sweet potato Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Gluten-free Fritto Misto with Alaska Seafood

December 5, 2019 By Becky Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. I’m thrilled to be partnering with ASMI to share a series of delicious recipes highlighting sustainable, wild-caught seafood from Alaska.

When my husband and I spent time in Italy on our honeymoon, we had an amazing fritto misto in Venice. I’d never heard of the dish before, but it’s basically a variety of crispy fried seafood and vegetables served with lemon wedges and a delicious sauce for dipping—kind of like an Italian tempura. Fritto misto means “mixed fry” in Italian.

For the second recipe in my ongoing partnership with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, I’m thrilled to share this amazing gluten-free fritto misto made with Alaska seafood. It’s a wild caught, homemade spin on what we ate in Italy, and it’s even better than the restaurant version!

Instant Pot Bacon and Sweet Potato Chili

September 21, 2018 By Becky 8 Comments

Instant Pot Bacon & Sweet Potato Chili (Paleo, Whole30)

This paleo & Whole30-compliant Instant Pot bacon and sweet potato chili is an old favorite made twice as fast in the pressure cooker. Make a big batch and freeze some for later!

I’m kind of a chili purist. I don’t like beans in my chili and I don’t want any tomatoes in there, either. I also don’t like it to be too soupy. Over the years I’ve tried many chili recipes, but my bacon and sweet potato chili is the only one I come back to again and again. Many of my friend have made it, too, and it’s always a hit. It freezes really well, so it’s a perfect make-ahead meal. I’m definitely planning to stock my freezer with some to have on hand once our baby arrives!

Sheet Pan Baked Eggs with Sweet Potatoes, Kale, & Cilantro-Pepita Pesto

January 29, 2018 By Becky 14 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

These sheet pan baked eggs with sweet potatoes, kale, and cilantro-pepita pesto are packed with flavor and nutrition, but free of gluten, grains, dairy, and nuts!

Hello, happy Monday, and welcome to breakfast week! It’s nothing formal, but I have several scrumptious breakfast ideas coming up that I’m so excited to share with you, starting with these sheet pan baked eggs with sweet potatoes, kale, and cilantro-pepita pesto. This recipe is something I make versions of for myself all the time for quick breakfasts and lunches, because the combination of roasted sweet potatoes, crispy kale, and runny yolks is pretty much irresistible.

6 Ways to Top Roasted Sweet Potatoes

November 22, 2017 By Becky 22 Comments

This post is sponsored by the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission.

With these six ways to top roasted sweet potatoes, everyone will be sure to find something they love. Pick one or two to make for dinner or go all out and try all six!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I’m here today to tell you about a delicious meal idea that, while not necessarily meant for Turkey Day itself, is certainly perfect for any busy night (or day or even morning) of the year when you need some fast and healthy grub.

Roasted Beets & Sweet Potatoes

June 5, 2017 By Becky 4 Comments

These roasted beets and sweet potatoes are a paleo and vegan-friendly side dish that goes well with almost anything.

I know–it’s June, and I’m suggesting cranking up the oven to roast some vegetables. It may not be the most summer-friendly cooking method, but to me it’s worth it. Beets just started appearing at local farmers markets and in my CSA box, and my favorite way to enjoy them is roasted alongside the last of fall’s sweet potatoes (or perhaps the first of summer’s crop!).

To make this dish extra colorful, I opted for a mix of orange and purple sweet potatoes and chioggia beets, which are striped inside and won’t stain your hands nearly as much as regular beets. The sweet potatoes end up tender inside and satisfyingly crispy along the edges.

The beets don’t crisp up, but their earthy, springy flavor is a great counterpoint to the sweet potatoes. A little thyme adds herbal freshness and savory notes, but can be omitted if you don’t have any on hand.

Huevos Divorciados + Salsa Verde

January 9, 2017 By Becky 26 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Huevos divorciados is a classic Mexican breakfast that’s just as amazing for dinner. Homemade salsa verde makes it extra special!

Huevos divorciados, which literally translates to “divorced eggs”, are one of my favorite Mexican breakfasts. Two fried eggs are served with two different kinds of salsa–in this case, salsa verde and ancho chile salsa. They’re often separated by some refried beans and potatoes, but I like to serve them with a quick sweet potato hash. If you have your salsas ready, this meal comes together in less than 30 minutes. And while homemade salsa is the most delicious (plus fun and easy to make!), store-bought salsas can definitely work, too. Just read the labels carefully if you’re doing a Whole30!

