Tag: under 500 calories

California Pizza Kitchen Quinoa Salad with Arugula

A friend of mine and I used to get together for lunch twice a year at the California Pizza Kitchen. We would get together to celebrate our birthdays, but of course we would usually go months after one of us had a birthday (darn busy schedules)! We always enjoyed the phenomenal salad at the California Pizza Kitchen.

We would usually get the Miso Salad, but when they removed the crab from the salad, I had to try something new. This quinoa salad was new at the time when we dined there and it was delicious. When I got home, I recreated the recipe at in my kitchen.

Quinoa is a superfood with tons of fiber and protein, and it tastes wonderful in this salad. You will love the healthy feel of the salad and the yummy flavors! I was told after making it that it tasted like something you would order at a really nice restaurant, so that means I definitely accomplished my goal! It has been awhile since I made this, but I cannot wait for warmer days so I can recreate this one again. I hope you will also give it a try! Enjoy.

Recipe for California Pizza Kitchen Quinoa Salad with Arugula

INGREDIENTS

For the salad:
1/2 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
8 sun dried tomatoes in oil, cut small; plus 1 tsp. of oil from the sun dried tomatoes
3 ounces of feta cheese, cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups of baby arugula leaves
1 bunch of asparagus, stalks cut off, cut into 1 1/2-inch slices
1 1/2 Tbsp. of toasted pine nuts

For the dressing:
1/3 cup of Extra-Virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. of kosher salt
1/8 tsp. of dried oregano leaves
A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Wash the quinoa and then cook according to package directions. Once quinoa finishes cooking, drain any excess water. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

While quinoa is cooling, prepare the dressing. In a smallish bowl, mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, oregano, and pepper. Mix well.

Once quinoa has cooled, add the sun dried tomatoes, sun dried tomato oil, feta cheese, and dressing to the bowl. Toss well to  coat. Cover bowl and put into the fridge for about 30 – 45 minutes.

About 20 minutes before you are ready to serve salad, steam the asparagus. Put asparagus in a large saucepan and cover just barely with water. Put over medium heat and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 3 – 5 minutes. Asparagus is done when you can prick it through with a fork, but still tender. Don’t let it get too soft. Once asparagus is finished cooking, drain the water and transfer the asparagus to a plate to cool.

While the asparagus is cooling, toast the pine nuts.

When ready to serve the salad, take bowl out of the fridge. Mix in the 1 1/2 cups of baby arugula and toss. Divide the salad between 3 – 4 serving plates. Top each plate with asparagus and toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, if desired. Enjoy!

NOTE:
The California Pizza Kitchen quinoa salad recipe was made with a champagne vinaigrette. I think the red wine vinaigrette works just as well. I also omitted the red onions from the recipe, but you might want to add them to yours!!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I like things in my life to be fairly simple. That is why this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe is a winner in my book. The soup itself requires barely any prep time at all. If you want to really save time with this recipe, you can opt out of doing the tortilla crisps, and just use store-bought tortilla chips instead. I think the tortilla crisps add a nice touch, though. I love topping this soup with with avocado, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and the tortilla strips. This soup is great for leftovers because the soup actually gets even better after being in the fridge for about a day, since it gives the flavors a chance to meld together even more. Hope you love this one as much as we do! Enjoy.

Recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS

I love the homemade tortilla strips in this recipe!
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 29-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
  • 2 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • Pinch or two of salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans of black beans
  • 2 cups of frozen corn
  • 2 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • For topping: chopped avocado, sour cream, cheddar cheese
  • For the tortilla strips:
  • 4 8-inch flour tortillas
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • salt

DIRECTIONS

For the soup
Put the chicken broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices into the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the salt and pepper. Drop the chicken into the mixture, cover with the slow cooker lid, and cook on low heat for 6 hours (or until chicken is cooked and shreds easily with a fork).
Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a plate. Use a fork to shred the chicken into smallish pieces. Then add the chicken back to the slow cooker and stir in the beans, corn, lime juice, and cilantro. Cook for an additional 10 – 15 minutes. While it finishes cooking, make the tortilla strips.

Once tortilla strips are finished, ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated cheese, sour cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt), chopped avocado, and tortilla strips.

