Deprecated: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/davecampbell/foodwatcher.com/wp-content/plugins/feedwordpress/feedwordpress.php on line 2022

Vegan BLT Salad with Avocado & Tempeh Bacon

Say hello to one seriously satisfying salad: the vegan BLT! Think all the flavor of your favorite sandwich with salty tempeh bacon, tangy tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce tossed in a creamy ranch dressing. She’s nourishing and DREAMY!
Just 7 ingredients r…

Vegan BLT Salad with Avocado & Tempeh Bacon

Say hello to one seriously satisfying salad: the vegan BLT! Think all the flavor of your favorite sandwich with salty tempeh bacon, tangy tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce tossed in a creamy ranch dressing. She’s nourishing and DREAMY!

Just 7 ingredients required for this EASY, veggie-packed, plant-based twist on a classic. Let’s make BLTs in a bowl!

This bountiful salad begins with a mix of fresh veggies including crunchy romaine, sweet cherry tomatoes, hydrating cucumber, satisfying avocado, and peppery red onion.

Vegan BLT Salad with Avocado & Tempeh Bacon from Minimalist Baker →


Deprecated: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/davecampbell/foodwatcher.com/wp-content/plugins/feedwordpress/feedwordpress.php on line 2022

Ranch Pasta Salad

Ranch Pasta Salad, made with Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning, is a delicious and easy potluck pasta salad that is perfect
The post Ranch Pasta Salad appeared first on Easy Side Dish Recipes.

Ranch Pasta Salad, made with Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning, is a delicious and easy potluck pasta salad that is perfect

The post Ranch Pasta Salad appeared first on Easy Side Dish Recipes.


Deprecated: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/davecampbell/foodwatcher.com/wp-content/plugins/feedwordpress/feedwordpress.php on line 2022

Shrimp Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice

This shrimp bowl recipe gets 5 stars! An easy lunch or dinner, it stars cilantro lime rice, black beans and chipotle ranch dressing. Here’s an irresistible recipe you’ll want to make again and again…this Shrimp Rice Bowl! It got 5 stars in our house. Of course, that’s an unofficial poll judging by how quickly it disappeared! Mix up a batch of cilantro lime rice, then top it with tender shrimp and a black bean and corn salad. This best part is a creamy, zingy chipotle ranch dressing that covers it all in deliciousness. (Yep, that’s the technical term.) This is one of our favorite bowl meals we’ve made in a while. And while it’s basic, every element is seasoned to perfection. Ingredients in this shrimp bowl recipe It has several components, but you should be able to finish this healthy dinner recipe in 30 minutes or less. Here’s the breakdown of the elements in this shrimp rice bowl: Shrimp: You can bake, broil, or sauté the shrimp for this recipe! See below to determine your favorite method. We like using tail-on shrimp for the look, but you can use peeled for easier eating. Cilantro lime rice: This bowl features our […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This shrimp bowl recipe gets 5 stars! An easy lunch or dinner, it stars cilantro lime rice, black beans and chipotle ranch dressing.

Shrimp Bowl

Here’s an irresistible recipe you’ll want to make again and again…this Shrimp Rice Bowl! It got 5 stars in our house. Of course, that’s an unofficial poll judging by how quickly it disappeared! Mix up a batch of cilantro lime rice, then top it with tender shrimp and a black bean and corn salad. This best part is a creamy, zingy chipotle ranch dressing that covers it all in deliciousness. (Yep, that’s the technical term.) This is one of our favorite bowl meals we’ve made in a while. And while it’s basic, every element is seasoned to perfection.

Ingredients in this shrimp bowl recipe

It has several components, but you should be able to finish this healthy dinner recipe in 30 minutes or less. Here’s the breakdown of the elements in this shrimp rice bowl:

  • Shrimp: You can bake, broil, or sauté the shrimp for this recipe! See below to determine your favorite method. We like using tail-on shrimp for the look, but you can use peeled for easier eating.
  • Cilantro lime rice: This bowl features our favorite cilantro lime rice: and it really does step up the recipe vs plain rice!
  • Black bean and corn salad: Here’s a fun trick: mix black beans, corn, and pico de gallo and it becomes and impromptu salad!
  • Chipotle ranch dressing: This healthy chipotle ranch is so easy to make, and you’ll want to drizzle it on everything! It’s got yogurt, mayo, and adobo sauce (see below).
Shrimp bowl recipe

Baked vs broiled vs sauteed shrimp!

