To which I replied “Sounds amazing! Recipe please.”

So this Fresh Fig & Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pizza is my version of her recipe. She was 100% correct. The combination of fig, mascarpone, and honey is incredible! The sweet potato ‘pizza crust’ is like a match made in heaven!

If you’ve been keeping up with our latest recipes you’ll know I’ve developed a fondness for sweet potatoes.

In particular using sweet potato ’rounds’ in place of otherwise gluten laden ingredients, like hamburger buns, English muffins, and pizza crust!

Simply slice the sweet potato into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. Roast them on a parchment lined baking sheet at 425 degrees F. for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time.

Voila!

Recipe Note: this recipe can easily be made using traditional pizza crust. Bake your crust until almost done. Then remove from the oven and proceed with the following steps!

A little schmear of mascarpone on each round, topped with sliced figs.

Give your pizzas a generous drizzle of local honey.

Figs and honey are soul mates you know.

Then it’s back into the oven for 5 minutes where the magic happens.

Lastly, I knew I wanted to incorporate fresh herbs as well. So a final sprinkle of fresh rosemary or lemony thyme will add just a touch of herby love.

This is my second fig recipe in as many days. Check out Prosciutto Wrapped Mascarpone Stuffed Figs of Love!

I hope you’ll give both of these recipes a try. These little Fig & Honey Sweet Potato Pizzas make a wonderful appetizer, but I may serve them as dessert!

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Fig & Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pizza {Gluten Free}

The combination of fig, mascarpone, and honey is incredible! The sweet potato 'pizza crust' is like a match made in heaven!

Course Appetizer, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2-3 fresh figs sliced
• 2 Tablespoons local honey
• fresh rosemary or lemony thyme minced

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425° F. Slice sweet potato into 1/4-inch thick slices and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping half way through cooking time.
• Remove rounds from oven and schmear each with a tablespoon of mascarpone cheese. Top with sliced figs. Return to oven for 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with minced fresh herbs like rosemary or lemony thyme.

The post Fresh Fig & Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pizza {Gluten Free} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s gluten free and easy to make.

And I love brunch. Serious love affair.

I recently had a brunch date with my boyfriend (aka my bff husband). He ordered Huevos Rancheros and I had the sweet potato eggs benedict.

Clearly the inspiration for this recipe.

For my gluten free friends, sweet potato rounds are my jam! They make the perfect english muffin substitute in this recipe and make a pretty mean burger bun in this —–> recipe!

The Method

Simply oven roasting the sweet potato rounds until they’re browned and tender gives you the perfect base to build upon.

We bought these flavored salts while vacationing in New Mexico. So I added a little ‘Woodfire’ salt to our sweet potato rounds creating one more layer of flavor.

The bacon and the sweet potato rounds bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. I made a little foil tray to contain the bacon grease.

And here’s how we build our Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict!

Roasted sweet potato rounds. Smashed avocado. Crispy bacon.

The Poached Eggs

Then comes the perfectly poached eggs. There are a lot of great articles out there (like this one) on how to achieve perfection. Below is my method.

• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low so it’s no longer bubbling.
• Add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar (helps whites stay together).
• Use the handle of a wooden spoon to swirl the water creating a vortex (also helps the whites stay together).
• One at a time, crack the eggs into a fine mesh strainer and discard the milky liquid that drains through.
• Transfer egg to a ramekin, then gently slide into the water.
• Allow to sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. This will yield firm whites with a slightly running yolk.

The Blender Hollandaise

That incredibly creamy Hollandaise sauce was made in a blender. Actually I made it in my mini food chopper but a blender works great as well.

I’ve accurately named this Stress Free 5 Minute Blender Hollandaise.

The process is super easy. In fact I made a pretty cute video that I shared on TikTok. You should check it out.

• Melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium low heat until hot & foamy
• Place 3 egg yolks, 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt & pinch of cayenne in blender jar
• With lid on, run blender on high for 2 minutes
• While still running, slowly drizzle clarified butter through hole in blender lid (discard white milky residue)
• Turn off blender – adjust seasoning to taste

Add a poached egg to the sweet potato, avocado, bacon stacks and top with a generous drizzle of Hollandaise. Serve with a side of roasted asparagus and fresh berries and you’ve got yourself a date-worthy brunch!

