Cactus Cut Sweet Potatoes

Hey guys! I have a SICK recipe for you tonight- these Cactus Cut Sweet Potatoes are here to play. I love the version they have at restaurants, but today we’re baking pies and also using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes because sweet potatoes are amazing😍

Sweet potatoes and potatoes are actually pretty similar in nutritional content, but potatoes are higher in potassium while sweet potatoes are higher in vitamin A. So it all comes down to which potato you prefer- and I think you already know which kind of tater has my heart😂

These cactus cut sweet potatoes are get super crisp and delicious in the oven, and are perfectly spiced! They may not look orange to you, but that’s because I used a Japanese sweet potatoe. I actually really like this variety, and they’re a bit smaller which is good for the recipe🙌 But regular ol’ orange sweet potatoes will work just fine as well.

This super tasty snack/side is also very easy to make. Start by truly slicing your sweet potato- I would say to about 1/8 of an inch. The average thickness I got was this:

Although I definitely need to work on my knife skills because my cuts were a lil all over the place😂

Next you’re going to toss your taters in a bag with some olive oil and all those delicious spices that make these cactus cuts shine! Paprika, chilli powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper all make and appearance, and of course you’ve gotta have that cayenne for spice.

The final step before the oven is to lay the sliced potatoes down flat on a parchment lined baking sheet- making sure it’s not too crowded so they have room to reach their full delicious potential! After roasting for 20 minutes, you’re going to flip em and them bake for another 5-10, keeping a close eye on those little suckers so they don’t burn. And then voila! You’ve got some warm, seasoned cactus cut sweet potatoes that are AMAZING with hummus, tzatziki, or just by themselves😍

I love this recipe because it’s perfect for a party (when we can have them) and also for snacking! I also had them as a side with my egg scramble for dinner and they were👌 Hope you enjoy!!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Cactus Cut Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

-1 small japanese or regular sweet potato, cut into 1/8 inch slices

-2 tsp olive oil

-1 tsp paprkia

-1/2 tsp chilli powder

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 tsp cayenne powder

-Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Add the sliced sweet potatoes into a large ziploc bag with the rest of the ingredients. Shake everything up until the potatoes are coated with the oil and the spices.

3. Lay each slice on a parchment lined baking sheet, being careful not to over-crowd the pan. Place them in the oven for 20 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and flip over all of the potatoes with a fork. Place them back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes, until crispy and cooked through, watching to make sure they don’t burn.

5. Remove the potatoes from the the oven, let cool slightly and enjoy!


5 Minute “Baked” Sweet Potatoes

I have a VERY deep love of sweet potatoes, and my obsession has only grown after rediscovering this method of cooking them. It takes five minutes, is super easy, and is done in- wait for it- the MICROWAVE. That’s right, we’re making some baked potatoes in the microwave, and I promise you that after trying them out you will never go back to the oven🙌

Don’t get me wrong, I still love some good roasted or air fried sweet potatoes. I love when they get all crispy! But when I’m looking for a quick sweet potato fix, this method is the best. You’re basically steaming the sweet potato in the microwave by wrapping it in a damp paper towel and then cooking it on high for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. This super simple technique is a game changer because it allows you to whip up some delicious potatoes on short notice, instead of waiting 30-40 minutes for them to roast in the oven.

I remember that I saw this idea somewhere on social media a couple of years ago and was only cooking my sweet potatoes this way before I discovered roasting them. But I don’t know why I stopped this microwave magic altogether- now that I’ve remembered how awesome it is I can’t wait to start making sweet potatoes more quickly! What I have in mind is making quick sides for dinner, super fast and delicious school lunches, and last minute additions to salads and bowls.

I hope this method changes your guys’ lives as much as it’s going to change mine!😂 If anyone’s down to start a sweet-potato-cooking-technique-discussion-group let me know because I will be the president✌️

5 Minute “Baked” Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 1

Total Time: 7 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 small sweet potato, washed and cleaned (any eyes or blemishes removed)
  • Hummus, chives, avocado, beans, or plain yogurt for topping (optional)

Directions:

  1. Grab about 2-3 connected sheets of paper towel and soak them under the tap. Wring them out until no more water comes out, and the towels are damp.
  2. Use a fork to poke about 10 holes all around the sweet potato. Wrap it in the damp paper towels, place on a plate, and microwave on high for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
  3. Take the potato out of the microwave, flip it over, and microwave for another 2 minutes and 30 seconds, or until the potato is cooked all the way through.
  4. Unwrap the potato, cut open the top lengthwise, and top with hummus, plain Greek yogurt, chives, or avocado, or add to your favourite bowls and salads.
  5. Enjoy!

There’s a super simple recipe for you on a Saturday! Have a great rest of your weekend and get ready for more tasty recipes coming next week:)

Yours Truly,

Olivia;))

Vegetable Stew with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Hey guys! Hope you had a great weekend:) I’m still going strong with these cozy fall/winter recipes, and today I’ve got this Vegetable Stew with mashed Sweet Potatoes. It’s completely vegan but is packed with SO much richness and delicious flavour. Plus, who can say no to sweet potatoes?

I started this stew by cooking the onions until they were nice and caramelized, so that all of that browned up goodness makes its way into the stew. Lots of garlic made its way into the pot as well because garlic just makes everything better. I also used a kind of unconventional strategy to get more flavour and richness in there- I used a whole can of black beans, liquid and all. No joke! This thickens everything up and just gives it that nice savoury-ness that you want in a good stew. However, this means that you should definitely use a can of organic black beans, or make sure that the only ingredients are beans, water, and some salt. You don’t want any of those nasty preservatives if you’re not rinsing the beans off.

