Mashed Sweet Potato with a KICK!

I'm definitely a carb girl...but even more so a potato girl! I love potatoes any which way they come. However, I'm on a huge fitness kick at the moment so I have banished my mashed potatoes until the day comes that I can wear a bikini with pride! However, apparently, according to Weight Watchers one sweet potato is only 3 points which is not too bad. Now plain old mashed sweet potato is good but I've made it even better.

I was watching a cooking program the other night and the chef was talking about infused oil and I thought what about making a bit of infused oil to run through my sweet mashed potato?!?! I had plenty of extra virgin olive oil in the cupboard, I had a bit of butter, some fresh rosemary and my trusty dried chili flakes would this work? Would this lift my sweet potato to higher heights? Oh yes!

This side dish was so easy to make (I'm sure I say this in every blog entry I write!), it was quick and it gave the mash such an amazing kick. It ROCKED!

I served my mash along side a grilled piece of juicy rib eye and some grilled asparagus.

Enjoy
x

Ingredients

3 x small sweet potatoes or 2 large
2 x tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 x tablespoon of butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of freshly chopped rosemary
A sprinkling of dried chili flakes to your liking

Method

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks. Place in saucepan, fill with cold walter and put on the boil. Potatoes will be ready when easily skewered with a fork.

While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop your rosemary and gather together the remainder of your ingredients.

Once potatoes are soft, mash until smooth. Place lid on to keep warm while you make your oil.

Heat a small fry pan on high heat. Once hot, add oil, butter, rosemary and chili flakes. Flash fry for about a minute.

Pour oil into sweet potatoes and stir through. Serve immediately as a side dish.

Chicken Soup

I have no doubt that there are a lot of variations on chicken soup...creamy, smooth, chunky etc However, I have found a recipe that is so easy and delicious that you will never want to open a can of chicken soup again!

Last week Matt had a work function and the thought of cooking a meal for just myself was too much BUT I didn't want to go down the fast food route! So I thought why not try making a soup. I could make a whole batch, freeze it and there are my suppers for when Matt is away working!

I took inspiration from the Marie Claire "Kitchen" cook book and then added my own touches.

Chicken soup is apparently good for the soul...books have been written about this!! So I decided to do a little research. Chicken soup originally stems from the Jewish kitchen and although scientific research has concluded that the soup has no healing powers I believe it is good for your soul and if something makes you feel good then why not!

I hope you enjoy!
x

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 finely chopped rashers of bacon
2 finely diced white onions
1 grated carrot
1 bay leaf
2 peeled and diced large potatoes
3 finely sliced celery stalks
2 chicken breast fillets cut into small cubes
1.5 litres (6 cups/52 fl oz) chicken stock
1/2 cup of small macaroni (the teeny tiny cute kind!)
Handful of flat leaf parsley
Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Method


Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the bacon and onion and saute over medium heat until the bacon is nicely browned.

Add the carrot, bay leaf, potatoes and celery stalks. Stir for 1 minute, then add the chicken breasts.

Now add the chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the macaroni 10 minutes before serving.

Season according to taste with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Add the parsley just before serving.