Grilled Sweet Potato Chips

Grocery
Sweet potato (1 is enough for two servings - multiply as needed)

Pantry
Olive Oil
Cumin
Sea Salt
Pepper

Directions
Soak some wooden skewers in water for 1/2 hour. While skewers are soaking, wash sweet potato and cut into 1/2 thick slices (discard ends). In bottom of a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon each of cumin, salt, and pepper. Add potato slices and toss to combine.

Thread potato slices onto skewers through the middle. Heat grill to medium and place skewers diagonally across the grill grates. Turn every few minutes until potatoes are brown all around and tender.

Shown with pork tacos and southwest style grilled corn.

Bon Appetit! Kelly

All photos by Kelly Waters

Five Ingredient Friday: Grilled Heart of Romaine Salad

Welcome to Five Ingredient Friday! This is a new feature on Cook with Color. Every Friday I will post a recipe that requires five ingredients or less, excluding pantry items. Hope you enjoy!

Grocery
(yield: 2 salads) 
1 heart of romaine
1 lemon
1 orange (I used a navel orange), peeled and sectioned
1 red onion
1 4 ounce container crumbled reduced fat feta or blue cheese

Pantry
Olive oil
Sea Salt
Pepper

Directions

Heat the grill to medium low. Wash the romaine hearts and cut in half lengthwise.

Cut lemon in half. Brush olive oil and half a lemon's worth of juice on cut sides of romaine.

Cut two 1/2 thick slices of red onion and brush with olive oil. Place onion slices on grill; cook until grill marks form, about 2-3 minutes.

Flip onions over and place romaine hearts on grill, cut side down, and grill for about 2-3 minutes.

Remove onions and romaine from grill; place romaine hearts, cut side up, one per plate. Squeeze the other half of the lemon over romaine; top with grilled red onion rings, orange sections and a generous pinch or two of cheese. Season with a light pinch of salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt if you use feta as feta is already salty - I skipped the salt altogether.

Note: I served the romaine with the stem intact. You may remove if you like before serving. I simply cut around the stem as I was eating  - the stem is not too tasty!

You can easily double or triple this recipe. You will have enough red onion for up to six or eight servings, depending on the size of the onion, and enough cheese for about four to six servings, depending on how generous you are with it, so you need only multiply the other ingredients as desired.

Bon Appetit! Kelly


Photos by Kelly Waters

Tex-Mex Style Black Bean and Turkey Burgers

Grocery
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 small sweet potato (or you can use 1/2 large one)
Garlic
Parsley
Cilantro
Jalapeno
1 pound lean ground turkey (use lean ground chicken or beef if you prefer)
Whole grain rolls

Pantry
Cumin
Paprika
Sea salt
Pepper

Directions
Rinse and drain the black beans. Transfer half of the beans to a large mixing bowl; using a fork, mash the beans until a paste has formed. Add the rest of the beans to the bowl; set aside.

 

Finely mince the sweet potato, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and jalapeno (leave seeds in if you want more heat). Measure 1/2 cup each (about a handful) parsley and cilantro, loosely packed, and coarsely chop. Add to black beans along with 2 tablespoons of cumin and 1 tablespoon each of paprika, salt, and pepper.

Add turkey and mix to combine. To form burgers, measure out mixture using 2/3 measuring cup and roll between your palms until a ball forms. Repeat until all burgers are formed and refrigerate for 2 hours until well chilled before grilling.

Note: these also freeze beautifully. If you freeze them, let thaw in refrigerator for one day before grilling.

When ready to grill, press into patties. Place over medium heat until bottom is cooked, then flip until other side is done. I served mine with reduced fat feta cheese and a tablespoon of  0% Greek yogurt on whole grain sandwich thins, along with grilled corn.

Bon Appetit! Kelly


All photos by Kelly Waters

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Grocery
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 6 ounce container 0% Greek yogurt

Pantry
Sea salt
Black pepper
Olive Oil
 
Directions
Wash sweet potatoes. Prick with fork and cook in microwave or oven until tender.

 

Note: I microwaved these for about 18 minutes total. Start out with 15 minutes and then keep going in 1 minute intervals until tender.

Slice in half lengthwise and let sit for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Scoop flesh out of skins and into a mixing bowl.

Add salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil.

