African Sweet Potato Stew with Red Beans

So here are some facts for you....

1. I have been receiving and cooking with local produce for 14 months.
2. I have been cooking with recipes for 13 months.
3. Dennis and I have been dating for 12 months.

So when I tell Dennis he started dating me at the right time, I am not kidding. I had just decided to get serious about cooking and started to really explore. Before, I just roasted vegetables and served it over couscous. Yummy single food, but let's be honest girls... that's no way to win a man's confidence.

What does this mean? It means Dennis has put up with being fed homemade meals regularly (I know, so hard!). Also, I finally get to enjoy some recipes I cooked last year and build on my collection with new additions.

The first seasonal repeater is a recipe from Cooking Light: Slow Cooker. No it's not specifically for two (which sadly has become a theme lately). But Dennis has requested more leftovers so that he can eat them for lunch. This saves him money and is generally healthier than anything he can get around his office. This stew would also freeze very well. In fact, I might have to freeze 2 portions for a rainy day.

Because I still had tomatoes around, I used about 3 cups of chopped tomato instead of a can of diced tomatoes. I didn't take very many pictures because.... slow cooking is kind of boring. You dump all the ingredients in and 8 hours later it's ready to go! The recipe says you only need one lime wedge and like 1/2 tablespoon of peanuts. But really, I could skip the peanuts and double the lime juice. The tang from the lime really adds a fun kick . Dennis and I really enjoy this recipe. It's a very filling vegetarian (vegan) stew. The only thing I might add is some cornbread.

This is the only photo I have. So deal.

African Sweet Potato Stew with Red Beans
(Serves 6)

2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove
4 c. peeled, cubed sweet potato
1 1/2 c. cooked small red beans
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. chopped red bell pepper
1/2 c. water
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
14.5 oz diced tomatoes
4.5 oz chopped green chilies
3 tbs creamy peanut butter
3 tbs dry roasted peanuts
6 lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a non-stick skilled over medium-heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook 5 minutes (or till tender).

2. Place onion mix in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add sweet potato and next 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

3. Spoon 1 c. cooking liquid into a small bowl. Add peanut butter; stir well with a whisk. Stir peanut butter mix into stew. Serve with peanuts and lime on each serving.

Meatless Monday | Sweet Potato Burritos

Sweet potatoes and I started out on the wrong foot when I was younger. The weird texture and sweet flavor was too much for my tween taste buds to handle. The consistency was a lot like squash and back in the day... squash was my arch enemy.

Oh the horror!

But we aren't talking about my breakthrough with squash today. But soon my friends, soon. Through some miracle (of the butter and brown sugar kind) I came to love sweet potatoes. And on all those Live Journal quizzes under favorite food was proudly listed "Sweet Potato".

Since then, I have discovered all kinds of yummy ways to eat sweet potatoes (with a fox in a box). So when I found this recipe I knew I had to try it. Sadly, I do not know where I got this one. I just have it saved in a document and I am just now testing it out.


I cut this recipe down by a lot. I was only feeding two people, so there was no reason to make twelve burritos. However, I didn't want to have that "half a open can of beans" conundrum. So I just used a single can of black beans instead of 1.5 cans. I used a single can of black beans and about 1 cup water. It was a little too much water, but I let the water cook out and I got a nice consistency. I used two medium sized sweet potatoes and that was the perfect amount. I baked the taters, let them cool, and then scraped the flesh out with a knife.

The recipe also calls for burrito sized tortillas. I could not find whole wheat burrito sized tortillas. So I used fajita sized whole wheat tortillas - they came in a pack of eight. I mismanaged my fillings and only came out with seven burritos. Next time I'll try to spare out the filling a little better to get eight.

These could definitely be frozen on a cookie sheet and then put into a zip top bag. Then you could pull one out and heat it up in the microwave. While these burritos look kind of small, they are very filling. I'd serve them with slaw or some other green veggie.

If you make the full recipe be prepared for lots of left overs. Division is your friend! These would be great for game day or feeding a bunch of people on the cheap. However, if it's just you and your room mate. Enjoy two or three and freeze the rest for another day. Enjoy!

Tip: Put the filling to the side.

Sweet Potato Burrito
(Serves 12)


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans, drained (variation: black beans)
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded FF Cheddar or Soy Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.

