Sweet Potato Contest

Another reason to be creative in the kitchen - Sweet Potato Contest! Now, we would NEVER used canned yams (especially those that aren't natural), but we did use organic natural sweet potato puree from the can!

Sweet Potato Jalapeno Cornbread


Our favorite cornbread recipe with the addition of sweet potato and jalapeno! (We served this with Black Eyed Pea Spinach Soup, adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen's recipe )

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all purpose)
1 cup corn flour
1 cup medium cornmeal
¾ tsp salt
3 Tb agave nectar
3/4 cup sweet potato puree or can sweet potatoes (no sugar added), drained and pureed
1 cup soy milk
1 – 1 ¼ cup water
1 – 2 Tb minced jalapeno, seeded if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients (whole wheat flour through salt). In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients (agave nectar through jalapeno). Add wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined. Pour batter in a medium-sized glass pan (1 ½ qt or 6 in x 8 in) or in a loaf pan (sprayed with cooking spray).

Bake until edges slightly browned for about 35 minutes, or until a tested inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cornbread to cool a few minutes before cutting. Makes 12-15 servings.

Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chunks

Flax "Egg":
2 Tbsp ground flaxseeds (flax meal)
¼ cup water

Dry:
1 cup stone ground 100% whole wheat flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats (NOT quick-cooking)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Wet:
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup sucanat (unrefined granulated cane sugar)
1 cup sweet potato puree or canned sweet potatoes (no sugar added), drained and pureed
¼ cup safflower oil
½ - ¾ cup water

Add-ins:
½ cup dried cranberries (preferably Eden Organic’s Dried Cranberries sweetened with apple juice instead of sugar)
½ cup (~16 squares) Equal Exchange 70% Dark Chocolate, cut into chunks (about 2/3 of the whole chocolate bar)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a medium sized bowl, combine ground flaxseeds and water and mix to make a pasty "egg". Let sit for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon).

In the medium bowl with the flax "egg", mix the rest of the wet ingredients just until incorporated (vanilla, sugar, sweet potato puree, oil, and water). Add the dried fruit and chocolate chunks. Make sure to distribute evenly and not over-mix.

Drop large spoonfuls of dough about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Flatten each cookie just slightly. (The cookies will not spread).

Bake for about 10 minutes, making sure not to burn the tops. If needed, cover with foil. Makes about 30 cookies.

Dig in! - LK