Spiced Turkey & Sweet Potato Bowl

 Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled & cubed
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 2 small radishes, sliced
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 cup packed chopped kale
• 1 small zucchini, diced

For the Dressing:

• 1 medium avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1 /2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Spread out the sweet potato, onion, and radishes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil and drizzle it over the vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and the paprika.
3. Roast for 25 minutes, turning the potatoes over once half-way through the roasting. 
4. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the remaining  coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, remaining salt and pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. 
5. Divide up the turkey evenly among 4 bowls. Top with equal amounts of roasted sweet potatoes and onions, zucchini, and kale. 
6. To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Drizzle the dressing over the bowl ingredients and serve. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 12 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in The New Keto-Friendly South Beach Diet book. If you are craving a filling bowl, eat this and you will be satisfied. Don't worry if it looks like a mess. This bowl is quite flavorful and tasty. The combination of ground turkey and vegetables is quite delicious. The dressing is quite zesty and tasty on top. This bowl makes a filling lunch or dinner any night of the week. 

Crudites with Arugula Pesto Dip

 Ingredients:

• 2 large bunches basil, leaves picked and stems discarded
• 1 large bunch arugula, trimmed
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream
• assorted fresh vegetables, such as asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, endive, radishes, and snow peas, cut up for dipping

Makes 1 1/2 cups dip

1. Finely ground basil, arugula, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor or blender. 
2. With machine running, add oil and lemon juice in a slow and steady stream. Add sour cream and process briefly just to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and chill for 1 hour or overnight for flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature with assorted vegetables for dipping. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. Crudites with homemade dip is quite delicious when it's done right. Arugula pesto is quite delicious; it has a peppery flavor to it. I added a touch of Parmesan cheese for a more traditional salty flavor and Parmesan cheese is a common ingredient in pesto. If you don't have arugula on hand, spinach or kale will work just as well and the pesto will be delicious. The leafy greens also adds nutrients such as calcium, folate and fiber. Serve this pesto with vegetables, grilled proteins of your choice or toasted bread and you and your guests will be satisfied.