Spaghetti Sauce from Scratch

Spaghetti Sauce from Scratch 

Slightly adapted from Lauren Allen on tastesbetterfromscratch.com

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (or 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 lb Italian sausage)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
15 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic powder 
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 c water
1/4 c fresh basil leaves (optional)
spaghetti noodles (gluten free for gluten free meal)

Directions:

• Season meat with salt and pepper
• In a large skillet, brown the meat and chopped onion. Drain excess grease.
• Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, Worcestershire, and sugar to the skillet. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer. 
• Add water and stir well.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add chopped basil before serving, if desired.

Boys rating: 2 thumbs up

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

 

from my aunt Jeanne

2 cups all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

8 tbsp=1/2 cup=1 stick of butter or 1/2 cup of coconut oil

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)

1 large egg (room temp)

1 large egg yolk (room temp)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp lemon extract

In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whip together butter (or coconut oil), sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg then blend in egg yolk. Add lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extracts and mix until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a cookie scoop, place balls of dough on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Space dough 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes. Cool on baking sheet several minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Boys rating: 2 thumbs up

Dairy-Free Ranch Seasoning Mix

 

from:  Maya Krampf from WickedSpatula.com

• 1 tablespoon Dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Dried dill
• 1 teaspoon Dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt

I make this in bulk then store in an air tight container ready to be used when a recipe calls for it. 

Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites

 

from the Healthline Editorial Team found on healthline.com 

6 pitted dates

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tbsp flax meal

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp protein powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup almond butter

1/2 tbsp coconut oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well combined. (Add a little extra coconut oil if very crumbly.) Place mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Form batter into 1-inch balls. Store in sealed container in fridge. 

I used my blender (instead of a food processor) and it worked fine.

African Peanut Soup

adapted from a recipe given to me by my sister-in-law, Joy

African Peanut Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 large onions, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 c chicken broth

¾ c natural peanut butter (peanuts and salt only)

2 c cooked chopped or shredded chicken

2 (15 oz) cans of coconut milk

3 large sweet potatoes, chopped

1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 tbsp Berbere spice (this is the one I bought on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0UEtsP0)

3 c washed chopped kale

Cooked rice, if desired

Stove-Top Instructions
Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a large stock pot. Sauté diced onions on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add chicken broth. Whisk in peanut butter.

Stir in remaining ingredients (except kale and rice). Simmer on low for 1-2 hours, until potatoes are soft.

Serve on kale (and rice, if desired).

Slow-Cooker Instructions

If using a crockpot, sauté the onions and garlic in a saucepan. Put cooked onions/garlic into the crockpot. Add chicken and peanut butter. Stir in remaining ingredients except for the kale or rice. Cook on low 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours. 

My sister-in-law made this for a family gathering and everyone loved it. It makes a lot of soup so use your largest pot. This is a healthy, hearty soup. Enjoy!

Seasoned Rice

 

from africanbites.com, lightly adapted

Ingredients

• 2 cups (277.5 g) uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) onion powder
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
• ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons (4 g) bouillon
• 1 tablespoon (4 g) dried parsley
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter or coconut oil
• 4 cups chicken broth, plus 4 tbsp water

Instructions

• In a large pan (that has a lid), combine the rice, onion & garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, salt, bouillon, ground black pepper, dried parsley, butter or coconut oil, and chicken broth/water. Stir to combine.
• Place on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat.
• As soon as it starts to bubble, cover and reduce to low heat.
• Simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Do no lift the lid! Let rice rest for 10 minutes. 
• Stir and serve.

Notes

1. Do not open the lid while simmering the rice because the rice will not cook through.
2. The 10 minutes rest time is essential. The rice will stick to the bottom of the pan if you don't follow the 10 minutes resting time.
3. Use a different container when storing the rice. Do not use the one where you let it cool.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken

from: therecipecritic.com

Ingredients:

• 6-7 Boneless Chicken Thighs
• 3/4 cup Honey
• 3/4 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a gluten free recipe)
• 2 tbsp hoisen sauce 
• 2 cloves garlic crushed I used 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger root I used 1 tsp dry ginger
• 1 tsp seseame oil
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions:

• In a 5 quart slow cooker add the chicken thighs. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, hoisen sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and let cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken. Serve over rice with roasted broccoli or cooked green beans for a healthy, easy and inexpensive meal. 

Boys say: thumbs up

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

lightly adapted from thecookierookie.com

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs salmon (cut into portions if you're going to grill)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

Avocado Salsa:

2 avocados, cubed

1/3-1/2 red onion, diced (depending on your raw onion tolerance)

2 limes, juiced

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. Mix the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together. Rub the salmon with olive oil and this seasoning mix.

2. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 30 minutes. If you're going to bake the salmon, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3. Chop the avocado, onion, cilantro and juice the limes. Chill until serving time.

4. Pre-heat the grill or stove top grill pan. Grill the salmon to desired doneness. Or, bake the salmon for about 20 minutes (until it flakes easily with a fork). 

5. Top with avocado salsa and enjoy!

We like putting this in small flour tortillas. The boys requested I add mango next time to the salsa. Sounds like a great idea to me. 

