Two Years and Truly Blessed with a serving of Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

Pin It Two years ago today, My Taste tester and I tied the knot.  Back then he wasn't My Taste Tester, since pretty much the only thing I could make was a grilled cheese sandwich (and even that I had trouble not screwing up!).  Needless to say a lot has changed since that blissful June day, two years ago.  Not that I am an expert now, or anything.  But here's a wedding recap in pictures:

 

Sneak peak.

At the ceremony.

 

After the ceremony. 

 

 Jumping shot!

 

With my girls.

The whole crew.

And if you really want to know what the day was like here is a sneak peak of our video.
Our photographer was the best.   If you are getting married in the future, definitely check out Kim Thiel Photography.  Her photos & videos are gorgeous and she is a dream to work with!  (That's us at the top of the blog, too!)

Back on topic.  So, what has happened since we tied the knot?  Here are some of the highlights:

1.) I went to my first Packer Game!  Go Pack!

2.) Obviously, we moved to Belgium!

3.)  I started to dabble into cooking!

4.) We have had lots of visitors and have done loads of traveling in Europe!

5.) We have each had two great trips back to the States (always for weddings, but can't find a better excuse than that!).

6.)  As previously mentioned, Paul got a promo!  Woo Hoo.  Congrats to Hubs! 

That being said, you can see why the past two years have literally flown by.  I feel so blessed to have  such a great husband to share all of these moments with and look forward to what the future will bring.   

They say there is no better way to a man's heart than through his stomach... it took me a while to figure this out, but I can confirm that it is most certainly true.  So I made Paul Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas for our anniversary dinner.  While it is nothing fancy, it was the perfect casual at home dinner.  Next week we are on (a dream) vacation... so there will be plenty of time to celebrate.

You could try to tell me you wouldn't want to devour enchiladas filled with this, but I know you would be lying.  Meat lovers won't even miss the meat (I know this, because as much as I hate to admit it, I am a meat lover).   This meal is perfect the way it is. Seriously.  Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Black beans, Corn, Spinach, Onions, Garlic, the perfect blend of spices, throw some gooey cheese in there and it'll have you going goo-goo ga-ga.  Wrap it up in a corn tortilla.  Goo-goo Ga-Ga.

We have made these enchies a few times, but never with sweet potatoes. We loved it before.  We love it more now.  The sweet potatoes (our new obsession) brought it over the top.  I can't wait to figure out what other dishes currently in the repertoire that will be brought to a whole 'notha level by adding a little sweet potato - sweet potato (pronounced: you say tomato, I say tomato).  I haven't even mentioned the health bennies, yet!  They are high in so many vitamins and are the new (to me, at least) super food!   Click here here for details on Sweet Potato nutritional info.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas
as adapted from koko cooks

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:
3 small-medium sweet potatoes (diced, peeled if you desire (I left the skin on for health purposes and barely noticed it)
1 T Olive Oil
1 T Brown Sugar 
1 t Cumin
1 t chili powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper 
 
Sauce:
1 T Olive Oil
2 T flour
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1 can tomato paste
2 1/2 c vegetable broth

Filling:
2 T Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 c fresh baby spinach
1 c frozen, fresh or canned corn
1 can black beans
1 T cumin
1/2 t ground coriander (I only had the balls and ground it myself with a mortar & pestle)
dash of chili powder and cayenne pepper as you desire
1 T chopped cilantro
1 c shredded cheese (Mexican blend would be great or cheddar if you can't get your hands on it!)
8 corn tortillas

Garnish:
Fresh Pico de Gallo
Avocado Slices
Greek Yogurt
Lime
Cilantro

Directions:

Potatoes:
I roasted the sweet potatoes the same as I did here.
Preheat your oven to 400 F.  Mix the spices for the potatoes in a ziplock bag.  Add the diced potatoes and oil.  Mix.  Let marinate for 10 minutes.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, checking and flipping every 10 minutes or so.

Sauce:
Heat 1 T of oil in a small sauce pan.  Mix in the spices, flour & tomato paste.  Whisk together for 1 minute.  Whisk in the broth.  Bring to a boil.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.  Sauce will thicken.