The sweetness from the potato with the salty bacon and tart hollandaise will make your tastebuds so happy!

I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict TikTok video!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict with Blender Hollandaise

The sweetness from the potato with the salty bacon and tart hollandaise will make your tastebuds so happy!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Eggs Benedict

• 1 large sweet potato cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• 8 slices bacon
• 8 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 avocado mashed with salt & pepper to taste

For the Blender Hollandaise

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 lemon juiced about 2 Tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

For the Sweet Potatoes & Bacon

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potato rounds on sheet. Season with salt & pepper. Place bacon on separate foil lined baking sheet pan. Bake potatoes and bacon for 20 minutes, flipping over half way through cooking time.

For the Poached Eggs

• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low so it’s no longer bubbling. Add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar (helps whites stay together). Use the handle of a wooden spoon to swirl the water creating a vortex (also helps the whites stay together). One at a time, crack the eggs into a fine mesh strainer and discard the milky liquid that drains through. Transfer egg to a ramekin, then gently slide into the water. Allow to sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. This will yield firm whites with a slightly running yolk.

For the Blender Hollandaise

• Melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium low heat until hot & foamy. Place 3 egg yolks, 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt & pinch of cayenne in blender jar. With lid on, run blender on high for 2 minutes. While still running, slowly drizzle clarified butter through hole in blender lid (discard white milky residue). Turn off blender – adjust seasoning to taste.

To Assemble

• Layer each roasted sweet potato round with a spoonful of mashed avocado. Then add a slice of crispy bacon and a poached egg. Drizzle top with hollandaise sauce. Enjoy!

The post Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict with Simple Blender Hollandaise appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Six times.

I tried six variations just to be sure and each was as delicious as the one before it.

I’m not sure if I’m more excited about having a gluten free option for Avocado Toast or all these yummy flavor pairings I came up with.

First things first.

I’m loving roasted sweet potato as a bread alternative.

I’m pretty certain I’ll be sandwiching a burger between a couple slices this weekend!

To Make Sweet Potato Toast

• Use a mandolin set to 1/4-inch thickness to slice an average sized sweet potato lengthwise
• Roast the slices at 425 deg. F. on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 25 minutes, turning slices over a half way through cooking time
• The result was golden browned, slightly crispy slabs of sweet potato.
  
  These crispy sweet potato slabs are the perfect vehicle for all those incredible toppings.

One sweet potato yielded six slices and one large avocado yielded enough mashed avocado for all of them.

I then pulled out all the half used containers of leftovers, fruits, spreads, sprinkles and other savory ingredients to come up with some really good toppings.

My sister and I sat at the table sample each combination, all different but each with big flavors.

It was pure joy for our tastebuds!

Working clockwise we have:

Buffalo Chicken
Cooked sliced chicken, buffalo sauce, crumbled blue cheese

Bacon & Egg
Soft boiled egg, crispy bacon slice, chives, flaky sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Everything Bagel
Whipped cream cheese, everything bagel seasoning, sesame oil drizzle

Southwest
Fresh salsa, black beans, fine diced jalapeño and red onion, crumbled Mexican cheese, cilantro & lime

Nuts & Berries with Honey Whipped Feta
Honey whipped feta, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, walnuts, honey drizzle

Caprese
Cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, pine nuts, balsamic drizzle

Whether you choose one of my flavor pairings or come up with your own, Sweet Potato Avocado Toast needs to get on your brunch rotation!!

And if you’d rather slather mashed avocado on a slice of crusty bread, go for it!

We’ll likely have both options at our house too!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Sweet Potato Avocado Toast

Whether you choose one of my flavor pairings or come up with your own, Sweet Potato Avocado Toast needs to get on your brunch rotation!!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 medium to large sweet potato sliced 1/4-inch thick lengthwise
• 1-2 Tablespoons avocado or olive oil (optional)
• 1 large avocado or 2 small
• salt & pepper
• Toppings: Bacon & Egg; Southwest; Caprese; Buffalo Chicken, Everything Bagel, Nuts & Berries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425° F. Slice sweet potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices using a mandolin or sharp knife. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with avocado oil (optional). Bake 25 minutes, turning every 7-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mash avocado with a fork. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Spread a layer of mashed avocado on each toasted sweet potato slice. Then add favorite toppings. Enjoy!

