Irish Roasted Veggies (Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus)

 

OK - before we get started - there is really nothing Irish about this meal.  But I wanted to tie into the colors of orange and green of the two main ingredients.  So that is how I got here.  In regards to the taste, it was fantastic.  I adapted my recipe for Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes to add asparagus.  You could use green beans if you want.  A version of this will be on our Easter dinner for sure.

Ingredients (Serves 2-4)
2 Sweet potatoes 
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided (add more if desired)
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dry mustard
1 tsp Dried Thyme, divided
1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp Black pepper, divided
1 bunch Asparagus, cut to 4-5 inches

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Peel sweet potatoes; cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges, and then into 3" slices. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, 1 tbsp olive oil, rosemary, mustard, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Toss well to coat.
3. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake potatoes at 425° for 17-19 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add asparagus to the large bowl and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Toss well to coat.  
5. At the end of the first roasting period (425° for 17-19 minutes), turn the wedges and add the asparagus (and additional oil if needed).  Cook for an additional 15-16 minutes.

Enjoy!

Turkey Fried Rice

I adapted this from the Turkey Fried Rice recipe at Real Simple.  I have been carrying this around for a while and I wanted to try it out.  I added a different mix of vegetables and loved the way that this came out.  This is a really nice simple meal, which is a great way to use leftover brown rice.  It is also a very nice one-pan dinner idea.  This is a real winner and we will definitely make it again.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Peanut or vegetable oil
8-10 oz Ground turkey
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
1 tbsp Ginger, minced (or ginger paste)
2 small (or 1 medium) Onion, chopped
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen Peas and carrots
1 cup frozen Edamame
2 cups Cooked brown rice
3 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp Rice vinegar

Directions
1. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, garlic, ginger, and chopped onions.  Stir-fry (breaking the meat) for 5 minutes.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 1 additional minute.
3. Add the frozen peas & carrots and the edamame.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the rice and the hoisin sauce and rice vinegar.  Mix thoroughly again and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pork and Mushroom Pot Stickers

This is a wonderful new recipe in my favorite magazine, Cooking Light.  The recipe was adapted for Pork and Shiitake Pot Stickers. in the March 2014 issue.  While I am sure that this is lighter than the pot-stickers that you get in Chinese restaurants, it is not quite health food.  I tweaked the recipe for more mushrooms and less pork - and loved the way that it turned out.  Not only was it great when I cooked them, but also when I brought them for lunch the following day.  They heated up very well.  These are definitely going to fall into the rotation of things I will be making.

Ingredients
2 tbsp Sesame oil
2 stalks, Green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, minced
8 oz Mushrooms (white or baby bella), thinly sliced
1 tbsp Lower-sodium soy sauce (plus some for dipping)
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp Black pepper
11 oz Ground pork
40 gyoza skins or round wonton wrappers
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan.  Add green onions, garlic, ginger and mushrooms; stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool slightly in a bowl. Combine mushroom mixture with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper and ground pork.  Mix thoroughly.
2. Working in batches of 6-10 goyza skins (depending on your space), arrange gyoza skins on a clean work surface; cover remaining skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons pork mixture in the center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half; press edges together with fingertips to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining gyoza skins and pork mixture.
3. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Generously coat pan with cooking spray. Add 8-10 pot stickers to pan; cook around 1 minute (until browned on that side).  Turn pot stickers over & add 1/3 cup water to pan. Cover tightly and steam for 3-4 minutes. Repeat procedure in batches with remaining pot stickers and more water.

Enjoy with additional soy sauce!