*If you make the soup later in the day like I did, ladle the soup into airtight containers and store in the fridge. Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat on the stove top. I actually found that the soup got even better leftover because the flavors melded together more in the fridge! 

For the tortilla strips
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet with Misto or Pam.  In a small bowl, stir the oil and spices together. Brush each side of a tortilla lightly with the oil mixture (about 1/2 tsp.per side – you will not use all of the mixture). Then stack the flour tortillas together on a cutting board and cut into desired sized strips.. Put the strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle salt over top. Place in oven and cook until crispy, about 10 – 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet until ready to use. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

*If you want to save time on this recipe, use tortilla chips in place of the tortilla strips!

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe makes approximately 8 servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe adapted from: Cooking Classy
 Tortilla Strips recipe adapted from: Food.com

Baked Zucchini Cakes

Greg absolutely loves these baked zucchini cakes. In fact, he was the one who told me that I should share this recipe on my previous blog and I know he wants to make sure it gets on this new blog, too. I am glad I had saved this recipe because it is a meal that we all enjoy. I had never really considered making something like these before, but when we used to have a garden, we would grow different vegetables. One year, our garden produced so much zucchini. We could not keep up with all of it! We were picking about two zucchinis per day out of the garden that summer. For some reason, that was the only summer that we had such success with the zucchinis! Every night that summer, I tried to think of new ways to use the zucchini in recipes. One thing that I loved making was zucchini bread. One week, I had baked six loaves of zucchini bread with all the zucchini I was picking! That is when I came to the realization that I should be a little more adventurous and tried this recipe out. I like the zucchini cakes with melted fresh mozzarella cheese and a little Sriracha sauce for dipping. Greg recommends eating them with a gallon of ketchup. The zucchini cakes are a healthy enough meal and they are filling. Enjoy!

Recipe for Baked Zucchini Cakes

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 medium zucchini, grated with a box cutter
  • 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 8 crushed saltine crackers for the mixture, plus about 16 more for coating the cakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • A dash or two of Sriracha sauce
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder

DIRECTIONS

Put the grated zucchini in a colander and carefully set it on top of a bowl so that the zucchini can drain. Add a little bit of coarse sea salt and gently mix. Let the grated zucchini drain for about an hour, tossing occasionally. About a cup of water from the zucchini should be in the bowl. After an hour, use your hands to squeeze out any excess moisture.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a baking pan.

Put the bread crumbs, 8 crushed crackers, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper Sriracha sauce, and beaten egg into a bowl and mix. Add in the grated zucchini and mix again. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture and mix well. Use your hands to form the mixture into 6 – 8 zucchini cakes. Try to make them the same size and thickness. Put the remaining crushed crackers onto a plate. Coat each side of the zucchini cakes with the crackers. Crush more crackers if needed for coating. Place the zucchini cakes on the baking pan. Put in the oven and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, then remove from oven and carefully turn over each one (use a spatula and make sure to keep them in tact). Place back in oven and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Serving suggestions: Serve with ketchup or another dipping sauce. Serve on a toasted and lightly buttered bun with fresh mozzarella cheese.

Original Recipe

The Mighty Zucchini -This thing was made in our garden.
Great in desserts, great in your dinner, great as a side vegetable!

Grilled Shrimp Fajitas (in a foil packet)

This is a seriously awesome meal! It is really easy to make (especially when I make Greg do the grilling), and it can be ready to be serve in less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I like to serve these shrimp fajitas with a side of black beans and some chopped mango. The shrimp, peppers, and onions cook on the grill in foil packets, so that the shrimp and veggies are sizzling hot and bursting with flavor.  Not only are these shrimp fajitas excellent, they also make a pretty healthy meal! This meal is best served piping hot, so it wouldn’t do so well leftover. For that reason, this recipe is only for two (Wendy won’t eat shrimp). You can double or triple the recipe if you are cooking for more than two. Enjoy!

