Sweet Facts About Sweet Potatoes & Recipe

Plus, Noor’s Spiced Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

Noor’s simply roasted sweet potato.

Fun Fact: There are over 400 varieties of sweet potatoes around the globe!

Did you ever hear someone tell you not to eat sweet potatoes because they’re not the best for your health? Well, I’m here to confirm that sweet potatoes are more than just orange potatoes, much sweeter than the famous original potato.

Sweet potatoes have extremely amazing benefits, including a very high amount of Vitamin A, antioxidants, dietary fiber, over four B vitamins, Vitamin C, copper, biotin, potassium, and manganese. Sweet potatoes have anti-inflammatory benefits and wonderful blood sugar regulation. Point being, atto your sweet potatoes! The benefits of this tasty root vegetable amaze me, and I enjoy them even more.

 So how should you eat sweet potatoes? First, I’ll tell you how not to eat them. Buying frozen sweet potato fries in the grocery aisle is not the best choice. Not only are those sweet potatoes highly processed, most of them are pre-“cooked”, meaning pre-flash fried. On top of that, they are full of unnecessary preservatives and chemicals. So in regards to these potatoes, forget about the majority of the benefits I mentioned above.

As for getting the maximum benefits from this super food, I enjoy making it in numerous ways.

The easiest and fastest way is to simply wash the potatoes real well, cut through all around it with a knife, and bake in the oven. About 45 minutes later, you have a steamed delicious and sweet side dish, or even dessert. That’s seen in the image above. 

 

These are my spiced sweet potato fries (baked). I use organic virgin coconut oil not only because it’s full of numerous health benefits, but it’s also one of the best oils to cook with in terms of the smoke point. Many oils are extremely sensitive and lose the majority of their benefits when you cook or bake with them. That includes Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sesame-Seed Oil, nut oils, etc.  I buy my organic virgin coconut oil online. 

 

Spiced sweet potato fries.

As for my scrumptious sweet potato fries, here is my recipe.

 

Ingredients: 

6 medium sweet potatoes, washed well

1/3 cup organic coconut oil

1 teaspoon rosemary ground

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground mustard seeds

1 teaspoon dill

1 teaspoon cilantro

½ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash the potatoes well. Cut them length-wise into thin fries-like strips or circles (I tried both).
3. In a small mixing bowl, mix melted coconut oil and all spices.
4. Toss the potatoes with the oil mixture.
5. Place single layered on a tray and bake for about 35 minutes or until crispy.
6. Serve, garnish with fresh herbs, and enjoy! 

Did Someone Say Kale Chips?

This country lives on potato chips. Not only are they deep fried in hydrogenated oils, they are coated in sodium, unfriendly chemicals, and tons of preservatives. Basically we begin with a potato, and end with a potato stripped of its nutrients. Now potatoes are not bad for you at all, but it’s the way it’s cooked and prepared nowadays that makes it bad for you. Potatoes are high in potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and plays role in cell building. 

Either way, why not boost the typical crunchy salty snack and create an astonishing scrumptious chip? Yes, I mean it, kale chips.

Kale is a super green. It’s full of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, manganese, fiber, yes Vitamin C, and over a dozen other nutrients. What’s not to like about this chip? I top it with nutritious spices and organic coconut oil, one of the best oils to cook with.

This recipe is so quick you could make it faster than running out to the supermarket at midnight when you’re craving a crunchy and salty snack. =)

This recipe is gluten, dairy, soy, wheat, egg,, and chemical free. What’s not to like about this chip?

Ingredients:

A bunch of fresh organic kale (fresh from the Farmer’s Market is best :))

1/3- 1/2 cup Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (you can use EVOO)

1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Celtic Sea Salt

To your desired amounts: dill, ground mustard, black pepper, paprika, rosemary

Cayenne pepper (optional and yummy)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash the Kale well after removing the stems. Allow them to dry.
   

   Washed and dried fresh kale.

3. In a separate bowl melt the Organic Coconut Oil. If you’re using different oil that’s liquid at room temperature, simply measure the required amount and place it in a bowl.
   

   Bowl of oil and spices.

4. Add the salt and spices to the bowl and mix well.
5. Toss the kale with the oil mixture well and place on a flat baking sheet.
   

   Kale tossed in oil and ready to bake.

6. Bake in the oven for 8-9 minutes until toasted from the edges and darker in color. 
   

   Baked kale.

7. 

   Serve with fresh pita, hummus, kale hummus, or eat them all by themselves. 😉

   Allow to cool, remove from the baking sheet, and enjoy. =) 

Removing the Bad Rep of a Cookie

Almost everyone loves cookies, and I was one of those people, until I’ve learned what’s put in those things. While pre-packaged cookies are full of multi-syllabic ingredients I can’t pronounce, and have an ingredient list bigger than the actual cookies, homemade cookies can be bad too. Eating a cookie others make means most likely bleached flour, nasty oils, and a ton of refined sugar. These are reasons why cookies have a bad reputation. 