In a large pan, heat 2 T olive oil.  Sautée garlic and onions, until desired softness.  Add spinach until wilted.  Add black beans and corn.  Mix in the seasonings.  Add the sweet potatoes and 1/2-3/4 c of the cheese.  Warm tortillas in oven or microwave until softened.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.

Pour in a layer of sauce into a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  One by one fill the tortillas and roll lining them in the dish.  Top with sauce and the remaining cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with homemade pico de gallo, sliced avocadao & cilantro.  Top with Greek Yogurt if desired (we forgot it in the fridge!).

**If you have extra filling make a few for the freezer (I made a freezer tortilla pizza/quesadilla thing)  I'll keep you posted on whether or not it turns out!

Bon Appétit! 

Best. Meal. Ever. Pin It

Weekend Indulgence: Cool Bun Brussels {Delicious}

Pin It This is what I ate on Friday night. 

Yes, that is an all beef burger topped with cheddar, bacon, some kind of a chewy dried apple (at least I think.  Nonetheless, delicious) and a butt boat (let's keep it classy) load  of onion rings.  Don't judge me, but I put it down.  Okay, Paul helped with the onion rings (thankfully!), but I am more than a little ashamed to say that I could have done it on my own.

Where was this little slice of heaven, you ask?  We went to Cool Bun in honor of Paul's promotion!  Yeah, we are Americans... we celebrated at one of the only burger joints in Brussels.  If you are living in Brussels and haven't been to Cool Bun, go.  Immediately.  One of my favorite things about Cool Bun is that the food is local and organic, so you feel a little less guilty about eating a burger stacked with onion rings and a side of frites (it comes with a salad, too!).  These, my dear friends, are mouth watering yum yum's at their finest.  *We also tried the Gorgonzola burger which was equally as delectable.  But, I am a little partial to a burger topped with onion rings.  Just sayin'.

Oh yeah, and I was more than a little in love with the fact that they gave you a mini gummy burger at the end of the meal.

After this weekend's indulgences I need to go on a detox diet stat.  As I mentioned I will be baring a bikini in T minus 6 days.  But.... It was worth it. 

Is it bad that I am still drooling while looking at that first pic?!  Moving on.

On our walk home we came across the sun shining beautifully on the Cinquantenaire Parc Arches. 

{Serious Photo Op}

{Some Instagram action}

{Nice looking sky}

Okay, now I need to go do Jillian's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism DVD.  Hopefully this will reverse some of the damage.  Night Night!

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Sweet Potato Avocado Wraps

Pin It I have made two delicious bacon meals in the past 4 days (it's not me, it's the bacon). TWO.  I maybe eat bacon once every three months.  However, when I ate it on Friday... it was so good, I had to have it.  So I made it again.. on Monday.

Please put away your judging eyes.  It is bacon, people.  I couldn't help myself. 

The sad part is, the food was so tasty, but the pics... were not.  So, I decided it is about time I try learn a thing or two about food photography (and photography in general).  I took the first step and I picked up this book from Pinch of Yum, a great food blog.  I am on page 11 and have learned more about my camera in the first 5 minutes of reading that I have since we bought it (which has been over a year and a half).  I had no idea it was so complicated.  I was always an auto pilot (tulip mode) kinda gal... but it is time to take control.  There are things that need to be adjusted.  Lots of things.  An overwhelming number of things.  This. is. going. to. take. practice.  Do I have the patience?  We'll see.  On the bright side: it can't get any worse can it?  But, now that I told you this, I have you all (yes, all five of you who will read this post) to hold me accountable.  I thought about deleting the entire paragraph above, but decided against it.  No regrets, right? 

So, with tonight's practice round I made Sweet Potato Avocado Wraps, they have the makings of a wrap, without a wrapper (when I say "wrapper" what I mean is a person who is capable of wrapping a wrap - I am not), so I displayed them and ate them like tacos.  I am not sad about it. 

