Kidney Bean, Sweet Potato, Kale Soup

Soup seem to be the dish of the month. Thick hearty soups, light brothy soups, cheesy creamy soups, chunky filling stews... with a hunk of sourdough or olive bread to mop every last drop up. Of course, these days, the bread is reserved for the kids, the adults are trying not to indulge in dense carbs for a while.

Kidney beans and sweet potatoes already evoke a thick hearty soup; add in some kale and bok choy and chard, plus some onions and tomatoes and garlic for a good measure, and the soup becomes irresistible.

For spices, I went with turmeric powder, paprika, and Madras curry powder, plus some bay leaves and a sprinkling of powdered nutmeg for the warm notes it adds to the dish.

I soaked the kidney beans in hot water while I got the other ingredients ready; and then threw the soaked kidney beans with some sweet potato chunks and vegetable broth in the pressure cooker.

While the kidney beans was soaking, I chopped up some onions, tomatoes, garlic, kale, bok choy, and about 2 cups of diced sweet potatoes for pan-roasting.

When the pressure cooker is going, sauté the veggies -- onions, garlic, tomatoes, bok choy and kale -- with some salt and Madras curry powder. Pan-roast the sweet potatoes with some salt and brown sugar, and keep handy.

Once pressure cooker has finished its cooking, smash some of the kidney beans and sweet potatoes to form the thick base for the soup, add in the sautéed veggies and simmer gently till flavors meld.

Dish up into bowls and add some pan-roasted sweet potatoes just before serving.

Pan-roasted Radish and Brussels Sprouts

I

A big bunch of rainbow radish hop-skip-and-jumped into my shopping basket at the farmers market.

Rather than adding it raw to salads or cooking Indian-style Dal or Sambar, I went with a searing and pan-roasting them with Brussels sprouts.  Flavoring with Balsamic vinegar, mirin, and Braggs Liquid Aminos, and sautéing the radish greens along with the radishes and Brussels sprouts, seemed to make the dish all the more appealing.

Brussles Sprouts by themselves are relished in many ways at home, a few of which are shared in the Brussels Sprouts Fete post about four years ago. And, am sure this combo of radishes and Brussles sprouts can be cooked in any of those delicious methods.

With some Tabbouleh and pan-roasted sweet potato medallions, the roasted radish and Brussels sprouts rounded out a simple but filling weeknight meal.

The sweet potato medallions were roasted on a cast iron skillet with a touch of brown sugar for caramelization. 

Tabbouleh, a quick and simple salad,  tastes even better the next day. Just some chopped celery, carrots, purple cabbage, sweet onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, feta, walnuts, apples, cranberries, parsley tossed with softened bulgur. Of course, bulgur is high in carbs, complex carbs - but also high in fiber and low in fat, plus has a nice amount of protein. Being a low GI food, I like that it is easy to make and is good all round.

The dressing is just lime/lemon juice and olive oil, some salt to taste, plus a splash of orange zest for this tabbouleh.

I had a small lump of Jalapeño goat cheese and served small discs of it as garnish to add a bite to the roasted radish and Brussels sprouts.

Cheesy Sweet Potato and Cabbage Savory Bread

A thick slice of savory bread is perfect as tea time snack or as a quick lunch-mate for salads. While the sweetish cake-like zucchini bread and banana-blueberry bread and sweet potato bread get a huge raving endorsement, these savory breads are gaining in popularity as well with the kids lately.

The tiny wedge of purple cabbage that was relegated to the deep recesses of the crisper tray -- since I rarely throw away any vegetable before they are beyond redemption -- finally saw the light of day, but not for too long.

Why purple cabbage and sweet potato? asked the nicer half of the adult team at home.
Why not? I replied with conviction.

Ingredients
Wet:
1 cup finely chopped purple cabbage
1 cup mushed cooked sweet potato
2 eggs beaten
½ cup light olive oil
½ cup milk
1 cup grated cheeses - Parmesan and Colby jack or Cheddar
Dry:
¼ cup flax meal
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (reduce if preferred)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 ° F
2. Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl and stir till well incorporated
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, sifting the flour
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture stirring gently and folding it in
5. Pour into a greased standard loaf pan and bake in 350 °F oven for 35 to 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
6. Cool on a wire rack before slicing
7. Serve with plain whipped cream cheese

Sweet Potato and Coconut Flour Flax Meal Roti Flatbreads

Considering the amazing properties of sweet potato, it is hard not to incorporate it more in our diets.

While roast sweet potatoes in dessert-ish form is relished by kids, I wanted to leverage its natural sweetness to make everyday foods a bit more colorful and appealing.

