Brittany's PantrySweet Potato Fries & Pepper Lime Mayo
Brittany wrote this on 11 April 2013
gluten-free, lime, mayo, sweet potatoes, vegetarian
I love love love sharing recipes like this with you.
I love them because they take something as simple and humble as baked sticks of sweet potatoes and elevates them to a side dish or snack that you remember. Like the difference between wearing a little black dress on a date with your sweetie with 1.99 flip flops from Old Navy or these sandals from Yves Saint Laurent. It makes a difference. Can you eat sweet potato fries without this dip? Of course. But every once in awhile it is really nice to…well…dress up. You know?
This is especially good to serve guests as an appetizer. Just make a whole big tray of fries, dump them on a big platter and plunk this dip down with it. Healthy, easy to make ahead, and utterly snack-able. It is unexpected and fun without being all froophy. Yeah thats a made up word, but it fits here. And when you are finally able to brush the snow off your grill (sorry MN) and enjoy a burger, this dip is equally good smeared on a bun. Heck, we even dunk our carrot sticks in it. As it turns out, just like this dip, a sleep pair of black stilettos is a nice change of pace from flip flops.
One Year Ago: Cherry Frozen Yogurt W/Mini Chocolate Chips
Two Years Ago: Egg Ribbon Soup
Pepper Lime Mayo
Inspired by Giada
1 recipe sweet potato fries
1 heaping spoonful of sour cream
2 heaping spoonfuls of mayo
2 T lime juice
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste
Mix all ingredients together. Taste it. You should be able to taste the lime and it should thin it out a bit, but it shouldn’t be sour. And it should be peppery but not choke you. Add more lime juice and seasoning as needed. Serve with fries.
Blueberry Maple Muffins
Brittany wrote this on 7 April 2013 blueberries, buttermilk, flax, maple syrup, whole wheat flour
I don’t know much in the way of sports jargon, but I will do my best.
These muffins came out of left field! They gave me the one two punch! They are a perfect 10! Touchdown! If I had to give this recipe a score, it would be Love:Love.
I can almost hear my husband roll his eyes right now.
Ok, so maybe all those didn’t make sense (I especially like the last one…:) but you get the idea. I am always looking for recipes or ideas that are different from what I already do. If they are healthy it is even better. As it is the ingredient list is full of fiber, whole grains, natural sugars, and healthy fats. The fact that they are spectacularly scrumptious just makes it even better. These have become the current favorite in our house and I am afraid to admit just how many I have eaten or how many I have stashed in the freezer to eat later. They are a great make-ahead breakfast muffin and all three of my munchkins devour them with fruit and yogurt or alone as a snack. My oldest has been taking them in place of a sandwich at lunch. Add a smoothie (this one or this one) and she is good to go!
When you read through the recipe you will notice there isn’t any added sugar; just the maple syrup. Don’t worry. You won’t miss anything. With the fruit and orange zest, they are perfect. And while we are on the subject of syrup, please please please make sure what you are buying is actual pure maple syrup and not maple flavored syrup. One is the reduced sap of a maple tree, and the other is brown rice syrup or corn syrup with artificial maple flavor added. These are different things, my friend! And if you are one of those people who shrug and say ‘Ach! Whats the difference?’ and buy the fake stuff anyway, then I don’t want to hear about it. You are dead to me. *dramatic sigh*
You will also note that the orange zest in these muffins is listed as ‘optional’. I have made this recipe several times, both with and without the orange zest. So here is the unanimous take on it: make it with the zest. If you don’t have oranges and it is the only thing stopping you from whipping these up, then by all means, leave it out. If it is just a questions of effort, do yourself a favor and don’t skip it. It lifts these muffins up from really good, all the way to spectacular. The difference is shocking and since I am an honest gal and a good Christian woman and I would never lie to you, then you can trust me on this one. I don’t joke around when it comes to orange zest. Believe you me.
I would close with more sporty type phrases but I am tapped out. It is nights like this that I wonder if I should even be allowed to blog when its late and I am tired. I can’t be held accountable for what I write here.