On the way home from work I told Paul we were having Sweet Potato Avocado Wraps for dinner.  It took a minute for him to respond.  When he did, he asked "Does that really go together?"  Having no idea myself, I went with my gut and said "Of course, it does!" confidently.  Confidently being the operative word.  If you say anything with confidence, people will believe you.  People, maybe, but your husband is another story.  

After his first bite, he was already taking back his words.  He then continued with... "Do we love Sweet Potatoes?"

My response: "Yes, I think we do."

What's not to love?  Sweet and Savory Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (seasoned with brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt)......

......Layered on top of spicy seasoned Greek Yogurt and topped with crispy Romaine, juicy Tomatoes and smooth Avocados.

Easy as Sweet Potato Pie, not that I have ever made Sweet Potato pie.  It's probably not even easy, but trust me, these are.  Easy and delicious and guilt free!  The perfect light and healthy dinner for getting your summer beach bod ready.  Speaking of beach... I will be there in T minus 11 days!

Sweet Potato Avocado Wraps

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes
1 T brown sugar
1 t chili powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how much spice you want in your life)
salt
1 1/2 T Olive Oil
1 avocado, diced
1-2 tomatoes, diced
bunch of chopped romaine
4 small whole wheat tortillas (taco style) or 2 large whole wheat tortillas (wrap style)

Sauce:
1 container (single serving size) Greek Yogurt (preferably low or no fat)
1 t chili powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper (adjust to taste, start with less and add more)
dash of garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C).  Combine spices in a ziploc bag or container with seal, add sweet potatoes and olive oil.  Shake and mix.  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Spread sweet potatoes out evenly.  Bake for 40-50 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes.

Combine sauce ingredients and mix.

Warm tortillas in oven or microwave.  Layer on a spoonful of Greek Yogurt sauce, sweet potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, and vegetables.  Wrap up or serve like tacos.

Bon Appétit!

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Colorful Cabbage Slaw Salad with BBQ Chicken

Pin It I needed a good summer side dish.  I needed something colorful, something light and something crispy.  I used to hate coleslaw, mostly because I am afraid of Mayonnaise more than I am afraid of snakes.  I am working on this fear though, and will even eat it if it is flavored, with hesitation.  But, I'll eat it, and normally I will even like it.  This doesn't change the fact that I am still afraid of Mayonnaise and am way too afraid to use it in a recipe.  Any recipe I come across with Mayonnaise in the ingredient list get the "x" before you can blink your eye.  I needed a good slaw without mayonnaise.

I came across this gorgeous looking slaw on Oh She Glows and had to try it.  It looked to good not to try.   Like Angela, I had never used a cabbage before, so this was the first, but definitely not the last time I plan on experimenting with this beautiful plant.

It seems the salads of summer and getting more and more colorful.  I am okay with that.

Isn't that purple cabbage gorg? 

Just chop it up.

Layer in the carrots, broccoli and red pepper.

 Top with Parsley and Sunflower Seeds.

Pour on the dressing and mix it up.  Refrigerate until serving.

We served this on the side of some grilled barbecue drumsticks. The sweet and spicy drumsticks paired perfectly with the light and crispy slaw.  Definitely will be using this slaw as a side dish all summer long. 

 We made a homemade barbecue sauce that was pretty finger licking good... but I am still partial to Sweet Baby Ray's.  Can you blame a girl?

Combine that all with a sweet potato.  I have to say this was one perfect BBQ combo.  That's two for this season.  For another grilling favorite check out Cilantro Lime Chicken. 

Colorful Cabbage Slaw

As adapted from Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

1/4 purple cabbage, chopped

4 carrots, chopped or shredded

1/2 head of broccoli, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

3-4 Tbs sunflower seeds

Salt and Pepper

Dressing:

1 1/2 lemons, juiced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbls Olive Oil

5 Tbls Greek Yogurt

1 Tbls Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp sugar

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Combine vegetables.  Top with parsley and sunflower seeds.  Whisk together Dressing ingredients.  Top slaw.  Mix.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Refrigerate before serving.  

Now, I still have 3/4 cabbage left, any ideas?

Bon Appétit! Pin It