New Year Sweet Potato Chili

Happy New Year!

I spent the day in fuzzy pajamas drinking Lemon Lift, Netflixing Sons of Anarchy, and taking naps with Newt (who, incidentally, talked his way out of a New Years bath).

I also started to take down my library Christmas tree

(which involves walking all of these glorious books back upstairs...). After a grueling two several trips upstairs with the smallish books from the top, I was famished.

So I ate some chocolate.

But then later, I actually made dinner.

You know what I love? When I already have everything in the house to cook dinner without requiring a trip to the grocery store. I'm getting pretty good at that. I'm flexible. I'm hip. I'm prepared like yellow mustard.

NEW YEARS DAY FACTS:
# 1. Today, it is cold and rainy in Texas.
# 2. I have about 46 pounds of organic sweet potatoes in my cupboard (not all of them went into that pecan maple sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving... that I ended up eating myself because pretty much the entire family doesn't eat sweet potatoes for some ridicu-reason).
# 3. I've been on my game with storing the fresh produce I can't eat right away. Basically, my freezer looks like a health enthusiast's dream.
# 4. OK. So, #2 isn't exactly factual. But I do have a lot.

So... what I'm getting at is this:

Sweet potato chili. I used this giantest sweet potato I had. It was probably a 3 pound potato. I peeled it (and then cheated and microwaved it for two minutes so it was easier to slice..... I can't be getting chopping blisters on New Years Day, ya'll). I diced it. I also diced some green bell pepper. I had some chopped onion and garlic in the fridge already from our Christmas Eve dinner. I rinsed some beans (sadly, no blackeyed peas though..). I had a bag o' red, ripe tomatoes and about a cup and a half of chopped greens pulled from the freezer. Chili powder and dried chipotle come out of hiding in the spice cabinet. Suddenly, this is getting real.

One of my resolutions is to be more productive this year. I want to get more done in a day. That goes for both work and the rest of life.

So I also ran the dishwasher.

I hope ya'll are having a fab night. And that no one else shoots fireworks to scare your dogs.

Chicken Taco Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Black beans.
Tiny jalapeños.
The perfect avocado.
ANOTHER PATTY PAN SQUASH.

What would you do?

Well, ordinarily I would be googling all over the place. But I've already done that for pattypan squash. Twice. There are plenty of options, but very few transform the squash into a main dish, and even fewer call for a single, giant squash (like the ones my CSA farm tends to grow).

Maybe I was inspired by my upcoming trip to the Mayan Riviera, but......

I made a giant taco.

No, seriously. I have Mexico on the  brain. I am currently searching through a billion possibilities of places to stay on Isla Mujeres, in Tulum, and in Puerto Morelos. This is happening.

Taco Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 80 min

Yield 4-5 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium pattypan squash

1 teaspoon chipotle/southwestern seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

½ cup dried white rice

1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

3 large cloves garlic, minced

¼ large white onion, chopped

3 tiny jalapeños (or ½ large jalapeño), minced

1 medium chicken breast

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1 – 14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh pico de gallo

½ avocado, sliced

Sour cream (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the top off of the squash and remove the seeds and any stringy insides. The patty pan squash should now look like a bowl. Bake for 1–1.5 hours (until a fork easily pierces the skin and flesh). Baking time will vary depending on size of squash.

2. In a large saucepan, heat half of the olive oil on medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic, and jalapeños for 3-4 minutes. Stir in rice and sauté until toasted and slightly golden in color.

3. Dump canned tomatoes (including all liquid) into the saucepan with the rice and onion mixture. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked to desired consistency.

3. Heat remaining olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Cook chicken breast through (about 7-8 minutes per side). Remove from heat and rest chicken for 10 minutes, then shred with a fork.

4. Add chicken back to skillet (and finish cooking, if necessary), add 1 tablespoon of water along with the taco seasoning. Stir to combine and heat through. Add black beans.

5. When squash is finished, remove from oven and stuff with rice, chicken and black bean mixture, and top with pico de gallo, avocado and sour cream.

6. Cut the squash into quarters and serve like a Mexican pie.

Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving, 4):

Calories 439, Total Fat 12 g, Cholesterol 32 mg, Sodium: 1017 mg, Protein 21 g, Fiber 11.3 g

........And then that thing happened where I wasn't following a recipe and tremendously underestimated how long it would take to cook the squash and I ate my taco on a microwave baked potato. Don't let this happen to you. Plan ahead for a giant squash, people.

