Braised Coconut Spinach Rice with Lemon

Recipe calls for rice to be cooked ahead of time.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 TBS grated ginger
2 cups cooked rice
1 bunch spinach, washed, trimmed, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 TBS)
13.5 ounce can coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger

To Serve:

Whole roasted sweet potatoes
Cilantro leaves, to garnish
Toasted unsweetened coconut, to garnish

To Roast Sweet Potatoes:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rub the sweet potato half with olive oil to lightly coat. Place in baking pan with the cut side up. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until tender. Cool slightly before serving.

While the potatoes are baking, heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the oven in beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, and marinated portobello mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the cooked rice and stir well, until it is coated with the onion and garlic mixture.

Toss in the chopped spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minute, stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been stirred in, then pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, optional ground ginger and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is warm through, stirring regularly to prevent rice from sticking. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.

Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes, with cilantro leaves and optional toasted unsweetened coconut to garnish.

Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Kale Salad

For the baked sweet potatoes:

4 medium to large potatoes (yams)

1. Wash and cut out any blemishes on the skin
2. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350. Pierce sweet potatoes in several places with fork; place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very tender when pierced with fork, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
3. Use knife to crack the sweet potatoes open lengthwise in preparation for adding the toppings. No scooping, or mashing.

For the topping:
2 cups kale, rinsed well
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
4 TBS almonds, sliced into slivers
1 tomato, diced
2 avocados, thinly sliced or diced
.33 lb shiitake mushrooms
Olive oil for sauteing

Directions:
1. Wash kale well. Remove kale leaves from thick stems and chop into small pieces.
2. Warm a large skillet and add a dollop of olive oil. Add the chopped shallots and saute for about a minute, until shallots are beginning to look translucent, and then add in the chopped kale. Saute until kale leaves are just wilting, and bright green.
3. Transfer steamed kale mixture to large bowl. Salt to taste.
4. Fold in slivered almonds, tomatoes, and avocado.
5. Clean, slice and saute shiitake mushrooms in the warmed skillet. Add a little more oil to prevent sticking. When mushrooms are browned, remove from heat and set aside.

Pile the toppings onto the potatoes. Garnish with green onions.