Chef Marie: Baking and Cooking

This Zucchini Avocado Pasta is a healthy alternative to pasta. The zucchini is used in place of noodles. The avocado and pine nuts create a rich tangy pesto sauce. Go easy on the garlic, since I did not chop it enough, and it was a little strong. Ingredients: - 3 zucchinis - 1 can of chickpeas - 1 avocado - basil (I used dried basil, just a few dashes) - 1 or 2 cloves of garlic - 1 tbs lemon juice - 1/3 cup of pine nuts - a handful of sun-dried tomatoes (if desired) Directions: 1. Slice the zucchini's into small strips 2. Put the avocado, pine nuts, basil, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor 3. Combine until mixed well, add the mixture to the zucchini in another bowl 4. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes and chickpeas, and enjoy! This recipe is easy to make and only takes about 20 minutes. Make sure to eat it up fast, since the avocado will brown and make it a little slimy.

These Sweet Potato Corn Cakes are amazing! This recipe takes a little more time to make, but they are worth the wait. I also made the garlic and yogurt sauce to dip them in, but for me it was too garlicky. If you like a lot of garlic, the sauce will be perfect for you. Here's what you'll need: 3 or 4 sweet potatoes 1 cup frozen corn kernels 2 green onions ¼ handful of cilantro  ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 1 egg ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup plain breadcrumbs ½ cup vegetable oil  1 cup plain yogurt 1 clove of garlic  I got this recipe idea from Pinterest, which brought me to Budget Bytes .  Directions: 1. Microwave the sweet potatoes (each one for about 5 minutes) 2. Cut them in half and scoop the inside out 3. Cut the green onions and cilantro 4. Combine the green onions, cilantro, corn, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper with the sweet potatoes and stir well 5. Add the breadcrumbs, cornmeal and egg, refrigerate for 30 minutes 6. Chop the