There are a few different methods you can use for the shrimp here! Here are the pros and cons of each:

  • Baked shrimp: This method is easy and hands off! Pop the shrimp in the oven and cook 4 to 6 minutes. The only con? You have to preheat the oven.
  • Broiled shrimp: Even easier! It’s even quicker to broil shrimp, and you don’t have to preheat. The con? You’ll have to keep an eye on it in the last few minutes.
  • Sauteed shrimp: Super simple and quick: the fastest method for cooking shrimp! It also comes out more browned than the other methods. The con? You have to be hands-on the entire cooking time, and be good at quickly flipping the shrimp. Be careful not to overcook!

The type of shrimp to buy

There are lots of option at the store for shrimp, and it can get confusing! Here’s the type of shrimp we like to grab for this recipe:

  • Find medium or large shrimp. Medium shrimp is sometimes labeled 41 to 50 count, and Large is labeled as 31 to 40 count.
  • Use tail on or peeled. Tail on looks nice, but you do have to pull them off when eating. So use shelled if you like! Do not use shell on. If you accidentally buy shell on, remove it before cooking.
  • Fresh or frozen. Both are essentially the same freshness since most shrimp are immediately flash frozen. Just make sure to thaw the shrimp in advance.
  • Wild caught. Look for wild caught: it’s the most sustainable!
Chipotle ranch dressing
You’ll want to use this chipotle ranch dressing on everything!

The shrimp bowl sauce: a healthy spin on ranch dressing!

Who doesn’t love ranch? For the drizzle for this healthy shrimp bowls recipe, we created a healthy spin on ranch that’s seriously delicious. Here’s what to know:

  • The dressing uses both mayonnaise and yogurt: the yogurt helps to cut down on calories but keeps it deliciously creamy.
  • It has only 38 calories per tablespoon, vs 73 calories in store bought! So we’d call that healthy version. It’s also gluten-free, keto and low carb.
  • You can customize the spice level! Use more adobo sauce if you love the heat, and less if you’re cooking for kids. What’s adobo sauce, you ask?

Using chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

The key ingredient to the chipotle ranch dressing? Adobo sauce. It adds a smoky nuance and complexity that is impossible to replicate! Here’s more about this special ingredient if you haven’t worked with it before:

  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are easy to find at most grocery stores near the Mexican products. The can includes chipotle chiles: smoked and dried jalapeños that are rehydrated and canned, and adobo sauce, a purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and other spices.
  • Use only the sauce in this can! Use a spoon to work around the spicy peppers.
  • It’s not ultra spicy. Use 1 tablespoon for a mild ranch, and 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons for a medium spicy ranch.
  • What to do with the leftovers? Refrigerate or freeze leftovers, and use it for more adobo sauce recipes, like tortilla soup, taco soup, fajitas, or enchilada sauce.
Shrimp rice bowl

Meal prep and storage for this shrimp bowl recipe

Can you make this shrimp bowl recipe ahead? How long do the components last for lunches and easy healthy dinners? Here’s what to know:

  • Cooked shrimp lasts 3 days in the refrigerator. So you can cook in advance and use for lunches and dinners throughout the week.
  • You can make the rice in advance, then reheat. But rice does become dried out in the refrigerator. To reheat it, place on the stovetop or in the microwave with a few tablespoons water. It will re-absorb the water and become moist again!
  • Make the dressing up to 1 week in advance. Then refrigerate! It will likely last even longer.

And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this shrimp bowl recipe in the comments below! Serve it up for healthy dinners or easy lunches throughout the week!

Cilantro lime rice
Cilantro lime rice is a tasty basic staple

This shrimp bowl recipe is…

Pescatarian and gluten-free. For dairy-free and vegan, substitute vegan mayonnaise for the yogurt or go to Chipotle Sauce.

Print
Shrimp Bowl

Shrimp Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This shrimp bowl recipe gets 5 stars! An easy lunch or dinner, it stars cilantro lime rice, black beans and chipotle ranch dressing.


