As we approach the weekend, our refrigerator looks increasingly bare and it gets more and more tempting to rush off to the grocery store and grab fresh ingredients that I am really craving OR go out to eat. Trying to think economically though, I decided to use what we did have. I didn’t want to make anything fancy because I was eating for one. So, I grilled up some chicken breast I found in the freezer and opted to turn it in to my chicken salad recipe, so that Brandon and I would both have leftovers for lunch. We also had a HUGE sweet potato in the cupboard that I utilized in making these Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes by Ellie Krieger from The Food Network.
Sweet potatoes make a great side dish because they are easy to prepare and add lots of crucial nutrients! I added a little cinnamon to these potatoes because I like them sweet. Brandon said he prefers the baked sweet potato “fries” because they are less dessert-like. But I’m a girl with a sweet tooth so they suited my taste buds just fine!
Since I had an hour to kill while the potatoes were in the oven, I was able to get my apartment cleaned (wanted to get in some NEAT activities instead of sitting on my bum) and then quickly assembled a chicken salad sandwich. I layered a couple slices of tomato in my pita that we still had fresh in the fridge and poured myself a green tea-POM mixed beverage (observe the short glass…better way to keep portions in check!) Tasty, cheap meal, loaded with antioxidants. Bon appetit!!
Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from Ellie Krieger, The Food Network
Makes 6 servings (3/4 cup each)
2lbs Sweet potatoes (4 cups)
2 T Olive oil
2 T Honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
couple dashes of cinnamon (personal addition)
1/2 tsp salt
1. Preheat the oven 350 degrees.
2. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1″ pieces and place in a 9 x 13″ dish. Whisk together Olive oil, honey, and lemon juice (will be thick in consistency). Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and bake, stirring occasionally for ~1 hour or until the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Nutritional Profile:
181 calories, 4.7 g fat (0.7 g sat., 3.3 g mono), 242mg sodium, 33.6 g carbohydrate, 4.4 g fiber, 2.7 g protein
