WHAT IS SWEET POTATO CREME BRULEE?

I really love sweet potatoes and I always have them at this time of year. I prefer them to white potatoes and always experiment with different ways of using them. This week, I turned them into the cutest little desserts, that are also dairy-free and gluten-free! ‘Cause who doesn’t love to be free?!

INGREDIENTS

So, real talk: My appreciation for coconut milk grows by the day. Nature seriously did us a solid by serving us coconuts, and I am down for it. You can very likely turn any animal-based recipe into a plant-based one with a simple can of coconut milk, just in case you were wondering!

Coconut milk and sweet potatoes are the two main ingredients in this recipe. You will also need a sweetener, and since sweet potatoes and maple go really well together, I use syrup (that pure Canadian kind)! Some cinnamon and fresh nutmeg bring in the warm, cozy feelings of winter. Finally, the glue that holds it all together is the agar agar. Agar agar is basically a vegan gelatin. You can buy it on Amazon, or if you have any specialty grocery stores in your ‘hood, try that!

HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO CREME BRULEE

The first step is to roast the sweet potato. I really hate a mess (and I’m lazy), so I just pierce my potato with a fork a few times and stick it directly on the rack of my oven, place a piece of tin foil on the rack below it (to catch any drippings), set my oven to 400 degrees and walk away for an hour. You will see the potato begin to ooze out (yes, it’s normal) and that’s usually how you know it is ready. Stick a fork in it, just in case.

Next, you place the potato, milk and syrup in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a pot with some salt and the spices and bring to a boil. Add the agar agar and reduce heat, whisking for about a minute to ensure the agar is completely combined. Strain the mixture and pour into small ramekins and when ready to serve, top with some sugar (I do a mix of white and brown) and torch!

Your holiday guests will love cracking the hardened sugar on top and diving in to this semi-healthy treat!

OTHER VEGAN DESSERTS

Vegan Whipped Cream (the perfect dessert topping)

Vegan Rice Crispy Chocolate Treats (a perfect bite-sized snack)

Chocolate Chai Ganache (amazing for cake decorating)

TOOLS I USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Sweet Potato Creme Brulee (Vegan, GF)

Servings: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (I use Silk brand)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of fresh nutmeg
• A pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp agar agar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp sugar (I mix equal parts white and brown)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pierce the sweet potato with a fork a few times. When oven is ready, place potato directly on the middle rack, and put a piece of tin foil on the rack below it, to catch any drippings. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork inserts easily into the centre. Carefully remove skin.
2. To your blender, add the sweet potato, both coconut milks and the syrup. Blend until smooth and then transfer to a pot.
3. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and bring to a boil, stirring often. Once boiling, add the agar agar, lower the heat to a simmer and whisk continuously for one minute, or until the agar agar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve directly into four small ramekins. Place in the fridge to firm up for at least one hour.
5. Right before serving, sprinkle the tops of each ramekin with one tablespoon of the sugar and use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar until it is a deep brown colour. Let it sit for a minute before serving.
6. Crack the top with a spoon and enjoy!

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I’m lucky to live in the most multicultural country in the world, in a city that embraces diversity and highlights it on every corner. I’m able to walk through the downtown core and fulfill cravings of any kind with just a few steps. We are a nation rich in culture, and thus rich in cuisines from around the world, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to gain new perspectives through the city’s eats.

This curry dish is by no means traditional. I haven’t had the pleasure of learning, first-hand, what it takes to put together an amazing Indian-style curry, but I do eat a lot of food (like, a lot!), and this is my take on curry, with a few twists. What I do know is that a decent chunk of the Indian population is vegetarian, and it’s exciting that a dish without meat can be so fulfilling and hearty. My Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Curry is meatless, but you can always add your choice of meat protein (or tofu, or paneer), if that’s your thing!

Because there is a bit of prep work that goes into making a curry, I like to do all of the chopping and measuring first so that everything is ready to go into the pot at the proper time. So, let’s start with the vegetables. You will need about one and a half cups of both, sweet potatoes and cauliflower florets. I like to chop both into smaller size pieces so they cook through in the time it takes the curry to develop. You will also need an onion, baby spinach and some minced garlic. Flavour!

It is a good idea to also have the spices ready. This prevents one of the spices from burning while you try to measure out all of the rest. I chose to use curry powder, garam masala, cumin, cayenne (optional), coriander, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper for this recipe. As soon as they hit the pan, your house will fill with the most wonderful aroma!

The base of the sauce is made up of diced tomatoes (you can use fresh or canned), full-fat coconut milk, and cashew milk. Obviously the cashew milk isn’t a typical base in a curry, but I promise it gives it a creaminess and smooth flavour that you won’t be mad about. I always like to use the Silk brand. You may substitute this for any other milk of your choice – coconut milk, almond milk or even regular milk if you consume dairy.

