Sweet Potato Chips and OXO giveaway!

Could you use a handy new kitchen tool?  Now is your chance to win one for FREE!

As part of the Blogger Outreach Program, OXO provided me with this Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer for free, and another one for a blog reader to receive! To put this slicer to the test, I made sweet potato chips!

This slicer was so easy to use.  It is a very manageable size and you just simply slide the gauge to change the thickness.   I made chips using the medium and thickest settings.

Medium on the left.  Thickest on the right. 

I sliced through that sweet potato in no time!  So much easier with this Hand-Held slicer!

Sweet Potato Chips

Serves at least 2

Preheat oven to 375.  Line 2 cookie sheets with a Silpat or parchment paper.

1 large sweet potato thinly sliced (made more than enough for Darling Husband and myself) 

oive oil

salt

pepper

brown sugar (for a sweet version)

Drizzle sweet potato slices with olive oil.  I placed my slices in a big Ziploc bag.  

For the savory version, toss with salt and pepper, or your favorite fry seasoning.

For the sweet version, toss with brown sugar.

Divide amongst cookie sheets in an even, thin layer.  Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once.

Serve with sloppy joe sliders and you're in business!

Now for the fun stuff!  For a chance to win your very own Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer, all you need to do is comment on this post and tell me what you would like to make with this handy slicer!  Contest will run until Wednesday, May 16, 6pm PST.  This is a great little tool to have on hand.  Will be fun for all the summer veggies coming up!

Kale chips

That is a delicious bowl of uber-nutritious kale.  It doesn't get much better than this folks.

Or does it?

Top that yummy kale with some salt and pepper, bake for mere minutes, and you've got a healthy little chip.  It's just as good as a potato chip!

(that was a lie.  nothing is really as good as a potato chip, but this is a "healthy" post)

This was my first time making kale chips, but it won't be my last.  

I've only recently started cooking with, and eating kale and I wonder what has taken me so long!  One of my favorite ways to use it is in soups.  It's so hearty.  This may be my second favorite way to eat kale. 

Super easy and if you close your eyes, you just might think you are eating a potato chip!

(yes...another lie)

Kale chips

1 bunch of kale  ( I used lacinato, but I think any kind will do)

1 or 2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Wash kale, removing stems and the center rib.  

Cut or tear into large pieces.  Toss with olive oil in a bowl, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

Lay chips flat on a baking sheet.  Take care to not crowd or overlap kale pieces.  I had to use 2 cookie sheets to accommodate all my chips.

Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp.

YUM!

*A couple tips*

Trader Joe's now has kale that I believe is pre-washed and cut up.  You can find it with their bagged lettuce.  This would be a great time saver and you may get some more uniform kale chips.

Don't oversalt. (Not that I did that..just sayin)

These chips had a very delicate flavor.  When you eat them, they just melt in your mouth.  

With way too much salt.  Oops!  

I served these with some meatball "subs"  I made using chicken meatballs and that delicious flatbread from Trader Joe's.  Nice and easy dinner.

I hope you'll make these kale chips.  You'll get your Vitamins C and K and a nice dose of calcium.  And....guilt-free chips!  


Don't forget, I'm still collecting entires for Sugar High Fridays!

What's for dinner? Couscous with chicken, asparagus, and peas

Sometimes during the week it can be tough to figure out a quick and nutritious dinner.  With just a few simple ingredients, I was able to put this dinner on the table in a few minutes.  Very little cooking, just chop and go!

I always try and keep a few ingredients on hand that I know I can make a meal out of:

Frozen chicken breast: we buy it at Costco. We sometimes try and figure out something creative to make with it, but a lot of the time, it's just chicken breasts and veggies.

In the pantry I always have couscous and quinoa.  Both are very satisfying and with a few other ingredients you have a quick, healthy dinner.

Basic ingredients:

• Couscous (I used Trader Joe's)
• Chicken, we had frozen chicken breasts that I let thaw over night.  If you want to be really quick, you could use a rotisserie chicken.
• Vegetables of choice.  I was hoping for fresh asparagus, but the shelf was bare at the store, so I opted for frozen and it worked fine. I also threw in frozen peas, which are always tasty.

Couscous is one of my favorite things to cook with.  It is so versatile and adds a lot of substance to a meal.  Darling husband told me he even prefers it to quinoa.  Both are delicious, you can't go wrong.

Instructions:

The good thing about this dinner is that you can basically customize it to your family's taste.   

Get creative, and use your favorite veggies, either fresh or frozen.

Prepare couscous following directions on the box. Most boxes will tell you to prepare with water.  I always use chicken broth, and you should to.  Couscous will expand when cooked. For 2 people, 1 cup is enough, but I would double it for 4 or more.

While the couscous is cooking, prepare your chicken.

I flattened out the two chicken breasts with a meat pounder and seasoned with salt and pepper, and cut into one inch chunks.  Cook these in a large pan, heated with oil.  Brown on each side for about four minutes or so.  Just check to make sure it's cooked all the way through.

During the last few minutes of cooking the chicken add your vegetables.  I used one cup of peas and about 3/4 the bag of asparagus spears.  I cut the spears in thirds to make them easier to eat.   Cook until veggies are tender.  Combine the chicken and veggies with your prepared couscous.    Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top.

Nice dinner..... prepared, cooked, and on the table in under 30 minutes!