Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This is another go-to dish for our family. We love to eat sweet potatoes year-round, but especially in the fall. I prepare them with fat free milk and a touch of butter, so they are light and not extremely rich. The walnuts add such a nice bite to the dish. The crunch is a nice contrast to the soft potatoes.

Serves about 6

3 medium to large sweet potatoes, rinsed and pierced with a fork
1/4 cup milk (I use fat free and sometime add a splash of half and half)
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp real maple syrup
Nut topping:
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp half and half
dash of salt
cooking spray

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 40 min, or until you can easily poke them with a fork. Remove the skins from the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, through maple syrup. Beat with a hand mixer or a fork until smooth. For the nut topping, combine ingredients and mix until the nuts are well coated in the sugar/half and half coating. Pour onto a cookie sheet coated in cooking spray (you can cover the sheet in foil first and grease the foil). Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes, until the nuts are toasted and the topping is bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool. I make them in my toaster oven and just toast them once on medium-dark. Sprinkle nuts over the bowl of potatoes.

Quick Greens

Greens are one of those veggies that are SO good for us, but often take a long time to cook. This is a recipe that turns them into a side dish that can be prepared in under 20 minutes. Thus, they can be eaten any night of the week. The hint of turkey bacon and loads of garlic and onions make them taste like they've been simmering for hours. I serve them alongside roast chicken and mashed sweet potatoes for a perfect fall dinner.

Serves 4

1 bunch collard greens, turnip greens or kale rinsed well and hard stems removed and chopped into bite-size pieces
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp olive oil
3 slices turkey bacon, chopped into bite size pieces
1 c finely diced onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
black pepper

Season a large pot of boiling water with salt and add greens. Boil greens for 7 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Sautee until light brown and crispy. Add the onion and sautee until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the drained greens, the chicken broth and season with the black pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Sneaky Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese with Teriyaki Chicken and Sauteed Carrots and Green Beans

I call the mac and cheese "sneaky" because it is lower in fat and contains one 10 oz package of butternut squash. You will NEVER be able to tell it's in there! It came out so creamy and delicious, yet it was lightened up from a traditional mac and cheese and made with whole wheat pasta. The chicken and veggies are so easy to make. This is a great meal that any kid would love! For my toddler, I placed the chicken and veggies in my mini food processor and pulsed it just until it was chopped (still quite chunky). Then, I stirred in a generous spoonful of the mac and cheese and it became chicken and veggie mac and cheese. He loved it!

4 FROZEN chicken breasts (or one breast per person)
bottled Veri Veri Teriyaki marinade, found in the asian food section of most grocery stores. It's a very simple, natural marinade that tastes AMAZING on salmon and chicken.
3 large organic carrots, peeled and sliced into sticks
2 cups whole green beans, rinsed and snipped of any stems
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 12 oz box whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/3 cup flour
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/4 cup skim milk or 1 % (I only buy skim, so sometimes I add a little half and half to bump up the fat content if needed for a sauce)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
1 10 oz bag of frozen butternut squash, thawed and mashed with a fork
4 oz shredded swiss cheese
6 oz 2% milk reduced fat cheddar (3/4 of a bar of cheese)
2 oz 2% milk reduced fat cheddar, reserved for topping
1/2 cup freshly toasted breadcrumbs, or store bought

For the chicken:
Place frozen chicken in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Pour a generous amount of the marinade over the chicken, turning it over to coat both sides. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip over the chicken breasts. Bake 20 minutes longer. Turn on the broiler setting in the oven. Broil chicken for 5 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top side.

