Tag Archives: Sweet Potato

Roasted Veggie Burgers (vegan option)

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As I sat on the train on my way into work this morning editing a photo of a scrumptious vegan burger and oohing and ahhing at its layer porn^^^^^, it occurred to me that I hadn’t uploaded a recipe in a while. Needless to say, I was pretty shocked when I saw that my last recipe post was May last year. Can someone please explain to me at which point I blinked and TEN MONTHS shot by?!

The only justification I can offer to myself is that 2016 was a heccaz year, in both insufferable (by first-world standards) and fabulous ways; My third and final year of Uni got a bit mental, and just as my motivation to study for anotherr year plummeted, my workload conveniently increased to a record high (as did the contemplation of my own existence).

Between lectures and assignment writing, I worked as many hours as possible as I saved my dollars like a mad woman, before jetting off and spending Euros with equal rigor in Italy and the Greek Isles when I should have been studying for my final exams. Sunset Aperol spritzers in Positano > 3am cramming in the Deakin Library any day…

Fortunately, I graduated last week and am officially a Nutritionist! Suffice to say there’s less Legally Blonde-style piffing of the hat with untameable excitement and pride, and more worry/future anxiety at this end. “Now the hell what…?”

I’m sure none of you noticed that I (unintentionally) took a nine-month sabbatical from the blogosphere, but if anyone did, I’m sorry for being crappy and I’m officially back to providing you with unimportant ramblings and recipes again (until I take another sabbatical to explore Central & South America later in the year, that is. Not sorry at all).

So here’s my first recipe of 2017: Vegan Roasted Veggie Burgers – no patty, just layers of sweetly roasted veggies married with nature’s butter (avo) in a GF bun. These burgers are super fuss free and make for a perfect Friday-night-in dinner. I like to roast extra veggies to toss with salad, feta and seeds for lunch the next day.

Roasted Veggie Burgers (vegan option)

Serves 4.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sweet potato, sliced into chip-like strips
  • 1/4 Kent/Jap pumpkin, cut in half width ways and sliced into 3mm-thick pieces
  • 1 large eggplant, sliced into 5mm-thick rounds
  • 1 large red capsicum, sliced into eighths
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta of choice (omit for vegan)
  • 1 cup baby spinach or salad leaves of choice
  • 1/4 cup each fresh basil and continental (flat leaf) parsley leaves
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Melted coconut oil
  • Juice of 1/4 lemon
  • Salt, to taste
  • 4 good quality gluten free buns
 Method
  1. Preheat oven to 200*C and line two large baking trays with baking paper
  2. Place sweet potato on one tray in one layer, ensuring the chips are not touching if possible.
  3. Place the pumpkin, eggplant and capsicum on the other tray. Drizzle veggies on both trays with oil of choice and sprinkle with dried oregano. Season with salt.
  4. Place the sweet potato in the top 1/3 of the oven and the other veggies on the tray below. Bake for 35-40 mins or until the sweet potato chips are golden and cooked through, and the other veggies are tender and starting to char on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins.
  5. While the veggies are roasting, place the avocado flesh in a small bowl and mash it with a fork. Add the feta (if using) and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and stir to combine.
  6. When ready to assemble the buns and serve, start with a large dollop of mashed avo on the bottom half of each bun, then laying the fresh spinach, roasted veggies, fresh herbs, an extra crumble of feta (if desired), a drizzle of olive oil and the top half of each bun. Enjoy!

Fudgey Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies (gluten free & low fructose)

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I first posted this recipe well over two years ago, and the truth is that I’ve never been totally thrilled with it. It was always just “alright” (seconded by my family), and I’ve been too butt-lazy to improve it. Until last weekend, that is, when I had a sudden craving for sweet potato choccie brownies. As it turns out, all the recipe needed was zero banana to get rid of the too-wet-issue, a little coconut flour (I was too scared to use it a few years ago) to mop up any excess moisture and a bit more cacao. Easy peasy.

Even some of the most culinarily curious people screw up their noses and purse their lips when they hear “sweet potato chocolate brownies”, so I was really nervous when I took the brownies to work for colleagues to try the other day. The nerves quickly subsided when one of my young male colleagues took a bite and excitedly pronounced, “that shit is off its d***!”
Boo yah. Success!

This recipe calls for mashed sweet potato, but please don’t be mistaken: I learnt the hard way that not all sweet-taty-is created equal, especially when it’s going into a brownie. The first time I attempted these brownies circa 2013, I couldn’t be bothered waiting for the potato to roast, so I boiled the bejeezuz out of it until it was mashable. The flavour of the brownies was great, but the texture was more sad, soggy cake than fudgey brownie, and the only people who enjoy soggy cake are trifle fans. I am not a trifle fan.
Moral of that little ramble? ROAST YOUR SWEET POTATO!!!

Now, as content as I am with this recipe, please don’t expect these brownies to resemble your mum’s best chocolate brownie recipe too closely. After all, it’s the combination of brown sugar, butter and processed flour that gives brownies their characteristic chewy outer crust and fudgey centre, so if you remind yourself that this recipe is a wholesome and far healthier version, I’m sure you’ll love it.
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Fudgey Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies

Gluten free, grain free, Paleo, low fructose.
Contains egg and a small amount of FODMAPs (almond meal & coconut flour)

Makes 16 squares, or 8 bars (let’s be honest – you’ll eat two squares at a time anyway).