Coconut flour is another ingredient that adds a bit of sweetness and flavor to everyday items.

Since fusion cuisine is my forte, my signature of sorts, this dish came about quite naturally one day.

Sweet potatoes, coconut flour, chickpea flour, and all purpose flour come together with chipotle in adobo sauce, and fenugreek leaves to make this incredibly orange and incredibly tasty rotis -- flatbreads cooked on the griddle pan. I'd have preferred to use whole wheat instead of all purpose flour, but I was all out, so, maybe next time...

Ingredients
1 average sweet potato, cooked and peeled

⅓ cup coconut flour

⅓ cup chickpea flour (aka besan)

1⅓ cup all purpose flour (more or less)
2 Tablespoon flax meal

salt to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
2 chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped finely

a few tablespoons of oil for griddle-cooking the rotis

Preparation

1. Since sweet potato is cooked to mush, not much water is needed at first. Simply combine all the ingredients and knead to a smooth elastic dough, adding the all purpose flour a little at a time as needed. 
2. Divide the dough into golf-ball-sized balls; roll each ball flat to about 2 millimeters thick rotis
3. Heat a griddle much like for pancake, and cook the rotis till done 
4. Serve with any of the curries or chutneys. here I serve it with my favorite carrot salad.

Carrot Salad: Grate carrots, finely slice celery, finely chop green chilies, finely chop cilantro, combine it all with a splash of lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt, serve fresh.

Lumaconi with Roasted Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Chard

Large snail shell lumaconi is wonderful to stuff with favorite filling and serve warm or at room temperature. Sometimes, leftovers become the filling. This time, some pesto with Greek yogurt and sauteed chopped spinach came together to make the filling. Served with roasted sweet potatoes and beets, this was a sumptuous meal one weeknight.

Now that it is cold and rainy, the last of the kale and chard from the garden were waiting to be used up. Am told they'll manage winter fine and keep yielding, but they seem quite sparse now.

Saute some kale, chard, garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt, then add a splash of lemon juice and set aside. Roast the sweet potatoes and beets. Meanwhile cook the lumaconi to preferred doneness, drain, coat lightly in favorite vinaigrette.

Simply toss the roasted beets, sweet potatoes, sauteed kale and chard, with lumaconi and serve warm.

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Kale, Cheese, Chipotle Savory Bread

Savory breads or muffins loaded with winter veggies and goodness seem perfect for the cold weather, especially with a hearty soup or stew.

This type of bread makes a wonderful snack when toasted crisp on the outside - ideal for kids' lunch box.

Sometimes, I add in about ½ cup of grated butternut squash to the mix, just for the fun of it.

Rather than pureed, I liked the finely grated veggies for this bread. Chipotle adds a smoky heat that makes this a favorite tea time snack.

Instead of in a loaf pan, the batter can be poured into greased muffin tins for delicious savory breakfast muffins. Reduce cooking time to about 25 minutes or so, till done.


Ingredients
Veggies:
1 cup grated sweet potato
½ cup grated carrots
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped kale (+spinach)
1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce
Dry:

1½ cup flour

1½ tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp flax meal

1½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Wet:

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

½ cup neutral-flavored oil

¼ cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp sugar

2 eggs, beaten
1 or 2 Tbsp of water, if needed

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. Grease a loaf pan and keep handy
3. Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix till well-incorporated
4. Pour into the greased loaf pan and bake in the 375°F oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, turning half way though; check if a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; if not, bake for another 5 minutes or till done.
5. Allow to cool in pan for about 5 minute and remove from pan, slice and enjoy!

Bhutanese Red Rice with Sweet Potatoes, Plums and Sesame Chicken

I was planning to serve Ema Datsi with the red rice and then changed my mind in order to use up the small wedge of red cabbage and one sweet potato that was left in the vegetable basket, and the rapidly aging plum that was thinking of inviting fruit flies.

A colorful plate with a little of this and a little of that is a huge blessing, to be able to enjoy every morsel. With food allergies so prevalent and the other half suffering from as-yet undetected allergen, it is a tricky proposition at home to make a meal that all of us can enjoy without consequences.

Anyway, pan roasted sweet potato was par-cooked first in the microwave then finished off in a cast iron skillet, along with a wedge of red cabbage and hunks of red onion. The chicken was rubbed with a mix of powdered toasted black sesame seeds and black pepper (and hence the black color), and cooked on the same cast iron skillet, after removing the veggies.

On the same pan, some chopped plums and cooking red wine and some cider vinegar plus some herbs from the garden came together to reduce to a simple sauce.