This recipe is easy, fresh and healthy. I hope you love it as much as we do. 

Boys: thumbs up

Pumpkin Muffins

 

adapted from cookieandkate.com recipe

muffin ingredients:

1/3 c melted coconut oil

1/2 c maple syrup

2 eggs, room temperature

1 c pumpkin puree

1/4 c almond milk

2 tsp pumpkin spice blend

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 c gluten free flour (or whole wheat flour if you're okay with gluten)

1/3 c old-fashioned oats

topping ingredients:

2 tsp turbinado (raw) sugar

2 tsp finely chopped pecans

2 tsp oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put parchment paper cups in muffin tin.

2. In a large bowl beat the oil and maple syrup. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt. Stir.

3. Mix in the flour and oats, just until combined.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with topping mix. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

5. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. These muffins are delicate until they cool down. 

Muffins keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. In a freezer-safe bag in the freezer you can keep these for up to 3 months.

Boys say: thumbs up

Special Stuffing

 

adapted from Costco Connection

Stuffing is not bland or too mushy with this recipe! We loved this flavorful twist on a classic dish.

3 c fresh butternut squash, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 lb Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, diced
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12 oz) package herb-seasoned cubed stuffing
1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped
2 c low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a piece of foil on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Toss squash with 1 tbsp oil and a little salt. Place squash on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage, breaking into crumbles. Drain sausage, if needed. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. In the pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until soft and onion is translucent. 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Put the sausage, onion mixture, stuffing cubes, roasted squash and pecans in dish. Mix. Pour chicken broth over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Boys say: 2 thumbs up

Chocolate Zucchini Treats

My mother has a great chocolate zucchini cake recipe. I played around with it to make it gluten free and dairy free. I will include both recipes here. I wasn't sure whether to call my version of this recipe muffins or cupcakes (no frosting so not a cupcake, right?!) so I have called them treats!

1/2 c coconut oil
1/2 c applesauce
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c almond milk
2 1/2 c oat flour (put 3 cups oatmeal in your blender and blend until you have a fine powder)
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 c grated zucchini
turbinado cane sugar (to sprinkle on muffins)
1/4 c semisweet chocolate pieces (optional)
1/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Put cupcake liners into cupcake tin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream coconut oil, applesauce and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla and almond milk. Blend thoroughly. Mix together flour, cocoa, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Blend with creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini (and chocolate chips or nuts, if using). Spoon into cupcake tins. Fill about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with turbinado cane sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Original Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe:

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 buttermilk
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 c grated zucchini
1/4 c semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 pan.

Cream butter, oil and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Blend thoroughly. Sift together flour, cocoa, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Blend with creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini. Spoon into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate pieces and nuts. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool cake completely. Cover with frosting.

Frosting recipe:
1/4 c butter
6 oz cream cheese
1 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Beat butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

When a friend asked if I'd like a bushel of apples I said sure. I didn't realize that meant about 125 apples! This gave me a perfect opportunity to find a few new recipes. I LOVE this recipe. I think you will love it too!

adapted from addapinch.com

2 c flour (2 tsp extra for coating apples)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon (1/2 tsp more for coating apples)

2 c diced apples (peeled and cored)

1/2 c coconut oil

1 c sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c almond milk or oat milk

Topping:

1/4 c melted coconut oil

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cupcake tin with baking cups. 

In a medium bowl mix together 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp cinnamon. 

In a different bowl mix together 2 tsp flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and diced apples.

In another bowl cream together coconut oil and sugar. Add one egg, mix, add the other egg and mix again. Add vanilla.

Add half of flour mixture and mix. Add almond milk. Stir in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Fold in diced apples.

Fill muffin tins about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean and the muffins are a light golden brown. 

Mix sugar and cinnamon for topping.

Remove muffins from the oven. Cool for five minutes in the muffin pan. Melt coconut oil for the topping.

Remove each muffin and brush with melted coconut oil. Dip muffin into topping mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Dairy-Free Shrimp Alfredo

adapted from tasty.co

2 lbs large cooked, deveined shrimp
Salt
pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
24 oz fettuccine or linguine pasta, uncooked
1 large shallot, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
fresh parsley, minced, to taste


Thaw (if needed) and remove the tails of the shrimp. 

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once at a rolling boil, add 1 tsp of salt to the water then add the fettuccine. Cook according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the shallot and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and cook about 3-4 minutes; until the shallot is translucent.

Stir in the flour for 2 minutes until golden brown. Slowly add the coconut milk and chicken stock, stirring consistently with a whisk to minimize any lumps of flour. Bring sauce to a low boil for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and lemon juice. Season with 1.5 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper. 

Ladle sauce over noodles and garnish with parsley. 

This recipe serves our family of six. Two members of our family need dairy free food. I didn't think alfredo sauce could be any good without cheese! But I was wrong. This recipe is delicious.

Boys: thumbs up

Husband rating: 4

Bourbonless Chicken

adapted from spendwithpennies.com

We don't drink alcohol so we never have bourbon on hand. If you have it, substitute this for the orange juice in this recipe.

