Lessons from Whole30

I'll be honest, I haven't been a very good Whole30 graduate. At midnight on the last day I had a glass of wine and I wasn't even sorry. I've had wine since then, and not just a little bit. I was at a wedding after all, followed by Fourth of July weekend...

However, everything I heard from friends and Pinterest is true. Here are a few things I learned during 30 days of what I thought were going to be hell.

First things first: get the cookbook. It's easy to reference and has great tips and motivation to keep you going.

1. Cravings subside -- The Whole30 people say this a lot, but the program really is not that hard! It's 30 days, a tiny little smudge of the year that you will not regret. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, my cravings were more for diet dr. peppers and chicken salad sandwiches with a side of fries from United. They say that cravings subside in 3-5 minutes so for the first few weeks, I downed a glass of water or ate a handful of cashews if I was really feeling it. I just tried to think of how good I'd feel after.

2. I feel better without dairy and bread -- This is different for everyone. You may decide that alcohol doesn't need to come back in to your diet, or legumes or all grains. For me, I didn't really even miss dairy or a ton of bread. I think I will continue to keep these things to a minimum. I do love vanilla creamer in my coffee, but not enough to make me feel bloated and gross all day. I'm not saying I'm going to swear off cheese boards, because #letsbereal that's never going to happen, but I don't think I need it at every single meal.

3. I can survive without alcohol for 30 days -- Especially during summer, when all I want to do is sit on a porch drinking margaritas, I thought this part of the plan was going to be brutal. It's really not fun to drink water at the new Mexican food place, or the great wine bar, when all your friends have drinks and seem to be celebrating the passing of another work day. BUT, psyching myself up for this month made it easier and I was able to tell myself "just a few more weeks; just another week; just a few more days" until it was time to crack open a bottle of wine and really celebrate. Though I do love wine, I was so happy with this aspect of Whole30. I learned the benefits of not drinking every night, and how much more I enjoy those yummy glasses of wine when they are fewer in between.

4. I look at food differently now -- Sometime in the third week something clicked. I was no longer seeing all the things I couldn't eat; I was able to look at a salad and think about the energy that I'd have for the rest of the day, or the hot water with lemon that I drank at night to help digest and detox, and know how good I'd feel the next morning. I'm not saying I will be a saint of healthy eating from this day forth. I'm positive there will be slip-ups occasionally, but this gave me confidence and a new attitude about food and eating. Now I know exactly how to get back on track when I do derail.

5. A 30-day commitment is just good for the soul -- The thing I love about this is that it isn't a diet. It's a fundamental reevaluation of how you look at food and how it makes you feel. There's a section in the cookbook that talks about whether or not 28 days is just as good as 30. They argue that it isn't. They say that 30 days is the commitment you make, and breaking it is the same as saying that you are not worth keeping promises to yourself. It is nice to reaffirm that I have the discipline and will-power to commit to something and follow through. Yes I lost weight, and yes I'm happy to be in clothes that haven't fit quite right for a while, but the emotional and mental benefits of this experiment far outweigh the physical.

I really couldn't recommend this enough, it's a great way to jumpstart healthy eating and focusing on the foods that really make you feel good.


PS. What Lanie learned on Whole30, and a favorite recipe from the girls at Donuts and Denim.

This month is going to be cray

And by cray I mean completely not cray because I'm doing Whole30. I know, I'm shocked too. I'm on Day 2 of my month of no sugar, no bread, no cheese, no creamer in my coffee, no wine (gasp!), and no french fries. I may die.

On the other hand, I get to eat things like fresh fruit and veggies, lots of spices, sweet potatoes, eggs, and these almonds that I love. I wanted to plan something after New York because I tend to fall into really bad habits when I am home. I will usually pay little attention to what I eat, drink several glasses of wine a night and watch TV (lately Game of Thrones, another post on that later) until the wee hours in the morning. Not very healthy or productive. So I'm really looking forward to the change up. My mom is doing it with me, so I'll have a partner and it'll make it easier, I hope.

I know the hardest thing for me is going to be to not snack while I'm at work. At any given time at the store we have no less than three containers of peanuts of varying sizes and flavors. Well, apparently peanuts promote inflammation. So I've been taking shots of honey roasted peanuts thinking they are a "healthier" option. Turns out, they're not.

Le sigh.

Anyway, here we go. If anyone has any tips or recipes, feel free to leave them here. I'll keep you updated on my progress. If my next post is as angsty as a teenage girl, I apologize, but I'm probably just in the hangry stage.

