Grilled Sweet Potatoes, Onion and Bell Pepper with Thyme Vinaigrette

From epicurious.com -- Bon Appetit July 2005

This was first prepared for me by my son for a special dinner -- makes it all the more special!  The vegetables can be varied, just be sure to cook the potatoes long enough to soften.

It says it makes 6 servings, but only 2-3 for us!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil (or less)
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
2 lbs red-skinned sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" rounds, skin on or off
1 onion, cut into 1/2" thick wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Prepare broiler or barbecue at medium heat.  Whisk oil and thyme (and cilantro) in small bowl to blend.

Place sweet potatoes, onion and bell pepper in large bowl.

Drizzle with 1/4 cup oil mixture and toss to coat.

Grill until tender and slightly charred, turning often, about 15 minutes for pepper and 20 minutes or more for sweet potatoes and onion.

Transfer vegetables to platter.

Whisk vinegar into remaining oil mixture.  Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper; drizzle over vegetables.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

SMOOTHIES!!

Keep some frozen fruit on hand and you will be able to whip up a quick, filling, nutritious breakfast or lunch at a moment's notice.  There's plenty of room for creativity.  It's easy to overdo it, though, with the sugar content just from the fruit.  Fructose is still sugar, even though it's contained in healthy foods.
So for the non-fruit ingredients, try to minimize juices and maximize plain yogurt and soy and nonfat milks.

Your Basic Smoothie

If you have more bananas than you can eat, when they are perfectly ripe (not over-ripe), cut into
thick slices (1/2 - 1 inch thick) and freeze.  This is great for a quick refreshing snack or to make the
best smoothies.  Over-ripe bananas make particularly sweet smoothies -- no freezing necessary.

Ingredients:
2 servings

1 cup low fat milk or soy milk
1/2 cup plain or vanilla fat-free yogurt
1 banana
1 cup mixed fruit - fresh or frozen - mixed berries, peaches, mango
3 ice cubes

If using plain yogurt, just a teaspoon or so of sugar may be added.



Atomic Smoothie
 from Men's Health
2 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup OJ
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp peanut butter (use natural -- only ground peanuts)
1 banana, cut into pieces
1 small kiwi, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp toasted wheat germ
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds

Directions:

Blend it, drink it!  That's it!!
Per serving: 300 calories, 10 g fat, 13 g protein

Banana Split Smoothie
2 servings

Ingredients:

1 banana
1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1/8 cup frozen OJ concentrate
1/2 cup 1% milk (plus some chocolate soy milk if you wish)
2 tsp whey powder
6 ice cubes crushed

per serving: 170 calories, 8 gm protein, 33 gm carbs

Tropical Punch
3 servings

Ingredients:

3 big chunks of pineapple
1 lime
1 small mango
1/4 cantaloupe
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups water

Blend and strain
Per serving: 210 calories; 1 gm protein, 55 gm carbs, trace fat

Pina Colada

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut  (or 1.5  cups frozen banana slices)

Thai Chicken Satay #2

There is another entry for chicken satay that I have used over and over again, with rave reviews.  This is a milder chicken marinade with a spicier sauce.  Take your pick!!

From The Barbecue Bible -- Over 500 Recipes by Steven Raichlen

Ingredients:

FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE:

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp Asian fish sauce
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp honey or sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE: (makes about 1 cup)

2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Thai, serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and minced
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup lite coconut milk, more if needed
2 Tbsp Asian fish sauce or lite soy sauce, or more to taste
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or more to taste
2 tsp sugar, or more
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Soak 16 long bamboo skewers in cold water for 1 hour.  Cut the meat lengthwise, into strips about 1/2 inch wide.

2. FOR THE MARINADE: combine the ingredients in a glass bowl and whisk to blend.  Add the chicken and toss thoroughly to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 20 - 120 minutes, the longer the better.

3. FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring well to mix, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until richly flavored, about 10 minutes.  The sauce should be thick but pourable; thin with coconut milk, if needed.  Adjust fish sauce, lime or sugar as needed; serve warm or at room temperature.  It will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

4. Preheat the grill to high.  Weave the chicken onto the prepared skewers.

5. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate.  Arrange the skewers on the grate and grill, turning with tongs, until lightly browned and cooked through, 1-3 minutes per side.

