook!  My new thing is to go to the bookstore and browse through the Special Interest Publications in the the magazine section that are filled with recipes...no adds. Yeah!

I'm really loving these lately.  It gives me my recipe fix without buying a whole book, although I must say I'm getting quite a collection of them.

The one I picked up was BHG's Eat Well, Lose Weight.  Sounds good right?  Just in time for my resolutions. So I spotted a recipe for a Brussels Sprouts stir fry with noodles and got inspired to create my own stir fry.  I rarely use noodles in my dish, but thought, why not?  I like them, they're easy, and they absorb flavor well so they taste great.  You can break up spaghetti in to 1 inch pieces, or you might just find some already broken sold in the pasta aisle, like I did.  How easy is that?

I had left over chicken breasts which I shredded and added to the stir fry of veggies.  I also added some cashews for crunch.  All in all this was a wonderful dish that both MGG and I enjoyed very much.  You get lots of veggies in this dish that are great for you.

Another satisfying dish to stay on track this coming year.  I will make this over and over again!

Enjoy!


Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, and Noodle Stir Fry 

adapted from BHG's Eat Well, Lose Weight

serves 4-6

3 ounces thin spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, fine dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast

¼ cup cashews

1/4 crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup shredded carrots

Garnish with chopped cilantro

Break spaghetti into 1-inch pieces.  Cook according to package directions and drain.  Return to the hot pan, keep warm.  

  

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil.   Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the Brussels sprouts, ginger, chicken, cashews and red pepper flakes.  Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes.  Add the broth and soy sauce.  Allow to boil and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes (stirring occasionally). Remove from heat. 

Stir in cooked spaghetti and carrots, stirring to combine.  Top with cilantro before serving.

 

Slow Cooker Meal: Mediterranean Beef Stew

Don't you just love one pot meals?  I sure do. 

I find that I'm loving my slow cooker more and more as I find new ways to cook delicious meals in it.  This one is perfect as a weeknight meal since it cooks all day long, and it's done when you get home.

It's such a hearty and comforting meal to share with the family during the cold evenings.  Not that we are really having them here but I'm pretending we are, and cooking like we are!

This is another healthy dish using lean meat and a variety of vegetables to make a savory stew.  We just loved it!  I served it over rice cause I was feeling ricy that day, but it would be just perfect over pasta as well.  Ok, go wild and serve over polenta or mashed potatoes even!  

Served with a nice Italian salad and some crusty bread, you will love this dish.

Enjoy!

 
Mediterranean Beef Stew

Makes: 6 servings 

1 1/2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth
1 1/4 cups zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (1 medium)
cooked pasta or long grain rice

In a large skillet brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil over medium-high heat until brown. Drain off fat. Transfer meat to a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Pour tomatoes and broth over mixture in cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. When done, place on the high-heat setting and stir in zucchini. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more.

Serve over pasta or rice.