Monday Meals: Taco Pie

A lot of times (about every other day), I will have a hankering for really delicious Mexican food. Though there are some good places in Abilene, both authentic and chain restaurants, I love a good homecooked Mexican dish. This is an easy, delicious recipe that can be whipped up in no time, and satisfies all.

PS. This may be my last Monday Meals for a while. I'm hoping to feature some Nicaraguan dishes in the coming months while I'm there, but I'm not sure how much cooking I'll be doing. In the meantime, I hope you find your own inspiration in the kitchen!

Taco Pie

1 8oz package of refrigerated crescent rolls

1 lb ground beef

1 1 oz package of taco seasoning

1 can black beans

1 8 oz container sour cream (original recipe called for a 16oz container, but I don't like a ton of sour cream so I only did half.) 

1 package shredded Mexican-style cheese blend

1 bag crushed tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay crescent dough flat on the bottom of a square cake pan and bake 10-13 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the taco seasoning and black beans and stir together well. When dough is done, remove from oven and place meat mixture on top, then layer with sour cream and crushed nacho chips, and then top off with the cheese.

Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve and top with salsa or pico de gallo.

Monday Meals: Parmesan Risotto with Turkey and Mushrooms

I'd never cooked risotto before this weekend. The most I understood about it was that it's a little bit like rice, but seemed much more complicated. This weekend, I planned to make something mouthwatering and savory, and risotto popped into my head. Saturday night, after a long day of work, I strapped on my chef's hat and decided to try out some risotto. The package I bought had all the spices and everything already in it, so all I had to do was boil water and stir a couple times. It's amazing how easy cooking can be. Next time I'd like to try one of these special risottos. But for a relaxing Saturday night, a simple recipe with turkey and mushrooms turned into the satisfying and simple dinner I was hoping for.

Kinda messy, but good.

All you do is saute mushrooms and onions on the stove with garlic, butter and a little dry white wine, cook the turkey in a separate skillet, and add to mushrooms once it is done. Pile on top of the risotto, et voila!

Monday Meals: Oh, Fudge!

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was happy and filling, I know mine was! I made this delicious fudge last week and took it to Friendsgiving. It was a wonderful treat to pass out at the end of the night, and I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

photo and recipe.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Fudge: 

4 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Line an 8x8” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Gather all your ingredients.

Place white chocolate chips and peanut butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat on stovetop. Stir continuously until smooth. About 8-10 minutes.

Once chocolate and peanut butter are melted together, remove from stovetop and immediately stir in the pumpkin puree, spice, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and let cool to room temperature on the counter. Chill until set, then cut into squares.

I also sprinkled some cinnamon on top.

The finished product, separated into cute little baggies for convenience! Plus the buttermilk pie I made because there can never be enough desserts.

Monday Meals: Thanksgiving Preview

Although I did try out a few recipes this weekend, the bulk of my cooking will be done tomorrow for Friendsgiving and this weekend while my family is in town. Here is a preview of things to come.

Every Thanksgiving needs a green bean casserole! This one from raininghotcoupons.com.

I already tried this recipe from Crazy for Crust this weekend, and it turned out beautifully. I feel like my fudge making days are ahead of me.

I'm also going to make a buttermilk pie. The southern classic has always been a favorite of mine, and it's perfect for any occasion where pies are appropriate (read: always).

What are you planning to make for friends and family this Thanksgiving? 

I'll post full recipes--and what to do with leftovers--next Monday!

Monday Meals: Mushroom Arugula Toast with Fried Egg

Confession: I haven't been cooking much in the past few weeks. Helping out at the store and planning trips to DC and Central America has sadly kept me from the kitchen. So I was glad to have a night last week with little going on and this recipe to try. I love every one of these ingredients: bread, olive oil, mushrooms, fried egg, lots of salt and garlic. I didn't have a lemon or creme fraiche, and I used minced garlic since I didn't have a clove. But I did add some arugula to the toast to make the saltiness less intense and cover all the major food groups. I also apparently needed some greens because it hit the spot.

Ingredients:

4 thick slices country bread
6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the bread
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp butter
6 cups assorted wild mushrooms, chopped
Sea salt
Sprinkle of rosemary

4 or 5 cups of arugula
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush the bread slices with olive oil and transfer them to a baking sheet.

2. Toast the bread in the oven, flipping the slices over once, until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet. Add the mushrooms, sea salt, rosemary, and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened.

4. Remove from heat. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat.

5. Crack each egg individually into a small bowl and then pour the egg into the skillet, being careful not to break the yolk. Cover and cook for a few minutes, until the whites have cooked but the yolks are still a bit runny. Season with salt and pepper.

