Sorry for the Break

I was such a slacker in the month of March

Here are my excuses:

I just moved to California and went to visit Utah for a couple of weeks

When I came back to California my computer wasn't working

Then our Internet went missing because of a payment mishap

And did I mention I just moved? I wasn't really feeling up to cooking healthy.... There I said it! There are times in ones life when unhealthy food is comforting and you have to survive, right? So to my mom and sisters who read my blog forgive me for not posting. But I am back and ready to eat healthy once again!!

Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Salad

4 large sweet potatoes/yams, peeled and diced
2 T olive oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 T honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c crasins
1/4 c walnuts (or sugared walnuts - what I perfer)
1 cup quinoa
2 c water

Directions:
1. Peel and dice sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake in oven @ 400 for 20-30 min, depending how small you diced your potatoes. I dice mine pretty small to make them bake faster. Broil for the last 5 min to brown them up a bit. Watch them so they don't burn.

2. While the sweet potatoes are roasting combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, and cinnamon in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside

3. Make your quinoa by following package directions, when done add to cinnamon sauce.

4. When sweet potatoes are done let them cool about 10 min. Add them to your quiona along with crasins and walnuts.

Serve with a side of Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables with quinoa and Creamy Avocado Sauce

One night I was staring blankly into my fridge wondering what to make for dinner... Does that sound familiar to you?

Nothing looked good and I didn't really have the right ingredients for any meal my family wanted. I stared at the food that I had and decided to experiment.

I just started throwing what I had into the blender and tasted along the way. I was a bit surprised at how yummy the sauce turned out and so was the food critic when I told him what was in the sauce. I'm always surprised at what foods taste good together, so when you are bored with what is in your fridge just throw it all in a blender and see what happens.

Sorry about the pictures! After I downloaded them I accidentally deleted them so this is what you get. FYI... I am not a photographer if you haven't noticed. I know I am terrible at food pictures, but I can reassure you the only meals that make it on this blog are approved by my food critics.

Roasted Vegetables

2 c baby carrots

2 zucchini, cut in half then sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

2 c green beans

Toss with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic pwd. Place on baking sheet and bake @ 400 for 20 - 30 min turning frequently. I like to broil the vegetables for five more minutes to make them a bit crispy.

Avocado Sauce

1/2 c raw cashews

1 T fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 avocado

1 c spinach

1 clove of garlic

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp white pepper (gives it a little kick)

1/4 tsp basil

Combine all in your blender and blend until smooth.

Quinoa

1 c quinoa, well rinsed

2 c vegetable broth

In a sauce pan bring broth to a boil, add quinoa to pot and bring to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 - 25 min. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 additional min with lid on.

Combine 1 c (or more) of sauce with quinoa and serve with your roasted vegetables.

Coconut Curry over Lentils and Butternut Squash

Curry can be a scary meal for some who have never tried it because of the strong flavor. I added some coconut milk to make it taste more mild and the butternut squash and currants/golden raisins add the perfect amount of sweetness to the overall meal. Try it and I bet you will love it!

Coconut Curry
5 C cubed butternut squash
1 T olive oil
1/4 c diced onion
1 T curry
1 inch cube fresh ginger grated, or 1/4-1/2 tsp pwd ginger
2 c vegetable broth
1 c lentils (I like red)
1 1/2 c coconut milk (light or regular)
1/4 c golden raisins or currants
3 T chopped raw cashews
1 c fresh spinach

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle olive oil over cubed butternut squash and toss in a large bowl to evenly coat squash. Spread squash onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put into preheated oven and bake 20-35 min turning after 15 min to prevent burning. Your squash may take longer depending on how big your cubes are, just make sure they are tender enough to pierce with a fork.

While squash is baking make sauce

1. Heat olive oil in skillet then add onion and cook for 5- 7 min. Add ginger and curry and cook until curry is blended well.

2. Add 2 c vegetable broth and bring to a boil

3. Add your lentils then reduce heat to a simmer for 15 min.

4. Add coconut milk, cashews, dried fruit, and simmer for another 10 min.

5. Remove from heat and stir in spinach until the spinach softens up.

6. Place 1 cup of squash into separate bowls, pour lentil mixture over squash, add some shredded coconut, more cashews and microgreens(totally optional), and then enjoy!

Serves ~ 4 adults

Thanks to my friend Melanie for helping with this meal!