sweet potato chili ~ slow cooker

this recipe comes from a wonderful blog, "can you stay for dinner" which is full of beautiful photography, wonderful recipes and the blog author has an incredible story about weight loss and weight maintenance that she chooses to share with the world.  i'm grateful for folks like her.

real quick, i made a couple minor changes from the original recipe such as browning the meat and cooking the onions before throwing everything into the pot.  i'm sure either way, the chili won't disappoint, i just like to cook the meat a little before to knock the flavor up a few levels.

sweet potato chili ~ slow cooker

recipe via can you stay for dinner?

printable recipe

(1) 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

(1) 14 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

(1) 15 oz can kidney beans (reduced sodium), drained and rinsed

(1) 15 oz can black beans (reduced sodium), drained and rinsed

1 lb ground beef (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil

heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  cook beef until just beginning to brown.  add onions and cook until beef is no longer pink. 

throw everything into the slow-cooker,

stir

 and cook on low for 8 hours.

super-duper nutritious!
yields approx. 8 servings

Nutrition Facts recipe sweet potato chili Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 335 Total Fat 7.3g       Saturated Fat 2.3g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 30mg Sodium 662mg Carbohydrate 50.9g       Dietary Fiber 12.5g       Sugars 15.7g Protein 19.6g Vitamin A 415% Vitamin C 50% Calcium    13% Iron 21%

grilled veggie panini*

check out my new "recipe index" above.

*because i don't actually own a panini maker.  i faked it.

on friday my mom took the kids and i to corner bakery cafe for lunch.  i ordered a grilled veggie panini on whole wheat bread.  so i decided to try and recreate it for dinner tonight.  the result;  a success. 

i didn't follow a recipe, i just threw together what i had in the fridge.  the zucchini and yellow squash i'd been needing to use for a couple of days now and i'm glad i did, they were ready to become trash and i hate throwing away produce!  the only thing i didn't have was tomatoes and i really wanted roasted tomatoes (so amazing!) so i picked some up at the store today along with some fresh berries and made some fake paninis.

grilled veggie panini

2 medium zucchini, halved length wise

2 small yellow squash, halved length wise

1/2 medium yellow onion, halved for rings

12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (or sun dried tomatoes if you don't feel like roasting ahead of time)

5-6 cloves of garlic, un-peeled

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

7 oz artichoke hearts (i used water packed but marinated would have been good too)

1 tbsp pesto

1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

2-4 slices low sodium provolone cheese

4 slices whole wheat bread (thick sliced sourdough bread would be delicious!)

1. roast tomatoes by preheating oven to 375 degrees.  place halved tomatoes on a lined baking sheet with garlic cloves.  drizzle evoo over tomatoes and garlic. sprinkle with sea salt and crushed pepper.  roast for 50-60 minutes.

2. turn grill to low heat.  baste zucchini, squash and onions with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.  sprinkle with salt and pepper.  grill until soft, 3-4 minutes per side (turning once).

3.  chop all ingredients and combine in bowl. (look at those tomatoes ~ YUM!)

4. preheat grill pan or panini press over medium heat.  

5. make sandwiches: start by brushing the first slice of bread (grill side) with olive oil.  spread pesto on the first slice (bottom piece) of bread.  lay spinach on pesto then add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of veggie mixture on top of spinach.  lay slices of cheese on top of veggie mixture then top with the last slice of bread.  brush top piece of bread lightly with olive oil.

6. grill for 4-5 minutes per side with a fake panini maker like i did (yes, i actually smashed the sandwiches flat with a stock pot)

or, follow the directions for the panini press.  i wouldn't know what they are.  did i mention i don't have one?

yum!

curried cashew, grape, and pear salad with honey mustard vinaigrette

{image and source}

this past friday the scott's came over for dinner.  melissa brought a delicious salad with curried cashews, grapes and pears.  oh, and a little bacon!  yum.  i had at least four servings.  way more than my fair share.

it was so good, i decided to try my hand at it and make it the next night for dinner. my in-laws were coming over and i know my father in law really loves my weird food.  not.  

it was so good again that i decided to make it the next night for father's day dinner at my parents house. 

i'm not sure which recipe melissa followed.  i found one less bacon and borrowed the photo above from the source.  this dressing was a lot lighter in color than the version from friday night so i suspect melissa found a recipe that used regular mustard instead of dijon but, i could be wrong.

either way, it's super yummy and this recipe is super healthy.

copied

INGREDIENTS
6 oz. mixed greens (I used both romaine and classic mixed greens)
1 Bartlett of Bosc pear, thinly sliced
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved

Curried Cashews:
1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashew halves
1 tsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp. white wine/white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Toast cashews in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, until browned. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, rosemary, curry powder, brown sugar, salt, and red pepper. Add cashews and shake to coat. Cool.