The post Gluten Free Sweet Potato Avocado Toast {6-Ways} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Virtually any vegetables will work in these tacos, but I love sweet potato, onion and zucchini as my base – I added corn and jalapeño to give it a nice Southwest flavor flare.

Oven Roasted Veggies

Simply toss your diced veggies of choice in a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread on a baking sheet (not too crowded) and roast at 400 degrees until golden brown, typically 20 minutes delivers. I adjust the size of my dice according to cooking time. For example, sweet potatoes take longer to cook than zucchini, so I use a smaller dice for the potatoes.

Oven roasting vegetables deepens the flavors. It’s a great way to use those ‘tired’ carrots, celery, Brussels, zucchini, cauliflower (insert occupants of your veggie drawer here). You can roast ahead and incorporate into Lunch Bowls all week long! There’s three strong reasons to roast veggies.

We filled our tortillas with roasted veggies, seasoned black beans (Homemade Taco Seasoning), and shredded cheese. Then we topped them with Chipotle Salsa, fresh cilantro and guacamole. These Southwest Vegetarian Tacos were bursting with flavor!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Southwest Vegetarian Tacos

Southwest Vegetarian Tacos. Customizable. Comfortable (who doesn't love a taco). Your taste buds will thank you.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Roasted Veggies

• 1 large sweet potato diced
• 1 large zucchini diced
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 ear of corn kernels removed from cob
• 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• salt & pepper

For the Tacos

• 8 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 can 15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning reipe link in post
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup guacamole recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup Chipotle Salsa recipe link in post
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

For the Roasted Veggies

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss diced veggies in olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Spread on large baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

For the Tacos

• In a hot skillet or over an open flame, char tortillas slightly on each side.
• Warm black beans and taco seasoning in a saucepan.
• Fill tortillas with roasted veggies, black beans, shredded cheese. Top with chipotle salsa, fresh cilantro and guacamole.

The post Southwest Vegetarian Tacos appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Hands down this Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus has become my go-to snack. It’s the right mix of savory-slightly sweet that when paired with crispy chips or veggie sticks I dare say is the perfect snack!

For fun I looked up the definition of “snack” online.

snack /snak/ noun
Not surprising:
1. a small amount of food eaten between meals.
“not many people make it through to the evening meal without a snack”

Unexpected and rather humorous:
2. a sexually attractive person.
“it’s clear from the pics that her new husband is a total snack”

Back to the Hummus :) Every time we bake sweet potatoes I throw a couple extra in the oven to have on hand when a hummus craving kicks in. Besides being my favorite healthy snack it makes a really nice “just because” gift for a friend.

The ingredients are pretty straight forward. Cooked sweet potato, tahini, lemon juice, fresh garlic, olive oil and a generous sprinkle of my new favorite seasoning Braai South African Spice Blend.

Smoked paprika, dried basil, dried minced garlic, and sea salt bring a warm deep flavor nicely balanced by the creamy sweet potato.

Have you tried these Sweet Potato Corn Chips?? They are a supreme sidekick for this hummus. Super crispy but in a light and airy sort of way. Simple Truth Organic is a Kroger Supermarket brand.

Whip up a batch of Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus and let me know what you think! Enjoy!!

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Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus

Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus is the right mix of savory-slightly sweet that when paired with crispy chips or veggie sticks I dare say it's the perfect snack!

Course Snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 pound cooked sweet potato typically one large
• 3 Tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic rough chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon Braai Seasoning or more to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil or more for desired consistency

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree, adding additional olive oil as needed to achieve desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with favorite chips or veggie sticks.

The post Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus {my go-to snack} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I made a really good Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet.  I filled it with spicy Italian turkey sausage, carrots, sweet potato, kale, onion, tomatoes, garlic, and lots of fresh thyme.  A nice slow cook turned all those flavors into the heartiest of healthy meals.

As we embrace these winter months I’ve been enjoying recipes that include white beans.  They have a nice way of bringing creaminess to a dish without adding unwanted fat and calories.  Speaking of unwanted fat and calories, we routinely use Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage in place of regular sausage without ever sacrificing flavor.