The next things that I through into the stew were chopped carrots, frozen corn and peas, some tomato paste, and some flavour boosters like soy sauce, maple syrup, and oregano. Super simple, no long or complicated prep involved. Frozen veggies are my jam; I could literally eat corn all day long. If you have a bag of mixed frozen veggies, feel free to throw some of those in there to avoid chopping carrots and cut down on prep time even more.

I don’t mash sweet potatoes often, but I really should! It’s faster than roasting and they’re pretty darn good:) I just boiled em, mashed em, and seasoned em with some salt and pepper. They make the perfect carby accompaniment to this amazing stew!

What are you waiting for? Throw on some fuzzy socks, get a fire going, and whip up a plate of this homey deliciousness!

Vegetable Stew with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 3-4

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Stew:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 a large white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 can of organic black beans, liquid (aqua faba) included **make sure it only contains beans, water and salt**
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 can of tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mashed Sweet Potatoes:

  • 1 medium or large sized sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the sliced onions, and cook until browned and caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Make sure that you stir them often to prevent burning.
  2. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the can of beans, carrots, frozen veggies, tomato paste, soy sauce, maple syrup and dried oregano to the pot and mix until combined. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the carrots are soft.
  4. While the stew is cooking, bring a smaller pot of water to a boil. Add in the chopped sweet potatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender and mashable. Drain them, add them to a bowl, and then mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. When the stew is ready, season it to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat. Serve with the mashed sweet potatoes.

Hope you enjoy this comforting cold-weather recipe! Make sure you come back for more because there’s lots more where this came from:)

Yours Truly,

Olivia:)))

Fall Harvest Bowls

A part of shifting into fall mode for me is roasting all of those awesome fall veggies and making some hearty bowls. And of course I had to throw some sweet potatoes into this one- you know me and my sweet potatoes. Bowls are just a simple, healthy dinner idea that are quick to make and great for meal prep and busy evenings. Today I’m featuring a bunch of delicious fall ingredients, tied together with an apple cider vinegar dressing. Yum!

You guys like Brussels sprouts, right? I love them, and so I roasted a bunch of them up with my sweet potatoes till they were nice and crispy. I also got out my frozen corn. Frozen corn is like the most underrated thing. It’s so tasty and it’s ready in less than five minutes! Sometimes I just eat it as a snack. So so far we’ve got Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, corn, and some delicious dressing.

Next is quinoa, some avocado, and a soft boiled egg. I’ve been big on eggs lately too. They’re fast to cook and are a great source of protein.When you’ve got that golden yolk just bringing everything together in your bowl it’s just perfection😍 On top of all that I sprinkled some pumpkin seeds for an extra touch of fall, and then voila! You’ve got the perfect fall bowl that’s simple, healthy and so yum.

Hope you enjoy!

Fall Harvest Bowl

Serves: 2

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Bowl:

  • 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes a couple of centimetres big
  • 8 Brussels sprouts, washed with the outer leaves removed, and cut in half
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
  • 1 avocado
  • 2 eggs
  • Handful of pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes and halved Brussels sprouts in a bowl with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Dump them on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft and caramelized.
  3. While the veggies are roasting, bring the quinoa and water to boil in a small pot. Lower the heat for a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit until needed.
  4. In another pot, bring water to a boil and add in the eggs. Depending on the egg size, I boil my eggs for 7-8 minutes for a runny yolk. If you have small eggs I would do 5-6 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a boil of cold water after boiling to prevent them from continuing to cook.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, then set aside.
  6. Build your bowls! To each bowl, add in half the quinoa, corn, roasted veggies, avocado, and an egg. Drizzle with the dressing and then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds to finish.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:)

Creamy Tahini and Sweet Potato Soup

I’ve been on a roll with the fall recipes lately! I’ve been loving all of the warm spices and fall flavours. Today I made a delicious Creamy Tahini and Sweet Potato Soup that is PERFECT for fall and super easy to make.

I’ve started experimenting with Tahini a bit more, and I love its nutty sesameness😂 I added it into my Carrot and Date Breakfast Cookies, and they were great!! In this soup, tahini adds such a depth of flavour and a nice richness. It pairs really nicely with the sweetness of the sweet potato.

To make this liquid gold, start by caramelized some onions😍😍 The smell of frying onions is the best! Then add your potatoes, some black beans, garlic, tahini, apple cider vinegar, paprika, cinnamon, and chicken broth. If you want to go vegan you can definitely use veggie broth. After all of your ingredients are in the pot (I think there’s only like 7 or 8) then season well with salt and pepper and let the soup simmer till the sweet potatoes are nice and soft❤️ Everything gets tossed in the blender and you’ve got a nice, luscious, creamy soup!

I love blender soups because they’re so simple and not particular at all. Chop your onions too big? Who cares it’s going in a blender. Basically, you cannot go wrong with this awesome fall soup. The flavour from the tahini and the cinnamon and paprika is insannnneeee. I know you may not like the sound of cinnamon in soup, but trust me it works. Make sure you try out this recipe because it’s definitely a winner!!

Creamy Tahini and Sweet Potato Soup

Serves: 4-6

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium sized sweet potato, chopped into 1 centimetre cubes
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the onions and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary so that they don’t burn.
  2. Add the sweet potatoes, black beans, tahini, garlic and apple cider vinegar to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes.
  3. Dump the broth, cinnamon, and paprika into the pot and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 30-40 minutes.
  5. Use a ladle to scoop all of the soup into a large blender, and blend until smooth. If you need to you can blend the soup in a few batches.
  6. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Hope you love this soup recipe!! Have a great weekend:)

Your Truly,

MyDayIsBooked:)