What's On My Plate

This post was originally part of a 3-part post that included What’s on Your Bookshelf, What’s on Your Plate, and Word of the Year.

In an effort to reinvent previous favorites and create new delights that align with a lower carb, lower sugar, and higher nutrient lifestyle (my husband was recently diagnosed with celiac disease, at age 59).

Sweet Potato Salmon Melts

Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise.

Place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Spray with avocado oil non-stick coating. Brush each slice with olive oil.

Bake at 400 F until tender when poked with a fork.

While these are baking, sauté spinach in olive oil. Mix canned salmon, lemon balsamic vinegar, olive oil, finely chopped green onions, seasonings of choice. Slice a tomato and cut slices in half. Mash an avocado (add salsa if you like spice).

Remove sweet potatoes from oven and layer on top:

• salmon mixture

• sautéed spinach

• sliced tomato half

• avocado mixture

• grated cheese of choice

Return to the oven, until cheese is melted.

For those sweet potato slices that aren’t quite big enough for layering, sprinkle with cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. These will brown nicely as the mixtures warm and the cheese melts.

Salmon Nuggets

I’ve shared how I make these in detail in a previous blog post. But my tweak is to use coconut flour and flax powder for the breading mixture.

Coconut Macaroons – gluten and sugar-free

Using a basic macaroon recipe from an old favorite, The New Cook Book:

Replace the sugar with monkfruit powder, using only 1/3 of the amount called for in the recipe. Monkfruit is FAR sweeter than sugar - and has zero calories. Replace flour with coconut flour.

Use only 1/3 the amount of unsweetened coconut flakes as called for in the recipe.

For added deliciousness, substitute ½ the vanilla with key lime, root beer or another flavoring of your choice.