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How to Make Sweet Potato Buns {GF, Whole30}

Discovering new ways to sandwich your favorite fillings means you don’t have to give up the convenience and pleasure of those classic favorites. I discovered the joys of the beloved “sweet potato bun” courtesy of the Whole30 Cookbook and honestly, I love it! Sweet potato buns are not only easy-breezy to make, they taste great and are absolutely adorable too!

How to Make Sweet Potato Buns

Step One: Carefully slice one large sweet potato into quarter-inch rounds using a mandoline, food processor with slicing attachment, or quality chef’s knife. Place the sweet potato slices into a large bowl and drizzle with 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil. Toss well to evenly coat the slices.

Step Two: Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking pan and sprinkle with a little sea salt to taste. Bake in a 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until soft and tender. (I like to use my handy dandy countertop toaster oven to save time and energy.)

Step Three: Use your delicious roasted sweet potato slices just like you would a regular burger bun. They’re perfect for making mini-burgers, pulled pork sliders or sloppy joes.

P.S. I also love using leftover sweet potato buns for making quick and easy sausage-n-egg breakfast sandwiches. Simply warm them in a hot skillet and top with a turkey sausage patty and a heaping spoonful of scrambled eggs. So good!

Incase you’re wondering why my sweet potato slices aren’t bright orange, it’s because I prefer using white sweet potatoes when making sandwich buns. That’s because white sweet potatoes tend to be less sweet than their orange counterparts. This allows the flavors of your fillings to take center stage. Although I must admit, when it comes to spicy fillings, there’s something to be said for the complementary flavor and sweetness that orange-flesh sweet potatoes deliver.

With just one bite, I think you’ll agree that these easy-to-make sweet potato buns are a tasty way to enjoy a healthy burger or sandwich, whether you’re living grain-free, taking the Whole30 Challenge, or are simply looking for more delicious ways to get more veggies on your family’s plate!

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Simple & Savory Watermelon Salsa

By Kelly · Leave a Comment

Hold the tomatoes … this summertime salsa is simply sensational!

September is peak season for watermelons here in Sunny California, and in most places across the U.S. too! And as much as we love a cold, juicy slice of melon on a hot summer day, there are so many other delightful ways to enjoy this refreshing summertime fruit, like this super easy and flavorful Watermelon Salsa!

It’s the perfect addition to spicy grilled meats and seafood, like our favorite Grilled Shrimp Skewers. And of course, this fruit-acular salsa is delicious all on it’s own with a side of tortilla chips … Or for those of us who are grain-free, a side of crispy plantain chips! (Mmm! A real favorite of mine!)

Wait! Hold the chips! If you’re doing Whole30, you’ll need to forgo the honey (as noted in the recipe) and those chips too! Remember, packaged plantain chips are NOT Whole30 compliant (sorry)! The good news is, this sweet-n-savory watermelon salsa goes beyond an appetizer … it also makes a delicious accompaniment to salads, seafood and poultry dishes, like my Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken. So pile it on to your favorite Whole30 dishes and enjoy! Yum!

P.S. Watermelon isn’t just refreshing, it’s nutritious too! High in vitamins C and A, this summertime favorite helps boost your immune system. And it’s also loaded with lycopene, one of the most powerful antioxidants noted for lowering the risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Tasty Melon Tips!
Selecting a juicy and flavorful melon is easy, if you know what to look for …
• A creamy yellow spot … this means the melon was allowed to rest on the ground and fully ripen before being harvested.
• Heavier than it looks … the heavier the melon, the juicer the slices. Compare a few melons of similar size, and chose the one that’s the heaviest.
• Uniform in shape … it’s not how round the melon is that count, but whether the shape is symmetrical. An irregular shaped melon usually indicates poor growing conditions, which results in less flavor.

Even More Delicious Ways to Enjoy Watermelon!
Trying to use up a monster-size melon? Here’s a few more tasty ideas:
• Sensational Salad … Use cubed watermelon in place of tomatoes for a delightful and refreshing summer salad.
• Refreshing Melon-ade Pops … place chunks of watermelon in popsicle molds and then fill with fresh-squeezed lemonade. Freeze solid and serve to smiling faces.
• Fire Up the Grill … Lightly brush thick-sliced melon with olive oil and sear on a hot grill for 3-5 minutes. Then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Or cut the melon into large cubes and add to skewers with chunks of mango and pineapple. Lightly brush with oil. Then, grill and serve as a side dish at your favorite barbecue.