Once the cassoulet ingredients are sautéed for a bit, a little chicken broth is added, before being topped with a buttered spinach & panko breadcrumb topping.

Our Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet finishes in a slow oven for at least an hour.  Yes, if you wanted to make this a quick weeknight meal, the vegetables could be simmered on the stove top until just tender then finished in the oven.  I’m a fan of letting it go low and slow until some of the ingredients start to break down and meld their flavors.

One bite and you’ll think “where did all this flavor come from?”  That my dear is the beauty of a cassoulet.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet

A nice slow cook turned all those flavors into the heartiest of healthy meals. One bite and you'll think "where did all this flavor come from?"  That my dear is the beauty of a cassoulet.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3 links Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage or favorite, casings removed
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes I used Fire Roasted
• 1 19- ounce can Cannellini Beans rinsed and drained
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled & small cubed
• 2 carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cups fresh kale chopped & tough stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste

For the crumb topping…

• 2 cups loose fresh spinach leaves finely chopped
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbl. melted butter
• pinch salt

Instructions

• Remove casings from sausage links. In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 Tbl. olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook through, breaking up with a wooden spoon during cooking. Remove sausage to drain on paper towels. Pour off fat from pan.
• Add 1 Tbl. olive oil to pan, sauté onion, carrot, and sweet potato for about 5 minutes. Add in cooked sausage, kale, beans, diced tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, thyme, and seasonings. Cover; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine breadcrumb ingredients and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until vegetables are very tender.

The post Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

For our Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday I served Parmesan Herb Roasted Veggies.  It was my secret weapon to help keep me on my Healthy Choices plan.  I knew no matter what else tempted me I could find comfort in that dish.  Today as a fridge full of leftovers called to me…the first thing I did was make this soup.

We make Roasted Veggies year-round.  Whatever fresh vegetables catch my eye are sliced and diced, tossed with fresh herbs, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper before heading to the oven to feel the caramelized love.

Recipe note:  Dice your veggies to size based on cooking time.  For instance, zucchini and summer squash are softer and will cook more quickly so something less than a 1/2-inch thick slice works well.  Onions, if cut too small will brown quickly, so give them a nice 1/2-inch wedge cut (see photo below).  Sweet potato on the other hand is more dense, taking it a bit longer to become tender; go with a smaller dice for those.  We don’t worry too much about Brussels sprouts.  If they come out of the oven with a crispy outer layer, remove it and have yourself a snack. Welcome Brussels Chips.

When the veggies are tender and just beginning to brown on the edges, remove from the oven, discard large herb stems then transfer into your favorite soup pot.  I added a can of diced tomatoes (preferably no-salt added) and a quart of vegetable broth.  Season to taste with dried herbs and spices like basil, oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Depending on the volume of soup you wish to achieve you can add more or less broth and/or tomatoes.

Roasting vegetables enhances their flavor (same can be said for soup bones).  This one step can take a ho-hum soup and make it oh-yum whoop whoop.  Haha.  Forgive me.  Don’t be afraid to season-up with dried herbs.  They give a wonderful flavor pop that can make an almost fat-free soup feel like a bowl of comfort food love.

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Parmesan & Herb Roasted Vegetable Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For roasted veggies…

• 2 small zucchini sliced
• 2 small yellow squash sliced
• 1 small white onion diced
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1 small sweet potato peeled and diced
• 1/2 – 1 lb. Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• salt & pepper
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

For the soup…

• 1 can diced tomatoes preferably no-salt added
• 1 quart vegetable broth or favorite
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. ground oregano
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the roasted veggies…

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Slice and dice veggies. Larger pieces for soft veggies (like squash and zucchini), smaller pieces for dense veggies (like sweet potatoes). Toss with fresh herbs, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Spread in a single layer on baking sheets. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes until tender and edges just begin to brown.

For the soup…

• When the veggies are tender, remove from the oven, discard large herb stems then transfer into your favorite soup pot.
• Add diced tomatoes (preferably no-salt added) and broth, bring to a gentle simmer. Season to taste with dried herbs. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

The post Parmesan & Herb Roasted Vegetable Soup appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m not sure there is anything more personal than caring for a parent.  We lovingly follow in their footsteps until it’s time to venture out on our own.  Then we look over our shoulder for their approval as we find our way.  Often the road leads us back home. 

