Mashed Sweet Potatoes

3 large sweet potatoes

4 Tbls. butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 Tbls. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ginger

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Rub potatoes with canola oil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until very tender.

Combine butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and spices. Slice potatoes, and slip out of skins. Mash. Combine butter/ cream cheese mixture with mashed potatoes, and serve hot.

Baked Scallops

1 lb. bay scallops

4 Tbls. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

dash of cayenne pepper

freshly made bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a shallow baking dish.

Place scallops in baking dish. Combine butter, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle over scallops. Top with bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes.

Mediterranean Barley Salad

I've had this salad bookmarked in my Bloglines for 6 months, and I finally got around to trying it. Heather from Beauty that Moves, gave her permission for me to share it here. It was delicious, and I can't wait to try the other recipes in the same post.

Dressing

• 2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

• 1 Tbls Dijon or stoneground mustard

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1 Tbls apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbls umeboshi vinegar

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 1 Tbls shallot if you like

Salad

• 5 cups water

• 2 cups hulled barley

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 Tbls chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried

• 1/3 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives

• 1/3 cup drained capers (I rinse them too)

• ½ cup pine nuts

• ¼ cup chopped green onions (scallions)

• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine all the ingredients for dressing and set aside.To make the salad, bring water to a boil. Add the barley, sea salt and bay leaves. Simmer for 1 hours, adding a little more water if needed. Cook until barley is tender, drain excess water if there is any. Let the grains cool, add the dressing and oregano, stir. Then add the other ingredients, combine gently. Chill, serve cold.

Baked Tilapia

4- 4 oz. Tilapia fillets

2 tsp. coconut oil, melted

1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

lemon slices

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place Tilapia fillets in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle melted coconut oil over tops of fillets. Combine Old Bay seasoning and garlic salt. Sprinkle over fillets. Top with a lemon slice. Bake 10 -12 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Coconut Rice

2 c. Jasmine rice

1 -14 oz. can organic coconut milk

2 1/4 c. water

1 tsp. coconut oil

Place all ingredients in covered saucepan. Bring to a boil, and immediately lower temperature to low, setting lid askew on pan, allowing some steam to escape. Simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Sourdough Croutons

3-4 c. cubed sourdough bread

3 Tbls. olive oil

1 Tbls. butter, melted

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 F. Place bread cubes in a bowl; set aside. Combine olive oil, melted butter, garlic, thyme, and pepper. Drizzle over bread crumbs, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and toss to coat evenly. Arrange croutons on baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, turn with a spatula, and bake 10 minutes more. Cool.

Spiced Pumpkin Scones

Scones

2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

3 Tbls. natural cane sugar

1 Tbls. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

6 Tbls. cold butter

1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, as it has spices added)

3 Tbls. homemade yogurt

1 large egg

1/4 tsp. orange extract

Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbls. milk

Spiced Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tbls. milk

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

pinch of ginger

pinch of cloves

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, yogurt, egg, and orange extract. Fold wet ingredients into dry. Form the dough into a ball.

Pat dough out on a floured surface, forming into a circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place scones on parchment covered baking sheet, and bake for 14- 16 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Prepare glaze. Drizzle over warm scones. Let cool. Prepare spiced glaze, and drizzle over cooled scones.