SWEET POTATO MAC AND CHEEZE MY WAY

When I was at the grocery store a few weeks ago I noticed that four cooking magazines showcased Mac and Cheese on their cover, each picture more rich and gooey than the other.  Do the magazine editors sit down and agree on the same thing and try to outdo each other or does everyone crave Mac and Cheese when it gets colder?

My answer is Mac and Cheese is good any time of the year!  This version is easy to make and easy on the waistline. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound whole grain pasta

1 large sweet potato

2 cloves garlic minced

1 large leek cleaned and chopped (a medium onion will work fine too)

2 medium sized tomatoes chopped or

   1 can chopped tomatoes with some of the juices drained

1 can coconut milk

½ cup nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons toasted cumin, ground

1 teaspoon Northwoods Fire (a spicy mixture by Penzeys Spices of salt, chipotle pepper, Hungarian paprika, garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and cayenne ) optional

Red pepper flakes to taste

A squeeze of lemon, lime or vinegar to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Start the pasta water and cook pasta according manufacturer’s directions.

Meanwhile steam the peeled and chopped sweet potato in a medium sized saucepan with an inch or two of water until tender - about 10 minutes. 

At the same time in a large frying pan sauté the garlic and leeks in the olive oil on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until soft and glossy.  Add the chopped tomatoes and spices and heat through a few more minutes. 

While the leek mixture is simmering, add the sweet potatoes, coconut milk and nutritional yeast to a blender.  Be careful since the potatoes are hot.  Blend until smooth and then add to the simmering vegetables.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  I added about a tablespoon of vinegar and red pepper flakes. 

(White wine could be added to the leeks during the initial sautéing.  If I had thought about it earlier I would have done that.  This recipe is very flexible to your taste.  You can make it sweeter or spicier.   A squeeze of lemon or lime at the end would be good too.)

ARUGULA AND HERB PESTO PASTA

This is nearing the end of the growing season for our CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) as it really gets hot and diminishes what can grow in this part of South Florida.  Since we are leaving for Connecticut soon the timing could not be better. 

Two hot weather vegetables we can count on are tomatoes and arugula.    I wanted to cook up something that would travel well on our drive up north and came up with a pesto dish.   I threw in all the fresh herbs I had to make it much more interesting and decided to deconstruct the pesto so I toasted the pine nuts and grated the parmesan and proclaimed them garnish!   

1 lb.  whole wheat pasta cooked according to package directions

4 cups greens – a mixture arugula, parsley and basil

3 cloves garlic

1/3 cup olive oil

Zest of one lemon (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

Grated parmesan

Toasted pine nut

Chopped tomatoes

As the pasta is cooking, add garlic cloves to a Cuisinart.  Mince.  Add the fresh greens to the Cuisinart and as the machine is running drizzle the olive oil until the mixture forms a lovely green pesto consistency.  Add your lemon zest and salt and pepper. 

Toss the pesto with the cooked pasta and add your parmesan, pine nuts and tomatoes. 

Eat well and travel well.