For the veggies:
Place carrots in a 10 inch frying pan. Add the water. Simmer for 6 minutes. Add the green beans and cover. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove lid and allow the rest of the water to evaporate. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and add 1 tbsp butter. Sautee until the carrots just begin to brown. Serves 4

For the mac and cheese:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add the flour. Stir to form a smooth paste and cook about 1 minute. Add the milk, 3/4 tsp salt, pepper and mustard. Cook until thickened. Stir in the swiss cheese, 6 oz shredded lowfat cheddar cheese and squash. Stir until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat. Drain cooked pasta and place back into the pot you cooked it in. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Stir well. Pour into a greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes longer. Serves 8

Broiled Cilantro Lime Chicken with Mexican Style Brown Rice, Fresh Avocado Salsa and Baked Plantain Chips

This is a meal I put together for dinner this week. The chicken is full of flavor, but it's not spicy. So, it's a meal that kids should love! Growing up with a Cuban dad, I've learned to love plantains. They are usually fried, but this method makes them much lighter by baking them. They make great chips to serve with the rest of the salsa.

Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
juice and zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped

Salsa:
2 ripe avocados, diced
1 ripe tomato (1 cup)
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup diced red or green onion
1/8 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
sprinkle of black pepper

Rice:
1 cup brown rice
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 of one cube Caldo de Pollo mexican chicken boullion cube (found in the mexican section of the grocery store)
water to make 2 cups when combined with the tomatoes

Baked Plantain chips:
1 green plantain, sliced into thin slices lengthwise into strips or into rings
1 tbsp canola oil
kosher salt



For the chicken, combine all of the ingredients. Place in a Ziploc bag and marinate for one hour or overnight.

For the salsa, combine all of the salsa ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the rice, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and sautee about 4 minutes, until tender and translucent. Add the rice. Cook 4 more minutes, stirring every minute. Add the garlic clove. Sautee one minute. Combine the tomatoes and boullion cube in a measuring cup. Add water to make 2 cups. Pour over the rice. Stir once. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 50 minutes.

For the plantain chips, drizzle with one tbsp canola oil. Toss to coat. Place in an even layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Flip over the pieces and bake about 5 minutes more, until golden on the second side. Place in a serving bowl or on a serving tray.

When the rice has 20 minutes left, cook the chicken. Preheat the broiler in the oven. Spray a baking sheet or broiler pan with cooking spray. Broil the chicken for 6 minutes, then flip over and broil for 6 minutes on the other side, or until completely cooked through. Serve chicken topped with a spoonful of the avocado salsa, a handful of plantain chips and a side of rice. Serves 4.

Salmonwiches with Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I created this recipe in a desperate search for a fresh recipe for fish night. Mundo doesn't usually get very excited about our weekly fish nights, because I'm still a rookie at perfecting dishes made with fish. He really enjoyed this sandwich made with marinated roasted salmon and a lemony dill mayo. The sweet potato fries are so easy to make and can be served with so many different meals- and they're really good for you!

4 center cut salmon filets (or a large enough piece of salmon to generously feed 4 people)
3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried dill
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
4 ciabatta rolls or sour dough rolls (I bought a sour dough baggette and cut it into segments)
packaged spring mix salad or other lettuce of your choice

Mayo:
1/4 cup real mayo (you can use lowfat)
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried dill
freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Combine the garlic, zest and juice of 2 lemons, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 2 tsp dried dill, 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley and 2 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl. Place salmon in a ziploc bag. Pour marinade over salmon. Marinate for about an hour. Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the mayo, adding pepper to taste. Set aside. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake the salmon for 10-15 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork and the color is no longer opaque pink. To serve, toaste each roll. Spread with 1-2 tsp mayo, depending on how much mayo you like. Top with one of the salmon filets and a handful of spring lettuce mix. Serve with sweet potato fries.

Sweet Potato Fries:
4 large sweet potatoes (I make one per person), peeled and cut into spears
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

Place sliced and peeled sweet potatoes on a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet). Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping the fries over halfway through baking. They are finished cooking when they are brown on both sides and tender when poked with a fork.

Fish Tacos with Green Rice

I created this recipe one evening, trying to come up with a flavorful version of a fish taco that was easy to make without a grill (since it's the middle of February). These tacos are packed with layers of flavor. They will melt in your mouth! If you have little kiddos, just leave out the jalapeno (although they actually aren't too spicy even with it in the recipe). The green rice is easy to make and tastes great with the tacos. I used flounder because it's really affordable and it's not "fishy" tasting- it's really mild.

