Double-Post Tuesday

It's a Double-Post Tuesday! Here are six more recipes to help you through the day, including Sweet Potato Pie with Cashew Cream and Corn and Black Bean Taquitos. Enjoy!

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH CASHEW CREAM

This is from the fall issue of UnitedHealthCare's magazine, Renew. This recipe begins, “When roasted, the “sweet” in sweet potatoes intensifies. Dates add more natural sweetness, with a low glycemic index. The “silken”-style tofu is usually found in the Asian section of most grocery stores and generally doesn’t need to be stored in the refrigerator.”

1 prepared pie crust

Pie Filling:

3 medium sweet potatoes

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

4 dates, pitted and chopped

1 (12.5 ounce) package extra firm silken tofu

pinch sea salt

Cashew Cream:

1/2 cup raw cashews

2 dates, pitted

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a baking pan. Roast the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45–50 minutes. Remove peels when cool enough to handle.

Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and add the remaining filling ingredients. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally.

Pour filling mixture into the prepared pie crust. Bake pie in the oven at 375 degrees for 45–50 minutes, until it no longer jiggles.

While the pie is baking, soak cashews and dates in 1/4 cup water for at least an hour. Blend in a blender or food processor with the vanilla extract and sea salt until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The pie will slice best when cooled at least two hours at room temperature and then refrigerated for at least another hour. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of the cashew cream.

Serves 8.

Calories: 284, Total Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 383mg, Carbs: 35g, Dietary Fiber: 5.2g, Sugar: 17g, Protein: 7.6g

TIP: If you are using a frozen pie crust that comes in an aluminum tin, but still want to bake your pie in a pretty ceramic pie plate, just transfer the crust over while it’s still frozen.

WILD BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE SMOOTHIE

This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, at VeryWell. Kaleigh wrote, “Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of nutrition into a single meal, especially if you're on the go. They can also be loaded with sugary syrups and fat if you aren't careful when grabbing a smoothie away from home. For a nutritious smoothie you can feel good about, skip the shop and make this tasty version at home.

“Frozen wild blueberries are extra sweet and pack a lot of flavor and antioxidants into this wild blueberry cheesecake smoothie. They also make this smoothie extra cold and frosty without having to use ice. Research suggests that daily blueberry consumption could lower blood pressure due to the production of nitric oxide.

“The Greek yogurt and avocado duo lends a luxurious creamy texture and also contributes healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of protein to keep you fueled and full. Make this smoothie for a sweet breakfast treat, or split it in half for a healthy snack or dessert.”

Total Time: 5 minutes; Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 0; Yield: 1 serving.

This can be viewed online here. It can also be found at Kaliegh’s website, Lively Table.

Ingredients

1 cup wild blueberries, frozen

1/2 small avocado

3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

Preparation

Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more milk to your desired consistency.

Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

You can typically find wild blueberries in the freezer section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them, you can substitute regular frozen blueberries, but they will not be as sweet.

This is a great smoothie recipe to disguise veggies, so add a handful of spinach if you want to get a little more vegetable power.

To make this smoothie dairy-free, use dairy-free yogurt, such as Silk, and unsweetened dairy-free milk of your choice.

Cooking and Serving Tips

This recipe makes a meal-sized smoothie. For a post-workout snack or a healthy dessert, divide into two servings.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

This is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 45 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 10 servings; Level: Easy.

Click here to view this online.

Ingredients

4 heads broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces

Olive oil, for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

1 whole onion, diced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

2 cups half-and-half

Pinch nutmeg

3 cups grated cheese (mild Cheddar, sharp Cheddar, Jack, etc.), plus more for garnish, optional

1 cup chicken broth, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove 2 cups of the broccoli florets, cut in half, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet cut-side down and bake until the florets begin to crisp and turn slightly brown.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top. Stir to combine and cook until the flour is absorbed and smells lightly toasted, 1 minute or so. Add the milk and half-and-half. Add the nutmeg, then the broccoli, a small dash of salt and plenty of black pepper. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese and allow to melt.

Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the soup as is, mash with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree in a blender, return the soup to the heat to heat back up. Splash in some chicken broth if needed for thinning.) Garnish with the toasted broccoli or grated cheese and serve.

CORN AND BLACK BEAN TAQUITOS

This begins, “Minimum prep and bake time makes homemade taquitos a healthy "fast food" for busy days. Couple with a side salad for a balanced meal.”

This is from Diabetic Connect.

Can be viewed at http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/7259-corn-and-black-bean-taquitos

Ingredients

8 low carb tortillas

15 oz. black beans, drained

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

3 TBSP salsa

2 TBSP lime juice

1/2 tsp cumin

Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slightly mash beans with a fork. Add all ingredients together and mix well.

Spoon 3 – 4 TBSP of mixture into the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll and place on greased baking sheet. Spray the taquitos with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until taquitos are lightly brown and crisp.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 8; For 1 taquito: Calories 102; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 242 mg; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Protein: 7 g

BEEF ROLLS

This is one of Grandma Hallock’s recipes. I've posted several of her recipes here, including her Oatmeal Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies.

For this recipe, Grandma wrote, “Made these a lot when we were young. Kids loved them. Used flank steak.” She also sent a recipe for Baked Butter Carrots which, she also wrote, are “good with Beef Rolls.”

This recipe, as well as the next one (Baked Butter Carrots) can be found in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

1 1/2 lbs. flank steak, sliced thin

1/2 C boiling water

1/2 tsp. onion flakes

1 egg

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

3/4 C bread crumbs

3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning

flour

1/8 tsp. pepper

butter for browning

Wash meat, trim fat. Cut into 6 slices, making them as square as possible. Beat egg. Add crumbs & seasonings. Place in center of pieces of meat, then pin 4 corners of meat with toothpick or tie with string. Flour them, then brown in butter. Add 2 T flour to thicken sauce around meat. Put in casserole. Pour boiling water over it. Cover & bake in oven at 275 degrees for 3 hours or 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 6.

BAKED BUTTER CARROTS

This is also from my Grandma Hallock, who was a fantastic cook. She wrote, “Good with Veal Birds (Beef Rolls).” Eat & enjoy!

2 1/2 lbs. carrots

1 T salt

2 T oleo or butter

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

dash of pepper

2 tsp. lemon juice

Peel carrots. Cut into lengthwise slices. Put them & rest of ingredients into casserole. Cover & bake at 275 degrees for 3 hours. Uncover & brown on top for 15 minutes. Serves 6.