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato (to yield 370g roasted sweet potato flesh)
  • 3 organic eggs
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 tbs melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup natural nut butter (I use almond)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbs raw cacao powder
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 2 tbs coconut flour
  • 1/3 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (optional), roughly chopped
  • 3 tbs dark choc chips (optional – they add a little refined sugar)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200*C. Wash and dry the sweet potato. Prick all over with a knife, place on a lined baking tray lined and roast until very tender, approximately one hour. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 185*C.
  2. Cut a slit down the length of the sweet potato and scoop out 370g of flesh (try to not get any skin). In a large bowl, mash the sweet potato until no large lumps are left. Set aside to cool for half an hour.
  3. Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper. In a bowl, combine the eggs, oil, maple syrup, nut butter and vanilla and whisk until fully combined.  Add to the mashed sweet potato and whisk vigorously until the mixture is as lump-free as possible.
  4. In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (except the choc chips, if using).
  5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, folding gently until fully combined.
  6. Pour the batter into prepared tin and smooth the top over with the back of your spoon. Scatter over the choc chips, if using.
  7. Bake in the oven for 35-40 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, but not totally dry as you want the brownies to be fudgey.
  8. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before removing from the tray and cutting into desired portions.
  9. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.

Happy Nourishing!
Ax

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Fragrant Roasted Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad

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Roasted Pumpkin, sweet potato and quinoa salad - Nourish by Ashlyn

Roasted Pumpkin, sweet potato and quinoa salad - Nourish by Ashlyn

I know I’m not alone in the food blogosphere when I look at old posts from what feels like a previous life, and cringe at every single photo and every second word I once put out there. I try to remind myself that nearly every food blogger who started back when photos of food taken with professional DSLR cameras were pretty much exclusive to print magazines and cookbooks, and when it was totally acceptable to feature iPhone photos on websites, has been there. Still, telling myself this doesn’t make me want to bury myself in a deep, dark hole any less when I revisit my blog after a ridiculous hiatus (AKA quarter life “WTF am I doing with my life?!” crisis – FYI I’m back for good now) and rediscover posts like this one. 

I discovered last week that this recipe, which to my horror is still one of the most visited on the entire blog, hadn’t been touched in over four years. Unfortunately I can’t travel back in time and smack the iPhone 4 out of my hand, so I’ve re-photographed the recipe and deleted approximately 2,000 flimsy words. Thankfully, the recipe is still great. I’ve been making variations of it on a near weekly basis for years, and it’s always a hit.

BRB in 10 years when I’ve finished re-photographing the remaining 59 recipes. Ugh.

Roasted Pumpkin, sweet potato and quinoa salad - Nourish by Ashlyn

Fragrant Roasted Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad

Serves 5-6
Dietary info: gluten free & grain free, fructose friendly, low FODMAP, soy free. Contains nuts (almonds) & dairy (omit feta for dairy free/vegan option).

Ingredients

  • 1/2 large kent/jap pumpkin, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
  • 1 medium sweet potato or 1/2 large, washed, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks (see FODMAP notes below)
  • 2 cups tri-coloured quinoa, rinsed thoroughly*
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 large handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme (always fragrant but not essential)
  • 10 slices pickled beetroot (see FODMAP notes below)
  • 1/4 cup flaked or slivered almonds
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 3 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 cup Danish or Persian Feta, crumbled
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • EVOO or melted coconut oil
  • Sea salt

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200*C
  2. Combine the ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika and garam masala in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Place the almonds on a lined baking tray and place in the oven for 2 minutes or until toasted and golden. Keep a close eye on them after the 1 minute, 30 seconds mark – the suckers can go from raw to charcoal real quick. Remove from oven, place in a small bowl, and set aside.
  4. Place pumpkin and sweet potato in a mixing bowl and use your hands to coat the veg with 1/2 tbs oil (preferably coconut as is it more stable than olive oil when heated)
  5. Arrange the pumpkin and sweet potato on a lined baking tray and sprinkle with half of the spice mix and sea salt. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until tender and golden. Cooking times will vary from oven to oven.
  6. While the veg is baking, place the quinoa, water, thyme sprigs (if using), remaining spice mix and a generous sprinkle of sea salt in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to simmer, cover and leave for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. The quinoa is ready when its germ (the little white ring around the outer edge) is exposed. Remove from heat, remove thyme sprigs, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
  7. In a large salad bowl, toss the quinoa, baby spinach, chives, coriander, lemon juice, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Top with the roasted veg, feta, and roasted almonds. Finish with an extra drizzle of EVOO, a squeeze of lemon juice, and coriander. If I have some on hand at the time, I also love to top the salad with some of my Mum’s homegrown pickled beetroot, however

*Quinoa has a natural chemical called saponin, which can be bitter to taste when quinoa is not rinsed thoroughly prior to cooking.

FODMAP notes

  • Sweet potato contains moderate amounts of mannitol, so large amounts can be troublesome for people with polyol sensitivities. Once divided into servings, this recipe calls for less than the threshold recommendation, so you should be fine. If you’re unsure of your tolerance, simply omit and use more pumpkin. I’ve personally always been able to tolerate large amounts of sweet potato.
  • According to Monash, up to 1/2 cup of pickled beetroot is considered safe for those with Fructose malabsorption and IBS, however I still like to moderate it because it is quite high in sugar and therefore not great for you or your gut microbes in large amounts 🙂

Ax

 

Roasted Pumpkin, sweet potato and quinoa salad - Nourish by Ashlyn