Recipe for Grilled Shrimp Fajitas (cooked in a foil packet)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound of peeled and deveined medium shrimp (about 14 – 16 shrimp)
Red, orange, and yellow baby bell peppers, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp. of your favorite taco seasoning
Cilantro (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
6-inch flour tortillas (about 4 – 5)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a gas grill to high heat. 
Put the shrimp, chopped peppers, and onions into a medium bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and lime juice and gently toss. Then sprinkle with the taco seasoning and gently mix until shrimp and veggies are well coated. 
Cut two pieces of foil into 12-inch squares. Put half the shrimp and veggie mixture down the center of each piece of foil. Then fold up each side of the foil and fold the sides over the shrimp completely. The foil packets are to be sealed (if needed, you can use another piece of foil to cover). Then place the foil packets on the grill and cook for 10 minutes. A minute before you take the shrimp off the grill, zap the tortillas in the microwave for 15 – 20 seconds so they are warmed before you assemble the fajitas.

Carefully remove the foil packets from grill. When you open them, be careful because the steam is super hot. Divide the shrimp and vegetable mixture onto the warmed tortillas (Greg and I do 3-4 shrimp per fajita) and top each with cilantro and sour cream, if desired.

Serve fajitas with some sides! We served them with black beans and some chopped fresh mango. 

Recipe makes approximately 4 – 5 fajitas. According to the original recipe, you can also cook the shrimp and vegetables in the foil packets in the oven at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Recipe Adapted from : Damn Delicious 

Weber Grill!

Turkey Burgers with Sundried Tomato

On nice spring and summer days in Maryland when we grill, we love burgers. I have made burgers out of vegetables, pork, chicken, beef, and turkey! We love these turkey burgers because they are full of yummy flavors and they are leaner than the traditional beef burger. These turkey burgers are always a favorite in our home, and they are pretty much the best turkey burgers that we have ever had. Serve them with chips or fries. Enjoy!

Recipe for Turkey Burgers with Sundried Tomato

INGREDIENTS

Mmm, turkey burger

1/2 pound of white ground turkey meat
1/2 pound of dark ground turkey meat
8 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced small
2 Tbsp. of the oil from the sun dried tomato jar
2 Tbsp. of fresh basil, torn in smallish pieces
2 Tbsp. of fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 Tbsp. of Italian Panko-style breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
Fixings
Your favorite type of bun
Slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
Baby Spinach leaves
Sliced cherry tomatoes
Basil leaves
Garlic Mayo
4 Tbsp. of mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. of lemon juice
1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
Several grinds of freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place the ground turkey, sun dried tomatoes, sun dried tomato oil, basil leaves, parsley leaves, pressed garlic, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper into a large bowl. Use a spoon or fork to gently incorporate the ingredients together. Form into 4 even-sized patties. Place patties on a plate, make a small indent in the middle of each patty, cover and put in the fridge for 1 hour.
Before starting the grill, make the garlic mayo. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix together well. Cover and set aside or put in fridge until ready for use.
Preheat a grill to 500 degrees. Place the patties on the grill and cook for about 5 – 7 minutes on each side. They should be firm and browned when they are ready to take off the grill.  Remove from grill, check center of thickest patty to make sure they are done (if not, put back on grill for a few minutes), and assemble burgers.
Spread the garlic mayo on each side of the bun. Place a turkey burger on the bottom half of the bun and top with a piece of mozzarella cheese. Top the cheese with a few baby spinach leaves, a piece of basil, and a few slices of cherry tomato.
Recipe makes 4 turkey burgers

Recipe Adapted from Whole Foods Market

Weber Grill!

5-Ingredient Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

This soup is super awesome because you make barely any mess making it, the prep time is less than 1 minute, and the cooking time is just a little over 5 minutes. Oh, and it also is pretty darn tasty AND healthy. It’s loaded with Vitamin A, protein, and fiber. You can make it with more kick based on the type of salsa you use in the recipe. The first few times I made it I used a Hatch Chile salsa, and it was nice and spicy. Now when I make this soup, I like to use a milder salsa to make everyone in the family happy. You can serve this soup with quesadillas or serve it on its own with some tortilla chips. I love warming the tortilla chips in the oven with a little olive oil and salt to serve with chili type recipes. This soup is rich and creamy, and is definitely a comfort-type food, but it has the bonus of being good for you. Enjoy!

Recipe for 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 can of black beans (15.5 ounces), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup of salsa (we like it with Newman’s own Farmer’s Garden – you can use hot or mild salsa)
1/2 tsp. of cumin powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Dump the black beans, water, pumpkin puree, and salsa into a medium sized pot. Sprinkle in the cumin powder, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon to mix well. Set the pot over medium heat on the stove top and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, or until hot. Then adjust the heat to low and stir in the Greek yogurt until smooth. Cook for an additional 45 seconds to 1 minute (don’t cook too long, because the yogurt will curdle a bit and slightly effects the texture of soup). Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with white cheddar cheese, if desired.