6. To assemble the toast, spread arugula over each slice, followed by about 2 tablespoons of the cooked mushrooms, and finally a fried egg. Serve.

Monday Meals, aka Drinks Can Be Meals Too.

When the weather cools down and people remember that their fireplaces function, I find nothing more comforting that curling up next to said fireplace and sipping a hot toddy. My drink of choice is usually a lovely cabernet or merlot, but sometimes it's nice to spice things up a bit. This season, I am looking forward to fun drinks like this one, especially since Fireball whiskey is 2014's most popular liquor (I'm assuming this based on Saturday nights at Bar 14/The Zone...).

Last year at Thanksgiving, I made this Cranberry Old Fashioned for our guests, and though it was about as subtle as a punch to the face, it was very festive and fun to try something different. Thanks C&C.


Ingredients:

- 10 fresh cranberries

- 2 sugar cubes (or 3/4 tsp of sugar)

- 1/8 tsp of cinnamon (optional)

- 2 dashes of bitters (I used Angostura)

- 2" strip of orange peel

- 2 oz rye whiskey or bourbon

- ice

Place cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, orange peel and bitters into a tumbler glass, add a touch of water. Muddle the ingredients until the sugar is broken up and mixed well. Add whiskey and ice, stir to mix, then serve.

PS. Thanksgiving happenings. 

Monday Meals: BBQ Chicken Salad

As I grow older, salads are more and more appealing. A delicious Cobb, Caesar or Fajita salad are wonderful fallbacks if and when I've reached my sandwich quota for the week. Though I love them now, I'd never made a salad at home that was a full meal. I decided to try this one from Cheerios and Lattes last week after a weekend of very unclean eating. It may not be the healthiest salad in the world, but it satisfied my craving for some greens and tasted amazing. Anything with BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing...sign me up.

Ingredients:

Your favorite lettuce (I used baby spinach)
3 or 4 boneless chicken, cooked and chopped
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 red pepper, diced
Colby Jack shredded cheese
Tortilla strips
Your fave BBQ sauce (I used Stubbs Sauce from Austin)
Ranch or Lite Ranch dressing

Roast corn, red pepper and black beans in skillet. Once the veggies are roasted and warm, toss lettuce, chicken and vegetables in a large bowl. Add tortilla strips and cheese. Drizzle with BBQ sauce. In another bowl, mix 1/3 cup of Ranch with 1/3 of BBQ sauce, then add to salad. Toss and serve.

Monday Meals: Ranch Cheddar Chicken

Photo

There's nothing quite as satisfying as cooking for your family and having them actually enjoy it. I'm still at a stage in my cooking where I'm not sure everything will turn out, so I was glad to find this recipe from Buns in My Oven. It is easy and delicious, and the perfect dish to whip up during the weekend for a yummy early Sunday supper.



You'll need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the chicken in a large baking dish. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ranch, and cheddar cheese. Spread on top of the chicken breasts. Sprinkle panko on top and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

And you're finished!

Monday Meals: Pumpkin Bread

As I mentioned last week, I love pumpkin-related things. Despite their overabundance during this time of year, I will always lean on pumpkin as a fall staple. A couple of weeks ago, I made an amazing pumpkin bread. It was my first time to make bread--I haven't done a ton of baking in my life--and it turned out pretty dang well, if I do say so. Here is the recipe I used (from a very random website that I found via Google), complete with fresh pumpkin that I puree'd in my mom's Vitamix, which I have complete access to while living at home... #gettingspoiled.

Before...

Pumpkin Puree

Preheat oven to 350. Cut pumpkin into fourths and scoop out seeds with an ice cream scoop. Place pumpkin on a large baking sheet (either face up or down) and bake for 45 minutes. Let it cool, then remove skin using a knife to help peel. Cut the "meat" into chunks and put in a blender (with a 1/4 cup of water) or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 cups fresh pumpkin
1/2 cup water (2/3 cup if pumpkin is canned)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and sugar. Add eggs, water, oil, and pumpkin. Stir until blended. Pour into 2 lightly greased 9x5 loaf pans, or muffin pans for muffins. Bake 1 hour, and test with a knife to see if they are done. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.

...After!

Monday Meals: The Easiest, Most Delicious Breakfast Tacos in the World

I'm a Texas gal, through and through. And here, it is an unspoken rule that all Texans must love breakfast tacos/burritos. But really, I mean, how much sacrifice is necessary on our part? They are delicious. Eggs, sausage or bacon (both?), cheese, hot sauce (aka salsa), and any other myriad of ingredients. It's the best of everything. Here are some easy breakfast tacos for slow weekend mornings, or whenever you feel like jumpstarting your workday with some Texas flavor.