Ingredients

For the shrimp bowl

  • 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Rice
  • 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, deveined (tail on or peeled)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon each kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 15-ounce can corn
  • 1 cup pico de gallo 
  • For serving: avocado slices, cherry tomatoes (optional)

For the chipotle ranch dressing (or Chipotle Sauce for vegan)

  • 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt (or use mayo for dairy-free)*
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 each teaspoon each dried dill, garlic powder and onion powder
  • 1/4 each teaspoon each kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilis**

Instructions

  1. Start the rice: Start the Cilantro Lime Rice (open the rice recipe in a separate tab).
  2. Cook the shrimp: Thaw the shrimp, if using frozen. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or preheat the broiler (or you can sauté it: keep reading!). Pat the shrimp dry. Mix it in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and spices. Place the shrimp in an even layer on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if you’re baking). Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until juicy and opaque, about 4 to 6 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp. Or for broiling, broil for 3 to 6 minutes, until juicy and opaque, rotating the tray as necessary for even cooking. If you prefer, you can sauté the shrimp: In a large skillet, heat the butter on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs.
  3. Make the beans and corn: Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans. Drain the corn. In a medium bowl, mix the beans, corn, and pico de gallo with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  4. Make the chipotle ranch dressing: Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. 
  5. Serve: To serve, place the rice, black bean corn salad, and shrimp in a bowl. Add avocado and cherry tomatoes, if using. Drizzle with dressing and top with extra chopped cilantro (leftover from the rice). 

Notes

*Make sure the yogurt has a creamy consistency. Most yogurt brands we’ve used work, but we found one brand that was very runny which didn’t work well for salad dressing. You can also use Greek yogurt, but since it’s thicker, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dressing comes to a creamy consistency. 

**Customize to your heat level. For a mild version, use 1 tablespoon adobo sauce. 

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Shrimp bowl

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes


Deprecated: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/davecampbell/foodwatcher.com/wp-content/plugins/feedwordpress/feedwordpress.php on line 2022

Smoked Cheddar & Caramelized Onion Potato Skins.

Potato skins are a total throwback for me!  I mean, who doesn’t love these little crispy, cheesy bites of love? If you’re going to make them, do it this week. Let’s go ALL OUT. Before this, it had been ages since I’ve made potato skins. I have a sweet potato skins recipe here on the […]

The post Smoked Cheddar & Caramelized Onion Potato Skins. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Potato skins are a total throwback for me! 

smoked cheddar and caramelized onion potato skins with ranch

I mean, who doesn’t love these little crispy, cheesy bites of love? If you’re going to make them, do it this week.

Let’s go ALL OUT.

scooped out russet potatoes

Before this, it had been ages since I’ve made potato skins. I have a sweet potato skins recipe here on the blog – it’s a million years old.

My grandma LOVED potato skins when I was growing up. If we ever went out to eat, she ordered them. I loved them a lot too, but then again my favorite food growing up was… potatoes. So in any form, I was in. 

It was probably a quintessential 90s or early 2000s app, right? 

potato skins with caramelized onions and cheese

These potato skins are a dream! Perfect for your New Year’s Eve night at home when you want to enjoy all the snacks with champagne.

The recipe takes a bit of time, but the potatoes already have to bake for an hour. So while that happens, I like to crisp up some bacon and caramelize an onion. Get it good and caramely and golden and sweet. Ideal to mix with savory cheese!

homemade ranch

After the potatoes are baked, sliced and scooped, the secret is throwing them in a hot oven so they get crunchy on the bottom. And the edges! This makes for the perfect boat – or, um, vehicle – for all of our toppings.

Smoked cheddar! The best, smokiest, savory cheddar cheese. Oh how I love this.

The caramelized onions! Sweet perfection that melts into the cheese and bacon seamlessly. 

Bacon for crunch. And just because… it’s bacon. Of course.

Green onions too – for crunch and a little bite. They add great flavor.

smoked cheddar and caramelized onion potato skins

Then!

Then after you think we’re done making these wildly flavorful potato boats, we’re going to drizzle them all with ranch.

Oh my word.

I am so hooked on this ranch. Remember earlier this year when I grilled sweet potatoes and drizzled the ranch all over those?

I’ve basically been waiting to make these since then. The ranch is INCREDIBLE. It’s so good for drizzling or dipping.

