Month: October 2016

Twice-Baked & Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Twice-Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Twice-Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Happy Hump Day! Are you having a nice week? The weather here is warm again after a few really cold days last week… make up your mind, Durham! I guess there is a reason I never put away my summer OR winter clothes all year.

Anyone who knows me at all knows my obsession with sweet potatoes. My dentist actually asked me a few years ago if I ate a lot of them because the inside of my mouth was orange.

Umm… *sheepish smile*

Recently I came across the MOST LEGIT LIFE HACK EVER. Sweet potato toasts! You can actually slice a sweet potato and toast it in the toaster like bread! I obviously had to try it.

But let’s get to the point of this post. Twice-baked, stuffed sweet potatoes. Apparently I was in the mood for them after coming back from my weekend in Texas, where I was celebrating a dear friend’s bachelorette party.

But let’s be real. Anything sweet potato-related that is mixed with cream cheese, butter, and spices is craveable all year long. So here you have it! Twice-baked sweet potatoes, this time with ground turkey.

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Twice-Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Twice-Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

These have meat in them for all you hungry men like my husband out there, but you could easily make them vegetarian- just sub in lentils or leave it out completely! Goat cheese for topping is a must.

They can also be easily frozen to be reheated later on… perhaps for Thanksgiving? (OK that may be a bit TOO long… but in my mind the freezer stops time). Maybe try your next game day meal- your guests won’t be able to stop themselves!

Twice-Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Fall, Comfort Food
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Comforting and autumnal! They can also be easily frozen to be reheated later on… perhaps for Thanksgiving? (OK that may be a bit TOO long… but in my mind the freezer stops time).
Ingredients
  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 1 package lean ground turkey
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 oz. spinach
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp each garlic powder, cumin, parsley
  • 1/8 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
  • avocado slices
  • goat cheese
Instructions
  1. Microwave potatoes on high for 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, or until fork tender. Slice lengthwise.
  2. Using a spoon, scoop out inside of potato, leaving a little potato in the skins.
  3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium. Cook ground turkey on medium high heat until done, about 6-8 min. Add sweet potato filling, spinach, butter, cream cheese, milk, and all spices. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until well incorporated.
  4. Gently scoop filling into potato skins, and top with avocado slices and goat cheese, plus more parsley if desired.
  5. Bake at 350 deg, covered, for 20 minutes, then 10 mins uncovered until goat cheese has melted.
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Hope you enjoy!

ClaireLeave a comment

Happy National Salmon Day! Salmon w/ Lemon Mustard Dill Sauce

Happy National Salmon Day!

Today Ben and I were supposed to go to Charlottesville, VA for our annual apple picking trip at Carter Mountain. Buttttt… then this thing happened called Hurricane Matthew. And the Carolinas looked like this:

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So as you might expect, Carter Mountain will have to wait. I told Ben that I WILL NOT TAINT my perfect memories of 4 years in a row of sunny, crisp autumn days where there are kids running around and long lines for apple cider doughnuts. Even last year was pushing it because all the Stayman apples were at the very tops of the trees. I just about gave Ben a heart attack because I insisted on climbing all the trees to get the good ones. Totally worth it for those apples.

I just hope that Matthew doesn’t drown all the ones that are left! We still have a month of apple season left!

I needed an outlet for my disappointment. So I spent my day making chocolate chip pumpkin muffins and celebrating National Salmon Day!

Salmon with Lemon Mustard Dill Sauce
Salmon with Lemon Mustard Dill Sauce

National Salmon was completely not on my radar until a few weeks ago when I read it online somewhere. I immediately put it on my calendar. Then, when I saw this post from Anne a few days ago I knew I had to recreate it in celebration!

I’ll vouch that this recipe will not disappoint. I didn’t follow the recipe exactly, as I can’t stand measuring things and decided to use a little more dill and lemon juice. I also served it over a quinoa and farro blend with roasted eggplant, zucchini, and curried cauliflower on the side. I LOVED the lemon mustard dill sauce, though! Tangy but also creamy enough to use as a dressing for the veggies as well.

Hope you enjoy like I did!