Yield: 4 servings (2 tacos each)

Fish:
1 lb flounder filets or other mild white fish
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
3 tbsp canola oil
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp fajita seasoning

Slaw:
2 1/2 cups packaged shredded cabbage for coleslaw
1/2 jalepeno, seeded and finely minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 /2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Tacos:
8 corn tortillas, warmed in the microwave (cover the stack with a wet paper towel and microwave for 25 seconds)
1 avocado sliced, drizzled with lime and seasoned with salt
Cholula Mexican hot sauce or other hot sauce, if desired
sour cream

Combine all of the marinade ingredients for the fish (through fajita seasoning). Marinade for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the slaw, through ground pepper. This can be made ahead of time- it actually tastes better if it sits for a while. Preheat broiler in your oven. Line a cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with foil. Place fish on foil. Broil about 5 minutes, until cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Flake the fish into large pieces and place in a bowl. To assemble a taco, place a spoonful of fish in a corn tortilla. Top with a spoonful of slaw, a slice of avocado, a drizzle of Cholula and sour cream. Enjoy!

Green Rice:
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1 tbsp canola oil
2 1/4 cups water
1 cube caldo de pollo (Mexican chicken bouillon cubes found in the Mexican section of the grocery store)
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp canola oil
1 tbsp water

Heat canola oil in a saucepan. Add the rice and sautee until just beginning to turn chalky white. Pour in the water and add the boullion cube, breaking it apart with your spoon and stirring well to make sure it's dissolved. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the spinach, cilantro, 1 tsp oil and 1 tbsp water in a food processor. Puree until pretty smooth. Stir the puree into the cooked rice. Serve.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan

I know, Brussels sprouts are one of those veggies that your parents used to force you to eat. (Mine wouldn't let me leave the table until I finished them. I remember shedding tears over them.) But, they are SO good for us and I think they can be quite tasty when they're cooked the right way. Some veggies are good steamed and plain, but Brussels sprouts need a little help to make them tasty. This recipe is so quick and easy, and really yummy! You might actually realize that you like Brussels sprouts! It was a perfect side dish served along with my Chicken Rice A Roni.

2 cups of Brussels sprouts, trimmed of the little end piece and thinly sliced
1 tsp olive oil
2 sliced of turkey bacon, diced (or more if you're being a little naughty :) )
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 of a small onion or shallot, finely diced
1/8 cup of water
1/4 tsp kosher salt (or more- taste it to check)
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the turkey bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the oil. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and sautee over medium until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sautee one minute. Add the sliced, trimmed brussels sprouts. Sautee until they begin to brown and caramelize. Pour in the water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to simmer about 5 minutes, until they are tender and bright green. Stir in the parmesan and the bacon pieces.

Amazing Flounder Simmered in a Tomato Garlic Sauce with Squash Couscous

I created both of these recipes myself! The fish recipe was based on a fish I remember my mom making all the time when I was a little girl. I remembered the flavors and tried to recreate it- it actually tasted exactly as I remembered! The couscous was an idea I had based on a recipe I saw on a cooking show that used zucchini. Both dishes are very flavorful, full of garlic and white wine. Yummy!

Flounder in Tomato Garlic Sauce

4 flounder filets or any white fish (snapper, cod, mahi mahi would all work great)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1/4 cup white cooking wine or other white wine
1 can stewed tomatoes

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet (choose one that has a lid). Sautee onion over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until tender and beginning to caramelized. Add garlic, salt, pepper and basil and sautee one minute. Pour in the wine and tomatoes. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release bits from the onions and garlic. Bring the heat down to a simmer. Lay the fish filets on top of the sauce, trying to overlap as little as possible. Season the top of each filet with a little salt and pepper. Spoon some of the sauce over each filet. Cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked completely and flakes easily with a fork.