The ranch recipe will make extra and it stays great in the fridge. You will find yourself dipping all the things in it. 

smoked cheddar and caramelized onion potato skins

I realize these may not look like much but I can’t even explain how much the caramelized onions and smoked cheddar take these over the top. They make them 500% better. Like, I will never make them another way now!

smoked cheddar and caramelized onion potato skins with ranch

Give me all the dip!

smoked cheddar and caramelized onion potato skins with ranch

Smoked Cheddar & Caramelized Onion Potato Skins

Print

Smoked Cheddar and Caramelized Onion Potato Skins

These potato skins are incredible! Topped with caramelized onions, smoked cheddar, bacon, scallions and homemade ranch.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 4 to 6 people
Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

  • 6 russet potatoes
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • olive oil for spraying/brushing
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

homemade ranch

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chives or 1 tablespoon dried chives
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Poke a few holes in the potatoes with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. Spray or brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Bake the potatoes for 50 to 60 minutes.
  • While the potatoes are baking, heat the bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until crispy and all the fat is rendered, then remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to remove excess grease.
  • In the same skillet with the bacon grease, add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat - if there isn’t enough bacon grease left, you can add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Cook the onions, stirring often, until the become caramely and golden - about 30 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them and keep stirring! Lower the heat as needed so they don’t burn.
  • Once the potatoes are done, increase the heat in the oven to 450 degrees F. Slice the potatoes lengthwise. Scoop out most of the center, leaving a bit around the edges to stuff. You can discard this or save it to use in soup, salads, etc - whatever you want!
  • Brush or spray the insides of the potatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them in the oven to 10 minutes - this really helps them get crispy and delicious!
  • Remove the potatoes and top with the smoked cheddar and caramelized onions. Place the sheet back in the oven for 5 minutes, just so the cheese melts.
  • Top with the scallions, bacon and a drizzle of homemade ranch. Enjoy!

homemade ranch

  • Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until pureed and combined. This will make more than you need. Store in the fridge in a sealed container and use for salads or dipping. This lasts for about a week!

bite out of smoked cheddar and caramelized onion potato skins with ranch

Chomp.

The post Smoked Cheddar & Caramelized Onion Potato Skins. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Carrot Fries (Ranch Seasoned!)

These carrot fries are full of big flavor, sprinkled with ranch seasoning and baked until lightly crispy! Everyone will ask for the recipe. Good news, fry lovers: there’s a new fry in town. Carrot fries! This healthy fry recipe is full of all the nutrients of this popular vegetable: but tastes like your favorite greasy comfort food. Even better: they’re coated in ranch seasoning! This play on the standard pairing of carrots and ranch gives a savory zing to each bite. Of course, you can dip them in ranch too for double the fun. They’re baked, and there’s a little trick to give them a lightly crispy exterior. Everyone will love them! We couldn’t stop sneaking bites off the baking sheet. Ingredients for the best carrot fries You’ll need just a handful of ingredients for carrot fries: and most of them are the spices you’ll need of the ranch seasoning. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand: Carrots: medium to large carrots work best, since they’re easiest for cutting fries Olive oil Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley Cornstarch Salt How to cut carrots into fries The hardest part of this recipe is actually cutting the […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

These carrot fries are full of big flavor, sprinkled with ranch seasoning and baked until lightly crispy! Everyone will ask for the recipe.

Carrot fries

Good news, fry lovers: there’s a new fry in town. Carrot fries! This healthy fry recipe is full of all the nutrients of this popular vegetable: but tastes like your favorite greasy comfort food. Even better: they’re coated in ranch seasoning! This play on the standard pairing of carrots and ranch gives a savory zing to each bite. Of course, you can dip them in ranch too for double the fun. They’re baked, and there’s a little trick to give them a lightly crispy exterior. Everyone will love them! We couldn’t stop sneaking bites off the baking sheet.

Ingredients for the best carrot fries

You’ll need just a handful of ingredients for carrot fries: and most of them are the spices you’ll need of the ranch seasoning. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

  • Carrots: medium to large carrots work best, since they’re easiest for cutting fries
  • Olive oil
  • Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley
  • Cornstarch
  • Salt

How to cut carrots into fries

The hardest part of this recipe is actually cutting the carrots into fries! How to get those perfect rectangle fry shapes? Well, it’s similar to the steps for cutting fries out of a potato. Here’s what to do:

  • Slice off the ends of the carrot.
  • Square off each of the sides of the carrot to make a rectangular box shape.
  • Cut into 3/8-inch wide slices, then cut each slice into strips.
Carrot fries

The tricks to crispy baked carrot fries

Here’s the thing. When you bake carrots, they turn out beautifully tender: like with these Roasted Carrots. But that’s not what you want with fries! We don’t have a deep fryer and typically don’t like frying at home (it’s messy and not worth the effort). So we’ve found a few tricks to making lightly crispy baked carrot fries! They don’t come out crunchy like they would in a deep fryer, but they’re lightly crisp and totally satisfying. Here’s what to know:

  1. Coat in cornstarch. Cornstarch helps to form a crispy coating for the carrots, which can turn soggy and tender in the oven.
  2. Place on parchment paper. Don’t use a Silpat or silicon baking sheet, which can make for soggy fries! Paper is the way to go.
  3. Spread apart on the baking sheet. Spread the fries as far apart on the baking sheet as possible: this allows for maximum airflow and enhances crispiness. Bake a maximum of 2 pounds of carrots in the oven at once.
Carrots

Are these healthy fries?

