BLAT and Chipotle-Ancho Lime Sweet Potatoes

to accompany our easy stand-by dinner, the BLAT (think BLT and add avocado), i made the most amazing sweet potatoes.  If i don't write it down, i will never forgive myself.  They are a little spicy and very tangy!

Ancho-Chipotle Lime Sweet Potatoes

1 dried chipotle pepper, stemmed and seeded
1 dried ancho chili, stemmed and seeded
2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 limes
~1/3 cup olive oil
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and diced evenly
1 medium sweet onion

pre-heat oven to 375

in a dry skillet over medium high heat, toast the chili peppers, turning once until toasty and pliable, and the cumin seeds, until fragrant and beginning to brown.  grind in coffee mill with salt.

in a small bowl, combine 1/2 pepper powder, garlic, juice of one lime, and equal amount olive oil
spread sweet potatoes and onion on lined baking sheet or large baking dish.  mix dressing and toss with potatoes/onion.  If more is needed, mix more pepper powder, lime juice, and olive oil and repeat.

bake in oven, stirring every 10 minutes until edges are chewy-sweet (40-60 minutes depending on size of chunks).

serve over a bed of arugula is desired.

The "Big" Salad

After spending a few days with miss amanda rotella in New orleans, i have been thinking about my diet.  it's not bad, but it could be better.  She recommended i take a few weeks and cut a bunch of foods from my diet to help kick start my metabolism.  these foods to be omitted include lactose/dairy, soy, gluten, sugar, pretty much anything white and starchy.  I've been researching cleansing diets but havent had much luck finding the diet plan outlining her advice.

well i digress.  by researching all these healthy diets and cleanses, i have seen some commonalities.  these include greens, lots of greens.  especially bitter greens.  also includes fiber, and citrus.  lots of veggies.  so this inspired my dinner i made for alex and me sunday night, the Big Salad.  it was too delicious to be forgotten!

Big Salad, serves 2

Ingredients:
Juice of two lemons
6 garlic cloves
1 scallion
olive oil, divided
honey to taste
salt and pepper to taste
dash of cayenne
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
balsamic, divided
pint cherry tomatoes
half red onion
arugula
half roasted pepper, sliced
1 carrot, shaved, grated, or julienned
sunflower seeds

Directions:
in a small food processor combine first seven ingredients.  my lemons were quite sour so i needed a lot of honey to balance it out.  Soak beans in dressing while preparing rest of ingredients.
half cherry tomatoes.  toss with olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.  slow roast on rack at about 300-350 degrees, depending on time.
dice red onion and saute on medium heat until beginning to brown.  add salt and splash of balsamic, lower heat and saute until beginning to caramelize.
divide arugula between two bowls.  top with tomatoes, beans/dressing, onions, carrots, roasted pepper, sunflower seeds.  Serve and enjoy!