Well for someone who once loved cookies, and still does (only when I make them, and see what goes in them), I came up with what I call not so bad rep cookie bars. Since I was careful about buying gluten free oats, my entire recipe is gluten free. Oats are usually gluten free but contaminated in factories, so watch your labels if you are tolerant. 

 These are high in protein (thanks to the Quinoa), very low natural sugar (raisins), and taste great! The coconut oil is a “good for you oil”, so you could enjoy your cookie and not have to worry about what you just put in your body.  

Ingredients:
2  Organic/pasture-raised eggs

½ cup Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

¾ cup Organic coconut palm sugar or organic raw honey

1 ½ cups Organic Quinoa flour (grind whole raw quinoa  like I did, or buy it ready)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup un-sulphured raisins (or dried blueberries/cranberries)

1 cup raw walnuts (or any nut, chopped or whole)

¾ cup old fashion oats, gluten-free if necessary

Directions:

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the eggs and melted coconut oil. Mix well with the palm sugar/honey. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.

Add dry ingredients.

STEP 2

 Fold in the raisins, walnuts, and oats if you like. Use a spatula or your palms to fold the dough. The dough will be nice and thick.

Add walnuts and raisins (you can alternate)

                                                                   

                                       

STEP 3

Place in a baking dish and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until browned on the edges.

Bake 35-40 mins.

STEP 4

Cut and serve as desired.

Clean and delicious. Serve on a platter.

Secrets Behind Noor’s 1-2-3 Black Bean Brownies

Zoom in on the good stuff. No bean in sight. 😛 Dairy, gluten, soy, refined sugar, and preservative junk free. 

Noor’s famous sunnah-full black bean brownies. Topped with raw almond butter swirl.

Okay putting up a picture of delicious looking brownies does not justify the cravings. “How can these be guilt free?” one asks. Forget gluten free, these are JUNK free. 

My recipe answers the question. Forget the hydrogenated oils, bleached flour, and worst of all, pounds of refined sugar found in usual brownies. Forget the list of unpronounceable ingredients in boxed brownies. Throw in black beans for a hidden kick of protein, fiber, and a fudgy texture. Your kids will never know, and neither will your husband. 😉

Personally my favorite part about these brownies is this: all you do is toss the ingredients in your food processor all at once, and pulse away! No messy bowls, no sticky whisks, no hand blender, none of that!

I secretly add in whole black seeds and cold-pressed black seed oil. Black seed has been mentioned in the sunnah of the prophet (pbuh) and is suddenly showing up in research now. The benefits of black seed for many health conditions and diseases is breathtaking. Shhh don’t tell the kids.

Now, I don’t want to keep you holding any longer, let’s get to the bottom of these.

Black Bean Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 Can Black Beans, soaked and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1 egg (organic/pasture-raised preferred)
• 2 egg yolks (again, organic/ pasture-raised preferred)
• 1/3 Cup organic unsweetened apple sauce (for many reasons, I only buy organic apple sauce-even for Layan!)
• 1/2 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder or Carob Powder
• 1-2 tablespoons raw almond butter or cashew butter or walnut butter
• 1/4 tsp Celtic Sea Salt/Himalayan Pink Salt
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract (make sure it’s pure and alcohol free)
• 1/4 cup Organic Raw Honey, fresh dates, or coconut palm sugar 
• 1 tsp Baking Powder (I only buy aluminum free)
• 1 tsp Black Seeds, whole (the powerful sunnah herb for numerous health concerns!)
• 1/2  tsp cold-pressed black seed oil 
• Optional: Toss in carob chips or cocoa chips

 

Nutty Swirl Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp Organic Almond Butter (you can use any nut butter or nut butter powder)
• 1 Tbsp Organic Raw Honey or Organic Coconut Palm Sugar (sugar replacement)
• Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt/Himalayan Pink Salt
• Dash of Vanilla Extract (make sure it’s pure and alcohol free)

STEP 1:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ALL “Black Bean Brownie Ingredients” in your food processor. Pulse well. Pour into desired pan (13 by 9 works perfectly well for me. The thicker you want your brownies, the smaller the pan)

STEP 2:

In a small bowl place the “ Nut Butter Swirl Ingredients” and mix well. Spoon on top of brownie batter and create a swirl with a knife. I personally prefer walnut or pecan butter.

STEP 3:

Place in oven for approximately 25-30 minutes. The deeper the pan the more time they’ll need.

Okay here you have it, my secret way of indulgence without sabotaging my health. Enjoy now, you have some baking to do.

Noor’s Black Bean Brownies dark raw cocoa version w/ cashew butter swirl 🙂