Mr. Peaches told me to come home from work on time on Valentine’s Day so that we could make it to our dinner reservation.
Ooo…interesting. I hesitated, because we don’t usually go out to dinner as I always prefer to make meals at home, but I couldn’t pass him down on the sweet offer.
But then he pretty much ruined his surprise.
“So…do we have any like, basil or parsley in the fridge right now?” he asks.
“Um..I think we have parsley but I don’t think we have basil…why do you ask?”
“Oh I don’t know I was just wondering…”
“You are TOTALLY cooking dinner for me tomorrow night, aren’t you?!!!” I screamed.
Why else would he be asking me about the status of the herbs in our veggie drawer? He barely pays attention to anything in our fridge unless it has like, big yellow signs with arrows pointing to it instructing him to eat it.
He could have just looked in the veggie drawer himself, but I don’t think he knows how to identify parsley.
Despite the lack of surprise, his Valentine’s Day culinary adventure was hands down one of the SWEETEST things he’s ever done for me. I think that any time you do something out of your comfort zone is worthy of special attention.
…If only I could get him to try bikram yoga with me. ;)
He kept telling me to relax and enjoy my wine.
But I just couldn’t.
Partially because I have a control problem in the kitchen, but mostly because he kept jumping into the living room with questions about where to find things in our cabinets.
He pops over, “Meg, where’s that thing that you use to whip stuff up?” and proceeds to make a circular whirring motion with his hands.
“You mean the hand mixer?”
So endearing. And then I realized he was making me some sort of sweet potato and pumpkin concoction. (!!)
Oh, and herb-crusted salmon and roasted green beans with dill vinaigrette to go with it too.
I just about DIED.
Those are all pretty much my favorite foods EVER. Well, with a disclaimer for bananas and almond butter and chocolate and ice cream.
So I made the sweet potato puff again over the weekend in honor of Mr. Peaches.
Literally I could consume this for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between.
Give it a try – it is sweet and light and fluffy and soooo, soooo good.
Not to mention, a refreshing departure from the traditional sugar-laden sweet potato casserole recipes.
If you prefer an even lower-carb puff, substitute two cups of mashed butternut squash for the sweet potatoes for an equally delicious puff.
Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Puff
Adapted from Eat What You Love, by Marlene Koch
ServesΒ 6
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
- 1 15-oz. can pumpkin purΓ©e
- 1 egg
- 3 egg whites
- Β½ cup pastured heavy cream or coconut cream
- 4 Tbsp. honey, softened
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ΒΎ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- ΒΌ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- Preheat oven to 350Β°F.
- Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork and place in microwave. Cook on high for 12 minutes or until the flesh is soft.
- Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with butter.
- Cut the sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, except the pecans, and beat until smooth with a hand mixer. Transfer mixture to the casserole dish and smooth the top if desired.
- Sprinkle the top with chopped pecans.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the center slightly puffs.
*For a lower-carb and equally delicious puff, substitute 2 cups mashed butternut squash for the sweet potato.
hope your day is sweet,
p & c
