Everything Bagel Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Oh, February. You are such a tease.

I feel like this is the month when Spring starts to creep into my mind. I listen for birds, search for a reason to go without socks, and squint to see if I can find any buds sprouting from the trees. I’m always too early with all of these things, but I try anyway. As ‘blah’ as things can get this time of year, I find that if I focus on putting nutrient rich foods in my body and sticking to a solid workout routine, everything rolls along a little more smoothly.

What do I mean by “nutrient rich foods”? I look for produce that is brightly colored and, ideally, filling. Color often equals flavor in food, but it can also mean nutrients. Sweet potatoes, for example, are filled with beta-carotene, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. It also comes packed with vitamins A, C, B16. Helloooooo goodness!

I often buy a bag of sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week and ‘bake’ them in my Instant Pot. That way, I have an easy and healthy grab-and-go food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a hearty snack. My current favorite way to eat these right now? Smashed, roasted, and sprinkled with Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.

Served next to a hefty handful of greens, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and a tall ice water, this is a perfect meal to get you through the doldrums of winter.

Everything Bagel Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 3-4 servings

Recipe inspired by this one from The Kitchen

• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes*

• olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (or another similar seasoning mix)

• Salt

• Hot Sauce (options but not really)

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

2. Wash and slice your sweet potatoes in 1 1/2 inch slices. Drop the slices in your boiling water and cook until very tender. Carefully drain the potatoes and lay them in a single layer on your parchment lined baking sheet.

3. Grease the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass with a bit of olive oil, then use it to smash each potato slice, being careful not to press all the way through to the parchment. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crispy around the edges.

4. Sprinkle with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning and drizzle with hot sauce. Enjoy immediately!

Ginger Lemon Kombucha Smoothie

This post has been kindly sponsored by Health-Ade Kombucha. As with all sponsored content on Set the Table, this is a product I already use and love!

I’m not so good with allowing quiet into my life. For some reason, I’m always looking for something to look at, listen to, or do with my hands. It’s no wonder that it has gotten more difficult for me to sit down and write something that matters. I can’t tell you how many times I sit down at my laptop and alternate between typing and deleting the most mundane sentences. It’s simply because my brain cannot process thoughts of substance clearly when I have too much stimulation. There was a time in my life when I could do this, but that time has passed and it is dying a slow, painful death. My brain just cannot handle multiple tasks at one time unless it is parenting-related. And, let’s be honest, even that is a little dicey. 

I’m sure some of this is due to smart phone usage and the immediacy of information. And some of it is likely due to age. And anxiety. And a smattering of other things I cannot yet identify. I’m working on it. Slowly but surely, I’m working on taking things on one at a time rather than all at once. Funny thing: getting sick reminds me of this practice almost every time. 

Recently, like many families I’ve talked to, we have dealt with the dreaded Stomach Bug. It hit me quickly and first, then took down the rest of us in 2 day increments. For me, the recovery from an illness like this means taking it super slow. Reintroducing foods one at a time, listening to my body extra carefully, and thinking carefully about what I put on my plate. If only I could learn to take such care in other areas of my life. 

After our recent bout of the Stomach Bug, I made it a point to get more probiotics into my system. I take LoveBug probiotics, so that was a given. I also am a pretty big fan-girl when it comes to Health-Ade Kombucha, so their Ginger-Lemon flavor was on repeat for days. Of course, at some point, for my sanity, I needed to mix it up. Enter: this tasty smoothie! It’s creamy and flavorful without being too overwhelming on a sensitive digestive tract. #sorrynotsorry for being honest here. Just keeping it real! 

Ginger Lemon Kombucha Smoothie

makes 2 small smoothies or 1 large

*A coupe notes: for some, the acidity of pineapple may not sound great until a few days after being sick. If that’s the case, I’d recommend swapping milder mango or leaving out any fruit except for the frozen banana. Ice is always another great option to add in! You know your body better than anyone, so listen to it and don’t push it!

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple

• 1 frozen banana (not required to be frozen but I like the texture better if it is)

• 1 1/2 cups Health-AdeGinger-Lemon Kombucha

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Brown Butter Vanilla Waffles

The 6 year old wasn’t feeling so good this morning. He slept very late and I let him because one day he won’t be able to just sleep in when he’s under the weather. But when you’re 6? That’s definitely allowed. After a slow start to the day and getting little brother to school, the 6 year old and I decided waffles were in order! Don’t tell anyone, but I love waffles WAY more than pancakes. No contest. Unless the pancakes are from Snooze in which case I want them all. Maybe it has something to do with how the syrup pools in the little squares. Or how the outside gets so nice and crispy. Or how you can break them into tidy little triangles. Whatever it is, I am here. for. it.

Disclaimer: These waffles are not “health food”. They have half a stick of butter in them and I’m not sorry because if you’re going to eat waffles you might as well do it right. Are you with me? They don’t have a ton of sugar and I did use a bit of whole wheat flour, but mostly for flavor so don’t get too excited. Or get REALLY excited because you’re gonna love these forever and ever amen.

OK- no more delaying. On to this perfect waffle recipe! Make them for your family. Make them for friends. Make them for houseguests and don’t forget the coffee! Also, they freeze beautifully so don’t be afraid to double the recipe and freeze what you don’t eat. Just pop them in the toaster and you’re golden!

Brown Butter Vanilla Waffles

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 eggs, beaten well

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups milk

1. Begin by browning the butter. Add it to a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then start to sputter and foam, then it will all settle down and the milk particles will start to turn golden brown and a nutty aroma will fill your kitchen. Keep an eye on the butter through this process so it doesn’t burn! Stir occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a heatproof liquid measuring cup and set aside.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Pour in the browned butter and stir until incorporated.

4. Preheat a waffle iron. They’re all different. I set mine to a medium temperature, but you do you Boo Boo!

5. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter in the center of the waffle iron. Keep the waffles warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to eat. Serve with more butter (because #yolo) and syrup. And coffee. Lots of coffee. Enjoy!