Tag Archives: bloggers

Simple, Fun and Delicious Sweet Potatoes – Blogger Contest Inspiration

March 17, 2012
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The No More Mallows Blogger Recipe Contest is in full swing, and I just want to say….Keep those recipe’s coming in, bloggers! I am always amazed to see how creative the contest entries are.  But with an ingredient like sweet potatoes, it is hard not to be inspired.  As I pointed out in the last post, our sassy sweets really do lend themselves to any recipe, and not just as a mere ingredient, but as the star!  From Breakfast, to Dessert, this superfood can do it all.  All while providing you with more antioxidants than you can poke a stick at.  That’s probably why Health Writers at the Washington Post said they provide a health boost that can help prevent all sort of woes, including wrinkles. How’s that for awesome!

It’s easy to put together a delish dish, without breaking the bank on exotic ingredients. And you don’t have to be a master chef either.  As a matter of fact, most cooks that I know would prefer to keep it simple in the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice flavor. Take a look at this Sweet Potato Salad. It only takes a few minutes, but wow does it pack a lot of flavor…Pistachios add a little crunch, cherries add a hint of tartness to balance the natural sweetness of the main ingredient, spring greens add a hint of bitterness and a balsamic vinaigrette rounds everything out.  But here’s the most important part – the sweet potatoes are allowed to shine.  No syrupy sauce or gooey marshmallow topping needed here, thank you very much. 

PS As a Southern Girl, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that toasted pecans work equally well in this dish.  Have fun cooking and be sure to send in your creation, it might just be a winner!

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Greens,  Pistachios and Cherries

 Ingredients

2 pounds North Carolina Sweet Potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup of your favorite herbed or balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
6 cups spring mix greens
1/2 cup Dried Cherries
5 ounces goat cheese, thinly sliced (optional)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

Instructions

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel yams and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Place on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven and whisk together remaining oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add greens and cherries and toss lightly. Immediately add hot yams to bowl and toss again. Place in 6 salad bowls and top each with goat cheese, if desired. Sprinkle with pistachios. Makes 6 servings.

St Patrick’s Day Sweet Potato Stew – No More Mallows!

March 13, 2012
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As announced last week, it is time for our Annual Blogger Recipe Contest with the theme of ‘No More Mallows’.  Regular readers know that sassy sweets are such a versatile and adaptable ingredient that it really is a shame to condemn them to a monotonous culinary role as “that marshmallow casserole.” To me, it’s like taking a fine dry-aged prime-rib and using it to make a chicken fried steak.  Sure, it would probably taste good, but think of the potential cuisine that could have been.

Here is a little inspiration for your recipes. Over the past few years, this blog has highlighted sweet potato biscuits, nachos, cookies, pizza, soup, salad, ice cream, burritos, and sandwiches. Out sassy sweets have been paired with endive, mushrooms, quinoa, avocados, oranges, and even chocolate.  They have been featured in Italian, Spanish, German, Mexican, Indian, Jamaican, Korean, Jewish, Chinese, and American cuisine where they were fried, grilled, boiled, baked, sauteed, fricasseed, juiced, gravied, frozen and even served raw….all without a mallow in sight. 

And that’s not all. The sweet potato truly is the wonder of the kitchen.  It is a superfood that tastes delicious…How does it get any better than that?  I doubt I could eat spirulina every day, but sweet potatoes are something I just can’t do without.  I’m eatin’ em for breakfast lunch and dinner…and getting all those health benefits with hardly any effort on my part. What’s not to love!

As a final bit of inspiration, here is a recipe that is perfect for the season. With St Patrick’s Day right around the corned, I am featuring an Irish inspired dish, Sweet potato Stew with Pork.  Traditionally, Irish cooks used pork instead of corned beef. The beef tradition was actually started in New York, not Ireland, but I digress.  If you just can’t do without that corned beef flavor, try adding a bouquet garni of pickling spice as the pork simmers.  The spice blend pairs beautifully with pork.  And speaking of pairing beautifully, there in almost no better combination than sweet potatoes, pork and onions. Give this recipe a try, and I am sure you will agree.

Irish Sweet Potato Stew with Pork

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless pork, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-1/3 cups chicken broth
  • 4 to 5 small onions, quartered
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley


Directions

  • In a large bowl, toss pork with mustard until lightly coated. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour and brown sugar; add pork and shake to coat.
  • In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown pork in oil. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth; bring to a boil. Scrape bottom of skillet to loosen any browned bits. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.
  • Add the onions, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper; cover and simmer 30 minutes more or until the pork and potatoes are tender. Stir in parsley.

Sweet Potatoes Rule the Internet – Tex Mex Sweets!

