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.

Weekly Menu | Week of Sept 27

The thing about last week was, it was a lot like the previous week. Social engagements caused us to eat out a bit. Thursday we went to the new Railroad Park. It's a fantastic space! Friday night Dennis had VIP passes to The Sidewalk Film Festival. We skipped dinner because there was a pre-party to the opening night film. So that meant free food and drink. However, we ran late and by the time we got there all that was left was chicken salad on crostini and some broke pita chips. So what did I have for dinner? Four glasses of red wine and a bite of chicken salad. Let's just say I had a good time.

I did see some excellent films this weekend. My favorite was Exit Through the Gift Shop. I volunteered so I was able to see my fill of films for free!

Something very exciting happened this weekend in Alabama. The heat wave finally broke and the weather man claims that the 90+ heat should not return. This is exciting and sad at the same time. Exciting because I am ready for the new season, but sad cause I know that I will be perpetually cold until March 2011.

So here is this week's Menu! I am going to be cooking a lot to freeze. I have some vegetables that must get used up now before they go bad (to avoid a Food Waste Friday like this). These soups and dinners will come in handy in the dead of winter when I don't get boxes. AND I think I did an excellent job of keeping the budget under control!

Monday: Okra with Tomatoes and Ginger, Whole Grain Rice Pilaf , Salad
Tuesday: Corn and Black-Bean Salad Bundles, Lime Cilantro Slaw
Wednesday: Lamb Chops with Lebanese Green Beans, Whole Grain Rice Pilaf, Salad
Thursday: Golden Summer Squash and Corn Soup, Salad
Friday: Fiesta Bean Burritos
Saturday: Sweet Potato Soup, Leftovers
Sunday: Spaghetti with Fried Eggs, Leftovers

Cooking to Freeze:
Double batch of Sweet Potato Soup
Double batch of Golden Summer Squash and Corn Soup
Eggplant Parmesan
Cajun Tomato Soup (if I have any tomatoes left over at all)


What does your menu look like this week?

Weekly Menu

Sometimes you make a plan and it doesn't work. Last week is a prime example. Just didn't follow any of my plans... Some things came up in our schedules and when we did have time I was too tired to cook. The funny thing about planning menus is that you can't always plan the mood you will be in 4 days from now. Last week, I did manage to make a frittata to use up some eggplant and squash. And I made the stew today but won't be eating it until tomorrow.

There will be some repeats from last week, because I still have the items on hand to use up. Some of the meals are for two and some are just for me when Dennis is busy working. I am aslo trying to get back to sticking to the budget again. So some things aren't even really recipes (Wednesday for example). But who said you need recipes?

Some new things I am also trying is the Sneaky Chef approach. Not because Dennis is a picky eater, but because he picked out the book and I like the idea of boosting the nutrition of our food. But if your boyfriend is picky then the cookbooks might really help you.

Monday - Sweet Potato African Stew
Tuesday - Boiled Shrimp, "Fried" Okra, Sneaky Chef Slaw
Wednesday - Dinner out w/Friends
Thursday -Sneaky Chef Tuna Salad over lettuce and tomatoes
Friday - Fiesta Been Burritos
Saturday - Spaghetti with Fried Eggs, Sliced Tomatoes
Sunday - Black Bean Smothered Sweet Potatoes & Side Salad
Tuna Salad w/Tomatoes & Crackers

Food Waste Friday - Mother Load

So this week I have managed throw away:

Quart of Fruit
1/2 a Quart of Soup
Quart of Cut Vegetables
Spinach & Chicken Quesadilla
Bag of apples
More peaches
4 Slices of uncooked bacon
One whole cucumber


The first four items were given to me and most likely would have been thrown away regardless. But I could have refused and maybe they would have gotten eat. But not likely. I did manage to salvage one of the cucumbers. Half was used on a salad the other was thrown into a jar with some vinegar and seasonings... maybe my pickles will taste good. I did unearth some strange variety of yellow squash that went into a frittata.

Overall, this week was the mother load of my reported food waste. Yuck!

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.

Weekly Menu

For a while I was doing great with planning the menus and making sure they fit into our budget. What has happened is that I plan a menu, but don't really consider the cost. The side effect is that we usually skip grocery trips here and there so that we stay within the budget. Then we can't find convenient times or the energy to go the store. So we eat out.

I've also let my eating habits go downhill just a bit. Dennis and I have both expressed desires to eat healthier and for whatever reason I keep finding ways to eat out, eat cake, and generally anything that I shouldn't eat. So hopefully the blog humiliation factor will kick my butt into gear.

So the goal is to post a menu plan every Sunday. Keep in mind, I don't get my box until Wednesday and sometimes what they say will be in the box isn't always what's in the box. But that is part of the adventure of cooking. Also, breakfast and lunch during the week won't be posted. I am generally eating lunch from work and Dennis usually eats leftovers.

Monday - Eggplant Parmesan over Whole Wheat Pasta
Tuesday - African Sweet Potato Stew
Wednesday - Okra and Chickpea Curry over Brown Rice
Thursday - Dinner out with Friends
Friday - Fish and Chips & Lime Cilantro Slaw
Saturday - Black Bean Smothered Sweet Potatoes & Side Salad
Tomato Soup over Whole Wheat Couscous & Side Salad
Sunday - Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Lime Cilantro Slaw



We are shifting into a new season of produce, but I still have a few tomatoes that are keeping well. For example, peaches are still in the box but now I am getting sweet potatoes and cabbage instead of tomatoes and squash. All of the recipes for this week are new for the blog, but several of them I made last year. I'll also probably be freezing some stuff later in the week. So lots of good things to look forward to on the blog.

Food Waste Friday - Peach Fuzz Edition

I love peaches.

They make summer worth it. There is just something about that delicate fruit that calls to me. Sure, canned peaches don't taste bad. But they don't really taste that good (trust me, I try to convince myself otherwise with every can).

I can bite into that fuzzy flesh with no problem at all.

And let's not forget the peaches best quality... it kind of looks like a butt. And something about fuzzy butts leads to lots of off color jokes that I enjoy so much.

But in all their glories, they have one downfall. They like to rot and they like to rot fast.

The expression one bad apple ruins the bunch should change. I've had apples in a bowl that will last longer than a month and never rot like a peach. However, you put peaches in a bowl together and in less than a week you'll have a bowl full of muck with fruit flies taking over your small South Side apartment.


Now I am sure you are all wondering why I just don't eat them all, make cobbler for two, or make that peach ice cream I promised my room mate? The answer is... I don't know.

So for this long overdue Food Waste Friday, I can proudly report that I haven't thrown anything away but a few stray peaches over the last few weeks. But I am going to gobble up every peach in site. Because this is most likely the last week I'll see fresh peaches until next June.

So long my fuzzy friends.