Creamy Sweet Potato and Veggie Soup

Taste of Home


1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 cartons (32 ounces each) chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups half-and-half cream (or canned coconut milk)

Directions
In a stockpot, saute onion in butter until transparent but not browned. Add the sweet potatoes, zucchini and broccoli; saute lightly for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in broth; simmer for a few minutes. Add potatoes and seasonings; cook another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cream and heat through.
Nutrition Facts
1 cup: 137 calories, 6g fat (4g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 839mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 4g protein.

Feeding baby

A persons' and babys' skin is the first responder to a new food. The skin will tell you if the food is ok for the babys inside (stomach and intestines). As long as you dont see redness on the babys cheeks and face- from feeding the baby food,that will show that the food is assimilating well into the baby. If the baby has redness, stop feeding the food for the day. Then the next day start a smaller amount and see how the babys' skin does.

Breakfast- over easy egg
Lunch- brown rice cereal with any side below
Dinner- brown rice cereal with any side below

1.  Over easy egg                  4-5mo, in the morning one small taste from dipping my finger in the                                                     yolk from my egg. Then at 6-7 mo still over easy egg, but mix in the                                                     white part chop it up. Then around 8 months could make scrambled eggs
2.  Brown rice porridge        6 months, I cooked regular brown rice with water, then pureed it with                                                   breastmilk in blender to make it soupy and thin. Started feeding once a                                                   day, then increased it at 7 mo to twice a day
3. Avocado                           4- 6 months, one small taste once a day starting at 4 mo, then smash up                                                  more and slowly increase the amount
4. Banana                             4- 6 months, one small taste once a day starting at 4 mo, then smash up                                                  more and slowly increase the amount
5. Peanut Butter or almond butter
                                              7 months one small taste once a day, then slowly increase the amount
6. pumpkin and sweet potatoes- roast in oven or boil in water, season with salt and pepper
                                             6-7months one small taste once a day, then slowly increase the amount
7. beans and lentils


     I did try store bought white rice powdered fortified baby cereal, but he was pretty fussy within 2 hours and throughout the next day. I went back to the brown rice porridge and that seem to settle him right down.
    I also make a huge batch of the brown rice porridge. 4 c water, 2 c rice bring to boil, cook for 40 min. Then add rice and extra breastmilk to blender and puree till how thick or thin you want it. I freeze them in small portions in mini and regular sized muffin tins. Then after they freeze hard, then I pop them out and put in a ziplock bag. Then they are in individual portions when its time to feed the baby. I microwave for 30 seconds and its ready.

Vegan Cream Cheese frosting

Detoxinista

• 1 large Hannah sweet potato (white flesh)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (at room temperature)
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
• 2-4 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. To prepare the sweet potato, peel and cut it into 1-inch chunks. In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1-inch of water to a boil and steam the potato chunks until fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes. 
2. Transfer the steamed potato chunks into a 1-cup measuring cup and mash them with a fork to tightly pack the cup all the way to the top. (Reserve any remaining sweet potato for a future smoothie or salad topper.)
3. Transfer the mashed sweet potato to a blender, and add in the maple syrup, coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Blend until silky smooth.
4. If the mixture isn't blending well, add more water 1-2 tablespoons at a time until very smooth. Be careful not to add too much water or the frosting will be too runny. Once smooth, transfer the frosting to an airtight container to store in the fridge. 
5. This frosting will thicken overnight and can be spread over your favorite cakes, bars, or cookies. Be sure to keep the frosting refrigerated for best texture, though it can sit out at room temperature for several hours for serving. It should last up to a week when stored in the fridge.

LENTILS WITH SPINACH OVER RICE

Doctor Yum

INGREDIENTS

2 cups brown rice, cooked according to packaging (I actually prefer it on a sweet potato, not rice)

1 tablespoon coconut oil (substitute olive oil)

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

½ tomato, diced (large)

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon chili powder (less for baby food option) (I didn't add)

1 cup lentils (red), rinsed with cold water (I only had brown)

2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped (finer chop for baby food) (I didn't add)

⅔ cup culinary coconut milk (not coconut milk beverage) (I didn't add, but I did add water)

½ teaspoon salt

dash black pepper

chicken 1/4-1/2t boullion

sweet potato

METHOD

I sauteed onions, then added lentils, tomatoes, turmeric, curry, 1/2c water, boullion, salt and pepper cooked for 10 mintutes.  I ate the lentil mixture on top of a sweet potato, it was so delicious!!!

Cook rice while preparing lentils. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Cook onions until soft, about 3-4 minutes, add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add tomato and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add curry powder, turmeric and chili powder and mix. Add lentils and enough water to cover lentils by ½ inch. Cook for 5-8 minutes until lentils are soft. Add spinach and coconut milk and simmer another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and add more to taste. Serve over brown rice.

