Grilled sweet potatoes

With the snow from last week's snowstorm all melted and the warmer weather slowly creeping in, the thing that I miss the most about the way I used to eat is the convenience of barbecued meals.  I don't miss meat in itself, I just miss the simplicity of putting everything on the barbecue and having a meal in minutes without many dishes.  So last night I decided we would have a little summer feast.  I made kale chips and grilled some vegetables to accompany the kids and my husbands vegetarian sausages.  As a protein, I had leftover quinoa (pronounced keen-wa).  For those of you unfamiliar with quinoa, it is a grain that is a close relative to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweed.  It is known as a superfood for its high nutritional value.

 

Here are some of the nutrients found in quinoa:

• It is a complete protein - Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles  (with 3.5 oz providing you with 14g of protein).
• It contains high levels of magnesium which helps relax your muscles and blood vessels.  It also can have a hypotensive effect on blood pressure.
• It is a great source of fiber.  That combined with its protein content help regulate blood sugar, which in turn could help prevent Type 2 diabetes.
• It is a good source of copper and manganese which act as antioxidants.

 

I had vegetables I needed to use up, so I used zucchinis, cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes.  The potatoes were cooked separately from the other vegetables.  Here are the recipes : 

 

Grilled Sweet Potatoes (Yields 4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

 

6 sweet potatoes scrubbed and ends removed

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 pinch of sea salt

 

Method:

 

Slice potatoes and toss with oil and salt in a bowl.  Place directly on barbecue and roast for approximately 15-20 minutes, turning halfway.

 

 

Grilled Vegetables (Yield 4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

 

2 zucchinis washed and ends removed

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes whole

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. vegetable seasoning

 

Method:

 

Slice zucchinis  and toss with whole tomatoes, oil and seasoning.  Place the zucchinis in a barbecue vegetable grilling basket for approximately 15, adding the tomatoes a few minutes before the zucchinis are done.

 

 

Have a great day!

Amelie

 

Sources:

 

www.whfoods.com

www.wikipedia.com