I wanted to make something special for Sabina to welcome her home.  These are definitely Sabina inspired muffins.  She loves her fresh veggies, especially the orange ones.  With hints of coconut and cinnamon and a little nutty crunch there is a healthy, not to sweet, warmth to these muffins.

In addition to mashed sweet potato, and to the delight of my trusty kitchen side-kicks Lilah and Scrappy Thyme, I added shredded carrots and zucchini to the mix.  They are coo coo for carrots.

Our Welcome Home Muffins have a feel and look of fall, adding roasted pumpkin seeds was perfect and gave a nice crunch.  I also added a couple tablespoons of flax seed because flax seeds are good for you, that’s reason enough.  Coconut oil in place of butter and shredded unsweetened coconut make these muffins smell as good as they taste. 

And they’re moist like a muffin should be. 

I may need to make a second batch of these. 

Very soon.

If you’re looking for a new Share the Love recipe to deliver to a friend, consider these Welcome Home Muffins.  New mom’s will love them, post-surgery patients will sing your praises, friends who need a warm hug will eat these up and maybe even put on a pot of coffee and invite you to sit a while.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Welcome Home Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 28 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

wet ingredients…

• 1 cup carrots grated about 2 medium
• 1 cup zucchini grated about 2 small
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato mashed about 1 medium
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. orange or lemon zest

dry ingredients…

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup pepitas roasted pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbl. flax seeds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients until well blended.
• In medium bowl whisk together remaining dry ingredients.
• Spoon dry ingredients into wet ingredients gently mixing with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Do not over mix.
• Fill 12 paper lined muffin cups.
• Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

The post Welcome Home Muffins appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I tried to publish this recipe last night but I was struggling and grasping for words.  Not that Roasted Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash {with Crispy Sage & Bacon} is complicated or difficult to explain, it’s just that I made it for some friends of mine who frankly have been to hell and back over the past six weeks.  Preparing this dish evoked emotion, something I feel has been lacking as of late in my cooking and subsequent blog posts.

Last night I closed my laptop in frustration and went to bed.  Below is the paragraph that greeted me this morning.  I decided to share it unedited in it’s disjointed glory.  It’s a quick glimpse at what whirls around in the brain at times.

I have started typing this post four seven times before closing abruptly without saving.  As of late I’ve taken the easy way out when it’s come to blogging.  My recipe shares have been  I’m struggling with whether to simply share a recipe for roasted sweet potato & butternut squash and leave it at that.  Or whether I let the emotion  I was looking for a comforting side dish to go nicely with Mardi Gras Chicken.

Six weeks ago today I got a call from my close friend and co-worker Tammy.  “Chris has been diagnosed with aggressive leukemia, we are on our way to Northside Hospital for a possible emergency bone marrow transplant.”

The world stood still.  Just one week before, Tammy’s husband Chris wasn’t feeling well and went in for blood work.  He went from living his day to day life…to grasping for life in the blink of an eye.  Cancer sucks!  What this family has endured over the past 45 days is unimaginable to those who’ve never crossed paths with cancer.  Weeks in the hospital having your blood stream broken down by chemotherapy so that it can be rebuilt, only to begin all over again and again and again.  The process is ruthless, because that’s what it takes to win the battle against cancer.

With 110% support and care from his wife and family, this week Chris found out he is in remission!!  They still have a long road ahead of them with continued daily trips to the clinic, scheduled rounds of chemo and all the brutal side effects, but now they know that the treatment is working.

With Chris’ permission I’m sharing two of my favorite pieces of his art work.  Chris took up figurine painting as a hobby a couple years ago.  He has a passion for painting, small scale painting.  This first guy, The Samurai, stands about 3-inches tall.  The detail is amazing and done entirely freehand.

Chris is partial to painting figurines, but there’s just something about this gal “Gusty” that draws me in.  There are so many more stunning pieces of his work I could share.  I’m hoping he’ll set up a website of his own, as soon as he finds that spare time again ;)

Back to Roasted Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash {with Crispy Sage & Bacon}.  I was making dinner to deliver to Tammy & Chris.  I had already settled on Whole Roasted Mardi Gras Chicken.