BABYFOOD OPTION:

When I was a child, I spent many summers in my parents' native country of Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. I have watched my cousins and family friends feeding babies and noticed that people generally do not buy baby food in Sri Lanka. Instead, babies are offered an array foods like nutritious meat and vegetable curries, spiced mildly, with rice (which is usually started at about one year of life). One common early finger food is rice mixed with lentils or other meats and vegetables and shaped into small sticky balls. These little rice balls can be easily fed to babies by hand or given to babies to feed themselves. (see picture and recipe below for “Rice Balls with Lentils”). Take about a cup of cooked brown rice. Add a teaspoon of the lentil spinach mixture and mix with your hand. Add more lentils by the teaspoon and keep mashing until you can form the mixture into ¾ inch balls. This can make a great school lunch for slightly older kids, too!

Maple sweet potato chicken

From Molly cash- she said, "This is so simple and really delicious. Every time I make it I wonder why we don’t have it more often."

• 1 lb Chicken Tenders ( I used chicken thighs)
• 1 Yellow Onions, small, cut into strips
• 2 Sweet Potatoes, cut into thin pieces, try cutting them in bigger chunks next time
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup Pure maple syrup ( I only had brown sugar)
• 1 tsp Salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1/2t Garlic powder
• 6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, or can use dried ( I didn't have)

Preparation Steps
10/25/18- delicious

1. I covered the outside chicken (and stuffed under the skin) with brown sugar, salt, garlic, pepper. Then in a iron pan, I browned each side on the stove top. Not necessary, but I like crispier chicken.
2.  Toss chicken, potatoes and onions in olive oil. Put in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle all other ingredients over the top. Bake at 425 for 45-60 mins.

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon

The Kitchn
Jen coon made this for my family after baby luke arrived. it was very tasty and I want to make it again.

• 2 teaspoons oil or ghee
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 t ginger powder or 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
• Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
• 1 dried hot red pepper, or pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed or lentils
• 1 pound baby spinach
• 1 (13 to 14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

• For serving:
• Whole roasted sweet potatoes
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Toasted unsweetened coconut

Heat the oil or ghee in a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, fresh ginger, lemon zest, and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes, or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.

Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been added, add the coconut milk, lemon juice, ground ginger, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook until the chickpeas are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and lemon juice if needed. Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes, with cilantro leaves and toasted unsweetened coconut to garnish.

Recipe Notes

Serving: This is thick enough to eat on its own with a fork, but it's also saucy enough to serve over pasta, rice, quinoa, or another grain.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat gently over low heat on the stove.

Coconut Shrimp

Sallys Baking

• 1/3 cup whole wheat
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached
• vegetable oil or coconut oil1

Directions:

1. Start with 3 medium bowls. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one. Beat the eggs in the second bowl.  Combine Panko and coconut in the third bowl.
2. Dip the shrimp into the flour, then the eggs, and then dredge the shrimp into the coconut mixing, pressing gently to adhere. You want a lot of coconut on each shrimp. Set the coated shrimp aside on a plate as you coat the remaining shrimp.  bake these (400-500 F).   Put them on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 mins.  Be sure to flip them after 10 mins.  
3.  Leftover coconut shrimp keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
4. Make ahead tip: Fried coconut shrimp freezes well, up to 2 months. Reheat for 10 minutes in a 350F oven-- or until thawed and warm.

Side dish- I served with baked sweet potato and crushed it up with butter, cinnamon, and little honey.

Dipping Sauce  Betty Crocker

1/2 cup apricot or peach preserves

1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Oven Steak Fries

Our Best Bites

6 potatoes (cut length wise into thin strips or wedges)
oil
season salt

For ORIGINAL FRIES, also add:

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For GARLIC PEPPER FRIES, also add:

1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

2 1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. parsley

Preheat oven to 400. Mix desired spices in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and combine well.

Cut potatoes into 8 wedges each.

Add potato wedges to seasonings and toss to coat.

Lightly crumple some aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and then arrange potato wedges on foil. This makes cleanup easy because your potatoes won’t stick and it will also ensures they’re cooked evenly.

I bake the potatoes with aluminum foil to make it easier to clean up. Preheat oven to 400 for 40 min, or 450 for quicker cooking.  I like them to be crispy and brown.
Serve with ketchup, fry sauce, Ranch dressing, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, 

Fry Sauce

1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip! Tried it once in a pinch and it was beyond horrible!)

Some times I like to add some of the garlic ranch packet to spice up the fry sauce.

Sweet Potato & Lentil Chili

Original Recipe


Ingredients:
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis
• 2 cups cooked lentils (you can make them in advance and store in the fridge)
• 2 TBSP chili powder
• 1 TBSP cumin
• 1 TBSP paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Shredded cheese, for serving
• NatureBox Masa Crisps, for serving (or chips)
• Greek yogurt, for serving

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and bell peppers, and
cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and garlic and cook,
stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth, diced
tomatoes, cooked lentils, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. You can continue to simmer
if you prefer a thicker chili.
Serve immediately, garnished with cheese, Masa Crisps and Greek yogurt, if desired. Refrigerate
leftovers- it’s delicious the next day for lunch too, though it does thicken up quite a bit in the fridge.

Make a huge batch then Can be frozen for future dinners

8/31/15  Made with pintos, lentils, black beans are everything else the same.