Holiday Recipe Inspirations

The holidays are right around the corner and if you are anything like me you love to get creative in the kitchen and prep some fantastic new dishes for family and friends. I get bored cooking the same recipes over and over and my family; especially my children get bored with them too. To all the Mom’s out there you know when your kids get bored of the food you serve, they don’t eat it, they waste it and all around drive us crazy in the struggle to get them to eat their meal. So…this year I whipped up a few tasty, nutrient-dense dishes featuring my all time favourite root vegetable – Sweet Potatoes – in an attempt to satisfy my own need of keeping their bodies healthy and immune systems supported as well as make delicious and gorgeous dishes we would all enjoy.

Besides being a very versatile vegetable that you can use for breakfast, lunch or dinner, sweet potatoes are a superfood! Did you know that sweet potatoes pack a powerful punch of vitamins A, C, manganese, copper, B6, B3, B1, B2, potassium, fiber, phosphorus and biotin?! Isn’t that incredible from one vegetable! Sweet potatoes harvested in the U.S go through a curing process to give the potato it’s distinct flavour and also helps to ensure that we have sweet potatoes in Canada to eat all year long. To learn more about U.S sweet potatoes, visit americansweetpotato.org.

Here are four simple ways to wake up your taste buds, surprise your family and friends and give you an extra little hit of inspiration in your kitchen this holiday season.

Sweetie Oat Potato Pancakes (for holiday brunch)

• 4 egg whites
• 1 organic whole egg
• ½ cup organic sweet potato puree
• ½ cup organic oats
• Tsp. cinnamon

1. Heat your pan over light-medium heat and melt Tbsp. coconut oil
2. Add your egg whites and whole egg(s) in and whisk to blend.
3. Add your sweet potato and continue to whisk. Alternatively you can blend this mixture of eggs and sweet potatoes in your blender.
4. Add your oats and cinnamon, spreading evenly in the pan.
5. Cook as you would a regular pancake, waiting for edges to firm up and center to slightly bubble.
6. Flip and cook for extra 1-2 minutes before serving up with your favourite topping of either grass-fed butter and honey or nut butter with maple syrup or fresh fruit and hemp seeds

Cashew Herb Cheese with Sweet Potato “Crackers” (a great appetizer for guests)

• 2 cups raw cashews soaked in filtered water for 2 – 4 hours (soaking is optional)
• you can use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or ½ ½ if there is a nut allergy
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup filtered water as needed for desired consistency
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Tbsp. fresh garlic minced (depending on preference)
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
• 1 chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1. Combine all ingredients in your food processor and blend until well combined. If its too thick please add a touch more water.

Sweet Potato Crackers

1. Wash and peel one large sweet potato
2. Thinly slice into your preferred cracker type shape
3. Top each slice with cheese and voila! Gluten-free, Grain-free appies or snack for all!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger (a simple lunch or dinner idea that you can also freeze!)

• 2 cups mashed sweet potato
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and well drained
• 1 – 1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup walnut meal (or very finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup finely diced green onion
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional | for added sweetness)

FOR SERVING

• Sliced avocado
• Sprouts, lettuce or parsley
• Sliced onion

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cut sweet potatoes in half.
2. Bake sweet potatoes until soft and tender to the touch – about 30 minutes – set aside. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees F.
3. While potatoes are baking, cook rice
4. Add black beans to a mixing bowl and mash half of them for texture. Then add sweet potato and lightly mash, then 1- cup rice, green onion, walnut meal and spices. Mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more rice or nut meal if the mixture feels too wet. It should be very moist but moldable.
5. Use a ¼ cup amount of the patty mixture to form and pat down patties.
6. Bake burgers for a total 30-45 minutes, carefully flipping 20 minutes in to ensure even cooking. The longer you bake them the firmer and drier they will get.
7. Serve on gluten free buns or over a salad with sliced avocado, greens, mustard and ketchup or salsa.
8. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a few days or freeze for up to one month.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (A stunning and simple main dish served with a side salad and fresh guacamole)

• 2-4 organic sweet potatoes, depending on how many you are feeding OR if you are making a larger batch for leftovers. Amounts of ingredients will depend again on how many you are making but here is a rolling list of gorgeous fabulous foodie bits and bites to top these babies with:
• Beans (black bean, chickpeas, kidney, adzuki, white beans etc.)
• Fresh herbs (chives, basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, thyme etc.)
• Organic greens (lettuces, chard, kale, arugula, spinach, bok Choy etc.)
• Roasted or steamed veggies such as: Broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, brussel sprouts etc.
• Salsa
• Vegannaise
• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Olives

TRUTHFULLY there is no delish healthy topping you can’t add to these beauts. For extra inspiration take a peek at our pic with a few ideas.

I hope these new inspirations will keep your taste buds and your family healthy, happy and nourished this beautiful holiday season. If you love the recipes I am sharing with you here you will absolutely drool over my newest book The Simplicity Kitchen which is available for purchase now! Click here to learn more.