Curried Sweet Potato Latkes

(recipe from a magazine, not sure which one)

1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 small onion
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

Peel and shred the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.  Grate or shred the onion, and add to the sweet potatoes along with the raisins and flour.

Separately in a small bowl, beat the eggs with the curry powder and salt.

Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and mix with your hands or a spoon.

Warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drop 1/3-cupfuls of mixture into skillet and fry, pressing with a spatula to flatten, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Keep warm in a 200F oven until ready to serve.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

(Since one of my least favorite things is frying patties in a skillet, I put the entire sweet potato mixture in a large pie plate and baked in a 350F oven for 45 minutes.  Then cut into wedges.  Very delicious!)

Healthy Apple Crisp

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

8 Macintosh apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup date sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup Goji berries, soaked (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, sprinkle apples with lemon juice & toss.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a medium bowl, then combine with the apples and mix thoroughly.  Pour into a 8x11-inch baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Crisp Arugula Salad

(recipe from Christina Cooks)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 cups baby arugula
10-12 strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup raisins (I used currants)

Combine dressing ingredients in the bottom of your salad bowl.  Add greens, fruit, nuts, raisins and toss to coat ingredients with dressing.

*You may use berries, pear or apple slices, tangerines, unsweetened dried cranberries, hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds.  You can change the salad completely by adding cherry tomatoes and cucumbers or olives and leaving out the fruit.

(Basic, simple, delicious.)

Carrot Walnut Cookies

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 carrots, grated
1 apple, cored and seeded, grated
1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup apple juice

Preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine walnuts, oats, and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger.  Add carrots, apple, banana, and apple juice and stir until combined.  Drop by rounded tablespoons an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies.  Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten slightly.  Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

(Tasty little healthy cookies!  Wholesome enough to eat for breakfast.  Quick and easy to make.)

Spiced Peach Chutney

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 medium ripe peaches
1 cup seedless grapes (both green and red work just fine) (I halved the grapes.)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Peel and pit the peaches; cut and dice them.  Mix with grapes, honey, and mustard; set aside.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine oil, onions, raisins, mustard seed, and allspice.  Cook until the onion is golden and the raisins have plumped, perhaps 5-10 minutes, stirring often.  Spoon the hot mixture into the fruit mixture and fold together to blend.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  This is not a preserve - it will keep in the icebox for a few days only. 

(Yummy!  I kept it cold and spooned it over a bed of mixed greens for a simple salad.)

Rise and Shine Oatmeal

(recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

4 servings.

2 cups water
2 cups oats
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted
maple syrup, for serving

Bring water to a boil over medium heat.  Stir in oats; cook 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Serve with maple syrup.