Happy National Salmon Day! Salmon w/ Lemon Mustard Dill Sauce
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Cuisine: National Salmon Day
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Happy National Salmon Day! How are you celebrating? This recipe was adapted from Anne Mauney at FANNetasticfood.com (http://www.fannetasticfood.com/2016/10/05/salmon-with-lemon-mustard-dill-sauce/) in honor of this special holiday! Enjoy!
Ingredients
  • For the Marinade:
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 4 small or 2 large salmon fillets
  • For the Sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients for the marinade, then dredge salmon fillets in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Combine ingredients for the lemon mustard sauce in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  4. Place salmon in a foil-lined baking dish and bake 15-20 minutes (if from frozen), or 10-15 (if thawed), or until it flakes easily with a fork. (Mine took about 18 minutes!)
  5. Drizzle with sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grain and veggie of your choosing!

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Salmon with Lemon Mustard Dill Sauce

How are you celebrating National Salmon Day?

ClaireLeave a comment

Roasted Eggplant and Curried Cauliflower Grain Bowl

Roasted Eggplant and Curried Cauliflower Grain Bowl
Roasted Eggplant and Curried Cauliflower Grain Bowl

Happy October! Even though it’s hard every year to see summer come to a close, I can’t help but feel a little excited thinking about the hustle and bustle of fall- back to school, turning the heat on for the first time, bubble baths, crisp evenings, and all things apples. Next week Ben and I are taking our annual apple picking trip to Carter Mountain– my favorite day of the year! Bring on the winesap, stayman, and apple cider doughnuts! Crossing my fingers for good weather up there!

This week, right on cue, I started craving roasted vegetables. For some reason I’ve been super into eggplant recently. Maybe because of it’s slightly meaty texture and the fact that you can customize it with just about any spice.

For this one, I went for an Indian curry profile, using garam masala (my favorite new spice blend- have you tried it in my Brown Butter Molasses Cookies yet?) and cumin to spice things up. I tossed on a can of chickpeas, as well as some red onion, tomato, sliced zucchini, and cauliflower.

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I could not stop eating this right off the sheet. #trueconfessions

You could do a lot with these roasted veggies alone, like put them in a stew, serve as a side dish for a beautiful autumnal salad, or do what I did and use them in a grain bowl! I had some cooked lentil and farro, so I tossed some of these on top of the grains with some spinach, then topped with a nice runny egg and some feta crumbles. I bet goat cheese would be excellent as well!

Roasted Zucchini Curried Cauliflower Grain Bowl
Roasted Zucchini Curried Cauliflower Grain Bowl

(Side note: have you tried the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Hot Stuff Sauce at Whole Foods? I am obsessed. We are having a game night tonight and I may just have to make them.)

Hope you enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant and Curried Cauliflower Grain Bowl
Recipe Type: Salad, Main Dish
Cuisine: Vegetarian, Indian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Looking for a hearty but healthy salad to celebrate the beginning of autumn? Try this spicy and savory grain bowl with a nice big Indian kick!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium eggplant, sliced into discs 1/4″ thick
  • 3-4 medium zucchini, sliced thinly
  • 1 head cauliflower, brokein into florets
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • extra virgin olive oil (about 3-4 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garam masala or other Indian spice blend
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Optional: cooked grain (I used lentils/farro), egg, feta or goat cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 deg.
  2. Line two large cookie sheets with silpat or cooking spray.
  3. Layer eggplant and zucchini on sheet so that they are slightly overlapping. Top with red onion and drizzle with about 2 tbsp olive oil.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together all spices until combined. Sprinkle on about half of this mixture to the vegetables.
  5. Add the cauliflower and chickpeas, drizzle with remaining olive oil and spice blend.
  6. Bake at 400 deg for 50 minutes until chickpeas are crispy and cauliflower is golden-brown.
  7. Allow to cool, then remove from pan and use on top of your favorite grains for a satisfying and healthy side, or top with poached egg and crumbled feta to make it a meal!
Roasted Eggplant and Curried Cauliflower
Roasted Eggplant and Curried Cauliflower

ClaireLeave a comment