Breakfast Tacos

4 eggs, beaten
half a package of sausage (I used Wright's spicy sausage)
Garlic salt
Oregano
Crushed red peppers
Colby Jack shredded cheese
9,000 cups of your favorite salsa
3 flour or corn tortillas

Lightly spray a large pan and heat the sausage until cooked, sprinkling garlic salt, oregano and crushed red peppers to taste. Add the eggs and mix together until eggs are scrambled. Pour onto warmed tortilla, add shredded cheese and salsa.

Disfrutenla!

Not sure why this lighting is so weird. But it was delicious.

Monday Meals (or Snacks)

Almonds are one of my favorite healthy snacks. I grab a handful while I'm cooking dinner or sipping a glass of wine at happy hour. I'll happily eat them plain, but a friend in Paris introduced me to the brilliant idea of roasting them. I haven't done it since I've been home, but decided to try it today. It's a simple process that really enhances the flavor. Try it. I promise you won't regret it.

Ingredients:
Whole almonds
Sea Salt, finely ground
Tablespoon of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, drizzle olive oil over almonds, sprinkle some salt and stir, coating them in the oil and salt. Spread them out on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle a little more salt to taste, let cool and serve.

Monday Meals: I Learned Something This Weekend

There is a reason there are no honey mustard maple beef recipes out there. Yesterday, I felt like making something delicious, so naturally I went to a maple inspired dish. Though everyone everywhere has recipes for honey mustard maple chicken -- which I've made a few times -- I wanted to try it with beef. I feel like I've been eating chicken a lot lately and wanted to switch it up. It was a mediocre success that left me simply shrugging and putting most of it in the fridge for later consumption. Not that it wasn't fine (because with honey mustard and maple syrup how can it be bad?), it just didn't turn out as delicious as I wanted. The beef was tough and the sauce was kind of...weird with it. I'm not sure how else to describe it.

I based it off of this simple recipe for chicken with a delicious sauce that I found over at Witty in the City. Suffice it to say, I'll probably stick with chicken from now on when I want honey mustard maple goodness.

I thought it would look exactly like this, only beef. I was wrong.

Oh well. Live and learn, right?

Monday Meals: Chicken and Mushroom Sauce

I love a good chicken and mushroom recipe. So when I saw this one on Pinterest (obvi), I wanted to try it right away. This slow weekend was the perfect opportunity. Though the recipe, found here, says to buy bone-in chicken and bake it, I bought boneless and kept it in the skillet. It was easier and still delicious. Win win. The whole thing, in fact, is fairly simple, and I can see this being a future staple for those busy week nights.

I'm using her picture because the ones I took were terrible.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 boneless chicken breasts

Sliced mushrooms (I always use a lot because I love them)

Olive oil

Minced garlic

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup heavy cream or half & half

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat chicken over medium to high heat until they are about halfway cooked through. Set aside. In another pan, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat and add mushrooms, cooking until they are almost brown. Stir in chicken broth, thyme, oregano and basil. Add chicken to the mushrooms, cover and turn heat down to low-medium. Let cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken. Add cream, Parmesan and mustard to the mushrooms. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until it's slightly reduced and creamy. Et voila! Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Monday Meals: Sweet Potato Hash Browns (my version of them, anyway.)

After a trip to the farmer's market Sunday, the kitchen was overflowing with sweet potatoes, onions and squash. I decided to put some of these guys to use and make sweet potato hash browns Sunday morning. I made a version of this recipe, but I had leftover corn on the cob in the fridge, so I sliced the corn off and threw them in the skillet too. After frying a couple eggs, the final product was a delicious homemade brunch that made my quiet Sunday morning that much more enjoyable.

You'll need:
Olive oil
Minced or fresh garlic
3 large sweet potatoes
1 white onion
4 strips uncooked bacon
About 3/4 cup corn (I used the corn from one cob)
1/4 cup water

Dice sweet potatoes and onions. Add olive oil and garlic to skillet and place on medium to high heat. Add the potatoes and onions. While they cook, use kitchen scissors to cut bacon into small pieces, cook on high in separate pan. Once onions are translucent and potatoes are soft, add bacon and corn. Add water and stir for a minute or so. Eat with eggs in any form and feast.

Did you make any delicious dishes this weekend?