6. Transfer the sates to serving plates and serve with little bowls of the peanut sauce.  Place a sate on a lettuce leaf, top the chicken with a spoonful of the sauce, wrap the lettuce around the sate and pull out the skewer.

Pineapple and Jicama Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

From The Earthbound Cook -- 250 Recipes for Delicious Food and A Healthy Planet
by Myra Goodman

I haven't tried this yet, but it looks like something I'd love, and quite refreshing as a BBQ side dish.

If you have leftover jicama, enjoy it as a low calorie, high fiber snack with hummus, cinnamon sugar (well, maybe not so low calorie), salt, or, as it's done in Mexico, sprinkled with fresh lime juice, chile powder and salt.

The author recommends picking a honey you know you like, as that flavor is predominant.  In general, the darker the color of the honey, the stronger its flavor.  For the best results, let the pineapple and jicama marinate in the dressing for at least an hour before finishing and serving the salad.


Ingredients:

HONEY DRESSING:

1/3 cup mild-flavored honey
1 Tbsp hot water
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

SALAD:

1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
12 ounces jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves (optional)
2 ripe avocados, preferably Haas, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
1 cup pecan halves, toasted (at 350 for 5-7 minutes- careful not to burn)

Directions:  

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and seal tightly.  Shake vigorously until the honey dissolves. Leave at room temperature.

2. Combine the pineapple, jicama and red onion in a medium size bowl.  Toss with 1/3 cup of dressing, stirring to coat.  Cover the bowl with a plate or a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate for 1-4 hrs, stirring to coat the fruit and vegetables several times.

3. Add the mint and stir to blend.  Transfer to a serving bowl or platter.  Arrange the avoids and pecans on top of the salad, drizzle with more of the dressing and serve immediately.  Serve the remainder of
the dressing on the side.  The salad will keep refrigerated and covered for up to 2 days.

Carrot Apple Slaw

Adapted from The Earthbound Cook -- 250 Recipes for Delicious Food and A Healthy Planet
by Myra Goodman

I wanted to make a quick side dish to go with chicken I was grilling, and the only vegetables I had on hand were baby carrots.  I was missing the cabbage, apple juice and apple cider vinegar, so I substituted
lemonade, left out the lemon juice and used rice vinegar.   It went over well and only took a few minutes to prepare, using a food processor for the carrots and apples.  Prepare them separately by pulsing in short bursts to preserve firm crunchy ingredients.

Ingredients:

3 cups grated carrots
1 crisp apple, with skin, grated
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage (optional)
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup fresh or dried pineapple (optional)
1/4 cup tofo mayo
1/4 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup salted cashews - halves or chopped

Directions:

Place the carrots, cabbage, apple, raisins and pineapple in a large bowl.

Combine the mayo, apple juice, cider vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl, and whisk to blend.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Add the mayo mixture to the carrot mixture and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, stir in the cashews.


Enjoy!

Baked Fish and Sweet Potatoes with Thyme and Garlic

Being a great fan of potatoes, I must say that that the leftover potatoes taste even better
than on the day this dish is prepared.  Steamed string beans are good as a side dish.

Ingredients:


1 pound sweet potatoes, in chunks, can leave skin on
1 pound new potatoes, in chunks, can leave skin on
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Thyme - leaves from 4-5 sprigs
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 large shallot, peeled and cut in chunks
Sea salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
2 lb firm fish fillet - grouper, striped bass, red snapper or mahi mahi
2 Tbsp unflavored bread crumbs (can make from toasted whole wheat bread or use panko)

Directions:


1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) Place the potatoes in the baking dish, pour 2 tbsp of the olive oil over them, add 1/2 of the thyme,
and all the garlic and shallots.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss and bake for 15 minutes.

3) Turn the potatoes, then return to oven until fork-tender, about another 10 minutes.

4) Push the potatoes to the sides, place the fish in the center, skin side down.  Add the remaining thyme, and some salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs and remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over the fillet. Bake for about 14 minutes.