The potato was good, but the squash was much better (even reheated). Apparently, if you ever find yourself with an abundance of ripe pattypan, I'm your girl. Savory, stuffed, or sweet.

Now back to vacation planning!!

(I think planning my own vacations could be a really great career.)

"Everything" White Bean Hummus

Bagels. I haven't bought a package of bagels in quite some time, but my favorite is always the "everything" kind. You may chalk it up to my notable indecisiveness, but why choose simply "onion" or "poppy seed" or "sesame seed" when you can have ALL THE BAGELS!?

Oh, that's right. I don't have a toaster.

So no bagels. But what about this Everything White Bean Hummus recipe? After making it, I think I actually prefer the more traditional garbanzo bean hummus, but this recipe was an interesting change of pace.

From the original recipe, I chose to cut down on the oil and salt just a bit, and to add some lemon juice. I have it on medical authority that decreasing salt in my own diet isn't a good idea (hello, hypotension), but there is plenty of seasoning in the "everything" mix that I felt it salty enough.

“Everything”

White Bean Hummus

Prep time: 15 min (or 60 minutes, if you need time to roast the garlic)

Yield: Enough for 6-8 people as an appetizer

INGREDIENTS:

HUMMUS -

2 cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
1 head of roasted garlic

½ small lemon, juiced

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

SEASONING-

2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I used black sesame)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

crudité or pita for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Dump white beans and roasted garlic into a food processor with lemon juice. Pulse until smooth.

2. With the processor running, stream in the olive and sesame oils.

3. Mix seasoning ingredients together.

4. Fold about ½ of the seasoning ingredients into the hummus. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning on top, to taste.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (Per serving, 8):

Calories 234, Total Fat 12.1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium: 297mg, Protein 8.1 g, Fiber 5.2 g

It makes quite a bit of seasoning, so I had extra to sprinkle on salads and grilled cheese sandwiches. I think I still have a bit in the pantry! Try it!

Now... if I could only find my battery charger for the camera, I'd get started on the cocoa chai roasted almonds I made last weekend.  Sigh. Unpacking. Gah.

Arugula Spinach Tomato Pesto (ASTP) with Gnocchi & Chickpeas

Aaaaahhhhhhh. The benefit of being (temporarily) unemployed is multifaceted, but one particular bonus is sleeping past 6 am. Every. Day.

Another bonus is having the time to do something other than work, study, or pack boxes. Unpacking.... well that's another story for August. In the meantime, trips to the farmer's market and shoe shopping for one particular upcoming wedding have been a much appreciated change of pace from the daily hospital grind.

Are you ready for another, absolutely delightful permutation of beans n' greens? Not quite to the eat-to-live standards (hello olive oil... and cheese.. and pasta) but full of healthy things nonetheless (arugula-spinach-tomato pesto = ASTP!). The ingredients for the pesto actually make enough for two nights. Use half today and freeze the rest.

The great thing about pesto in general is how forgiving it is. Don't have spinach? Add extra arugula. Prefer less garlic? Reduce it to three cloves. Where the heck to I find pepitas?? Use walnuts.

Arugula-Spinach-Tomato Pesto on Gnocchi & Chickpeas

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 5 min

Servings: 4  servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups packed fresh arugula

1 cup packed fresh spinach

6 cloves fresh garlic

¼ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or pine nuts

2 chives

6 large basil leaves

¼ cup virgin olive oil

1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 - 14.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 - 500g package of potato gnocchi

2 oz herbed feta cheese, crumbled (I used tomato basil)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Drop arugula and spinach into boiling water and allow to cook for 20 seconds. Then strain out greens and submerge in ice water. Reserve boiling water for gnocchi (step 5).

2. Peel the garlic and add it along with the basil leaves, pepitas, and chives to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is minced.

3.  Squeeze all of the water from the blanched greens and add them to the food processor along with the tomatoes. Pulse until finely chopped and well incorporated with the garlic mixture.  

4. With the processor running, add olive oil. Blend until well combined. Set half of the pesto aside and freeze for later use.

