Baked Veggie Chips

Make your own veggie chips: not only is it easy to do, but it's healthier too.  Often, potato chips you buy are fried or cooked with cheap, unhealthful oils, among other things. Here, you can satisfy your craving in a way that delivers a nutritious boost!

1/2 pound fresh beets (about 2 medium) 
1 medium red potato 
1 medium sweet potato 
1 medium parsnip 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder  
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano  
Dash pepper

Peel vegetables and cut into 1/8-inch slices. Place in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil. Combine the remaining ingredients; sprinkle over vegetables and toss to coat.

Arrange in a single layer on racks in two ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. 

Servings: ~7 

Adapted from tasteofhome.com 

Steamed Collard Wraps

Boasting a boost of Ayurvedic nourishment, this recipe is a fresh, invigorating, and delightfully tasty meal in itself.  Feel rejuvenated and restored!

2 sweet potatoes, julienned

1 bunch collards

1 red bell pepper or jicama, julienned

2 avocados, julienned

1 beet, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

½ cup chopped raw macadamia or pine nuts

½ cup sunflower sprouts (optional)

1 (1 inch) piece fresh turmeric root, peeled and minced (optional)

½ cup Creamy Cucumber-Tahini Dressing*

Place a steamer basket in a medium saucepan with about ½ cup water.  Bring the water to a boil.  Put the sweet potatoes in the steamer basket.  Cover.  Steam for 5 minutes, or until fork-tender.  Transfer the potatoes to a bowl or colander.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, remove the stems from each collard leaf by carefully slicing along each side of the stem so that the leaves are cut in half and each half remains intact.  Set aside.  Reserve the stems for another use.

Put the steamer basket back into the saucepan and add the collard leaves.  Steam for 30 seconds, or just until softened.  Transfer the collard greens to a separate bowl or colander.

Prepare the remaining ingredients and place them within easy reach.

Place 2 collard leaf halves lengthwise on top of each other.  Place 1 or 2 strips each of sweet potatoes, bell pepper and avocados across the lower third of the collard leaves.  Top with 1 teaspoon each of the beet, carrot, macadamia nuts, and optional sunflower sprouts.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of the ginger, garlic, and optional turmeric.  Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the Creamy Cucumber-Tahini Dressing*.

Carefully fold the end of the collard leaves over the filling and roll up into snug wrap.  Place the wrap on a plate.

*Creamy Cucumber-Tahini Dressing is a separate recipe, to be also found on this site

Serves 8

Adapted from Food and Nutrition magazine, May/June 2013

Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

A creative combo of flavors and textures delivers a deliciously unique salad that's hearty enough to be a meal in itself!

1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed

 2 small or 1 large sweet potato

  ~1/4 cup walnuts

  ~5 dates

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

  Pinches of kosher salt + ground pepper

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Spinach to serve

1.      Cook lentils in a pot until tender using a 4:1 water to lentils ratio. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about 30 minutes on low.

2.      Meanwhile, dice sweet potato, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon, salt and pepper, and bake cubes at 400* for about 30 minutes.

3.      Chop dates and toast walnuts in the microwave (1 minute on high) or in a dry skillet.

4.      Combine mustard, vinegar and maple in a jar and shake to combine.

5.      When lentils and potato are done, toss everything together and serve over chopped baby spinach.

SERVES 2

Adapted from Katheats.com

Sweet potato hummus

This exciting version of hummus comes from Martha Stewart’s 2010 cookbook titled POWERFOODS.

Sweet potatoes’ orange hue gives away their beta-carotene content, which helps support eye health and immunity. Chickpeas provide a rich source of soluble fiber and B-vitamins for cardiovascular health. By serving this dip with crisp-tender vegetables such as cucumber and broccoli, you will also get vitamin C, selenium, and sulforaphane, an antioxidant shown to prevent certain types of cancers. Whole-wheat pita bread is a healthful, fiber-rich alternative to crackers.

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1to 2 lemons)

¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon hot or smoked

paprika, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water; set a steamer basket (or

colander) inside pot, and bring water to a boil. Add potatoes; reduce

heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12

minutes.

2. Transfer potatoes to a food processor. Add chickpeas, lemon juice,

tahini, oil, cumin, and garlic. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute; thin

with up to 2 tablespoons of water if necessary. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and

season with pepper. Let cool; refrigerate for up to one week in an airtight

container. Garnish with paprika before serving.