Posts Tagged ‘ sweet potato ’

Sweet potato…it’s what’s for dinner!

March 7, 2011
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I never know what to expect the day after long run.  Sometimes I want to eat my right arm off.  Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to eat a thing.  After yesterday’s race, I experienced a little bit of both.

Those post-race pancakes definitely filled me up and I kept munching throughout the day, but when I woke up this morning, nothing appealed to me.  Honestly, all I could think about was falling back into my bed.  So I packed my lunchbox and went off to work!

By 3:15, I was in that bed I’d been thinking about all day.  I rarely take naps on weekdays, but today warranted a nap.  Adrenaline + running = exhaustion. I didn’t budge for two solid hours and I’m sure I’ll have no trouble sleeping tonight.

The only reason I budged at all…the hunger!  Once rested, my body NEEDED food.  There was no time for dilly-dallying.  I whipped up the quickest, tastiest dinner I could come up with.

Savory Twice-Baked Sweet Potato

Ingredients (single serving):

  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 1/2 c. black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 T. salsa
  • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • 2 T. shredded cheese (I used a taco blend.)

This meal came together in minutes and it was a delicious.

The mashed sweet potato combined with the savory beans and salsa to form a flavorful filling.

Topped with some yummy cheese…because cheese works on everything!

And baked until piping hot and bursting with goodness!

Directions:

  1. Wash sweet potato, pierce with a fork, and microwave until tender (~8-10 minutes).
  2. In a small bowl, combine beans, salsa, chili powder, and cumin and microwave until heated through (~2 minutes).
  3. When sweet potato is cool enough to handle, slice down the center and remove the insides.  Combine the sweet potato and black bean mixture to form the filling.
  4. Stuff the shell of the potato with filling, top with cheese, and bake for 15 minutes at 350*.
  5. Eat and enjoy!

…with a side of crunchy kale for good measure!

This dinner had a little bit of everything I wanted – sweet, salty, and spicy.  It was a comforting meal for a hungry, tired lady.  For dessert, I’ll take some trashy TV with a side of puggle.

Hope you had a lovely Monday!

What’s your favorite single-serving meal? I usually cook big, family-sized dinners, but sometimes it’s nice to whip something up just for me.  I usually enjoy veggie burgers and tofu on my own, but tonight’s dinner might be a new favorite.

Hello August

August 2, 2010
By

Normally, it doesn’t excite me to turn the calendar at the end of July.  August seems to represent the last days of summer.  I have to shift my focus from pool parties to back-to-school.  This August feels different.  I am excited for it and the months to come.  There are fun events – the Healthy Living Summit! – to attend and my marathon training continues to challenge me in new ways everyday.  I also have a couple of other fabulous ventures in the works – prepare for a couple of announcements soon!

With so much to look forward to, the day was nearly perfect.  The weather was comfortable and mild…relaxing.

I didn’t have any bananas this morning – gasp! – and I didn’t even freak out!  Haha.  Instead, I made a delicious bowl of sweet potato oats.

This bowl had all the flavors of fall – perfect for a crisp New England morning.  I just added 1/2 a mashed sweet potato to my usual oatmeal mix and topped it with plenty of cinnamon, a few raisins, and a scoop of PB&Co. Mighty Maple.  What a combo!  If you are going to eat a veggie at breakfast, I’d go with the sweet potato.  It was a great way to start the day.

I had nowhere to be today, nowhere to go.  I ate breakfast slowly and lounged in my PJ’s for quite some time.  ‘Twas lovely!  When I finally felt up to it, I got myself together and took a trip to the market.  It took some patience to work my way through the Sunday rush…but it was worth it!  I’m happy to report that there will be bananas for breakfast tomorrow.

I also brought home the makings for an impressive salad.

When I can make something like this, I don’t know why I ever buy salads.  Nothing compares to the freshest produce combined with just the right amount of dressing, some walnuts for a serving of healthy fats, and the sweetness of strawberries and dried cranberries.  I paired my salad with a mix of crunchy crackers.  Entree salads often leaving me wanting more, but this monster really hit the spot!

My salad lunch was the perfect compliment to our classic dinner – spaghetti and meatballs!

The picture definitely does this meal no justice.  I seriously need to take photography lessons.  I come from a family of budding photographers, but apparently the gene was not passed down to me.  Oh well!  It didn’t make the meal any less tasty.  I mixed some pasta with spaghetti squash to bulk up the meal.  I also had a couple pieces of garlic bread.  When I passed the hot, fresh whole wheat loaves at the store, I knew this meal needed garlic bread.  Yum!  It was the perfect night for a hearty dinner.

I just came in from walking Lucy.  My mom and I walked together.  We could hear the crickets, smell the backyard fires, and sense serenity in the neighborhood.  So peaceful!  Time for some reading…hope you had some moments of peace in your Sunday, too.

What are you looking forward to this month?

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