Mouth-Watering Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes that are crispy and seasoned to perfection make the best side dish for any meal! We are sharing all the tips for making them the best.

Years ago I started to piece together different recipes for the most incredible roasted potatoes ever until I had what I thought was the best recipe ever. And then I saw a post all about adding baking soda to the water that you boil the potatoes in followed by a toss in an empty pan to make the edges all shaggy thus creating a crust on the potatoes and I’ve been sold ever since. Obviously I had no choice but to try the method on sweet potatoes (yams are fine) and my goodness, BEST DECISION EVER!!!

They are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and I literally cannot stop putting them into my mouth.

Ingredients for Roasted Sweet Potatoes

You only need a few ingredients to make these crispy sweet potatoes and you’ll feel like you’re eating at a fine dining restaurant. Good grief, I’m totally craving them now! Here is what you will need:

• Kosher Salt – seasons the water for boiling which will add flavor to the sweet potatoes
• Baking Soda – boiling the potatoes in baking soda draws out the starch and allows the outside to get brown and crispy
• Sweet Potatoes – yams work fine too
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – gets infused with rosemary and garlic and is the key to getting that crispy exterior
• Rosemary (fresh) – you want fresh for sure to get the max flavor, can you fresh thyme instead if desired
• Garlic – infuses the oil with tons of flavor
• Black Pepper – fresh cracker preferred
• Parsley (fresh) – used for a topping after roasting, add a fresh pop

Easy Herbed Peasant Bread Recipe

With this easy herbed peasant bread recipe, fresh homemade bread has never been easier! It is golden and crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. It is also super versatile and done in a just a few hours.

A few of my friends make peasant bread every Sunday, and when you’ve got three friends who don’t know each other but are all doing the same thing, it’s high time to try it.

We baked it last Sunday for the first time and we are totally sold. It is so simple (you make it all in ONE bowl) and so fluffy, and I love that I can start it after church and it’s ready to bake for dinner. It also scores major bonus points for being a no-knead bread dough! You’re going to love it!

Ingredients Needed for Peasant Bread

The ingredients for peasant bread are simple and likely things that you will have on hand already. We love adding the fresh herbs for extra flavor. You can experiment with your favorite combination of herbs or leave out the herbs altogether. Here is what you will need:

• Flour – just regular all purpose flour works great, or you can use bread flour
• Kosher Salt – adds flavor
• Warm Water – the ideal temperature of water for activating yeast is 105-115 degrees F
• Sugar – feeds the yeast so it can properly activate
• Instant Yeast – I’ve found that instant yeast works best rather than active dry yeast
• Rosemary – fresh is preferred, minced fine
• Thyme – fresh is best, but if you want to use dried, just add a couple of pinches
• Parsley – fresh, and finely chopped
• Butter – used for greasing the bowls that the bread will bake in, and when the bread is fresh out of the oven, brush the top with melted butter (or olive oil)
• Flaked Sea Salt – we love sprinkling a little salt on top for extra flavor

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

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Mexican Roasted Zucchini

Mexican roasted zucchini — Change things up for your next Mexican feast with this fantastic Mexican vegetable side dish!

Alright maybe I don’t know everything about truly authentic Mexican food because I’ve never lived there, but I do know how to make delicious things that go with Mexican food.

I always feel a little frustrated trying to figure out sides for main dishes around the world because we seem to get hyper-focused on a few things and never explore other options. Burritos for dinner, rice and beans as sides. Spaghetti for dinner, garlic bread and salad as the side. Now surely that isn’t how native to Italy or Mexico people are eating.

So long story short, we’ve been making this Mexican Roasted Zucchini for a few years as a way to mix up our tacos, honey lime chicken and more. It is so flavorful but even more easy than frying up a quesadilla. Ok, it’s not, you do have to chop the zucchini, but it is so so simple! It’s a perfect Mexican Side Dish Recipe

What Do I Need for Mexican Roasted Zucchini?

The best news about this recipe is that it only takes a few ingredients to make the magic happen! Grab a few zucchinis

Asian Cucumber Salad

This light and fresh Asian cucumber salad is our new favorite healthy side dish, complete with a sweet and tangy vinegar dressing.

Earlier this year I was working on an Asian steak marinade and I was playing around with the idea of using black vinegar in it. The final recipe was tested when Cade’s mom came into town and it was a total hit. Without even realizing it though, I’d added black vinegar to the cucumbers instead of the steak marinade that morning. It turned out both dishes needed something a little different than what I was doing and it was awesome!

You can read below for a substitute as we still love cucumber salad with just straight up rice or apple cider vinegar. In fact, we often use both. 

Ingredients for Asian Cucumber Salad

It only takes 7 ingredients to make this simple but refreshing salad recipe. Here is what you will need:

• English Cucumber – I just to just slice them thin by hand, but feel free to remove the seeds if you want
• Red Onion – totally optional but I love the zip it adds, do a fine slice on a mandolin
• Rice Vinegar – mild, sweet and sour flavor
• Chinese Black Vinegar – a dark mild vinegar with a slightly fruity flavor
• Honey – adds sweetness and balances the saltiness and tang
• Sesame Seeds – give them a little toast to enhance the nutty flavor
• Fine Sea Salt – dissolves easily into the dressing and adds flavor

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