Beat with hand mixer until all lumps are gone.

Add in Greek yogurt and mix until combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. 

Shown here served with jerk chicken and black eyed pea relish.

Bon Appetit! Kelly

All photos by Kelly Waters

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Spicy Peach Barbecue Sauce

Grocery

1 pork tenderloin

All natural whole grain rolls, whatever you prefer

1 pound fresh peaches (about 3 medium)

1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia)

1 jalapeno 

Garlic

Pantry

Raw cane sugar or organic dark brown sugar

Whole grain mustard

Chili powder

Dry mustard

Sea salt

White Pepper

Apple Cider Vinegar

Honey

Canola Oil

Directions

Rinse the pork and pat dry. Make rub for pork by combining 2 tablespoons each of salt, pepper, dry mustard, sugar, and chili powder. Coat each side of pork tenderloin and place in slow cooker along with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar, 3 cups water and 4-5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped. Cook on low for about 2 hours per pound.

Meanwhile, prep the barbecue sauce:

Cut an X in bottom of each peach. 

Blanch in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water and cool. Peel peaches and coarsely chop. Mince ½ the onion, the whole jalapeno (include the seeds and membranes for added heat), and a pinch of kosher salt and cook in 1 tablespoon canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chopped peaches, 1 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon each chili powder and dry mustard. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peaches are very tender, about 30 minutes. 

Purée in a blender or food processor (use caution if you blend while warm).

Shred the pork and serve on your favorite whole-grain rolls topped with the barbecue sauce. I served mine with homestyle coleslaw on the side.

Bon Appetit! Kelly


All photos by Kelly Waters

Homestyle Coleslaw

Grocery
1 small red cabbage
1 small green cabbage
1/2 white sweet onion
1 medium Golden Delicious apple (or whatever you like)
1 carrot
1 16 ounce container 0% plain Greek yogurt
1 package sliced raw almonds

Pantry
Whole grain mustard
Apple cider vinegar
Sea salt
Raw cane sugar or organic dark brown sugar
White Pepper

Directions
Make the dressing first. In a Tupperware bowl with a tight fitting lid, whisk together 1/4 cup of mustard, 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon each of sea salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if you like.

Toast the sliced almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until just browned. Keep a close eye on them as they will burn easily. Set aside.

Shred the cabbage, finely minced the carrot and onion, and remove the core and stem from the apple and cut into bite-size pieces (I left the skin on).

Place everything except for almonds in the bowl on top of the dressing, put lid on and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, mix coleslaw with the dressing by making sure lid is on securely and shaking to coat mixture with dressing. Place in serving bowl and top with toasted almonds.

Tip: if you are making this ahead of time, toss apples in a little lemon juice or vinegar then add to coleslaw. It will prevent browning.

Shown served here with spicy peach barbecue pulled pork sandwich.

Bon Appetit! Kelly

All photos by Kelly Waters

Kale-Mango Salad

Grocery
1 ripe mango
1 bunch kale
2 limes

Pantry
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Honey

Directions

Rinse the kale and let dry. Cut mango meanwhile (click here for instructions); and set aside. Separate kale leaves from stems; chop and place in large bowl. 

Sprinkle kale with juice of one lime and about a teaspoon of sea salt; massage the kale leaves for about two minutes to tenderize. Dressing: whisk together two tablespoons of honey, juice of the other lime and two tablespoons of olive oil; add mango and dressing to kale and toss to combine. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Kale-mango salad shown here served with chimichurri steak and chili-lime sweet potato fries.

Bon Appetit!  Kelly

All photos by Kelly Waters

Chili-lime Sweet Potato Fries

Grocery

1 lime

1 large sweet potato

Pantry

Olive Oil

Cumin

Red Pepper Flakes

Sea Salt

Peppercorn Blend (or black pepper if that's what you have)

Paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bottom of a large bowl, combine juice of the lime, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and one teaspoon each of cumin, paprika, sea salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Cut washed potatoes into fries and place in bowl. Toss to coat and place on baking sheet coated lightly with cooking spray.

Bake sweet potatoes for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly brown and crispy (turning halfway through),

I served mine with chimichurri steak and kale-mango salad, with guacamole and chimichurri-yogurt sauce on the side. 

 

Bon Appetit!  Kelly

All photos by Kelly Waters