3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.

4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

Meatless Monday | Veggie Stuffed Peppers

I have talked about the Don’t Panic method before when I made Tuna Noodle Bake. It was okay, not the best thing I ever made. I actually still have the stuff on hand to make another pan, but it may not happy. As summer vegetables are at their peak and only have a couple of months left, I am going to start making larger dishes that can be easily frozen. Casseroles in August? I must be crazy. But it’s the easiest way to use up the large quantities of produce. Cooking for two is great, but using half a squash and a small onion doesn’t get you through your Grow Alabama box.

Let me tell you about summer’s bounty. I somehow had 11 ears of corn in my fridge last week. What the heck was I going to make with 11 ears of corn? Well first off I made two batches of Corn and Bacon Chowder and froze them in freezer bags. That will be tasty in December when my fridge won’t know what fresh corn looks like.

Last week I made Veggie Stuffed Peppers. It’s a Weight Watcher’s recipe (from the cookbook TurnAround) that I decided to make because I was feeding three people and because I had corn, tomatoes, and bell pepper that was taking up way too much space in my fridge. The recipe actually calls for using frozen corn and canned tomatoes… but I had it on hand, so I just used fresh. They were a hit with the roomie and the boyfriend. So I decided to make them again and freeze them (because I still have corn, pepper, and a can of tomatoes to use up).

And because it's Meatless Monday, I thought this would be the perfect recipe to share.

The pictures below show the first go round when I had the pretty yellow and red peppers. Later, I only had green peppers and so that’s what I used. These would even be tasty with pablano peppers (probably my favorite mild green pepper).

I added a little bit of cheese.

Veggie Stuffed Peppers

(Serves Four)

4 red bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernals, thawed

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup cooked brown rice

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the bell peppers until tender, about 4 minutes, then drain.

2. To prepare the filling, spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, chili powder, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice.

3. Stuff the filling into each bell-pepper half. Place the stuffed peppers in a shallow 2-quart casserole. Cover with foil and bake until heated through, 20-25 minutes.

A note on freezing: The peppers could have been frozen several different ways. Firstly, I baked them before I froze them. Next time I might just wait to make them until the day I decide to make them. They could have been frozen on cookie sheets, wrapped in paper, and put in a freezer bag. I could have taken out one or two peppers depending on who I was feeding. But I chose to get some small aluminum pans and put two servings (4 halves) in each pan. I am not sure how I will reheat them yet. Either I’ll let them thaw and microwave or I’ll put them frozen directly into the oven and baked them until they are warmed through.

Meatless Monday | Fresh Corn Risotto

Y'all, I have never made a risotto in my life. I only use my slow cooker to make the occasional batch of bean burrito filling or homemade yogurt. Both are pretty awesome, but aren't what I would classify as cooking. The only thing I associate with slow cooking is pot roast with the usual potatoes, carrots, and onions. I ate that more times than I care to remember as a child. So my slow cooker lives on the bottom shelf under my counter where it waits oh so patiently to be used.

I came across a cool little cookbook called Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker: Recipes for Two and as always it took some patiencs to find something that utilized fresh produce, but I found a few. Fresh Corn Risotto was actually at the bottom of my list to try. But I found myself with a lot of corn from my box, and I had already made two batches of Corn and Bacon Chowder. So I went and shelled out $8 for Arborio Rice and made it. It turns out, that cover of the book is actually this recipe. That should have been my tip off.

DELICIOUS! Mine was even a little overcooked and it was still tasty. All you have to do it saute the rice with onion, dump it in your slow cooker, pour broth over it and let it cook. Then you add the other ingredients at varying times. I did have some complications with the cooking times. I added the corn after an hour and a 1/2 like it said. For my slow cooker, I should have added it in after an hour and let it finish cooking for 30 minutes. I might even experiment with putting it on low for the last hour too. My rice was mushy... but it didn't stop either of us from chowing down.

I wasn't really sure if the book intended it to be a meal or a side. I assumed side and served it with some grilled chicken (obviously not served on Monday - oh the magic of blogging). We had some left over, which Dennis ate for lunch later (sans meat). In the future, it may just be an entree in its self. I might just add some shrimp on top next time. But even as an entree this serves up hefty portions. It would be perfect as a side for 3-4 people as well.