2. To make the vinaigrette, whisk to combine vinegar, Dijon, and honey in a small bowl. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Toss greens with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Top with pears, grapes, and curried cashews. Drizzle with extra vinaigrette if desired.

Serves 4

summer pasta salad

i'm loading up on the carbs this week.  can you tell?

this is an old family favorite.  i use bottled italian dressing because it's easy, not because it's nutritious.

summer pasta salad
1 lb chicken breast, seasoned and grilled (i use lemon pepper seasoning)
16 oz of your favorite pasta, cooked, drained and chilled
2 heads of broccoli, chopped and blanched*
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
grape tomatoes (as many as you like)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 bottle kraft free zesty italian dressing
cheddar cheese, cubed (optional .. the kids love it)

*i blanch the broccoli during the last minute of cooking the pasta.  throw it in the boiling water, boil for 1 minute and then drain it with the pasta immediately rinsing under cold water to stop the cooking.  blanching will bring the color out in the broccoli which makes this dish so pretty.  i personally prefer my raw veggie blanched anyway so ...

once everything is cooked, cooled, chopped, rinsed, etc.  mix it all together in a big bowl.  the leftovers are amazingly delicious.

p.s.  my mom really likes olives in hers.  feel free to add whatever you wish.
p.p.s  i didn't run the nutritional info.  it's healthy, especially with wheat pasta.
p.p.p.s could easily be made vegetarian

grilled vegetable pasta salad

this was yummy.  obviously (or i wouldn't be posting it).  i actually made this earlier in the week but after a dramatic experience involving a bird and our grill, i hadn't been in the mood to post the recipe until now.  this is one of three pasta salads i made this week.  all of which are perfect for summer bbq's.  i'll post the other two later.

two things; 1) i've fallen in love with tomatoes roasted with garlic and 2) i added a few grilled chicken breasts to this dish to make it more of a meal.

grilled vegetable pasta salad

source

1 pint grape tomatoes

5 cloves garlic

1 medium zucchini

1 medium yellow squash

1 medium green bell pepper

1 small eggplant

1 medium red onion

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley

14 oz pasta (i used cavatappi)

1 cup balsamic vinegar (i used newman's light which was good but next time, i'm going to make my own for the fun of it)

salt & pepper to taste

parmesan cheese (enough to sprinkle on top)

STEP 1: If using roasted tomatoes, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Pour the tomatoes out onto a baking sheet with 5 cloves of peeled garlic. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of olive oil over them along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Using your hands, stir it all up to make sure the tomatoes and garlic are well coated in the oil, salt and pepper. Place them in the oven to roast for about 40 minutes. Stir them twice during the roasting process.

STEP 2: Light the grill or charcoal and allow to heat while you prep the vegetables. Wash and slice the rest of the vegetables. Only slice them into two or three large chunks so they do not fall into the grill (see photo below). I cut the squash, onion and bell pepper into two pieces each and the eggplant into medallions about 1 inch thick.

STEP 3: Place the sliced vegetables onto another baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining 3 Tbsp of olive oil and another pinch of salt and pepper. Using your hands mix them all up until they are all well coated in the oil. The eggplant will soak the oil up like a sponge so to make sure it is coated you can wipe it on the tray where oil has dripped off of the other vegetables.

STEP 4: Grill the vegetables until they are slightly charred on the outside and slightly soft but not mushy (see photos below). Return them to the tray and allow them to cool.

STEP 5: While the vegetables are cooling, begin boiling the pasta according to the directions on the box. While the pasta is boiling, chop the grilled vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces. Coarsely chop about 1/2 bunch of flat leaf parsley.