Although a bit pricey, every once in a while I get Bhutanese red rice and serve it as a centerpiece in a meal. And that's how this simple plate came about one weekend.

Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

Much like the classic Potato Skins and Twice-baked Sweet Potatoes, this Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins are quite easy to make and can be a delicious side or meal.

Rather than the bell peppers and mushroom stuffing/filling as below, I went with leftover baked tofu, bean sprouts for the version in the picture. To moisten the stuffing, I added some warm vegetable broth, just enough to keep the stuffing together.

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Wash and clean the skin of the sweet potato thoroughly.
2. Prick the sweet potato with a fork in several places and microwave for a few minutes till cooked and firm, not mush (cooking time will vary depending on the microwave)
3. Slice the cooked Sweet potato in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the middle leaving a ¼ inch thick flesh attached to the skin - this will be the "Sweet Potato Skin" (SPS) from now on. Save the scooped pulp for filling
4. Brush the SPS with olive oil and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, first with the cut side down, then with the cut side up
5. Meanwhile, sauté some diced onions, bell peppers, mushrooms with some spices and seasoning, then off heat stir in the mashed innards of the cooked sweet potato that was scooped out earlier; adjust flavors to taste
6. When SPS comes out of the oven, scoop the filling into the hollows of the halves and garnish with spring onions and serve warm

Quinoa & Orange with Roasted Beets & Sweet Potatoes

Oven roasted beets and sweet potatoes have that hearty appeal which goes well with this simple quinoa salad. There's been a bit of a beetroot obsession going on lately.

I prefer to bake the beets and sweet potatoes separately. Sweet potatoes are done in about 15 to 20 mins in a 425 °F oven. Beets take up to 45 minutes depending on how big the chunks are. Lightly toss them in olive oil before cooking in the oven.

Ingredients
1 medium beetroot, cut into chunks and roasted
1 medium sweet potato, cut into rounds and roasted
1 orange, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup quinoa, cooked in stock
Feta, crumble as needed
A few fresh romaine hearts leaves

Lay the lettuce leaves on a plate. Combine the rest of the ingredients and spoon into the lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

Kasha Kale Sweet Potato

This simple meal is highly satisfying and quick to make.

1. Start the Kasha in the rice cooker, and if preferred steam the sweet potatoes in the rice cooker simultaneously. Typically,  1 measure  kasha with 2 measures water works,  but adjust water as preferred or use veg. stock or broth instead. 
2. For this recipe, I par cooked the sweet potatoes in the microwave rather than steaming, and then crisped the outsides in a pan, using some olive oil. 
3. Saute the chopped kale with some garlic and onions and a touch of salt and lemon juice if preferred

Rutabaga and Sweet Potatoes Baked Fries

A quick web search will extol the many virtues of Sweet Potatoes, a nutritional powerhouse. Steamed or boiled, sliced or mashed, with a touch of Olive oil or other favorite fat seems to be the recommended method of preparation for maximum health benefits.

And, Rutabaga seems to have much nutrition to offer as well.

This Rutabaga and Sweet Potato Fries dish comes about on and off in my kitchen as kids seem to like it so far. And, since it is baked, not fried, with a touch of olive oil, it offers a nice option to round out a meal.

Ingredients
1 sweet potato
1 rutabaga
1 medium onion
1 to 2 Tbsp Olive oil
salt to taste
smoked ground paprika (optional)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F
2. Chop the sweet potato and rutabaga into uniform sticks, slice the onions thick 
3. Toss the olive oil, salt, paprika with the chopped sweet potato and rutabaga, spread into a single layer in a roasting pan
4. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes till outsides are crispy and insides are done; check midway and if the onions start charring, remove them
5. Serve warm 

Sweet Potatoes & Green Bell Peppers with Long Pepper (Pippali) and Vinegar

Bell peppers, especially green bell peppers, seem to pair so well with mushrooms, eggplant, and summer squashes that I have come to take them for granted. Green bell peppers go well with sweet potatoes as I've come to appreciate in the last few years, especially in this dish which is quick to put together and can be served warm or cold.

Chunky-diced red onions, green bell peppers, and sweet potatoes come together for this mildly flavored side-dish which can be served as a warm salad. Or chilled and served over a bed of lettuce as a salad-meal.

To save time, I cook the peeled and diced sweet potatoes in the microwave - a few tablespoons of water, covered, and cooked till done - firm but not mushy - takes about 4 minutes on high power in mine.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions and green bell peppers (I also used some jalapenos, seeded) in some olive oil with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.

Stir in the cooked sweet potatoes, stir well over high heat, allowing a few belle peppers to get that deep brown charred flavor. Then, splash a bit of Bragg™ Liquid Aminos (or, apple cider vinegar), sprinkle some freshly ground long pepper, and serve warm.