April 17, 2011
9
One of Our Deserving Winners…Sweet Potato Foil Tacos

Congrats to all the winners in the Sweet n’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest!  We have had a lot of great entries in past years, but this year’s entries raised the bar a few notches in creativity and deliciousness!  I plan to try all the winning recipes, of course.  Last night, I tried the Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos form Perry’s Plate.  It was easy to see why it won!  Super tasty, and no messy clean up – what more could you ask for.  Next up for my taste testing is The Sweet Potato Linguine with Browned Butter Sage Sauce from Miss Adventures. The name alone has my mouth watering.

All of these great blog posts have inspired me to bring a new feature to Sweet Bytes.  There are so many wonderful cooking blogs out there (and so many amazing sweet potato dishes) that I think it is time for a blog roundup.  Each month I will spotlight an awesome blog with a great recipe that you need to know about.

The first blog that everyone should check out is The Homesick Texan.  Lisa’s was homesick for Texas after moving to New York City.  So, what’s a girl to do?  Start a blog sharing all your favorite Tex Mex recipes with family and friends.  Before she knew it, it seemed like the whole world was reading.  Its no wonder with recipes like this…

Of course I had to mention the Sassy Sweet offerings, but Lisa has many others that are worth note, too.  If you are feeling adventurous, check out her Pinto Bean Pie.  
One of my favorites from The Homesick Texan is also the simplest.
4 to 6 sweet potatoes
1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo
Salt to taste

Bake potatoes until nice and tender, add the other ingredients, then mash.  I like to add a few leaves of fresh cilantro and a tiny dollop of sour cream on top.   So simple, yet soooo good!

2011 Sweet n’ Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest

February 28, 2011
12

I am very excited about the return of the Annual Blogger Recipe Contest. All of the rules and requirements are posted here.  Just remember to keep it original and be creative!  Luckily, sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile ingredients around, so let your imagination run wild.

In my last post, I shared a great vegetarian recipe. So this time, I am sharing a sweet treat from another contest category.  These muffins are so delicious, you will never guess that they are sugar free and gluten free!  Combine that with our sassy super-food, sweet potatoes, and you have a nutritional powerhouse.  These muffins are packed with fiber, potassium, and vitamin A, and have a very low glycemic index, making them one of the healthiest treats you can eat.  Most importantly, they are absolutely delish!  In fact, these muffins are so tasty that your family will guess that they’re eating health-food!

Now that you are feeling inspired by all that sweet potatoes can do, get blogging and share your favorite recipe.  It might just be worth $2000!

 
Sugar Free Sweet Potato Muffins

3 little sweet potatoes, already baked and peeled
2 cups almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
2 eggs
½ cup agave
1 cup applesauce
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons salt
¾ cup of pecans

  1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the applesauce and agave.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
  4. Once that is well mixed then slowly add the rest of the ingredients except for the pecans.
  5. Fold in the pecans.
  6. Pour into greased muffin pans.
  7. Bake for 20-30 minutes until brown.

Makes 18 regular sized muffins

Plating your masterpiece

March 18, 2010
10

Wow, I am really excited about the number of readers that have expressed interest in our Sweet Potato Recipe Blogger Contest. Of course, the actual recipe is the most important part, but a great picture can make your fantastic Sweet Potato creations as eye-catching as they are mouth-watering. 

One of the most important steps to creating a great picture is proper plating. Here are a few guidelines used by professional chefs and photographers.  These awesome tips will help you show off your food for blogs, photos, parties, and friends.  A great looking plate always make a good first impression.

Basic Techniques

  • Think of your plate as a foundation or support to show off your creation.  A strong support should serve to accent your dish and never distract from it. It is for this reason that many chefs only work with white plates.  Regardless of your plate color you should leave plenty of “white space” in your picture.  Areas where your plate shows through emphasize the contrast of your dish’s color and texture. Notice the plate above. It is full, but appears uncluttered because of the white space that is shown.
  • As a general rule, avoid heavily patterned plates. While these plates can be beautiful, they can also distract from your dish. In Japan, chefs say that diners “Eat with their eyes first.” Every thing on your plate should be placed to attract your eyes to the main dish. Remember, your plate is the support, not the attraction.
  • Make sure your plate is complete. Don’t overuse white space, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”.  Leave your plates uncluttered, but don’t leave them empty.  Sometimes a wisp of lettuce or a delicate flower can complete a presentation that otherwise looks a little bare. See the garnishing rules below for more inspiration.
  • Remember to emphasize the color and texture of the Sweet Potato.  Our wonderful spuds are famous for there brightly colored flesh, so be sure to show that off.  In fact, brightly orange colors of the Sweet Potato can easily overcome the “white plates looks best” rule.  Dark colors, contrasting greens, even blues will make your pictures stand out. Just remember to use the same rules regarding clutter and eye appeal. Just look at the wonderful contrast in the Herb Roasted Vegetable Plate below.

