Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
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4 medium (~1/3 lb each) sweet potatoes*
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1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
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1/2 Tbsp olive oil
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1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked (or regular)
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paprika
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1 pinch sea salt or lemon juice (optional)
GARLIC HERB SAUCE -
1/4 cup hummus (or tahini)
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1/2 medium lemon, juiced (1/2 lemon yields ~1 Tbsp juice)
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3/4 – 1 tsp dried dill (or sub 2-3 tsp fresh per 3/4-1 tsp dried)
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3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g)
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Water or unsweetened almond milk (to thin)
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Sea salt to taste (optional)
TOPPINGS optional -
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes (diced)
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1/4 cup chopped parsley (minced)
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3 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
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2 Tbsp lemon juice
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Chili garlic sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a large baking sheet with foil.
Rinse and scrub potatoes and cut in half length wise. This will speed cooking time. Otherwise leave whole and bake longer (approximately double the time (45 min – 1 hour).
Toss rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Rub the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil and place face down on the same baking sheet (or another baking sheet depending on size).
While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sauce by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, only adding enough water or almond milk to thin so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more garlic for more zing, salt for savoriness, lemon juice for freshness, and dill for a more intense herb flavor. I found mine didn’t need anything else.
NOTE: If you don’t have hummus, tahini will make a great base substitution for the sauce – just adjust the seasonings to accommodate the lack of flavor tahini provides.
Also prepare the parsley-tomato topping by tossing tomato, parsley, and red onion (optional) with lemon juice and set aside to marinate.
Once sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown – roughly 25 minutes – remove from oven.
For serving, flip potatoes flesh-side up and smash down the insides a little bit. Then top with chickpeas, garlic herb sauce, parsley-tomato salad, and chili garlic sauce (optional). Serve immediately.
Recipe from Minimalist Baker
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
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1 lb shrimp, deveined and cleaned
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8 oz linguine
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1 tbsp oil
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1 tsp cajun seasoning
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1 c half and half
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2 tbsp butter
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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A few sprigs of chopped parsley
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1 roma tomato, diced small
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¼ c parmigiano reggiano
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1 tbsp lemon juice, optional
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salt and pepper
Instructions
Dry the cleaned shrimp with a paper towel, season with a few pinches of salt and pepper and ½ tsp cajun seasoning.
Cook the linguine per package instruction and set aside.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil and butter.
Add the shrimp in an even layer followed by the minced garlic, turning after 2 minutes cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until pink and cooked through. Add to the pan the half and half and parmigiano reggiano
Bring to a low boil, while whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Turn heat off.
Add the pasta.
Add the diced tomato, chopped parsley and the remaining ½ tsp cajun seasoning.
Squeeze on the lemon juice, this step is optional because adding lemon juice to dairy can be tricky, it has the chance of curdling your sauce, but if you do it with the heat off you have a better chance of it not happening and the taste is amazing.
Stir to combine, it will continue to thicken as it continues to cool down.
If the sauce is clumpy, add another splash of half and half it will get creamy. Serve!
Recipe from Modern Crumb
Sweet Corn & Zucchini Pie
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients
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4 tablespoons butter
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half of a yellow onion, diced
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2 ears sweet corn
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2 large zucchini, sliced very thinly (about 4 cups)
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8 ounces sliced mushrooms
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1 tablespoon dried basil
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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12 ounces shredded cheese (I used both Mozzarella and Swiss)
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4 eggs, beaten
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms. While the veggies saute, cut the corn kernels off the cob. Add them to the pan and continue to saute until the veggies are soft, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Once the mixture has cooled for a few minutes, stir in the basil, oregano, salt, cheese, and the beaten eggs. Line a pie pan (9-inch or larger) with parchment paper or just grease a pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the mixture to the pan. Arrange the top so the zucchini slices lay flat and look nice. Top with a little extra cheese for looks, cover with greased foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices.
Recipe from Pinch of Yum