5. Add garbanzo beans and gnocchi to the reserved boiling water and cook according to gnocchi package directions.

7. Strain gnocchi and beans; scoop into serving bowls immediately. Divide the other half of pesto over gnocchi and sprinkle each serving with feta cheese. 

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving):

Calories 436, Total Fat 12.8 g, Cholesterol 12.6 mg, Sodium: 507 mg, Protein 8.7 g, Fiber 4.9 g

This was my first time using gnocchi, which are small, soft, dumpling-like pasta balls. They cook up super quickly, and were easy to find at Trader Joe's and the local grocery store. This ASTP has a great bite from the garlic and arugula, and is lightened up with the tomatoes so that it would be great on any pasta. Or, you can try it one of these other 10 Ways to use Pesto Beyond Pasta from The Kitchn.

Chipotle Sweet Potato and Black Bean Taco Salad

I often think that having a second one of myself at home would be pretty great. I'm fun. I'm easy going. I cook. Right now, for example, my stomach is grumbling so loud that it could possibly be mistaken for the thunderstorm outside because it's after 10 am and I haven't made anything for breakfast. (But wait!! I have showered and combed my hair, so let's not go making any assumptions about how productive I will be today.) So, anyway, while this girl lays on the couch wondering what to eat, the other Lindsey would've already made some sweet potato almond butter muffins and the house would smell like fresh baked yum.

Yeah. Since that's not happening... I do have another sweet potato recipe that I'm pretty excited to share with ya'll this weekend. It's sweet. It's smokey. It's spicy. And guacamole.

My recipe is inspired by this one, written by Erin of Naturally Ella. These tacos have made their way into our bellies a few times already. The first time we made them, I was so pleasantly surprised by the flavor combo that I didn't for one second miss the cheese or sour cream that generally adorns your average taco or taco salad.


This go 'round, I decided to skip the tortillas and mix everything together with some salad greens to increase leaf intake (it's all about the beans n' greens, ya'll) while cutting the refined carbohydrates. With a little extra lime juice and a big dollop of guacamole, I didn't need to add salad dressing, but a light avocado vinaigrette would work really well here (if you are so inclined to make some, try blending avocado, white wine vinegar, lime juice, and olive oil with a little S&P).

Did you know that chipotle peppers are really just smoked jalapeños? These babies truly supply the flavor to this dish and cannot be substituted or omitted. Chipotle peppers come either canned in adobo sauce or dried. J and I both keep the dried variety in our respective spice cabinets. While this kind does take a little time to rehydrate and we miss out on the adobo sauce, they're super cheap and so easy to pull out  at a moment's notice (without an extra trip to the grocery store). If you purchase the canned variety, you should omit the water and add the adobo sauce to the blender instead.

Intimidated by the heat of chipotle? The spice is toned down a bit with the addition of honey, but you should probably use a small pepper (or half of a large one), or de-seed a dried pepper if you are not sure you can handle the spice. Definitely use less chipotle if you are reducing recipe. For the guacamole, you may also choose to substitute a de-seeded jalapeño for the serrano since jalapeños are not quite as hot.

 Chipotle Sweet Potato & Black Bean Taco Salad with Guacamole

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 30 min

Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS:

Salads:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (about 3 cups)

4 cloves garlic

1 dried chipotle pepper, rehydrated in ¼ cup warm water for 30 minutes

1.5 Tbsp honey

Juice of 1 large lime

29 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Guacamole, for serving
10 cups salad greens - or - 12 corn tortillas
avocado vinaigrette, optional (see text)

Guacamole:

2 small, ripe avocados

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ large onion, chopped

1 serrano pepper, minced

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1 roma tomato, seeds removed and chopped

Juice of 2-3 lime wedges

¼ tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add onions, garlic and sweet potato. Saute for 4 minutes.

2. In a blender or food processor, liquefy the rehydrated chipotle and water with honey and the juice from one lime. Add the chipotle sauce to the skillet and cover. Cook for 10 minutes.

3. Add black beans to the skillet and gently mix to combine. Cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until sweet potato is cooked through.

4. While sweet potato mixture is cooking, prepare guacamole. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Add lime juice and salt to taste.

5. Spoon sweet potato mixture over salad greens (or into corn tortillas) and top with guacamole. Serve with a lime wedge and a cold beer.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per salad serving, 6):

Calories 337, Total Fat 10 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium: 192 mg, Protein 12.4 g, Fiber 15.2 g

Try it this week! As I alluded, the original recipe is for sensational tacos, so if you are in the mood for un-salad, by all means - grab a couple of tortillas and get busy! I recommend small corn tortillas over flour. You won't be disappointed. Either way, the final addition to this delicious tasty fest is a cold beer with a slice of lime. Dos Equis is my favorite. Obvi. 

Speaking of XX, we should probably add that to my invisible grocery list. If I had another Lindsey around here, she'd probably be writing this down and making plans for dinner tonight. Just sayin'.

Cabbage, White Bean & Potato Stoup

Love is when someone offers to scrape the ice from your windshield so you don't have to stand in the wind (even when he didn't think to wear a jacket).

Sunday was definitely a cloudy, grey, rainy type of day that just begs for a hot cup of tea, a certain rat terrier, and maybe even a warm bowl of soup. Blustery winds and nonstop raindrops morphed into an April snowstorm overnight, leaving my poor, exposed car covered in a thick sheet of ice by Monday morning. With those limitations, this cabbage and white bean stew/soup (stoup?) sounded appropriate because crock pot cooking is exactly the kind of thing that makes sense at times like these. In other words, I'm feeling lazy and the thought of eating cold salad just isn't very motivating. 

Heavy on veggies and beans, this stoup is a comfort food that you can feel good about eating in large portions. All good stuff. Fuel. Plain and simple. (...even if all you are fueling is an Anchorman 2 watching party).

The original recipe (Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew) comes to you via Susan over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen*. You may be wondering - why Irish soup? Well, to be honest, I actually found this recipe last month when all of the cool kids were whipping up things with reference to St. Patrick's day. Anyway, I took Susan's recipe, doubled the seasonings and added liquid smoke (at her suggestion - good choice). 

Cabbage, White Bean & Potato Stoup

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 4-8 hr (crock pot), 45 min (stovetop)

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 head cabbage, chopped

4 carrots, sliced

1 to 1-1/2 pounds potatoes, cut in large dice

1/3 cup pearled barley (optional or substitute with gluten-free grain)

2-3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6-8 cups vegetable broth

3 cups cooked great northern beans (2 cans, rinsed and drained)

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Crock Pot:

1. Place the vegetables, seasonings, and barley into a large (at least 5 quart) slow cooker.

2. Add enough vegetable broth to just cover the vegetables (start with 6 cups and add more as needed).

3. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours.

4. Add beans, tomatoes, parsley, liquid smoke, and salt to taste. Check seasonings and add more herbs if necessary.

5. Cover and cook for another hour.

Stovetop:

1. Place vegetables, seasonings, barley, and broth into a large stockpot.

2. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients, check seasonings, and add more herbs if necessary.

4. Simmer uncovered for at least 15 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving, 6):

Calories 318, Total Fat 1.2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Protein 13.6 g, Fiber 16.4 g

J and I served this stoup topped with extra chopped parsley, Caesar salads and (just in case we were in danger of being a little TOO healthy) quick butter biscuits on the side (baked with herbed sweet cream butter). 

I imagine that my friends south of the Mason-Dixon are looking at this recipe thinking, 

"Yeah right! It's already 85 degrees on a cool day!" 

But for those of us less fortunate up here in the Midwest, there may still be a few days yet this spring where soup/stoup/stew is absolutely appropriate.

 If you have a favorite soup recipe, please share it in the comments! 

It took me over an hour to make the words curve like this. Seriously. Photo editing is NO JOKE and I can understand how some people make an entire living out of this process. Holy smokes.

* Fat Free Vegan Kitchen is one of those food blogs that I turn to time and again, week after week when I'm planning meals and grocery trips. This site is one I've grown to trust for healthy (and micro-nutrient packed!!) meal ideas. The recipes at FFVK are obviously.. well, vegan. But the good stuff doesn't stop there. Susan's recipes generally follow the nutritarian lifestyle (i.e. Eat To Live). These meals contain very little (if any) added fat and main dishes are heavy handed on beans n' greens. This translates into happy, healthy, homeostasis. Word.