Fresh Corn Risotto
Serves Two (as an entree)

Cooker: 1 ½ quart
Setting and Cook Time: High for 2 to 2 ½ hours; corn added after 1 ½ hours.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups chicken or light vegetable broth
2 ears yellow or white corn, shucked and kernels cut off
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged Asiago cheese, plus more for serving.
1 plum tomato (optional), seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil


1. In a small saute pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the shallot and rice and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes, until the rice turns chalky and is coasted with the butter. Scrape into the slow cooker with a heatproof rubber spatula. Add the broth.

2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 ½ hours. Stir in the corn and re-cover quickly. Cook for another 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. The risotto should be only a bit liquidy, and the rice should be al dente, tender with just a touch of tooth resistance. Add the butter and season with the salt and pepper. Cover and wait a minute for the butter soften. Stir in the cheese, the tomato, if using, and the basil. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese for sprinkling.

Meatless Monday | Eggplant Parmesan

Ugh, this post started as a background story on how I came to eat the way I do now. But it was turning into a memoir, and I would like to keep some of my life a mystery. Basically, over the last few years I have realized the importance of eating fresh vegetables and high quality ingredients. I am not a vegetarian, but I don't eat a lot of meat. I do not believe meat is evil, I believe the modern meat industry is. I read a great article on Civil Eats about this topic, please read it here. The author explains Meatless Monday campaign in a way that makes sense. It's not just PETA protesters throwing paint on hummers, it's also people who want quality nutritious meat that doesn't have huge environmental impacts. She also points out, if you eat less meat on an every day/every meal basis - then you can afford to buy the better quality. She has definitely inspired me to really step up the quality of my meat.

So every Monday I will post a new meatless recipe. Today's recipe is a very in season and yummy classic, Eggplant Parmesan. I got it from the William-Sanoma cookbook Cooking for Yourself. It's not the deep fried version that grandma makes, but something a little more waistline friendly. Don't worry... there is cheese on it! And there is a very cool homemade tomato sauce with it (perfect for the bountiful crops here in Alabama). I made this last week while Dennis was out of town. One of my friends from college came over and ate with me. We caught up, ate, and drank wine. It was good times.


It's pretty easy to make. Takes about an hour from start to finish. The recipe claims to serve one, but I think my eggplants may have been bigger than what the writers intended. They probably purchased the cookie cutter produce from some upscale market. Mine came from a local farm through my Grow Alabama box. Maybe if I ate only the casserole, it could have passed as a single serving. But I actually got about 3 servings out of it. If Dennis had been there, it would have been a solid two. He is bummed he missed out and I've promised to make it the next time I get eggplant. This time last year I got eggplant on a regular basis until about September.

The recipe calls for grated Roma tomatoes. I did not use Roma, I used whatever the tomato was in my box. And I put mine through the food processor. Easy peasy. I did add a pinch of chili flakes to my sauce and one extra clove of garlic, but that was it. At first, I didn't think there would be enough sauce, but it was just the right amount. For kicks, I added the left over breadcrumbs from the Spaghetti with Fried Eggs recipe. This recipe instantly earned it's spot in my soon to be made binder.

I served it with whole wheat pasta and a cucumber salad.

The ingredients, tres simple.

Testing out my new cast iron griddle pan.

Making the sauce.

Fresh out of the oven.

Eggplant Parmesan
(Serves 1-2)

Ingredients:
2 Asian Eggplants, 6-8 oz total weight
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup grated plum (Roma) tomatoes
4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
2/3 cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat a broiler (griller).

2. Trim ends off the eggplants, then cut lengthwise into slices ¼ inch thick. Using the 1 tablespoon olive oil, lightly brush both sides of the eggplant slices and arrange on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Slip under the broiler and broil (grill) until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Turn and broil until lightly browned on the second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the slices to paper towels to drain.

3. Preheat an oven to 375F.

4. In a small frying pan over medium heat, warm the 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the tomato and basil and season with salt and pepper. Simmer briskly, stirring often, until the mixture forms a sauce, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

5. Choose a baking dish just large enough to hold the eggplant in 2 layers. Arrange half of the eggplant in the baking dish, then spread with half of the tomato sauce. Top with half of the mozzarella. Repeat the layers, then top with the Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake until bubbling hot and the cheese is nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before eating.