Makes approximately 2 – 3 servings. 
Original Recipe

Per Serving (with a serving being 1/3 of the recipe): 155 calories, 2 grams fat, 29 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein, 8 grams fiber, 50% RDA Vitamin A, 15% RDA Iron,

A great saucepan for making this soup! 

Crispy Honey & Sriracha Tofu Tacos

Tacos are the best! You can make them in so many different ways so that you are able to please everyone. These vegetarian crispy honey sriracha tofu tacos with a cucumber mango salsa are so amazingly delicious and satisfying!

My sister and her family live in a suburb of San Francisco, but they used to live in the city. When we would visit them in the city, we would enjoy lunch at their favorite place, La Taqueria, in the Mission District of the city. That is where I learned about how much variety there are in tacos, as I had grown up on the ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato taco!

These delicious tacos are topped with cucumber-mango salsa, mashed avocado, and extra Sriracha sauce.  When I first tried the recipe, I really was a little skeptical about tofu in my tacos, and I was truly amazed at how well they turned out. Even if you are not a vegetarian, I am pretty sure you will find these tacos to be quite tasty. Enjoy!

Recipe for Crispy Honey & Sriracha Tofu Tacos

INGREDIENTS

For the Cucumber-Mango Salsa
1 large, ripe mango, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and with the seeds removed, finely chopped
1/2 shallot, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (with seeds removed)
Juice from 1/2 lime (save the other half for the avocado)
1/2 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper

For the tofu
12 ounces extra firm tofu, drained well, patted with a paper towel, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce (plus a little more for adding to taco)
2 Tbsp. honey (plus a little more for drizzling)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. of cornmeal
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper – about 1/8 tsp.
3/4 tsp. Ancho chile powder
1/8 tsp. of sweet smoked paprika
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Soft taco corn tortillas, Avocado, Full Fat Greek Yogurt (or sour cream)

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the cucumber mango salsa. Toss the cucumber, mango, jalapeno, shallot, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. Cover and place in fridge until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 315 degrees. Place tortillas on a baking sheet. Rub a very small amount of olive oil all over each side and sprinkle one side with a pinch of fine sea salt. Set aside.

Put the tofu in a large bowl. Mix together the honey and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Pour over the tofu, and gently toss to coat well.

In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, Panko breadcrumbs, flour, salt, pepper, chili powder, and sweet smoked paprika. Then pour 1/3 of the cornmeal mixture over the tofu, and toss gently. Add another 1/3 of the mixture, toss again. Finish with the remaining mixture and toss again to coat the tofu well. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Then carefully add in the tofu. Cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes, then gently stir and flip over, a few at a time, until all pieces have been flipped. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes more, then gently stir again. Continue to cook and gently toss until tofu is crisped up on all sides. Add in a drizzle or two of honey, and stir. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the tofu with salt and pepper.

While the tofu is cooking, place the tortillas in the heated oven. Cook for a few minutes, then flip. You want the tortillas to be a little crispy, but not hard. You want a very light crisp so that they still fold well without breaking. That is why it is important to buy good tortillas!

While the tofu and tortillas are finishing up, mash up the avocado. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Assemble the tacos. Top each warm tortilla with desired amount of tofu, cucumber-mango salsa, avocado, and Greek yogurt. Add a squeeze of Sriracha sauce, if desired.

Recipe makes approximately 6  – 8 tacos. 

Tofu taco recipe adapted from: The Woks of Life
Cucumber-Mango salsa adapted from:  Oh My Veggies 

Cheese Tortellini Soup with Chickpeas, Sundried Tomato, and Artichoke

Cold weather means that it is time to eat more soup! This cheese tortellini soup is super yummy and flavorful. There are no onions, garlic, or salt in the recipe! The first time that I made it, Greg told me it would be nice if I had prosciutto or some other type of meat to add to it. However, once he had his first bite, he did not miss the meat at all!