Garnishes
  • Be sure to add garnishes to your plate.  They add texture, depth and even whimsy to your picture. A simply sprig of parsley can add that little je ne sais quoi, that make a plate really pop.  Try delicate swirls of rich red sauce, bright green asparagus, the brilliant pop of saffron rice. The garnish serves to balance the plate, so add a lime wedge, a colorful radish flower or try your hand at on of these advanced garnishes. My favorite … the Sweet Potato Butterfly.  Bon Apetit!

How To Think Outside the Box

March 14, 2010
9
For our blogger recipe contest, we’ve specifically asked for dishes outside the Thanksgiving box. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean no casseroles or pies, but how about giving these a personal twist, like a casserole with a hazelnut crumble instead of pecans or a sweet potato soup topped with cinnamon creme fraiche instead of cinnamon mixed in. Here are couple of tips to get your juices flowin’:
  1. HERBS Play with a variety of herbs. Rosemary and sage are always a palate pleasing combination but what about something brighter, like cilantro or parsley? These aren’t usually paired with sweet potatoes but it’s a way to introduce sweets to the brighter days of summer, like in these Spiced Sweet Potato Bites with Cilantro Chutney.
  2. SPICES Nutmeg and cinnamon are obvious fans of sweet potato but there has to be something else that compliments this versatile tuber. Try mixing spices together like cayenne, paprika and cumin (a blend I typically use on fish) or take on an Indian flair with some curry or garam masala.
  3. LEGUMES Sweet potatoes take well to different legumes. I love them mashed with black beans for a hearty vegetarian burger but you could use white beans in a salad or chickpeas in a fritter. I personally like the sound (much more than the look) of this Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry.
  4. CLASSIC TOPPINGS Fixins that you usually find on sweet potato casseroles are common for a reason -they work! But how about letting these toppings take on another form, like instead of using coconut flakes use coconut milk or ditch the marshmallow casserole and make a marshmallow frosting like in these Sweet Potato Cupcakes and Toasted Marshmallow Frosting.

I hope these examples get you thinking in the right direction and open your eyes to the endless possibilities sweet potatoes have to offer. We’re half way to the deadline so get cookin’!

Sassy Sweets Bloggers’ Recipe Challenge

February 24, 2010
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It’s officially on! Our 2010 Bloggers‘ Recipe Challenge is running now until March 29th and this time the grand prize is $2,000! Here’s how to enter…

  • CREATE an original recipe using sweet potatoes as the key ingredient. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes are welcome – just make it quick, tasty and creative.
  • POST your recipe and accompanying photograph on your blog within the dates of the contest.
  • ENTER your recipe by e-mailing me at sassysweets@lewis-neale.com with your: name and blog name, e-mail and mailing address, phone number, a link to your recipe and how you heard about the contest.
  • WIN The first place winner will receive a cash prize of $2,000 and three runners-up will receive $400 each. Not too shabby eh?

Visit our website for more details, http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/.

So bloggers, start your ovens because we’ve already got some great recipes submitted!

I know it’s too early to say, but I can’t wait to test Jennifer of At Harvest Moon Farm‘s Maple Bacon Sweet Potato Soup. Bacon is showing up everywhere these days, from your chocolate bars to even lip balms, while this may sound silly, Jennifer’s soup only sounds like a harmony of flavors!

Lisa Glassman submitted a recipe for Sensational Sweet Potato Bread — I’d eat this for breakfast nice and toasted with a smear of butter, mmmm!

Last year we started the bloggers‘ recipe contest and challenged food bloggers to apply their edgy palates to sweet potatoes and make them just a little bit sassier. We received inventive recipes that I am still replicating today! Some of my favorites were Sweet Potato and Chorizo Street Tacos from Fresno Foodie, Sweet Potato Cheesecake Sweeties for my uncontrollable sweet tooth, and Nutty Vanilla Sweet Potato + Kale Soup, cause I never say no to kale!

So the challenge is on again, we’re not looking for Grandma’s recipe but something outside the box that’ll still make Grandma proud! For all you bloggers, here’s a list of last year’s winners so we don’t get any repeats. Happy cooking!

Lauren Soutiere, Cheesecake Sweeties: Sweet potatoes and cream cheese brownies, need I say more?
Ashley Paige Bonnema, Cottage Pie: A twist on a classic is always a crowd pleaser.
Tracy Newel, Sweet Potato Chorizo Street Tacos: Sweet and savory is always a winner in my book.
Michelle Noyola, Sweet Potato & Rosemary Pizza: Provolone cheese, thinly sliced sweet potato and aromatic rosemary, simple but tasty.
Kath Younger, Nutty Vanilla Sweet Potato+Kale Soup: I think this one is all in the title.
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Sweet Potato Panzanella: A classic Italian bread salad with a splash of color.