We think so! These healthy carrot fries are part of a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. Here’s why these fries pale in comparison to those from your favorite fast food chain:

  • The ingredients are just carrots, minimal olive oil and a bit of salt. These are all healthy, whole food ingredients. They’re basically baked carrots!
  • They have all the nutrients of carrots. Scroll down for more on that.
  • The serving size is moderate. The serving size is much less than a restaurant would serve, so that helps to keep the calories down.

Carrots nutrition

Carrot are one of the best vegetables you can eat! They’re not just good for your eyesight. Here are some of the top nutritional benefits of this tasty orange veggie (source):

  • Low in calories, high in fiber: One cup of chopped carrots has only 52 calories and 3.6 grams of fiber. (source)
  • Packed with Vitamin A (beta carotene): This root veggie has 428% of your daily vitamin A in 1 cup! It’s present as beta-carotene, an antioxidant that could help in cancer prevention. Your body converts beta carotene into Vitamin A.
  • High in Vitamins C, K and potassium: Carrot are also are high in these vitamins.

Yes, all these good things are present in a recipe of carrot fries! So why not give them a taste?

Carrot fries

Dipping sauces for carrot fries

These carrot fries are delicious on their own, as an easy healthy side dish for dinner. But of course you can spice them up with a dipping sauce! Here are a few we’d recommend:

Serving these fries

These carrot fries are a fantastic healthy side dish to complete a meal. They’d be perfect with all sorts of dinner ideas — here are a few of our top choices:

This carrot fries recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Print
Carrot fries

Carrot Fries (Ranch Seasoned!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These carrot fries are full of big flavor, sprinkled with ranch seasoning and baked until lightly crispy! Everyone will ask for the recipe.


Ingredients

  • 2 pounds carrots, medium to large
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Peel the carrots. Cut the carrots into thin fries: slice off the ends, then square off each of the sides to make a rectangular box shape. Cut into 3/8-inch wide slices, then cut the slices into strips. 
  3. Place the fries in a large bowl. Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Drizzle the carrots with the olive oil, then add the spices and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly to combine.
  4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible. 
  5. Bake 12 minutes on one side, then flip the fries and bake 12 to 17 additional minutes until the fries are dry and slightly browned; watch them carefully as the cooking time can depend on the thickness and the heat of your oven. Thinner fries will turn out crispier than larger fries (you’ll likely have some variation).
  6. Cool a few minutes, then serve immediately. (Note: Fries are best right out of the oven; they become softer as they sit.)

  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Carrot fries

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Grilled Whole Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Ranch.

Tonight it’s grilled whole sweet potatoes for dinner! Seriously, these are about to be a staple in your menu. Because hello flavor! You can throw them on the grill and top them with ANYTHING. These sweet potatoes on the grill may be my new favorite thing. They are so easy. The skin gets crispy and […]

The post Grilled Whole Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Ranch. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Tonight it’s grilled whole sweet potatoes for dinner!

grilled whole sweet potatoes with homemade ranch

Seriously, these are about to be a staple in your menu. Because hello flavor!

You can throw them on the grill and top them with ANYTHING.

ranch dressing ingredients in food processor

These sweet potatoes on the grill may be my new favorite thing. They are so easy. The skin gets crispy and charred. You don’t have to turn on your oven!! 

Yes, the benefits are endless.

Plus, we have the whole smoky flavor that really takes everything over the top. 

homemade ranch in food processor

This is a simple recipe but one that is super good. I like to throw fresh garden tomatoes on top and crispy bacon. If you want to go full BLT-style you could top with shredded lettuce or even marinated kale. Or fresh arugula! 

I also like to add some quick pickled onions.

However, the thing that takes these over the top is the homemade ranch. I could do sweet potato fries alone dipped in the ranch. It’s insane. 

grilled whole sweet potatoes with homemade ranch

So, the ranch!

