These simple little cookies pack a flavorful punch and really let good sweet potatoes shine.

Sweet Potato Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet potato, cooked & mashed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white or turbinado sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Mix sweet potatoes, sugar, oil, milk, and lemon juice together. Add  dry ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
2. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  These cookies will be soft and chewy!

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie with Walnut Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and boiled
• 1/8 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 pound sweet peppers, chopped
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon hot pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup cooked black-eyed peas
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and saute onion over medium-low heat until fragrant. Add garlic, mushrooms, peppers, and hot pepper flakes and continue sauteing until peppers soften, about 4 minutes.
2. Add parsley and black-eyed peas and combine with sauteed vegetables over medium-high heat. Add broth and rice flour stirring until thoroughly combined, then allow liquid to come to a simmer. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a deep casserole dish and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to whisk potatoes with  soy milk, soy sauce, and ground sage until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spread mashed sweet potatoes on top of the filling and place in an oven heated to 350 degrees. Bake until the filling simmers and the potatoes develop a slightly golden crust, about 30 minutes.
5. Let cool for about 10 minutes and consider serving with walnut gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, ground
• 1  cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Over medium-low heat, fry rice flour in olive oil, stirring constantly, until slightly golden, about 1 minute.
2. Add ground walnuts, vegetable stock, lemon juice, and pepper, and increase to high heat.
3. Bring liquid to a boil, whisking occasionally, then reduce heat to medium. Continue to simmer until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes.
4. Season with salt to taste.

Sweet Potato and Black Eyed Peas Salad

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup cooked black-eyed peas
• 2 medium sweet peppers, diced
• 1/2 large sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Arrange sweet potato cubes on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, or until tender.
2. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the dressing by whisking the oil and lemon juice together and allowing the basil to marinade in the dressing.
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
4. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Traditional Ají Verde uses green rocoto peppers which have a simple mild flavor but a heat level similar to a jalapeno.  This ají pairs green peppers with a variety of herbs and the resulting hot sauce adds an absolutely delicious and colorful punch to some of Peru’s rich and creamy entrees and starters.

• 

  Aji Verde

  Procedure1 pound seeded green peppers (try a blend of green bells and jalapenos)

• ½ cup parsley
• ¼ cup savory mint
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 2 spring onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 key limes, juiced
• Salt

1. Blend peppers, herbs, garlic, and oil in a blender or food processer. Add enough water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to encourage complete liquefaction.
2. Season with salt to taste.

This sauce is ubiquitous in Peruvian cuisine and is used in many recipes, both for flavor and color, and as a condiment. In Peru, dried and fresh ají amarillo chilies can be easily found in markets and shops throughout the country, and premade paste is also common. This recipe uses roasted orange bell peppers and fresh habanero, which are both more commonly available in North America and make an excellent flavorful substitute.

 Ingredients

• 1 pound (about 3 whole peppers) fresh orange bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 small habanero pepper, seeded and deveined
• 2 key limes, juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Place bell peppers face down on a lightly greased baking sheet and broil on high (about 450°F) in the oven until the pepper skins are black and blistered, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully transfer the roasted peppers to an air tight container. Allow the peppers to rest for about 10 minutes then remove the skin from the peppers.
2. Transfer roasted and peeled bell peppers, habanero,  key lime juice, garlic, and olive oil to a high-speed blender and purée until smooth.  Salt to taste.

Baked Figs

This recipe is simple, but packs a lot of good fresh flavor.

Ingredients

• 12 large ripe figs
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Preparation

1. Place cleaned and dried figs side by side in a deep baking dish and place in an oven heated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
2. While the figs bake, make the almond creme and caramel. Prepare the almond creme by placing the almond milk, blanched almonds, and vanilla extract  in a blender and combining until smooth.  Taste and season with granulated sugar if necessary.
3. Place the brown sugar, salt, and water in a broad skillet and melt over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Continue string until the caramel comes to a boil then remove from heat.
4. When the figs are finished baking, plate the desert by carefully slicing the figs, scooping a spoonful of almond creme on top, and drizzle with caramel.

Purslane Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 1 cup purslane leaves
• 1 cup parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

This recipe includes all the flavorful goodness of pesto and the extreme nutrition of nuts and seeds, including quinoa!

Four Nut Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup packed basil leaves
• 1 cup packed arugula
• 1 clove garlic
•  1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1.  Place basil, arugula, garlic, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and almonds in a blender or food processor.  Puree the ingredients, drizzling in olive oil until the combination is smooth.
2. Stir in the quinoa and season with salt and pepper to taste.

This is a baked, gluten-free falafel, packed with heart-healthy omegas!

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked garbanzo beans, mashed
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground flax
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1/4 cup purslane, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup mint, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Form chickpea patties about 1 ½ inches wide by 2 inches thick. Place formed patties on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.