(Sweet and Curried) Potato Salad

Here's another yummy way to prepare sweet potatoes. It requires a bit of prep total time-wise. You could roast the sweet potatoes the day before and stick them in the fridge to make the salad the next day. Whatever makes it easier on you!!

2 Large sweet potatoes (white)
2 Large yams (orange)
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup homemade mayo Mayo
2 celery stalks, cut lengthwise in 3 pieces and chopped small
1/4 red onion, minced
4 eggs, hard-boiled
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
1-2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp each of ground ginger, turmeric, coriander
sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the yam/sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss them with the olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Also rub a little oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the yams/sweet potatoes onto a large baking sheet, making sure they are not crowded. (If they are crowded on the pan, split into two and alternate heights in the oven every 7-10 minutes).

Roast yams for 10-12 minutes. (while they are roasting, hard-boil the eggs and then transfer to the fridge to cool down). Turn with a spatula, then increase the oven temperature to 425 and continue cooking another 10-12 minutes or until soft in the center. Do not dispare when the yams/sweet potatoes get brown on a few sides. This is normal. When soft on the inside and a bit crispy on the outside (20-25 minutes total) remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer to fridge to speed up the cooling process.

When the yams/sweet potatoes are fully cooled, toss them into a large mixing bowl along with the mayo, celery, onion, cilantro and spices. Chop up the hard-boiled eggs into pieces and add into the mixing bowl. Toss to coat all of the yam/sweet potatoes fairly evenly.

**I recommend adding half the mayo at first and then toss to start off with. You can always add more mayo into the mix if it looks dry. My idea of large yams could be different then yours, so better safe than sorry :). Enjoy!!

Stewed White Fish

The inspiration for this dish came while reading the Whole9 website a few weeks ago (see "linkage" at left). They had posted a recipe for fish cooked this way, which sounded pretty awesome. Not having all the ingredients that they did, I decided to make up my own version while using up some things I had in the fridge. Win-Win!

1.5 lbs white fish fillets (use a firm fish-I used Cod)
**1 can smoked sardines (optional...see note at end of recipe)

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 carrots, sliced in 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 large tomato, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers
6-10 olives, cut into 2-3 pieces (I used green and kalamata)
1 can coconut milk, regular or lite

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
Fresh cracked pepper

3-4 cups fresh, baby spinach leaves

In a large wok or soup pan heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add in the carrots, tomato, onion and garlic (and sardines if using). Cook until onion and carrots begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. While that's cooking, cut the fish into 1-inch cubes and set aside. Add in the capers, olives, fish, old bay and pepper to taste. Continue cooking, stirring often, until fish is just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Then pour in the can of coconut milk and continue cooking just until the coconut milk is hot. Take mixture off the heat and stir in the spinach leaves.

**A good way to increase the Omega 6 fats in this dish is to add in a can of sardines. I added a can in my dish and was unable to taste them (flavor-wise). During the cooking process they break down pretty quickly and become a part of the liquid, almost. That being said, I could definately taste little particles of the skin and as far as that texture goes, I am not a fan. So if you like sardines then by all means add them, if you are not so dedicated to them (like me) this dish will be excellent without them. Either way, you're good.

Serve in large bowls as is, or you could also serve this over a spoonful of cooked, "riced" cauliflower.

Stuffed Peppers (pizza?) and Wilted Spinach Salad with figs

I started this recipe with full intentions of using ground beef and bacon....and after tasting it while cooking it just didn't seem quite right. So I added a couple of "andoullie" sausages to perk up the flavor. 'Twas a good idea! I also realized upon consumption...that the flavors were reminiscent of pizza (BONUS!). This is one meat-packed pepper. Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

4 medium-sized green bell peppers
8 slices applewood smoked bacon
3 cloves garlic
1/2 white onion, minced
1 pound grass fed ground beef
2 andoullie sausages (I used the cooked kind, chopped into small pieces)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
2 tablespoons almond flour
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan until crisp. Remove and let drain on a paper towel. Crumble when cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pan and pour out the rest. Add in the onion and garlic and cook until soft, stirring often. Add in the ground beef, bay leaf and italian seasoning, cook through, stirring often. (While the ground beef is cooking, cut the top 1/2 inch off the peppers and remove the seeds. Save the tops for another use). When beef is cooked, add the tomato paste, almond flour (to thicken), crumbled bacon and chopped sausages. Stir and cook another 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fill each green pepper to the top with the ground beef mixture. Place the filled peppers in an oiled baking dish (whatever they'll fit into. I used an 8x8 glass dish) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Wilted Spinach Salad

1/4 cup walnuts, cut in half
cinnamon
4 dried figs, quartered lengthwise
5 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoon walnut oil plus more for drizzling

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the walnuts and cover with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Toast the nuts, shaking/stirring occasionally, just until light brown - about 5-7 minutes. Take off the heat and set the nuts aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, heat the 1 tablespoon walnut oil to medium heat, and add in the spinach leaves. Stir constantly to just wilt the spinach (2-4 minutes total), you don't want to cook it all the way through. Sprinkle with figs and walnuts and an extra drizzle of walnut oil. Serve along side the stuffed peppers.