Monday Meals: Aunt Jenn's Apple Pie

It's been a while since I've posted a meal, so I thought I'd start back with a classic and a favorite: my Aunt Jenn's Apple Pie. My brother was home all last week and requested this pie, so, with some help from my mother, I baked this beauty and we ate it heartily and with abandon.

Pie Crust:
1/2 cup cold water
2/3 cup shortening or butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Mix flour and salt together, then add water and shortening and mix. Flatten with rolling pin. Makes two 9 inch crusts.

Apple Pie:
Six cups of sliced Granny Smith apples (will be about 4 or 5 large apples)
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
A "smidge" of nutmeg
About a teaspoon of cinnamon
3/4 of a stick of butter, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice apples into small pieces. Add sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon and stir until the apples are well-coated with the mix. Pour into pie pan. Place slabs of butter on top of the apples before placing the top crust. Punch big hole in the top crust to vent and cover outer crust with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 25 minutes.

Monday Meals: Home Cooked Meals

What is it about home cooking that is so comforting? Is it because our moms made us meals when we were young, or because it reminds us of being kids? Whatever the reason, a "home cooked meal" implies feelings of warmth and family.

Since I'm leaving for Paris on Sunday and my brother moves to Austin the very next day, my mom is making a slew of meals this week that she used to make a lot when we were little. One night this week, she'll be making Chicken Tetrazzini, one of my favorite meals of all time. It never fails to remind me of school nights before I went to boarding school, taking a break from homework or watching TV to come to the table and talk about the day. I can literally already taste it.

Chicken Tetrazzini

1 qt. water
2 teaspoons salt
1 can creamed mushroom soup
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
dash of pepper
4-5 pounds of chicken
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup grated cheese
4 cups cooked rice
1 tablespoon parsley
4 strips of bacon
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Heat water in saucepan. Add salt and chicken, cover and simmer 3-4 hours. Take meat from bone and cut into chunks. Heat broth from chicken with soup. Blend flour, garlic and pepper with broth. Heat, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir cheese, rice, chicken and parsley in another bowl. Put alternate layers of rice mixture and sauce in buttered casserole dish. Top with bacon and bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes at 450 degrees.



And I don't have a picture of my mom's chicken tet, so here's a gif of Ronaldo to make your Monday better. Happy World Cup.

Monday Meals: Mom's Spaghetti

Some dishes take you back to your childhood. I remember watching my mom cook spaghetti in the kitchen, wondering how she knew what to do and when to do it. I first tried this recipe in DC, after I asked my mom to send it to me, and it was a disaster. I've learned a lot since that night in my four-foot by three-foot kitchen, and always like making this since it was the first dish I kind of conquered. It was the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon activity yesterday, and I'm looking forward to eating on it all week.

You'll need:
1 pound of ground beef
1 box of spaghetti
1 jar of marinara sauce
1/4th of an onion, chopped
minced garlic
crushed red peppers (optional)
olive oil

Bring water to a boil and add pasta. Stir occasionally for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked.

Add olive oil, minced garlic and crushed red peppers (for some spice!) to a skillet over medium to high heat. When the garlic and peppers start to sizzle, add the onions. Stir until the onions are translucent. Add the ground beef to brown. Reduce heat and add the pasta sauce.

Strain the noodles and then add the meet sauce to the spaghetti. Serve and devour!

Monday Meals: Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

At this point, it's clear that I love sweet potatoes, yes? Well here's another one I found via Pinterest from Half Baked Harvest.  Enjoy!

Photo also from Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients
3 medium sweet potatoes
3/4 pound (about 2 small) boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cups olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 whole chipotle pepper, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder salt and pepper
2 (half a 10oz bag) cups spinach
5 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese,
grated chopped cilantro, for garnish
greek yogurt, for serving

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash your sweet potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until fork tender. Place your chicken in a baking dish and rub with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and peper. Place in the oven with the potatoes and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and shred the chicken with a fork or your hands. When the sweet potatoes are done cut in half and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

In a medium size bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle peppers, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and wilt the spinach (this can also be done in the microwave). Toss the spinach and shredded chicken together, set aside and keep warm. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Scrape the sweet potato out of the peel, leaving a medium size layer of flesh inside with the peel so that it can stand up on its own (I reserved the remaining flesh, for another use) and place in a baking dish.

Brush the skins with with a little of the chipotle sauce and bake for 5-10 minutes until nice and crisp. While the skins bake mix the spinach, chicken and chipotle sauce together. Remove skins from the oven and stuff with the chicken mixture, top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the skins are hot and crisp. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and greek yogurt if desired.