Sweet Potato Mash and a Jerk

Tonight we made Jamaican Jerk chicken with sweet potato mash and grilled brussels sprouts. I had this sweet potato mash for Thanksgiving this year and absolutely loved it. And since we get a very mild winter in Vancouver, it is easy to use the barbecue all year round. The spicy chicken and winter vegetables made for a great January meal.

My brother Steve, who is a great cook, taught me how to make these brussel sprouts a few years ago. Since then, I make them all the time. With that added quick sear, it is delicious!

Chicken Marinade:
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Hot Sauce to taste
Jamaican Jerk Spice
Marinade the chicken for 1-2 hours with the above ingredients. Grill on the barbecue while coating with leftover marinade a few times. Add more Jamaican Jerk Spice directly on chicken while on barbecue.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Mash:
2-3 Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp 1% Milk
Salt/Pepper to taste
Peel potatoes and cut into bite sized chunks. Microwave in water for about 5-7 minutes. Drizzle with lime and honey and bake on cookie sheet in the oven on 350 for about 30 minutes or until soft. Place soft potatoes in a sauce pan and add remaining ingredients. Heat on low until smooth.

Ingredients for Brussels Sprouts:

10-20 Brussels Sprouts
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper to taste
Boil Brussels Sprouts in a pot for 5-7 min until mostly cooked through. Strain and let cool for 5 min. Slice in half all the sprouts in half. Heat pan on med and drizzle with olive oil. When pan is hot, add sprouts (flat side down) to pan to sear. Let each one sear for approx 2 min or until golden brown. Remove and place on plate. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Pad Thai made with Spaghetti Squash

This is our first post in what is hopefully going to be one post a week for a year. We wanted to capture some of the dishes we are creating so our family and friends could have the recipes. Our hope is to make dishes that are unique, delicious and somewhat healthy.

The first dish is something that I found when I Googled "chicken" and "spaghetti squash". I absolutely love Pad Thai and this really seemed like something that could be amazing. The result was delicious.

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash

1 cup bok choy (diced)

1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)

2 cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 red chili pepper

Garnishes:

2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, chopped

green onions (chopped)

cilantro

lime wedges

Directions:

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. If you are having difficulty cutting it, try microwaving for a minute or two, whole. Scrape away the seeds. Place on foil covered cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast on 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes. Remove, let sit 5 minutes and then "shred" the squash with a fork.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add the bok choy and carrots and sauté over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and red chili pepper to skillet. Heat until smooth. Return veggies to the pan, as well as the spaghetti squash. Add in chicken, and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes or until sauce has coated all.

Divide among 2 plates/bowls and top with peanuts, cilantro, green onion, and lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Check out my latest recipe:  Sweet Potato Tacos with Orange/Ginger Slaw

LIST OF OTHER RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM ME! :)

Wants to see another awesome Spaghetti Squash recipe? http://stuffweate.blogspot.ca/2012/03/spaghetti-squash-with-chicken-meatballs.html