Sweet Potato, Zucchini, and Spinach Hash with Fried Eggs

My culinary inspiration frequently comes from The Cooking Channel (By the way, if your current cable plan doesn't get this channel you should seriously look into upgrading...this channel is THAT worth it!).  Specifically, last night's recipe was inspired by Giada de Laurentis' Salami, Bacon, and Spinach Hash.  Of course my version didn't have salami or bacon in it.  Instead, my version was loaded with veggies, spiked with Southwestern flavors, and served alongside spicy salsa that will really get your sinuses to movin'!  With the added protein of a fried egg - or two - what else could I ask for on a cool (haha...who am I kidding?  I still live in Jacksonville, FL after all!) warm, fall evening in October?!

Sweet Potato, Zucchini, and Spinach Hash with Fried Eggs
Serves 2

2 small sweet potatoes, diced
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2T EVOO, divided
1 purple onion, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
3C spinach, washed and patted dry
1/2tsp cumin
1/2tsp chili powder
1/4tsp cayenne pepper
zest of one lemon
4 eggs

Directions:

• Heat 1T of the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
• Add the diced sweet potatoes, 1/2tsp salt, and 1/4tsp pepper, and cook for 15 minutes - or until tender.
• Remove the sweet potatoes from the saucepan.
• Add the remaining 1T of oil to the saucepan, and then toss in the onion, zucchini, spinach, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and lemon zest.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Add the sweet potatoes back into the saucepan, and toss to incorporate.
• Create four mini-holes in each quadrant of the veggie mixture.
• Crack an egg into each hole.  Cover with a large top, and simmer until eggs are cooked to your desired consistency.
• Serve with salsa and a scattering of shredded cheddar cheese.

Bo and I both devoured our perfect bowl's full of the hash!  Interestingly, I had left out a package of ground turkey to defrost all day, thinking that Bo would want/need the added protein in the meal.  Instead, after he finished eating his entire plateful he realized that we totally forgot to brown the turkey and add it to his plate. I guess that just goes to show you that sometimes vegetarian meals really are both satisfying AND delicious.  SCORE!

Question of the Day:

What's your favorite recipe that you have cooked RECENTLY?  I would love to hear what you and your family are enjoying as summer transitions into fall.

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Sweet Potato (Sort Of) Shepherd's Pie

It seems like forever since I have posted a recipe on the blog, and in some ways, it has been! 

Sidenote: Don't worry, I've still been cooking up a storm, and we've still been eating up a storm.  It's just that I've been cooking a lot of un-recipes...you know, roasted veggies, grains, and protein...nothing fancy.  Just a lot of easy meals that don't really warrant their own posts on the blog.

But today is the day that the recipe-drought comes to an end, and it's coming to an end with a BANG!  This recipe is the perfect way to welcome fall into your kitchen.  It's warm, high on comfort-food flavors, balanced in nutrition, and low in fat...seriously, what more could you ask for?!

Sweet Potato (Sort Of) Shepherd's Pie
Serves 4

For the Topping:
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4C unsweetened almond milk
1T Smart Balance
1/4tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp nutmeg
1/8tsp salt

For the Filling:
1 1/2tsp vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1tsp ground thyme
2tsp dried rosemary
1 1/4C vegetable broth
1 can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
salt and pepper, to taste

For Garnish:
3oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Boil water in a medium pot.  Once boiling, add the diced sweet potatoes.
• Boil for 10 minutes, or until tender.
• Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet.  Once heated, add the onion, carrots, and bell pepper, and cook for five minutes.
• After five minutes, add the thyme, rosemary, vegetable broth, beans, salt, and pepper to the skillet.
• Simmer for ten minutes.
• Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, drain and place in a food processor.  Add the milk, Smart Balance, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
• Process until smooth.  Set aside.
• Once the filling mixture has simmered for ten minutes, pour it into the bottom of a medium sized casserole dish.
• Spoon the sweet potato mixture on top, and spread it out until smooth.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove and add the shredded cheese on top.
• Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
• Cool for 5-10 minutes before eating.
• We ate our alongside a spinach salad, and it was the perfect vegetarian meal!

Bo took these pictures because I had to head over to yoga while the pie was in the oven.  They aren't the best pictures on the blog by any stretch of the imagination, but they'll have to do.  Honestly, I am just thankful that he remembered to take pictures AT ALL before devouring the shepherd's pie entirely!

(He did save me one piece...and yes, that means he ate 75% of the casserole all on his own!)

If you recreate this at home, don't be scared to play around with the filling ingredients.

For example, you could use leeks, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, etc.

You name it - and you could probably use it in the filling.  

So, get creative.

Use WHATEVER you have on hand!

It will still be equally delicious.

Question of the Day:

Do you like shepherd's pie?  If not, how about pot pie?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Yoga Life in Our Home

Although Yoga Life Studio closed its doors yesterday (insert sad face here), parts of it will continue to live on, not only in people's hearts and memories, but also...

...IN. MY. HOUSE.!

Although Sara and her husband loaded up most of the things from the shala in their own truck, there were a few things that they neither wanted nor needed.  So, as we finished packing up, Sara offered to give us several things for FREE.  Among them were:

• several Yoga Life t-shirts for Bo and I;
• a fancy shmancy (Yes, that IS a word!) paper towel holder;
• a decorative wall display; and
• a large, L-shaped desk.

Perhaps the best thing we received was the desk.  We have been in dire need of a desk for months now, and just haven't had the money to spend on one.  In fact, we purchased the desk that we have been using for the past year from Craig's List for just $30.00 (including the desk chair).  Needless to say, it's not the most sturdy desk I have ever come across.  

Case in point:

Oh, did I forget to mention that it is BRIGHT. LIME. GREEN.?!  

Honestly, how could I be so forgetful?...Hahaha!

The point is, we needed a desk; and amazingly, one just came into our lives at no cost at all!  

Isn't Divine timing just amazing?!

This desk allows us to really spread out and not be so cramped.  

FINALLY!

Additionally, Bo now has a perfect place to spread out all of his books and study.  No more hogging the living room coffee table and not allowing me to watch TV while he is studying!

Plenty of breathing leg room.

And an extra office chair in the corner...you know, just in case we both need to look at the computer at the same time Bo needs a place to put his backpack!

As I mentioned earlier, we also got a fancy shmancy paper towel holder!  It's the perfect place to display my antique tea pots, don't you think?!

Sidenote:  I can't wait to live in a kitchen that isn't white.  Then this paper towel holder - among other things - will really shine!

Finally, Sara let me take home one of the mandalas that had been hanging on a wall in the studio.  Now it's hanging over our TV in the living room.

I have so many memories of either taking - or teaching - class and looking at this mandala on the wall.  It truly is a beautiful memory of my time at Yoga Life.

Whether it is the desk that I sit at every day, the paper towel holder that I pull from various times a day, or the mandala that I gaze upon on my wall, I will never forget my time at Yoga Life Studio.  From the students, to my fellow teachers, to Sara, to all of the memories of sweat, tears, struggle, and love, Yoga Life will always and forever be in my heart.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever received hand-me-down furniture or decor?  If so, what?!  Did it serve you well?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo