One Sweet Potato, Three Meals: Warm Fall Salad with a Yogurt-Cider Dressing

“Two words, eleven letters, say it and I’m yours”. S w e e t  P o t a t o.

There’s something so comforting about sweet potatoes. They never fail to brighten up a dish. The subtle sweetness and the richness they bring to the plate always hits the spot for me. I absolutely love to add some roasted cubes to any salad I make, or as a simple side dish.

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Summer Skewers with Halloumi, Cherry Tomatoes and Peaches

This… is Summer on a plate. Or on a stick to be more precise! The other day, I found myself craving skewers on the grill. Good old Summer barbecue flavors, with juicy, marinated, tender meat. The kind that you eat with your hands and you don’t even care. In fact, the kind that tastes even better when you eat it like that. You get my point.

Sweet and Savory Duo of Tapenades

Happy end of the summer! Though this might not be the easiest time of the year, I’m trying to look on the bright side of things as I enjoy the last days I have left at home. The beginning of a new school year is always full of new exciting things, and faces. So I guess it’s not that bad to go back after all…

Buckwheat Crepes with Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs

It’s a fact: pancakes have nothing on crepes. Or at least it’s a widespread idea among French people. We love our crepes, and wouldn’t exchange them for pancakes in any way. Whether sweet or savory, buckwheat or regular flour, for lunch or dinner, there’s always a way to indulge in these deliciously warm circular treats. In fact, I really miss Parisian “creperies” when I’m in the US. Here, I mostly eat pancakes for brunch, but I don’t like savory ones. On the other hand, I find buckwheat crepes to be perfect savory options. This allows me to eat crepes for lunch or dinner as well. I just can’t get enough! The original recipe comes from the region of Brittany, but mine is slightly modified because I use milk instead of water. I find that it makes them more moist and flavorful, but that’s up to you! You can also be as creative as you want with the filling, and even go for sweeter options if you prefer (I’d then substitute AP flour for the buckwheat). Bon appétit!

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Total time: 10 minutes (1 hour for the batter to sit)

Ingredients for the batter: 

• 1/2 cup almond milk (or regular)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• butter (for the pan)

Ingredients for the savory crepes:

• 2 slices smoked salmon
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp plain yogurt
• a bunch of fresh parsley
• a handful of spring mix

Directions:

1. Make the batter: mix the buckwheat flour with the eggs, then add the milk and a pinch of salt, and mix until homogeneous. Let it sit for about an hour in the refrigerator.
2. Once the batter is set, cook the crepes. Melt some butter in a pan on high heat, and add just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan. The crepes will start to bubble quickly, and once they’re set on one side, flip them to cook the other side for another minute. Set the cooked crepes aside, and keep going.
3. Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt with a splash of water, salt, pepper, and fresh chopped parsley.
4. Then, make the scrambled eggs. In the same pan, melt a little bit of butter, crack an egg, and whisk until the egg is just set but not dry.
5. To plate, start with a buckwheat crepe, add the scrambled egg, top with the sliced smoked salmon and spring mix, and drizzle with the yogurt sauce. Adjust the seasoning and enjoy!

TIP: Another one of my favorite savory crepes is ham, fried egg, and cheese. It’s a more traditional one in France and it’s amazing with a glass of spiked apple cider. 

A Midwinter Night’s Baked Sweet Potato

Ahhh baked sweet potatoes… So simple, yet so satisfying. I don’t know why I like them so much. But there’s just something comforting about them. Sure, when I think about “comfort food”, they aren’t the first thing rushing through my mind. I tend to immediately picture a steaming bowl of mac n’ cheese, or lasagna. But they definitely come as a close runner-up. Our heater broke because of the cold last night and I couldn’t think of anything else to warm me up. This dish was just prime comfort food with ingredients that I had on-hand. Additionally, it turned out to be a great way to use some left-over beans and onions. The dressing made it all come together nicely. It added this great sweet and savory taste to the dish. All in all, this one’s a keeper if you’re looking for some warmth on a cold winter’s night. Bon appétit!

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Prep time: 35-40 min 

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 avocado (mashed)
• 1/4 yellow onion (chopped)
• olive oil

Peanut-Honey Mustard dressing:

• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp honey
• salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potato with a fork. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until you can pierce through the flesh easily with a fork.
2. Once the sweet potato is in the oven, make the peanut-honey mustard dressing by mixing all the ingredients together until the mix is homogenous.
3. Also meanwhile, sauté the onions with olive oil, on high heat, in a small pot for about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water and let it evaporate to further soften the onions. Add the black beans and cook for about 5 more minutes on medium heat.
4. Once the sweet potato is done, cut it in half with a knife, but not all the way, and spread both sides apart. Stuff with the black beans and onions, and top with the mashed avocado. Drizzle with the sweet and savory dressing and enjoy while it’s hot!

TIP: you can substitute lentils or chickpeas for the black beans and you can also sprinkle with cheese for extra comfort food!