I have a few different varieties of ranch on my blog. Like this greek yogurt ranch and this avocado ranch

And I have never been a huge ranch person but my oh my, that has changed. After testing the potatoes with ranch a few times, I got hooked on the ranch. Like – OBSESSED. Finally, I fell in love with it. 

I’ve been making a batch of it every weekend. We use it on sandwiches, for veggies, all that good stuff. I’ve added hot sauce to it to make buffalo ranch and have just thrown an avocado in the blender with it for avocado ranch!

grilled whole sweet potatoes with homemade ranch

And here, I’m giving you two options – you can make it with fresh herbs or you can make it with dried. Whatever you have on hand, depending on the season. This one deserves a front row seat in your recipe box.

It’s seriously fool proof and so delicious. I do highly suggest using a bunch of fresh dill and chives straight from the garden right now. 

Then load up all of your favorite things on top of the charred sweet potatoes.

The result is so warm and comforting and FRESH. 

grilled whole sweet potatoes with homemade ranch

Grilled Whole Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Ranch

Print

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Bacon, Tomatoes and Ranch

These grilled whole sweet potatoes are drizzle with the most delish homemade ranch and topped with bacon, herbs, tomatoes and pickled onions!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people
Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup chopped herbs, like parsley, chives and basil
  • pickled onions, for topping

fresh herb ranch

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chives or 1 tablespoon dried chives
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes.
  • Place the potatoes on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes or so. Note: if you don’t want the skin to get crunchy and blackened, you can definitely wrap these in foil. It’s your call!
  • While the potatoes are on the grill, heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. You can also make the ranch at this point too!
  • When the potatoes are done, slice them in half. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle with the ranch dressing. Top each with the chopped tomatoes, crispy bacon and a few pickled onions if you wish. Top with fresh herbs!

fresh herb ranch

  • Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until pureed and combined. Store in the fridge in a sealed container. This lasts for about a week!

grilled whole sweet potatoes with homemade ranch

Best breakfast, lunch or dinner!

The post Grilled Whole Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Ranch. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Ranch Water

Ranch water is a Texas-style tequila highball drink made with lime, tequila and Topo Chico! This bubbly cocktail is all about cooling off on hot days. Move over, Aperol spritz. There’s a new bubbly cocktail that’s ready to take over the summer. Meet Ranch Water! Yes, Ranch Water is the unofficial drink of West Texas, essentially a tequila highball made with lime juice and Topo Chico. One of our dearest friends, a Texan, suggested we try this drink…and after one sip it blew us away! It’s like a bubbly, lighter version of the classic margarita, with all the tangy lime but less sweetness and booze. Could there be anything more refreshing? (We think not.) What’s Ranch Water? Why is it called that? Ranch Water is a tequila highball cocktail that hails from West Texas. No one knows exactly how it came to be, or even how it got the name. Some people say a Texas rancher invented it in the 1960’s. Whatever the case, Ranch Water was a word-of-mouth drink until around 2010, when bartenders in Texas started adding it to their menus. The ingredients in Ranch Water are: Tequila Lime juice Topo Chico mineral water Die hards of this […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Ranch water is a Texas-style tequila highball drink made with lime, tequila and Topo Chico! This bubbly cocktail is all about cooling off on hot days.

Ranch water

Move over, Aperol spritz. There’s a new bubbly cocktail that’s ready to take over the summer. Meet Ranch Water! Yes, Ranch Water is the unofficial drink of West Texas, essentially a tequila highball made with lime juice and Topo Chico. One of our dearest friends, a Texan, suggested we try this drink…and after one sip it blew us away! It’s like a bubbly, lighter version of the classic margarita, with all the tangy lime but less sweetness and booze. Could there be anything more refreshing? (We think not.)

What’s Ranch Water? Why is it called that?

Ranch Water is a tequila highball cocktail that hails from West Texas. No one knows exactly how it came to be, or even how it got the name. Some people say a Texas rancher invented it in the 1960’s. Whatever the case, Ranch Water was a word-of-mouth drink until around 2010, when bartenders in Texas started adding it to their menus. The ingredients in Ranch Water are:

  • Tequila
  • Lime juice
  • Topo Chico mineral water

Die hards of this drink claim it’s not Ranch Water unless it’s made with Topo Chico, that Mexican mineral water brand sold in the distinctive bottles. Of course you could make it with another brand: but Topo Chico seals the deal for us.