Couscous with Yellow Squash

2 tbsp olive oil
3 small yellow squash, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1 can chicken broth
3 tbsp white wine
1 1/4 c whole wheat couscous

Heat the olive oil in a sautee pan (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add the onion and sautee for about 2 minutes. Add the squash and sautee until tender (until it begins to brown). Add the garlic clove and sautee one minute. Add the thyme, salt and pepper. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Add the broth and stir. Stir in the couscous, remove from the heat and cover. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips

Mundo and I love this recipe. Tahini only comes in a huge jar, so I keep mine frozen and defrost it in the microwave when I want to use it. It will go bad if it's kept in the fridge for too long. You can use store bought pita chips, but it's a lot cheaper to make your own and these sure do taste good! You can make them with wheat pita as well as white. Hummus is usually a great crowd pleaser and would make an excellent dip to serve at a party.

For the Pita Chips:
1 package pita bread
canola oil for drizzling
table salt or sea salt

Cut each pita bread round into four slices across. Then, cut each slice in half (one pita bread round should yield 8 slices). Place in a large bowl. Drizzle with canola oil and toss to coat. Lay in one flat layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes on each side, or until nice and light brown and crispy.

Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) rinsed and drained
Juice of one lemon
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste-usually in the peanut butter section)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
salt to taste
olive oil for drizzling
paprika for garnish

Place all ingredients except olive oil and paprika in a food processor. Process for about 30 until ingredients combine. Pour in about 1/4 cup water until a smooth paste forms. It may be slightly chunky. Spoon into a serving dish. Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil. Refrigerate before serving. Serve cold with pita chips.

Simple, Healthy Sides- Okra and Tomatoes and Green Beans with Turkey Bacon

I made these two side dishes this week after a trip to our local Agricenter produce market. They had really fresh okra, heirloom tomatoes and green beans, so I was inspired to make these recipes. The okra and tomatoes I served alongside grilled chicken breast, sauteed corn that I cut off the cob and seasoned with salt, pepper and butter and brown rice pilaf seasoned with sauteed onions, garlic, parsley and chicken broth. I served the green beans with mashed potatoes (I also bought my potatoes at the produce market and they were AWESOME) and steaks that I seasoned with salt pepper and grill seasoning and grilled outside. Yummy dinners!

Southern Okra and Tomatoes
3 cups sliced okra
1 tbsp salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 small bell pepper diced
1 large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes diced
1 garlic clove minced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Boil the sliced okra in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Sautee the onion and bell pepper in oil until tender. Add the garlic. Sautee for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the okra and season with salt, pepper, flour, butter and sugar (you could also season with cajun seasoning for a little kick). Simmer for 10 minutes and serve.

My Green Beans with Bacon
3 cups fresh green beans, stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 slices turkey bacon (or you can use regular bacon if you wish)
1 tbsp water (or more if needed, to deglaze the pan)
salt and pepper to taste

Steam green beans in a steamer basket or in a saucepan with a small amount of water at the bottom (you have to use a lid). Drain and set aside. Sautee the onion in the butter and olive oil until tender and just beginning to brown. Add the bacon. Sautee until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook about a minute longer. Stir in the green beans and the water, scrapping off the the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

My Abuelita's Black Beans and Rice

When I make these in my pressure cooker I don't soak the beans. However, they can be made on the stove the regular way by soaking the beans over night or quick soaking them in hot water for an hour or so before cooking. These are a family favorite that we serve every Christmas Eve as a Cuban tradition. I served them over brown rice (now that's some serious fiber, baby!) with sauteed plantains (maduros- the sweet version, when the skin is nice and yellow with brown spots) and a nice salad. It was a great vegetarian meal!

One 1 lb bag of black beans, rinsed (soaked if cooking the regular way on the stove)
8 cups of water
1 1/2 green bell peppers cut into large pieces
1 large onion cut into large pieces
4 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 small can tomato sauce

Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot or pressure cooker. If cooking in a large pot, simmer for about 3-4 hours, until the beans are nice and tender, stirring periodically. If cooking in a pressure cooker, bring up to high pressure and cook 45 minutes.

Once beans are cooked, add:
2 tsp vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
2 tbsp sherry or cooking wine
2 tbsp olive oil

Remove the pieces of bellpepper and onion with about 1/2 cup of the beans and place in a blender. Puree. Pour back into the beans. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Serve over rice or with flour tortillas and sour cream.