STEP 6: After the pasta has been cooked and drained, allow it to cool slightly. Combine the chopped vegetables, parsley, pasta and 1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette. Stir until everything is evenly coated with the vinaigrette. Refrigerate until ready to serve!

lemon chicken pasta with spinach and pine nuts

this recipe i'll take credit for all on my own.  it was fantastic!

this dish could easily be made without the chicken for all of you vegetarians and vegans.

it's not the lowest calorie meal i've posted but, i'm trying eat back a lot of burned calories and fuel with carbs so, it was perfect for me!

lemon chicken pasta with spinach and pine nuts
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (i used thawed from frozen chicken tenders)
lemon pepper seasoning (for chicken)
4 oz pine nuts, toasted
1 lb pasta (i used linguine)
3 tbsp olive oil, seperated
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
juice of one lemon

directions:
spray chicken with non stick spray and season with lemon pepper and grill over low heat for 6-7 minutes per side.  let sit for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing.


toast pine nuts in small skillet over medium heat until golden brown, move the nuts around in the pan often and be careful not to crowd

cook pasta in salted water according to directions; drain and keep warm

while pasta is cooking, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat; add garlic and saute about 5 minutes. add spinach and cook until wilted, about 7 minutes more.  season spinach with salt and pepper to taste.

in the skillet, toss pasta with spinach, sliced chicken and toasted pine nuts.

remove from heat and add cheese, lemon juice and 1 tbsp of olive oil.

serve warm with additional parmesan, if desired.

yields 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts lemon pasta with spinach and pine nuts Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 453 Total Fat 19.8g       Saturated Fat 4.7g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 35mg Sodium 246mg Carbohydrate 48.4g       Dietary Fiber 7.2g       Sugars 3.1g Protein 23.1g Vitamin A 58% Vitamin C 28% Calcium    19% Iron 20%

black bean and quinoa salad **updated

my first attempt to re-create the delicious quinoa salad i had from whole foods last week.  my second attempt at quinoa from home.

it was mostly a success.  a great dish that i think many would enjoy but i personally will continue the quest for variations that make this dish perfect (for me).  variations such as green onions instead of red onions, cilantro instead of parsley and next time, i'll eliminate the tomatoes.

if you like parsley and the heat from red onions than i think this is a great version for you but, if you want to go ahead and try my anticipated variations as mentioned above then please, do.


**after another visit to whole foods and another delicious taste of their version, i've decided they puree fire roasted tomatoes with the oil and vinegar for the sauce.  they also use flat leaf parsley and there are not any green onions in their version (red only).  fyi for anyone thinking of trying this dish.  i like their version much better.


1 1/2 cups of quinoa (ancient harvest brand is pre-soaked)
2 1/4 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of black beans (low sodium), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked corn (i used frozen corn, microwaved and drained with beans)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lime juice

add quinoa to water in a medium-large sauce pan.  bring to a boil.  reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  fluff with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool.

while quinoa is cooking, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar and lime juice.  salt and pepper to taste (i used about 1/4 tsp of sea salt and ground pepper).

mix all ingredients with cooled quinoa.  drizzle oil/vinegar mix over everything and toss gently.

umm ... yum

this makes about 8 - 1 1/2 cup servings.  i'll bet it's delicious as a leftover straight out of the fridge.  i'll find out tomorrow.

look at all those beautiful green boxes ... SUPER good for you!!

Food Description black bean and quinoa salad take one 1 serving 205 5.1 0.5 0 0 200 34.2 5.2 4.5 6.8 981 43.7 39 3.1 Totals Percentage of Calories† 205 5.1 22% 0.5 2% 0 0% 0 200 34.2 65% 5.2 10% 4.5 9% 6.8 13% 981 43.7 39 3.1 † Typical Percentages: Fat 20-35%, Carbohydrates 45-65%, Protein 10-35%, and Saturated Fats less than 9%

leek and sweet potato au gratin

another recipe from here.

some crazy(er) part of me feels like moving towards eliminating animal products from my diet.  another less crazy part of me is too afraid to learn how to eat another way.  i'm not going to lie, i like me some meat and dairy every now and then!

still though, i've been taking baby steps because i think baby steps are the best kind of steps to take when you're trying to learn something new or change.