Ranch water

How to make Ranch Water

There’s really no science to Ranch Water! Because it was a word-of-mouth cocktail for so long, it’s more about vibe than anything. Really, you can use as much lime, tequila, and soda water as you’d like. Keep those bubbles on hand to refresh your drink, when you need it. Here’s the art to making Ranch Water:

  • Place 2 shots of tequila in a glass (3 ounces).
  • Mix in the juice of 1 lime (that’s about 1 1/2 ounces).
  • Fill the glass with ice and top it off with Topo Chico (about 1/2 cup).

What tequila to use

The better the tequila, the better the drink! Ranch Water isn’t the most sophisticated of cocktails, so we wouldn’t require pulling out the top shelf stuff. Try finding a mid-price range tequila: typically this correlates to the quality of the alcohol. You can use either tequila blanco (“new” or un-aged tequila) or tequila reposado (aged) here. The aged tequila has more nuance in flavor, and makes for a more interesting drink.

Ranch water

More great highball cocktails to beat the heat!

What’s a highball? A highball cocktail is a family of mixed drinks that combine alcohol with a larger percentage of non-alcoholic mixer. There are lots of famous highballs like the good old gin and tonic or vodka cranberry. Here are a few more highballs that are perfect for hot weather:

  • Vodka Tonic One of the easiest mixed drinks of all time! This two-ingredient cocktail is bubbly, citrusy, and refreshing.
  • Whiskey Highball Tall, bubbly, and all about the spirit! A refreshing way to enjoy your favorite whiskey.
  • Sea Breeze A classic highball that’s easy to make! Starring vodka, cranberry, and grapefruit on lots of ice, it’s ultra refreshing.
Topo Chico

When to serve Ranch Water

Ranch Water is a carefree highball drink that’s perfect for sipping as a:

  • Summer drink
  • Happy hour drink
  • Dinner party drink
  • Guys or girls night drink
  • Cocktail hour drink
  • Birthday celebration drink (Happy Birthday, Dan!)
Print
Ranch water

Ranch Water (Best Summer Cocktail!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (15 votes, average: 4.87 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 3 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Ranch water is a Texas-style tequila highball drink made with lime, tequila and Topo Chico! This bubbly cocktail is all about cooling off on hot days. 


Ingredients

  • 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) tequila
  • 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) Topo Chico or other sparkling mineral water
  • For the garnish: lime wedge
  • Ice, for serving (try clear ice!)

Instructions

  1. Add the tequila and lime juice to highball glass and stir.
  2. Fill with ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge.

  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Mixed
  • Cuisine: Cocktails

Keywords: Ranch Water, Tequila Highball

A few more tequila drinks

If you love tequila, we’ve got a few more tequila cocktails to try:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Loaded Chicken Wing Dip with Beer Caramelized Onions.

This wing dip is sponsored by ALDI! I’m so excited to be working with them to bring you some amazing dishes this year! It’s dip season! And I am here for you with this loaded wing dip! Oh my gosh you guys. This app right here is chock-full of EVERYTHING you want to eat (and […]

The post Loaded Chicken Wing Dip with Beer Caramelized Onions. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

This wing dip is sponsored by ALDI! I’m so excited to be working with them to bring you some amazing dishes this year!

It’s dip season! And I am here for you with this loaded wing dip!

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

Oh my gosh you guys. This app right here is chock-full of EVERYTHING you want to eat (and share!) for the Big Game. Gooey, melty cheese, juicy shredded chicken, three sauces, beer caramelized onions (!!) – seriously everything. I’m pumped! 

beer caramelized onions

Today I’m partnering with ALDI again to bring you a deeeelish spread just in time for the Big Game! They have seriously everything you need for an incredible game spread. Not only am I sharing this fabulous dip, but also a few of their new dreamy hummus and salsa varieties. Oh and their ready-to-go wings! So good, and they come with extra sauce. 

My obsession with ALDI is going wild and I’m happy to report that I brought home a huge haul from there on Sunday. I found every.single.thing. I needed for the week plus for this recipe. Woohoo! 

p.s. If you need any ideas for a spread, check out the incredible tailgate football food spread I made all with ingredients from ALDI! 

wing dip ingredients

So the dip. THE DIP!

First, I cooked a few Never Any! Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts from ALDI and chopped them up. I love this recipe because you can make the chicken and use it in the dip, use leftover chicken from dinner or use a rotisserie chicken. You really can’t go wrong! 

wing dip ingredients

Oh my word. I am such a lunatic for this dip! The flavor is unreal. It’s more flavorful than just about any other chicken dip I’ve tried.