Ingredients
Bragg™ Liquid Aminos or Apple cider wine vinegar
1 tsp crushed or ground long pepper (pippali) (or, black/green pepper, or red pepper flakes)
½ tsp urmeric powder
salt to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 each of jalapeño, green bell pepper, sweet potato, plus about half a small red onion, all diced

Sweet Potato Paruppusili

I was looking for something mild and complementary to go with Pippali rasam, a favorite rasam of mine that is usually a post-partum meal served with rice and ghee.

Paruppusili being another childhood favorite of mine, I decided to serve a simple meal of pippali rasam, rice and sweet potato paruppusili for the grown-ups one night, kids got some rice and a bowl of steamed veggies after trying a spoonful of the rasam and paruppusili and categorically rejecting them. It takes at least 15 tries before I give up on a food, so, 14 more to go before I back off feeding the paruppusili to the kids...

Same recipe for paruppisili as always - simply soak the toor dal (plus a red chili or two) for a few hours, grind to a fine paste, microwave till it is cooked a bit - not raw anymore and not a hard solid yet. Break it up and pan fry in oil. At this stage, it can be cooled and stored in the freezer to be added to any favorite vegetable.

Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave till fork tender not mushy. Start the tempering in a pan. Then add the cooked sweet potatoes and paruppusili and saute together till well combined. Serve warm.

Chipotle Sweet Potato, Taro Root, Kale, Chayote Squash, Long Green Beans Soup

A simple brothy soup, best enjoyed hot and steaming on a cold wintry evening.

The not-so-creative title says it all - it is an unconventional mix of vegetables I had handy: Kale, Long Green Beans, Chayote Squash, Sweet Potato and Taro Root.

I used store-bought stock and chipotle in adobo sauce.

Ingredients
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, pureed (incorporate 1 tsp of sauce with each chili)
8 cups vegetable stock - or stock and water in any proportion adding to desired amount
Chayote Squash, Sweet Potato, Taro Root - peeled and diced or sliced
Kale, Long Green Beans - chopped
Black-eyed Peas, soaked overnight and cooked till done but not mushy
salt to taste

Preparation
Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Adjust flavors to taste. Thicken if preferred. (I like this soup brothy). Serve hot.

Sweet Potato and Red Cabbage Croquettes

Some dishes just come into existence out of the need to use up small bits of remaining vegetables. Half a sweet potato and a small wedge of red cabbage came together for these surprisingly interesting croquettes. Some were deep-fried unbreaded, and some were breaded and pan-fried.

The croquettes, along with pan-fried polenta cakes and lightly steamed broccoli, made quite a filling dinner.

Ingredients
½ large sweet potato
½ to ¾ cup finely chopped red cabbage
2 to 3 high fiber whole wheat bread slices
1 tsp Cajun seasoning salt (more to taste)
½ tsp cumin powder (optional)
½ tsp coriander powder (optional)

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

1. Microwave/Steam the sweet potato till soft, drain and pat dry; mash it along with the rest of the ingredients, adding enough bread to be able to shape the dough; shape into small logs
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a grill-pan over medium-high heat, place the shaped logs, allow to brown, turn around and brown all sides; if breadcrumbs are handy, bread the logs before shallow pan-frying
   
3. Alternately, deep fry

Sweet Potato and Green Apple with Marshmallows

Sweet Potatoes or Yams along with slightly tart green apples, dusted with some brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, baked till done, dotted with marshmallows at the end so it turns gooey, hot off the oven, is certainly a late fall treat I don't make often.

While not my favorite, this casserole is certainly a nice addition to Thanksgiving or Christmas menu. I prefer the white marshmallows, but, kids liked the pastel colored ones which is what I used in this recipe.

I par-cook the yams/sweet potatoes in the microwave first to cut down on baking time.

Ingredients
1 large Sweet Potatoes or Yam, sliced
1 large Green Apples, sliced
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix -or- ½ tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
¼ cup brown sugar (more if preferred)
½ cup mini marshmallows
a few Tbsp evaporated milk (optional)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
2. Arrange the yams or sweet potato slices in a 9-inch baking dish, add about ¼ cup of water, cover and microwave till par-cooked, drain excess water
3. Add the apple slices, spices, brown sugar, and some evaporated milk, stir well, pack down firmly and bake in a 350°F oven for about 30-35 minutes, checking for doneness/charring
4. Dot with marshmallows and place under broiler for a minute or so till gooey, remove from heat, allow to sit for a few minutes, and serve warm