These huevos divorciados and salsa verde are from my cookbook, Paleo Planet. If you don’t have your copy yet, you can order one on Amazon or pick one up at many Barnes & Noble stores and local booksellers. The book has over 125 internationally-inspired paleo recipes, including over 80 that are Whole30 compliant. You can download the Whole30 recipe list right here!

Mini Sweet Potato Gratins

November 23, 2016 By Becky 4 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mini Sweet Potato Gratins (Gluten free)

These mini sweet potato gratins are a perfect gluten-free and vegetarian holiday appetizer or side. They’re full of flavor thanks to a rich sweet onion cream sauce.

Happy day before Thanksgiving! I know I may be getting you these mini sweet potato gratins a bit too late for them to be part of tomorrow’s spread, but they’re delicious and fun anytime. They’d be great with Christmas dinner or as part of an appetizer table for a New Year’s party. Who doesn’t love their own little stack of sweet potatoes baked in a creamy sauce with a little cheese?

Mini Sweet Potato Gratins (Gluten free)

This gratin gets its unique flavor from a sauce made with sweet onions simmered slowly in butter, then blended with cream, sour cream, and a little bit of spice. The sauce is tossed with thinly sliced sweet potatoes, which are then stacked in muffin tins with a little bit of parmesan cheese. Everything is baked until nice and golden and bubbly, and that’s it! These take a little while and you’ll use your food processor three times if you let it do the slicing (which I highly recommend!), but they’re worth it. I may or may not have had almost half a dozen of these for lunch the other day…

Smoky Sweet Potato Latkes + Paleo Planet Giveaway

November 7, 2016 By Becky 87 Comments

Sweet, smoky, and crisp, these sweet potato latkes are really hard to beat, especially topped with cashew sour cream and applesauce.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the release of my cookbook Paleo Planet, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes from the book–smoky sweet potato latkes–plus a giant giveaway package. If you’re interested in winning a signed copy of the book, a box of grass-fed meat from ButcherBox, and paleo-friendly baking supplies from Rodelle, scroll down to the end of the post to enter. If you already have the book, you can give away the signed copy as a gift and keep the rest of the prizes for yourself.

(If you do have the book and especially if you’ve cooked from it, would you consider leaving a candid review on Amazon? They’re so helpful to me and to potential readers. Thank you so much!)

Paleo Planet is a collection of gluten-free, grain-free recipes inspired by cuisines from all around the world, including over 125 recipes (and over 80 that are Whole30 compliant–get the full list here!). All of the recipes are dairy free with the exception of ghee, which can be swapped out if you’re avoiding it.

The book includes a full chapter of sauces, spice blends, and pantry staples you can make at home, from za’atar to spiced ghee to almond milk, to ensure your paleo meals are extra delicious, along with three chapters of main dishes (poultry, beef, pork, & lamb, and seafood). These include paleo versions of well-known favorites like moussaka, pad see ew, and chiles rellenos plus dishes that may be new to you, like kaddo bourani, an irresistible Afghan pumpkin dish, and ají de gallina, a Peruvian chicken dish cooked with ají amarillo chile paste. The cookbook also includes a chapter for appetizers, soups, salads, and snacks, a chapter of vegetable sides, and of course a dessert chapter.

I’m so excited to be partnering with ButcherBox and Rodelle to bring you a prize package full of wholesome ingredients that you can use to make recipes from Paleo Planet as well as anything else you’re whipping up this season. Rodelle is providing their high-quality vanilla beans, vanilla extract, and baking cocoa, which can be used in a myriad of desserts from the book, from Black Forest Cake to Millionaire’s Shortbread to Mexican Brownies.

ButcherBox is providing a box of their 100% grass-fed meat, conveniently packaged in individual servings and shipped straight to your door on dry ice. Their meat is my go-to for all the carnivorous recipes in my book, from Milanesa to Australian Burgers to Honey Chipotle Short Ribs.

Shrimp Burgers with Lemon Caper Relish

March 15, 2016 By Becky 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

These paleo shrimp burgers are a delicious and fun alternative to regular burgers, and are especially tasty on a sweet potato “bun”with lemon caper relish.