See, it’s no secret that I’m a buffalo chicken freak. And if you noticed over the holidays, I made the classic dip (after a 10 (or so) year hiatus!) and fell in love again. It was a weird craving that materialized and everyone else in my family was here for it. We burned out on buffalo chicken dip after making it nonstop in the early 2000s, so bringing it back for a night (or, um, and entire holiday) was a delicious surprise.

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

Then I realized that I love BBQ as much, if not more than, buffalo wing flavors. And I’ve made BBQ chicken dip before, but it wasn’t until someone at our party asked me about it that I considered… combining the two. Yes. Combining them. 

And then adding the other things that we have with wings, so maybe a little smokiness? A little honey mustard? Plus blue cheese and ranch, like usual. Then, trashing it up more with beer caramelized onions! I used the Wernesgrüner Pilsner from ALDI to caramelize and the flavor is over the top.

Oh boy, this is just getting good.

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

If I didn’t loathe celery so much, maybe I’d even chop that up and throw it in the dip for you too. Alas, I saved it as a dipper. But seriously? We have ALL THE FLAVORS here. Can I just call it ALL THE FLAVORS dip? 

Because that sounds appropriate. 

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

Let’s go through the wing dip spread!

Front and center, we have the warm, melty, cheesy dip that is divine. I like to serve this with both the Clancy’s Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips and the Savoritz Sea Salt Pita Crackers. There’s a little something for everyone!

ALDI buffalo wing hummus

Along with that, a few dips. The Park Street Deli Avocado Salsa is refreshing and wonderful. It’s great as a dip on its own but also delish on tacos, salads and bowls! The Park Street Deli Buffalo Hummus complements the dip here so well. It’s smooth and creamy – perfect for when you want that buffalo flavor but don’t have enough time (or, friends to eat it with you!) to make a big dip like this. 

My favorite is the Park Street Deli Jalapeno Lime Hummus. Oh it’s just amazing! It bright but creamy, light but with a touch of heat. Everyone loves this one. It’s amazing on wraps or sandwiches too! 

All of these delish snacks – the Park Street Hummuses, Park Street Salsas and Park Street Wings, along with the Clancy’s Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips can be found at Aldi for a limited time! Run and go get them!

ALDI hummus

Because Eddie loves all things wings, I grabbed a few of the Park Street Deli Wings. These are SO GOOD. They come ready to eat – all you have to do is heat them up. I loved the maple BBQ ones so much. 

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

These extra bites are the perfect things to add to a spread with a hot and bubbly dip! 

Now run run run and get all the flavors.

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

Loaded Wing Dip

Loaded Wing Dip with Beer Caramelized Onions

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of chedder. All the flavors!

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large sweet onion, (thinly sliced)
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • ⅓ cup Wernesgrüner Pilsner
  • 2 Never Any! Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, (cooked and shredded)
  • 2 8-ounce blocks Happy Farms Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 block Reserved Aged Cheddar, (freshly grated)
  • 1 bag Happy Farms Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese, (plus more for topping)
  • ¼ cup Burman’s Hot Sauce, (plus more for drizzling)
  • 1/4 cup Burman’s BBQ Sauce, (plus more for drizzling)
  • ½ cup honey mustard, (plus more for drizzling)
  • 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
  • 2 tablespoons blue cheese dressing

for serving:

  • Park Street Deli Buffalo Hummus
  • Park Street Deli Jalapeno Lime Hummus
  • Park Street Deli Avocado Salsa
  • Clancy’s Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips
  • Savortiz Pita Chips
  • Carrot sticks
  • Celery sticks
  1. Heat a large skillet over low heat and add the butter. Add the sliced onions with the salt and pepper and stir. Cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the pilsner and cook, stirring often, until the onions caramelize, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, almost all the cheese (I save a handful for topping the dip!), the hot sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch and blue cheese. You can use an electric hand mixer to combine things more if needed! Once combined, stir in the caramelized onions and the shredded chicken. Spread the mixture in a baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Add on another drizzle of BBQ sauce, buffalo and honey mustard.
  4. Bake the dip for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbly and hot. Serve immediately with carrot sticks, celery sticks, crackers and chips.

This loaded wing dip is full of buffalo wing sauce, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese and tons of cheddar. All the flavors!

Give me all the flavors!

The post Loaded Chicken Wing Dip with Beer Caramelized Onions. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.