Lately, my diet has been very well rounded. And by "well rounded" I mean bagel, tortilla, and cheerio shaped. Being a TA and tackling the last of my classes for my minor in editing has kept me so busy the the whole concept of sitting down to eat a meal has been a bit neglected. Bananas and Honey Nut Cheerios are breakfast, an asiago bagel is lunch, and by the time I get home each night, a quesadilla is about all I can manage.
But this is NOT HEALTHY. So. After a very productive (and very needed--my milk definitely tasted a bit "special" on Tuesday morning) trip to the market last night, I'm treating myself to a host of veggie splendor.
I have a major thing for sweet potatoes and, of late, a major thing for ginger (see last three recipes), so I thought I would bring the two together in hopes of splendid results. Voila! This sweet potato recipe is very loosely based on a recipe I found HERE at Food Network--thanks, friends. Also, sweet potatoes are full of vitamins, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. One sweet spud will give you over 700% of your daily need of vitamin A. And ginger has been shown to promote good digestive health.
Brown Sugar & Ginger Glazed Sweet Potatoes
4 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 tblsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 to 1 tsp. diced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne peper
salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 sweet potatoes, diced
Heat oven to 425* F. Wash and peel sweet potatoes, then slice into slightly-bigger-than-bite-size chucks. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, brown sugar, cayenne, and ginger. And sweet potatoes and toss until the potatoes are well coated in the glaze. Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Spinach & Pineapple Smoothie a.k.a Goojah's Green Goodness
Credit for this recipe goes to my mother (fondly called Goojah), who became enlightened about the goodness of spinach smoothies thanks to the wisdom of a friendly Costco taster/demo lady. This recipe makes about two smoothies.
2 cups fresh spinach, packed
1/2 can of crushed pineapple or about a cup of fresh pineapple
1/2 cup white grape juice concentrate
2 tblsp. limeaid concentrate
1 1/2 cups ice
(opt) 1 ripe banana
Add it all to your blender and blend on high (you might need to add a bit of water). If you don't want to stain your kitchen green, be sure the lid is on tight. Blend and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Enjoy - just try not to think about how what you're drinking looks a bit like pond scum. :)
5 comments:
Yum-O. Colorful veggies are very good for you. You will be strong and healthy.
Spinach smoothie?! Although I trust your cooking typically, I have trouble drinking anything green unless it comes in a Squeeze-It bottle.
oh weird i just made those sugary sweet potatoes the other day for the first time. mine were ok, not great. but then again i didn't use ginger.
True or False: the Spinach smoothie was the tastiest super healthy treat ive had in quite some time, and the ginger glazed sweet potatoes were delicious, and i dont even like sweet potatoes. True! Keep up the good work Kelsey!
Jason, let go of those preconceived notions and trust.
Beaz, you gotta have the ginger - that's what makes it.
& Thanks, Will!
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