Amy's Food Revolution: Falling off the To-Do List

Every mom knows that when life gets busy, your stuff is the first to fall off of the to-do list. Well, my blog took a big fall off the to-do list but I'm back. I'm still cooking but the writing just wasn't happening. But, I'm determined to finish telling this story. So, on to the next meal from Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes…

Have I mentioned that my favorite food is sweet potatoes? I have been eyeing this meal for awhile because it included sweet potatoes but the "branzino" scared me off. First of all, I had never heard of branzino and couldn't find it anywhere. When I finally did research and found out that it is another name for Chilean Sea Bass I was relieved that I would be able to find the ingredients for this one. However, Chilean Sea Bass seems to be a bit pricey, at least in my neck of the woods, and this meal set our grocery budget back a bit. You may want to try this one with some other kind of fish if its equally pricey where you live. My family loved this meal! It was easy, looks beautiful and made everyone happy. Taking on a menu with five recipes was a bit intimidating but I had lots of little helpers in the kitchen which made this lots of fun!

Here's the menu:

Branzino & Crispy Pancetta

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Asian Greens

1-minute Berry Ice Cream

Sparkling Lemon Ginger Drink

Now, let's start with those yummy potatoes. Jamie used this method in an earlier meal and I've made these countless times since then. Wash 1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise and put in a microwave safe bowl. Cut a lime in half and add it to the bowl then cover with a double layer of plastic wrap. Cook in the microwave for 12-14 minutes or until cooked through. Finely chop some cilantro on a large wooden cutting board. Add 2 tablespoons of mango chutney (check the international section of your grocery store), a splash of soy sauce, the juice from the other half of the lime and a little olive oil. Mix well and chop everything together. Feel free to add some chili for a bit of kick. When the potatoes are done, add them to the board and chop and mash everything together. Yum!

The other recipes were so simple yet the combination of everything together would impress even the pickiest dinner guest. The branzino and pancetta was cooked on top of the stove together while the asparagus and broccoli cooked in a pot nearby. For the greens, it was all about the asian dressing made of soy sauce, lime juice and garlic. And the food processor makes quick work of the frozen berries turning them into an impressively quick dessert.