Watermelon Salsa (Whole30 option)

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients

2 cups fine-diced seedless watermelon
1 cup fine-diced mango
1 cup fine-diced kiwi, cucumber or avocado
1/2 cup fine-diced red onion
2 tsp fine-diced jalapeño
3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp minced basil
1 tsp lime zest
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp raw honey (omit for Whole30)
1/8 tsp sea salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add the fine-diced watermelon, mango, kiwi, onion and jalapeño. Sprinkle top with minced herbs, lime zest and salt. Drizzle in lime juice and honey (omit honey for Whole30).
Gently fold the ingredients together until combined.
Makes a wonderful condiment to top grilled meats and seafood like our favorite Grilled Shrimp Skewers.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2015/09/watermelon-salsa/

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Veggie Confetti Cauliflower Rice

By Kelly · 8 Comments

You’ve probably heard the expression, “eat the rainbow!” It’s a simple way of encouraging us to enjoy a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables daily in order to ensure balanced nutrition. This can be especially difficult for picky-eaters – I have a couple of those in my home and I bet you do too!

In fact, I’ve been know to “hide the rainbow” in sauces, smoothies, muffins, etc. in a sneaky quest to get more veggies into my picky-eaters’ bellies. But I’ve discovered that often the key to getting more veggies on my family’s plate is simply combining them in a way that isn’t overpowering, but works to really complement the overall flavors of a dish.

It also helps to fine dice the veggies – like beautiful and colorful confetti – thus the name of this recipe. Finely diced veggies blend into a dish more easily, resulting in a more balanced flavor. Plus, they spare the picky eater from having to take big solo bites of a not-so-favorite veggie.

When I’m not doing The Whole30 Program, I like to make a similar version of this dish using basmati rice. I just add the finely diced sautéed veggies to my cooked Baja-Style Cilantro Rice. Yum! However, since so many of us are taking the 30-day challenge together in July, I thought I’d share this incredibly delicious cauli-rice version.

If you haven’t made cauli-rice yet, let me assure you it’s wonderful and takes just 10-15 minutes. So it really is a quick dish to put together even on a busy night. (Especially if you process the cauliflower on your prep day and place it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. See recipe instructions below for details.)

If you’d like step-by-step instructions for making cauli-rice “magic,” be sure to check out my How to Make Cauli-Rice Photo Tutorial.

Again, this is such a simple dish to put together, especially when you remember your “mise en place.” By grating the cauliflower and fine-dicing all of the veggies in advance of starting the recipe, all you’ll need to do is heat the skillet and go …

What a beautiful rainbow of flavorful veggies! This Veggie Confetti Cauliflower Rice recipe is truly a delicious complement to your favorite grilled meats, poultry and seafood dishes. Enjoy!

Veggie Confetti Cauliflower Rice (GF, DF)

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower
2 tbsp ghee (or butter)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup fine diced yellow onion
1/2 cup fine diced cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup fine diced carrots
1/4 cup fine diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup fine diced zucchini
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup homemade chicken stock

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into florets, and then use a food processor to pulse the florets into rice-like grains (view photo tutorial here). Set riced cauliflower aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the ghee, olive oil and fine diced veggies (onion, mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper and zucchini). Sauté until veggies begin to soften.
Then, add the salt, dried parsley, garlic powder and pepper. Stir well to combine the seasonings with the veggies.
Add the riced cauliflower to the seasoned veggies and stir well to combine. Continue stirring and sautéing the cauli-rice until it begins to soften (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the chicken stock and cover the skillet. Allow the cauli-rice to steam for about 1-2 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the cauli-rice is "al dente" in texture. (Do not overcook or "rice" will become mushy.) Remove cover, and fluff cauli-rice to combine ingredients.
Makes a tasty and nutritious grain-free “rice” dish to serve alongside your favorite healthy meals.

Notes

Time Saving Tip: You can process a head of cauliflower into rice up to 3-4 days in advance. Store the uncooked cauli-rice in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook. Cooked rice should also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and generally tastes great for up to 2-3 days. However, I do not recommend freezing uncooked or cooked cauli-rice, as it becomes mushy.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2015/07/veggie-confetti-cauliflower-rice/

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