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, breasts or a combination of these

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos

1/4 c orange juice

1/4 c apple juice 

1/4 c dark brown sugar

1/2 tbsp chopped or grated garlic

1 tbsp fresh ginger grated or 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes 

1/4 c water

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp cold water

2 green onions thinly sliced, green tops only

Trim fat from chicken and cut into small chunks.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together soy sauce, orange and apple juice, dark brown sugar, garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes and 1/4 c water.

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and mostly cooked through.

Pour sauce into skillet with chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and cold water. Add to sauce and cook until the sauce thickens (3-5 minutes) mixing occasionally.

Garnish with green onion and serve over your favorite rice.

Tip: rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are the same so use either one in this recipe.

Boys: thumbs up

Husband rating: 4 stars

Easy Baked Tilapia

from tasteofhome.com, lightly adapted

4 tilapia filets
3 tbsp butter, melted (or extra virgin olive oil to make this dairy free)
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place tilapia in an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. In a small bowl combine the butter (or oil), lemon juice, garlic powder and salt; pour over the fish. Sprinkle with oregano and paprika. Or you can live on the edge and do what I did: I sprinkled all the ingredients over the fish (eyeballing the amounts). 

Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. We had this with rice pilaf and green beans. This was healthy, easy and inexpensive. 

Husband and boys liked this

Minestrone Soup

adapted from ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced or about 1 cup of julienned carrots (I buy these in bags from store so I can do this step faster)
1-2 stalks celery, diced
1 small zucchini, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (2 tsp minced garlic) 
1 c fresh french cut green beans, chopped into thirds
2 15-oz cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15-oz cans white beans like Great Northern or Canalini, drained
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained (blend if desired)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
32 oz vegetable broth (that’s 4 cups)
3 c hot water
1/2 c ditalini or other small shell pasta (use gluten free version for a gluten free meal)
1-2 c loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, hand broken into about half or thirds

Instructions
Heat a large stock pot to medium high heat.  Add olive oil to coat bottom of pan. Add onions, carrot, and celery and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 4-5 minutes or until onions start to look translucent.  

Add green beans, kidney and white beans, tomatoes, seasonings, broth and water and stir to combine.  

Bring soup to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes, until carrots and celery are tender. Add zucchini and pasta and cook until pasta is soft, 8-10 minutes.  

Remove pot from heat and stir in spinach. Replace lid and let soup sit for five minutes before serving.

Observations

One of my running friends recommended I try this recipe. I'm so glad I did! The ingredients list is a little daunting. But for a soup that warms you up during the cold winter months and makes you feel good with all those vegetables, it's worth the effort to make it! And really, when you can throw everything in one pot, clean up isn't so bad. 

Husband rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Banana Bread

adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by Shelley Albeluhn

Ingredients
2 c all-purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, softened (or coconut oil for dairy free option)

1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6 large bananas)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). For muffins, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. For muffins, place baking cups in cupcake tin. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. 

In a separate bowl, cream together butter, vanilla and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. 

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. For muffins, bake for 25 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: more please! thumbs up! "you're the best mom in the whole world" 

Sweet Potato Burritos

heavily adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by Karena

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups chopped sweet potatoes 2 cooked and cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts olive oil 1/2 sweet onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 3 tablespoons chili powder 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos 4 teaspoons prepared coarse mustard 2 cups black beans, drained 1 cup corn 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed 8 ounces shredded cheese blend 1/2 c cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix chopped sweet potatoes with a little olive oil and a salt. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on cookie sheet and cook in oven until potatoes are soft and speckled brown.
2.	While sweet potatoes are baking, heat a roughly 1 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and garlic until soft with cumin and chili powder, water, soy sauce and mustard. Add beans and corn to the onion mixture. Add sweet potatoes and chicken. Stir and heat until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in cilantro.
3.	Place 1/3-1/2 cup of mixture in the middle of a tortilla. Add a small handful of cheese, if desired. Fold in two opposite sides of tortilla then roll. Heat in panini maker until tortilla is slightly browned.
	The list of ingredients didn't seem like a good idea! I wasn't sure how this was all going to come together, but I'm so glad we tried it. This is a healthy tasty meal. For a gluten free option, use gluten free tortillas or just make a bowl of this instead of a burrito. For dairy free, make a bowl without cheese.  Alternative recipe option: Sweet Potato Burritos 4 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes 2 cooked and cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts olive oil 1/2 sweet onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup (or more depending on preference) of favorite bbq sauce 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas finely shredded cheese blend, if desired 1/2 c cilantro, chopped 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix chopped sweet potatoes with a little olive oil and salt. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on cookie sheet. Cook in oven until potatoes are soft and speckled brown. 2. While sweet potatoes are baking, heat a roughly 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add beans to the onion mixture. Add sweet potatoes and chicken. Add bbq sauce. Stir and heat until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in cilantro. 3. Place 1/3-1/2 cup of mixture in the middle of a tortilla. Add a small handful of cheese, if desired. Fold in two opposite sides of tortilla then roll. Heat in panini maker until tortilla is lightly browned.  Husband rating:  4.5 stars Boys say:  thumbs up