Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

Little Michelle made these for a picnic that we went on recently. They are wonderful and healthy! The recipe comes from the Eating Bird Food blog.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

This is a copycat recipe created with the HSH Quinoa Sweet Potato Cakes served in the prepared foods section at my local Whole Foods. I like these quinoa cakes served hot, at room temperature, or even leftover and cold straight out of the fridge. Make them into burger size patties or make smaller cakes and serve them as appetizers! This recipe makes a lot (2.5 lbs of quinoa cake “dough”) but the baked patties do freeze well!

* 1 lb. sweet potatoes (2 medium sized), peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions
* 1 cup lundburg wild rice blend, cooked according to package directions
* ½ cup green onions, sliced
* ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
* 1 tablespoon dried sage
* ½ tablespoon sea salt
* ½ teaspoon black pepper

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Steam sweet potato chunks for 20-25 minutes. Then puree sweet potatoes in stand mixer. You could also use a food processor or blender.
3. Combine mashed sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa, cooked rice, green onions, cranberries, sage, salt and pepper.
4. Form and flatten portions of the “dough” into patties.
5. Lay the patties onto parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or stoneware) and bake for 15-20 minutes until they’re lightly brown and crisp on the outside.
6. Serve warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge.

Jamie Oliver Recipes

I'm a tad in love with this man...

Green Salad

Farro Salad with Roasted Veg

Greek Salad

Pesto

Party Squash Soup

Mexican Barbecued Corn on the Cobb

Spicy Parsnip Soup

The Best Pasta Salad

Stir Fried Vegetables

Yogurt Pops

Birthday Strawberry Shortcake

Birthday Strawberry Shortcake
Inspired by Cafe Gratitude's "I Am Rapture"

This recipe is for a 9" diameter spring-form pan. All of the ingredients except for the lecithin and coconut butter/oil can be purchased at Trader Joe's (you can find lecithin & coconut butter/oil at Whole Foods).

Cake
2 cups well packed dates, chopped
¾ cup raw, unscented coconut butter
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups almond meal, almond flour, or left-over pulp from making almond milk (wet pulp is fine)
3 cups strawberries

Whipped Cream/Frosting
2 cup soaked/drained cashews
2 cups coconut milk (you can use canned milk, or simply blend 1 part dried coconut with 3 parts water in high speed blender)
½ cup honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup melted coconut butter
2 tablespoons lecithin (found at Whole Foods or another health food store)

**If you want to have pink filling, add a handful or so of strawberries during the final blend. Also, if you want to “frost” the entire outside edge of the cake make a double recipe of the cream**

Strawberry Layer and Decoration
3 cups strawberries, sliced or diced (depending on how you like it)

Assembly:
To make the Whipped Cream:
Blend all ingredients except lecithin and coconut butter until smooth. Add lecithin and coconut butter and blend until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a wide, shallow pan and set in fridge for about 1 hr.

To make the Cake:
Place dates in food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. You may need to add a little water. Then add the rest of the ingredients except the almond flour and mix until smooth. Finally mix in the almond flour by hand. When thoroughly mixed separate cake into two equal portions.

Cake Assembly:
Grease a spring-form pan with a little coconut butter. It might also be useful to put wax paper on the bottom portion of the pan. Next, form an even layer on the bottom with ½ of the cake mixture, followed by some of the whipped cream. Top with 1/2 of the strawberries, and some more whipped cream. Set in fridge for 20 minutes or longer. Add the second and final layer of cake, and then set in the fridge for 20 minutes or more. Finally, add the final layer of cream frosting and strawberries, and make sure that the strawberries on top are decorated/arranged the way you want them! Leave in the fridge until you serve the yummy cake!

Inspired By Joshua Pumpkin Soup

Joshua gave me the idea for this yummy soup, and I made it with Cassie last night. I love it!

1. Saute some garlic and lemon grass in sesame oil.
2. Strain the garlic and lemon grass bits when done.
3. Add SOME of the flavored oil to pumpkin puree (save some of the oil to saute the greens), and put it all in a pot.
4. Add a can of coconut water to the pot.
5. With the saved oil saute up an onion and some chopped greens (I used chard and mustard greens, as well as some broccoli flowers. You could probably use any greens that you had around that looked yummy.).
6. Add the greens/onion to the pot.
7. Eat your yummy soup! I enjoyed adding lime juice to my bowl as I ate it.

Scrumdiddlyumptious Squash Soup

Put everything in a soup pot:

Bake 1-2 pumpkins, depending on size
Saute 1/2 to 1 onions in olive oil
add fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme
add carrots and celery
paprika (or cayenne), pepper, salt

Puree all with a hand blender, oh and you'll need to add some water too.

mmm...mmmm...mm!

Amy's Amazingly Delicious, Creamy, Squash Risotto

Olive oil,
Garlic and
Onion.
1 Kabacha squash.
1 cup white wine
1.5 cup Arborio rice (or risotto)
1 box vegetable broth

1. Bake the squash (when it is done cut it into small pieces)
2. Sauté onion and garlic in oil.
3. Add rice and sauté five minutes
4. Add wine and stir until wine disappears
5. Add vegetable broth one cup at a time, stirring constantly.
6. Cook on medium/low until liquid is absorbed.
6. At the end stir in the squash.
7. Add salt to taste.