Not only does this soup taste incredible, but it is also so simple to make. It requires minimal chopping (just the sun dried tomatoes) and barely any cook time. You can probably make it from start to finish in less than 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe for Cheese Tortellini Soup with Chickpeas, Sundried Tomato, & Artichoke

INGREDIENTS

7 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (use vegetable to make the soup vegetarian)
3/4 cup of thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained of the oil (reserve 2 tsp.)
1 9 – 10 ounce package of refrigerated cheese-filled tortellinis
2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained
1 8.5 ounce can of chopped artichoke hearts in water, drained (do not use marinated artichokes)
3/4 cup of half and half or light cream
3/4 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
Several grinds of freshly ground black pepper
Baby spinach leaves (for topping)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)

DIRECTIONS

Put the broth into a dutch oven and set over high heat. Bring the broth to a boil and then add in the sun dried tomatoes and tortellini. Boil for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to medium low. Add in the chickpeas, artichokes, reserved sun dried tomato oil, half and half, crush red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with desired amount of baby spinach leaves and stir. Then top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with your favorite crusty bread, if desired.

Recipe makes about 8 servings
Recipe Adapted from: Foodie Crush 

Curried Pumpkin Mushroom Soup

Here is a delicious pumpkin soup recipe. An old coworker of mine had sent me the recipe for this soup. I remember questioning how it would taste when she told me it was a recipe for pumpkin soup with mushrooms. She told me that a nice restaurant in Delaware is famous for the recipe, so that persuaded me to want to try it out. The soup did not disappoint. It’s creamy, hearty, a tad spicy, and soulful. It’s also fairly healthy, since pumpkin is packed full of Vitamin A and mushrooms are high in riboflavin, niacin, and selenium. Greg and I love this soup, and I hope that you love it too! Enjoy.

Recipe for Curried Pumpkin Mushroom Soup

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 of a large yellow onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms (baby bella or cremini)
  • 2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. of curry powder
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 16-ounce can of pumpkin
  • 2 Tbsp. of honey
  • 1 Tbsp. of dark brown sugar
  • A dash or two of nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2/3 cup of heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add in the onions and mushrooms and saute over medium heat until softened, about 4 – 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and curry powder. Stir constantly for about 45 seconds and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so the flour doesn’t stick to it. Slowly mix in the chicken broth. Add in the pumpkin, honey, brown sugar, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir together and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, then adjust the heat to medium-low. Simmer the soup for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix in the heavy cream and cook soup for one more minute. Serve immediately – makes 6 – 8 servings.

Recipe Adapted from: Delaware Online

Sweet Potato Tacos

I love all kinds of tacos! My sister and brother-in-law are both vegetarian, so these sweet potato tacos are a great meal for when they come to visit.

I first had sweet potato tacos at Paladar Restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland. They were so good that I asked for the recipe from Paladar, and the executive chef sent me a version of the recipe. I have made them several times and they never disappoint. Enjoy!

Recipe for Sweet Potato Tacos

INGREDIENTS

  • For the filling:
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, divided
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and then diced in 1/4-inch cubes
  • 4  hearts of palm stalks from a can, cut lengthwise and then sliced in to desired size 
  • 1 can of pinto beans or great white northern beans, drained well
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp. of cinnamon
  • For the tomatillo salsa:
  • 6 fresh tomatillos, husked
  • 1/4 of one bunch of fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 red onion OR 1 – 2 thin slices of a jalapeno pepper
    1 lime, juiced
  • For the toppings:
  • Red cabbage
  • Chopped Chives
    8 – 10 soft tortillas (6-inch/taco size)

DIRECTIONS

Make tomatillo salsa first. Place tomatillos, cilantro, and onion in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it is to salsa consistency. Pour in to a bowl, squeeze in the lime juice, cover and put in fridge for an hour. In a bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, hearts of palm, 2 1/2 tsp. olive oil, and salt and pepper. Place the potato mixture on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes (until potatoes are done). Put the rest of the olive oil in to a large skillet. Heat oil, then add potato mixture and pinto beans to the skillet. Add in some salt, pepper, and the 2 tsp. of cinnamon. Saute until the beans and potatoes are warmed through, then remove pan from heat. Heat tortillas in a microwave for 20 – 25 seconds. Build your own tacos. Put sweet potato mixture down the middle of the tortilla, then top with cabbage, chives, and tomatillo salsa. Serve with mango and avocado salad (recipe to be posted soon). Enjoy!

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