Two Years Ago: Homemade Ketchup
Blueberry Maple Muffins
Adapted from Eating Well
In a large bowl, combine:
1/4 c ground flax
1 c white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
3/4 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Whisk together. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, add:
1/4 c canola or grape seed oil
1 c low fat buttermilk
1/2 c pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
zest of 1 orange, optional
Whisk until smooth and fold into the dry ingredients just until combined! Do not over mix or they will be tough! Gently fold in:
1 1/4 c fresh or frozen blueberries
Divide evenly among exactly 12 muffins cups that have been sprayed or are lined with paper liners. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a crumb or two.
Greetings!
Sorry I have been MIA for a week! I have been cooking and baking up a storm but it has been mostly new recipes and experiments. We were out of the state for several days and I literally didn’t even have time to sleep, let alone get any blogging done. Our two boys share a birthday and we had the opportunity to celebrate it with our families in Minnesota! Aren’t they cute?
While it is nice to unplug sometimes, I uh…well…I missed you. I blog because I love it, and when life keeps me from my computer, I spend most of my time away writing recipes and posts to all of you in my head. Not like, love notes or anything. Food notes. Sheesh! This is one of those recipes!
To be fair, I feel like I should mention that this is SO not what I had planned on sharing today. I actually have another stellar scone recipe to pass along and my new go-to chocolate cupcake recipe. But until I get them finalized and dress them up fancy and take their picture, you get quesadillas! Healthy and flavorful, you can think of them as the ‘good’ food before the chocolatey ‘bad’!
This recipe has been years in the making. I keep messing with it, changing it, forgetting what I did last time and starting over. But eventually, I paid attention and became consistent. Aren’t you proud of me? 🙂 Sometimes some of the ingredients don’t make it in due to lack of proper grocery shopping (ahem), but in general, this is how I throw them together. They are so chock full of good things-heavy on the veggies and beans-that they are more than enough to satisfy for dinner!
One Year Ago: Lime Sherbet Punch & Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Two Years Ago: Honey Carrots, Non-Traditional Shepherd’s Pie & One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Loaded Black Bean Quesadillas
Feel free to omit the chicken and make an entirely vegetarian dish! Check out the note below for a freezer tip!
2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 oz portabella or shitake mushrooms, diced small
2 huge handfuls fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c cooked, shredded chicken
1/4 c salsa, plus additional for serving
2 c shredded cheese
8 whole wheat tortillas
salsa, sour cream, and diced avocado for serving
In a small bowl, mix together the chicken and the 1/4 c salsa. Set aside.
Drizzle the oil into a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and a bit of salt and pepper, and sauté until mushrooms are brown and the onions are translucent and caramelized, about 6 minutes or so. Add the cumin and heat together for an additional minute or two. Taste for seasoning. Add the spinach and stir and heat for another minute or two, until the spinach is wilted, but not mushy. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, mash the rinsed and drained black beans with a potato masher (my personal weapon of choice) or a fork, until most of them are broken, but it is still chunky. We don’t want it smooth like baby food here people! Stir in the mushroom and spinach mixture. Taste for seasoning. Go ahead and add a little cayenne here if you like it spicy!
Smear 1/4 of the black bean mixture onto a tortilla, making sure to spread it evenly out to the edges. Top with some of the chicken and then sprinkle with cheese. Top with a second tortilla, and toast until crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. We like to use our panini maker, but a toaster oven, or dry, nonstick skillet is great too! Repeat with remaining ingredients and tortillas. Serve with more salsa, sour cream. and avocado!
NOTE: We usually can only eat two, full quesadillas in our family, but the there is the perfect amount of black bean mixture to make four. So usually, I use up all the chicken on only two of them, and I make the other two quesadillas vegetarian with just beans and cheese. Smoosh them together a bit, but don’t toast them! Put them on a sheet pan in the freezer and when they are solid, carefully place them in a gallon freezer bag and freeze for later. Then you can defrost a bit and toast as normal!
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
