Sweet Potato Fries with Sriracha Mayo

Nothing is easier to make than a batch of oven fries. Cut up potatoes, put them in the oven, take them out of the oven. Voíla!

In this recipe, the sweet potatoes are tossed in a bit of oil and spice to add a subtle spice to the sweet flavour of the potato, and they are served (if you like) with a super-simple spicy mayo dip (because if you aren’t going to deep-fry your potatoes, you should at least serve them with mayo, right?).

We like to eat these as a side dish with all manner of entrees, from burgers to baked tofu to chili. It’s a fun and simple way to enjoy what is, in my humble opinion, one of the best winter vegetables out there.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries
Serves 4

1 large sweet potato, about 1 lb.
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chili powder

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Cut potatoes into long, thin strips. Try to make them as even as possible so that they will all finish cooking at the same time.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, oil, and chili powder.
4. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 – 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. (20 minutes should be long enough for them to cook through, 30 minutes should make them a bit crispy on the outside. Test a few with a fork to make sure they are done).

Sriracha Mayo
Makes ½ cup

½ cup mayo or vegan mayo (I really like vegenaise)
½ Tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh chives (optional)

1. In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients.
2. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.

Potato & Spinach Enchiladas

Enchiladas! A perenial favorite over here, we like to use enchiladas to use up vegetables and to fill our bellies with happiness. This recipe is one of our favorites, and despite the long list of steps and the dirtying of a few pans, it’s actually really easy to make. Add to the ease with bottled enchilada sauce, if you like, although the homemade version is super-simple. This recipe could easily be doubled if you want to eat enchiladas all week long. Omit the cheese for a delicious vegan version.

Potato and Spinach Enchiladas
Serves 4

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, chopped (about 1 small onion)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
4½ cups fresh spinach, stems removed
or 1½ cups cooked or frozen spinach, thawed
1 Tbsp. chili powder
⅔ cup cilantro

1 cup refried beans, homemade or canned (I like Amy’s)
8 corn tortillas
1 cup Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, divided

Enchilada Sauce
Adapted from the 1975 Joy of Cooking

1 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
1½ cup tomatoes, diced
½ cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Heat tortillas in the oven while you prepare everything else. This will make them easier to work with.
2. In a large pan, saute the onion, garlic, potatoes and chili powder in oil until onions are translucent. Add spinach and saute until spinach and potatoes are cooked through. Set aside.
3. Then prepare the sauce. In a small pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until fragrant. Add spices and continue to saute until onions and garlic are translucent.
4. Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper in a blender.
5. Add the cooked onion mixture and blend again until smooth.
6. Spread half of the sauce on the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan.
7. Then fill the tortillas. Spread 1 Tbsp. of refried beans over each, add 1 Tbsp. cheese and 2 Tbsp. potato-spinach mixture. Roll up and place in pan.
8. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Thai Curry Mashed Potatoes

Sean and I were craving a classic meat(tofu)-and-potatoes dinner, but inspired by the Marinated Asian Tofu Recipe in Veganomicon, we gave it a twist. The tofu was delicious, and we sauteed bok choy in the marinade from that recipe (and then mixed them into the potatoes, which you can do or not). The Thai Curry Mashed Potatoes that we made up to top it all off were spicy, creamy, quick and easy. Enjoy!

Thai Curry Mashed Potatoes
Makes 4-6 Servings

4 lbs. potatoes, chopped (about 6 cups)
½ cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon Thai green curry paste
½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the potatoes until very tender. Drain.
2. Using a potato masher or electric beaters, mash the potatoes and mix them together with coconut milk, curry paste and sesame oil (if using).

Potato and Green Bean Salad

This is a classic recipe that I found years ago (in an old Vegetarian Times magazine?) and have modified a million times since (generally making it simpler and simpler). This is the more or less final version. It’s perfect for picnics, BBQs, potlucks and even taking to work for lunch. I found some delightfully small potatoes at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market (check out Riverbend Gardens for the most flavourful potatoes you’ve ever tried), but if you can only find regular sized new potatoes, you will have to halve or quarter them. This recipe requires freshly ground black pepper. It just won’t be as good with pre-ground pepper.

Green Bean and Potato Salad

6 cups (4 lbs) new potatoes
3 cups (1 lb) green beans
1 cup (4 oz.) feta, finely crumbled
1½ Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil (optional)
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Halve or quarter the potatoes if necessary. Steam or boil the potatoes until they are tender but still holding together, about 25 minutes for steaming.
2. Trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch strips. Blanch them by putting them into boiling water for 5 minutes or steaming them for 10 minutes.
3. When the vegetables have cooked, drain them and run them under cold water. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, chop the dill and crumble the feta. Toss the potatoes, green beans, dill, feta and pepper. If the salad needs more moisture to make the ingredients stick, add the olive oil and toss again.