so here is my take on leek and sweet potato au gratin served up steaming with a nice cut of grilled sirloin (baby steps).

now, this was my first time eating leeks.  one thing i learned is that although they look like green onions, they are not like green onions.  the recipe calls for "three medium leeks" and i only bought one thinking they were in bunches just like green onions.  wrong.  the result was not enough leeks so i halved the recipe which wasn't a big deal.  there's was another casserole dish of homemade mac n' cheese bubbling in the oven for the chillin's and husband.

in the end, i was pleased with this dish and think that anyone who likes sweet potatoes would really like it.   the only thing i would change is again, too much oil.  this is the fourth recipe i've followed from this site and every single one had too much oil, imo.  we also had the lentil soup (which was great less the lentils, lol) and, the orzo salad which would have been great less the olive oil.  i threw away the whole bowl, too much oil.

leek and sweet potato au gratin


1.5 tbsp olive oil (i will use 1 tbsp max next time)
6 cups chopped leeks, approx 3 medium leeks (white & light green parts only)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (i used 2 tbsp of rosemary from my pantry, not fresh)
2 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
1/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth
3 tbsp seasoned dry bread crumbs (i only had unseasoned so i mixed in some onion powder, garlic powder and pepper)

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees.  coat 10" round pan with cooking spray.

2. heat 1 tbsp oil in nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  add leeks, garlic and  1 1/2 tbsp of rosemary; saute 8 minutes or until softened.  season with salt and pepper.

3.  arrange 1/3 of sweet potato slices over bottom of prepared pan, overlapping slightly.  spread 1/2 of leek mixture on tip.  arrange the other 1/3 of sweet potato slices over leeks; tops with remaining leeks, followed by remaining sweet potatoes.  drizzle broth over dish.  cover pan with foil and bake 35 minutes.

4. stir together breadcrumbs and a tiny bit of oil with remaining rosemary in small bowl. remove foil from gratin and sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.  bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until breadcrumbs are brown and crisp.

serves 8

Nutrition Facts leek and sweet potato au gratin Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 97 Total Fat 2.7g       Saturated Fat 0.4g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 54mg Carbohydrate 18.1g       Dietary Fiber 2.2g       Sugars 4g Protein 1.4g Vitamin A 176% Vitamin C 18% Calcium    3% Iron 5%

vegetable chow mein

recipe from here.


i made this for jake and i a couple of nights ago.  it was good and would have been even better if i hadn't burned the onions (i really need a wok, anyone have two?).  i'm looking forward to making it again someday.  it's on my non-existent "recommended" now, especially if you have a wok.  i think the kids would have eaten without complaining too much.  maybe?

so, here's the recipe directly from the site.  when i make it again, i will use a lot less oil.  it was a little too oily for my taste.  and, this time around, i omitted the oyster sauce because i do not like a "fishy" taste.


vegetable chow mein


1/2 lb whole wheat angel hair
5 tbsp canola oil (i would cut this to 3 tbsp)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce (lite)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and stems thinly sliced
1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, trimmed and cut matchsticks
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (i used 1 tbsp ground ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced

parboil the noodles:  bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. add the noodles and boil for 2 minutes. drain the noodles in a colander and rinse well with cold running water. place in a bowl, add 1 tbsp. of the canola oil and toss to coat evenly.

in a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp. water, the oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil and stir.

stir-fry the vegetables: (the thinner you cut the vegetables the better.) heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 tbsp. of the oil. add the onion and bell pepper and stir-fry just until tender, about 3 minutes. add the mushrooms, peas, and zucchini and continue to stir-fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a bowl.

stir-fry the noodles: return the pan to high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp. oil. add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 5 seconds. add the noodles and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. return the vegetables to the pan, add the sauce, and continue to stir and toss until all the ingredients are well combined and heated through, about 1 minute. transfer to a platter and serve immediately.


yields 6


one serving (with 3 tbsp canola, light soy sauce and eliminate oyster sauce):

Nutrition Facts vegetable chow mein
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories	276
Total Fat	10.4g
Saturated Fat	0.9g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	188mg
Carbohydrate	40.1g
Dietary Fiber	5.5g
Sugars	6.4g
Protein	6.5g
Vitamin A 25% Vitamin C 84% Calcium    3% Iron 10%