You see you can take the Cajun out of Louisiana (and move him to Atlanta) but you can’t take Louisiana out of the Cajun.  I hoped Chris would love this chicken as much as we do.  But I needed a side dish, that was diabetic friendly and had a little Cajun kick.  The combination of the sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and sweet onion with the savory from the bacon and crispy sage was pretty special.  Adding a nice pinch of Cajun seasoning made it extra special.

It was about dinner time last night when I got a call from Tammy that began “You know how much I love you don’t you….”  Part of my struggle to write this post was thinking back to when my dad passed away and later my mom.  We learned as a family then that for some people (I actually think many) it’s very difficult to ‘know’ what to do for someone in need.  Being unsure of their circumstances, fearing that we’ll intrude, or simply not knowing what to say to someone who is facing the unthinkable is often enough to keep us away.

Over the year’s I’ve learned that you don’t have to say or do anything specific, just be there.  Whether it be via a phone call, a quiet visit, or simply laying a basket of baked goods at their door….let them know that you are thinking about them.  And by all means hug their neck when you see them.  That’s how we Share the Love.

Hogs ‘n Fishes Tammy & Chris.  Keep kicking cancer’s butt!!

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Roasted Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash {with Crispy Sage & Bacon}

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion diced
• 4 strips bacon
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning or to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap sweet potatoes in foil and place on a shallow baking sheet. Slice butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Drizzle cavity with a little olive oil and place cavity side up on same baking sheet.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes and squash are fork tender. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then peel and cut into bite-sized cubes.
• Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy and remove to drain on paper towels. Add sage leaves to bacon drippings and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove to drain. Add diced onion to pan and cook until tender.
• Add diced sweet potato, butternut squash and 1/2 tsp. of Cajun seasoning to pan. Cook over medium high heat, turn frequently so all the flavors combine. Taste for seasoning and add as needed. Top with crispy bacon and sage leaves.

You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist sharing one more piece from Chris, one of his personal favorites.  Geisha stands about 4-inches tall.

My heart is bursting right now.  As of, February 11, 2015 My Cancer Kicking Warrior Chris has officially been declared IN REMIISSION.  Whoa.  We are all a bit speechless.  We never doubted, but cancer.  Cancer.

Fast forward. Chris is a figure painter. He paints within the realms of Masters.  And holds his own. This weekend, as he celebrated his first weekend back from that whole shitty cancer experience…he entered the annual Atlanta Show like nothing, in the past six months, has gotten in his way. And took home GOLD for Samurai Warrior and a special honor for his display of hope, courage, and joy.

The post Roasted Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash {with Crispy Sage & Bacon} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

When making Perfectly Baked Potatoes, throw an extra one or two in the oven.  Then start the next day with Sweet Potato & Bacon Hash {with Poached Eggs}.  A hot hearty breakfast, ready in 15 minutes.

This hash begins with bacon, cooked until crispy in a heavy skillet, then removed to drain.  Sautéed diced onion, mushrooms, fresh corn off the cob and cubed sweet potato (seasoned with fresh herbs) are cooked until tender.  The beautiful thing about hash is you can incorporate a variety of veggies and aromatics, the key is to pan fry them, pressing them into the pan as they cook.  It’s the nice crispy edges that makes hash so delicious.

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Sweet Potato & Bacon Hash {with Poached Eggs}

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 strips of bacon
• 1 sweet potato baked, cooled and cubed
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 ear corn kernels removed
• 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves only
• 2-3 fresh sage leaves minced
• salt & pepper
• 2 eggs poached

Instructions

• In a heavy skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from skillet to drain on paper towels. Add onion, mushrooms and corn to pan. Sauté until tender about 5 minutes. Add in minced herbs, cubed sweet potato, salt & pepper.
• Press mixture into skillet with a spatula and allow to cook, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat. Use spatula to flip hash in sections. Cook another 3-4 minutes or until lightly browed around the edges.
• Meanwhile, prepare poached eggs. Serve hash topped with poached eggs.

Notes

This recipe begins with one cooked sweet potato. Recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed.

The post Sweet Potato & Bacon Hash {with Poached Eggs} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.