There are a few more ingredients to prep and then it is time to cook! You will need some tomato paste to help thicken and enrich the flavour of the curry, some coconut flour to act as another thickener (this is optional) and some lime to finish it off and brighten it up. Of course toppings like avocado and cilantro are always encouraged.

This curry, like all other curries are best served with rice and naan bread. Two carbs, one girl. Just the way I like it.

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Curry

Servings: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1.5 cups cauliflower florets
• 1.5 cups sweet potato, small dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 3/4 cup canned coconut milk
• 3/4 cup cashew milk (may sub for coconut milk or almond milk, I prefer Silk brand)
• 1.5 tbsp coconut flour (optional)
• 2 big handfuls of spinach
• Juice of half a lime
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• Cooked rice and naan bread to serve with
• Avocado and fresh cilantro for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and let it cook down until it is transparent. About 5 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower and sweet potato to the pot and allow vegetables to begin to soften. This takes about 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add the minced garlic, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cayenne (if using), 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Stir for a few seconds, coating all of the vegetables with the spices. Quickly add the tomato paste and mix again to coat the veggies.
4. Add in the diced tomatoes and allow everything to simmer together for another 10 minutes.
5. Pour in the coconut milk, the cashew milk and add in the coconut flour. Stir well and simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until the curry has developed and thickened.
6. Toss in the spinach and let the heat of the pot wilt it down. This does not take long.
7. Turn the heat off and add a squeeze of lime to the curry. Mix it all together and spoon over cooked rice.
8. Serve with warm, buttery naan bread, avocado, a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and an extra lime wedge.

NOTES:

Any protein would be a great addition to this dish. I would recommend tofu or paneer to maintain the vegetarianism, or chicken or shrimp if you eat meat.

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Alright guys, I’ve been working on improving the online veggie taco situation and I’m pretty sure I have it figured out.

Firstly, refried beans. Why aren’t these talked about? They need to be talked about! They are SO good. A little bit of salt, a pinch of cumin, some garlic and a can of black beans and BAM! Magic. Super easy and super delicious. It’s a struggle for me not to eat these right from the pot.

Secondly, sweet potatoes. Regular potatoes are good…but sweet potatoes?! Sweet potatoes are gold. Packed with Vitamin A and iron, these little gems caramelize and crisp up in the oven, adding the perfect bite to these tacos. YUM!

And is it even a taco without pico? I think not. Finely diced tomatoes, jalapeños, red onion, cilantro, sweet pepper, salt and some lime juice adds the acid that these tacos need! Gah.

Finally… TOPPINGS. Toppings on toppings on toppings. I like to play this game called How many items can I fit on my tortilla before it won’t close? Guess what? It never closes, and I always win. Avocado, fresh radish slices, cilantro…maybe even sour cream?! The possibilities are endless.

Nestle it all in a warm little corn tortilla and call it a day. Taco Tuesday mic drop.

Refried Beans and Sweet Potato Tacos with Pico de Gallo

Servings: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the sweet potatoes:

• 1 extra-large sweet potato, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper

For the pico de gallo:

• 2 firm Roma tomatoes, finely diced*
• 1/2 of one jalapeño, finely diced and seeds removed
• 1/2 of one medium-sized red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 of one sweet bell pepper (any colour), finely diced**
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of one lime (about 2 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper

For the refried beans:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (19 oz) can black beans
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper

• 8 small corn tortillas

Toppings:

• avocado slices
• radish slices
• sour cream
• fresh cilantro
• scallions
• squeeze of lime

Instructions:

For the sweet potato:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, drizzle diced sweet potato with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss until potatoes are coated with oil and spices. Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, stir, and then bake for another 5-10 minutes or until your sweet potatoes are tender and have browned on the outside.

For the pico de gallo:

1. While the potatoes are cooking, add all pico ingredients to a medium-sized bowl with a few grinds of pepper. Mix to combine and place in the fridge to marinate.

For the refried beans:

1. Drain the can of black beans over a bowl or measuring cup to reserve the canning liquid. Measure out 1/4 cup of the liquid and add another 1/4 cup of water to it to make 1/2 cup of liquid. Set aside.
2. In a small pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cumin and garlic and fry for about 30 seconds (or until garlic is fragrant – don’t burn!).
3. Add black beans, the reserved liquid, salt and a few grinds of black pepper and cook on medium low for about 12-13 minutes. Use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash up the beans until fairly smooth and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Assembly:

1. Warm up the corn tortillas by placing them over medium heat in a dry pan for 30 seconds to one minute on each side, or just throw them directly on the rack of your oven after your sweet potatoes are done cooking and the oven is turned off. They warm up quickly, about 30 seconds per side.
2. Top warm tortillas with the refried beans, followed by the sweet potatoes, pico de gallo and your choice of toppings. Don’t skimp on the toppings!

NOTES:

*If you don’t have Roma tomatoes, any tomato will work.

** I prefer to use a yellow pepper for the pico de gallo as it adds a nice colour contrast.

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