Three years ago Ben and I went to Jamaica and fell in love with the island’s food, weather, and laid-back attitude. (You can read about our trip here and here–but be warned that there are some bready photos, though, since that was before I discovered paleo. There are also crocodiles and caves!) One of the dishes I really enjoyed was a conch burger. It’s a seafood burger made with the succulent meat from conchs, which are giant marine snails. They’re hard to come by here in Chattanooga and I wasn’t sure how many of you would be excited about a snail burger, so I made shrimp burgers instead.

I’ve actually been working on this recipe on and off for over a year. First I had to perfect the burgers themselves. While all my attempts were delicious, I made multiple versions last year that completely fell apart when I tried to flip them. I ended up serving Ben and myself what was basically a pile of shrimp hash. It tasted so good that I almost leaned into it and changed the whole concept of the recipe, but in the end I really had my heart set on these being burgers, so I persevered.

I took a few months off because I was tired of defrosting shrimp and removing their tails. It really isn’t that hard, but after a while it can be a pain. Once it didn’t seem daunting anymore I jumped back in, and finally discovered the two keys to making sure these burgers stick together. First, you need to use a food processor to blend the ingredients, and second, the patties need to chill in the fridge for a bit before you cook them (that key tip is from America’s Test Kitchen via The Frugal Girl).

Spiced Beef and Sweet Potato Bowls with Crispy Eggs

September 22, 2015 By Becky 10 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Spiced beef and sweet potato bowls with crispy eggs, fresh figs, and goat cheese: a unique and satisfying grain-free breakfast or dinner in less than 30 minutes.

This may seem like a strange combination of foods, but don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. This quick spiced beef with sweet potatoes is delicious all on its own, but adding a crispy egg, a few fresh figs, and a generous dollop of goat cheese kicks things up several levels.

The spiced beef and sweet potatoes is a fast, pared-down version of my bacon and sweet potato chili, with a few slightly more exotic spices added in. Microwaving the sweet potato chunks for a few minutes while the meat is browning saves times and ensures even cooking. Coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and allspice give the beef and sweet potatoes just the right amount of fragrance and spice.

In case you haven’t had the pleasure of indulging in a crispy egg, let me sell you on it. It has perfectly cooked whites, a runny yolk, and irresistible crunchy browned lacy bits all around the edges.

Paleo Breakfast Casserole with Bacon, Sausage, Sweet Potato, & Kale

June 22, 2015 By Becky 64 Comments

Breakfast Casserole with Bacon, Sausage, Sweet Potato, and Kale | acalculatedwhisk.com

This paleo breakfast casserole is so packed with flavorful ingredients that no one will notice it’s dairy free and Whole30 compliant. It’s great to make ahead and reheat on busy mornings, too!

Looking for more delicious paleo recipes? Check out my cookbook, Paleo Planet!

When I make a recipe, I always expect it to turn out great. Of course, sometimes it doesn’t, but if I weren’t expecting delicious results, why would I bother making the recipe at all?

On the other hand, sometimes there’s a qualifier. I might say to myself, “These cookies will be great–for sugar-free cookies.” Or in this case, “This will be wonderful–for a dairy-free, paleo breakfast casserole.”

Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce with Sweet Potato Spaghetti

June 10, 2015 By Becky 17 Comments

There’s nothing more comforting than a slow-cooked Bolognese sauce with sweet potato spaghetti! It’s gluten free, paleo, and much more colorful and nutritious than regular spaghetti and meatballs.

This is Whole30 comfort food at its best. Making Bolognese sauce every Friday is a new tradition of mine, and even though I’ve only been doing it for a few weeks, it’s already made my weekends much heartier and more delicious.

I have Fridays off this semester so I can stay home while this fragrant sauce simmers away, but if you have to work you could start the sauce in the morning before you leave and finish it in the slow cooker, or make it your Saturday or Sunday tradition instead.

You want to let this sauce cook for a nice long time because the flavors will continue to meld and develop over the course of several hours. The long cooking time is the reason bolognese sauce is so synergistic. I also think the sauce tastes even better when I reheat it a day or two later, but I can never resist eating at least some of it the day I make it. The aroma is so enticing!

Because everyone’s schedule is different, I’m providing a slow cooker version and a version that cooks completely on the stovetop. Other than the cooking time, which is much longer for the slow cooker version, the only difference is the amount of liquid you add. The stovetop version needs extra liquid since much of the water in the sauce will evaporate, but the slow cooker keeps all that moisture locked in.