paleo

Today, I was feeling a little creative. I could not allow for my jalapeños to go bad. So I thought to myself, why not stuff the jalapeños with sweet potatoes and saute diced onions and apples, see how that goes? I figured it is also Monday, so let’s create a new recipe for Meatless Monday and the results, I can see I’m proud of. The spicy jalapeño stuffed with the sweet potato and topped with the saute onions and apples goes hand in hand. Now, if you cannot handle the heat, please feel free to use the small sweet peppers instead. I also bought from the grocery store this tiny squash that looks like a butternut squash but it is called honeynut squash. I decided to stuff it as well with the leftover onions and apples. So please enjoy. If you try out this recipe, let me know how you liked it.

Ingredients:

2 small sweet potatoes

6 jalapeños

1 med sweet onion

1 med apple of choice

1 honeynut squash

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp Coconut oil

Preparation:

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees. Once preheated, slice the honeynut squash in half and remove the seeds. Save the seeds if you want to toast it and eat it as a snack. Rub coconut oil on the cut side of the squash. Place in a baking sheet cut side down and bake for 30 minutes or until ready.

Slice the jalapeños in half length wise and remove the vein and seeds. Peel the sweet potatoes, dice and place in a pot with water. Once the water begins to boil, give it about 10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are cooked and tender. Once ready, remove from the heat and strain the potatoes and with a fork mash the potatoes. Dice the medium onions and place in a pan with coconut oil. Cook the onions until translucent, then add the diced medium apple. Continue to cook until the apples are tender. Stuff the jalapeños with the sweet potatoes, place on a baking pan and place it in the oven until the jalapeños are roasted.

Remove both the honeynut squash and the jalapeños, add the saute onions and apples. Serve and enjoy! The stuffed jalapeños or peppers are perfect for a quick snack, appetizer or take to a party and share with friends.

Never be afraid to try something new in the kitchen. This is how you find out what pairs well together. Bon appetite! Happy Monday! -Lily

As a kid living in Puerto Rico, root vegetables can be found if you live in the country side. Often at my grandparents home, either my grandfather and father, or uncles would go to the area where these root vegetables would often grow. Every time there were root vegetables, there would always be bacalao (cod fish) or carne frita (fried pork). Just reminiscing as I type, it just takes me back to those days.

Many times, my mom would make cod fish salad for dinner. I’d have to say that like her cod fish salad there is no other. Don’t get me wrong, I like my cod fish salad too, but it’s always different when mom cooks. So in memory of my childhood, I decided to make this ensalada de bacalao (cod fish salad) with pan roasted potatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 lbs cod fish

6 medium white potatoes

3 sliced green onions

1/2 diced red onion

1 lg diced tomato or 3 Roma tomatoes

1/4 diced bell pepper

10 Spanish Olives

2 hard boiled eggs

Olive Oil

Water

White Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a pot bring water to boil, add salt, and the cod fish. Boil until cooked. Do not overcook as it will break into pieces and you want to have at least bite size. In a separate pot, add eggs, bring water to boil and add three diced potatoes. Do not over cook the potatoes or it will turn into mush. Remove both pots from the stove and drain the water.

Dice the red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and Spanish olives. Add into a bowl, pour olive oil. Once the cod fish and the potatoes are at room temperature, add to the boil and carefully mix together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the other three potatoes to about a 1/4″. Place in a pan, add about a cup of water, 1/2 cup of white vinegar and drizzle about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cover and cook in medium heat until the water and vinegar evaporates. Remove the lid, the oil will then cook the potatoes until crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Once fully cooked, serve with the cod fish salad.

“Food is fuel. Eat to live. Don’t eat to live.”

Tag: paleo

Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Stuffed Jalapeños and Roasted Honeynut Squash

Cod Fish Salad and Pan Roasted Potatoes