Monday, January 8, 2018

Kale Salad with Roasted Smokey Sweet Potatoes

When I think of salads, I almost always think of summer.  Crisp lettuce topped with fresh veggies....perfect dinner for a hot day.  Not this salad.  This salad is perfect for a cold winter day.  Smokey roasted sweet potatoes on top of kale is comfort in a salad.  Top it off with a creamy cilantro dressing and boom.  Dinner is served.

Kale Salad with Roasted Smokey Sweet Potatoes
Makes 2 entrees or 4 sides


Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp kosher salt + one pinch
Creamy Cilantro Yogurt Dressing or dressing of your choice
Additional toppings - corn, black beans, cheddar, chicken, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, etc.

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Remove kale from stems, tear into bite-sized pieces and rinse and dry well - I like to use a salad spinner similar to this one for this.  Once clean and dried, place into a large bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Massage the kale thoroughly with your fingers.  This will help tenderize the kale and will result in kale that is not so fibrous to eat.  Set kale aside.

2.  Toss the sweet potato with the remaining tbsp of olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.  Once coated, transfer to a baking sheet. 

3.  Roast the sweet potato pieces for 20-25 minutes, turning once.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

4.  While the sweet potatoes cool, build your kale with any other toppings you desire - I really like black beans, avocado and green onions.  Jason likes his topped with spicy chicken.  Add the sweet potatoes on top, drizzle with dressing and enjoy!


~ Sara :)

*This post contains an affiliate link

Creamy Cilantro Yogurt Dressing

I don't know about you, but I will pick a creamy dressing over a vinaigrette any day.  Don't get me wrong, there are some pretty delicious vinaigrettes out there, but I just love the consistency of a creamy dressing more.  Unfortunately, creamy dressings usually come with a pretty high calorie and fat content.  That's where Greek yogurt comes into play.  Loaded with protein, it adds creaminess without all the calories.  I like this dressing with my Kale Salad with Roasted Smokey Sweet Potatoes, but would be a great addition to any salad!

Creamy Cilantro Yogurt Dressing
Makes about 1 cup

     

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup tightly packed cilantro
1/4 olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
Pinch of salt & pepper
Additional lime juice or water to thin dressing, if necessary

Directions:

1.  Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until combined.  If the dressing is too thick, add more lime juice or water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach desired consistency.  Use immediately or store in a mason jar for up to one week in the fridge.

     

~ Sara :)

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Creamy Tomato Soup with Ravioli

This winter has been extremely cold so far!  I have been craving alllll the soups in hopes of adding a little warmth to our bellies.  Who doesn't love a good ol' tomato soup?  I let this cook away all day in my crock pot, but it would also be great cooked on the stove.  It could easily be made vegan by omitting the heavy cream and parmesan.  Speaking of parmesan, a parmesan rind is a great addition to this soup.  I keep all my rinds in the freezer and love to add them to any tomato based soup or stew.  I used a spinach and ricotta filled ravioli for this batch, but any ravioli or tortellini would be great!

Creamy Tomato Soup with Ravioli
Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

56-64 oz whole canned tomatoes
2 cups diced carrots
1 large onion, diced
1 head of garlic (6-8 cloves), peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt*
1 bay leaf
2 cups veggie broth
Parmesan rind (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
9-16 oz tortellini or ravioli
Grated parmesan for serving

Directions:

1.  Dump the tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, bay leaf, veggie broth, and parmesan rind into a 6 quart crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

2.  Thirty minutes before serving, remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind.  Puree the soup either by using an immersion blender or, working in batches, carefully ladling the hot soup into a blender.  Once the soup is nice and smooth, stir in the heavy cream and pasta.   Cover, and allow to cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through.

3.  Serve, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan, and enjoy!


~ Sara :)

*Depending on the sodium content of your tomatoes and veggie broth, you may need more or less salt.