When I walk by sweet potatoes in the produce aisle, the first thing I think of is candied sweet potatoes, something we regularly ate at Thanksgiving when I was a kid. Sweet potatoes have come a long way! Today, I eat them as a main dish with a little bit of spreadable margarine, a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Sweet potatoes have all kinds of things going for them.
They taste great! For natural sweetness, try them roasted in the oven where their natural sweetness will come out even more. Just prick with a fork several times and place them in a 400℉ oven for about 40 minutes.
They are loaded with vitamins and minerals, especially Beta Carotene- a nutrient that helps us ward off flu and colds and keeps our vision healthy.
They are full of fiber which helps us fill up faster and thus eat less. Fiber slows the speed with which food passes from our stomachs to the rest of our digestive tract. There is more fiber in one sweet potato than in a bowl of oatmeal!
They are low in calories. A medium, baked sweet potato (about the size of a computer mouse), contains about 100 calories.
Here are some more ways to prepare sweet potatoes:
Sweet potato fries- cut 4 sweet potatoes into half-inch slices or strips, place them into a plastic bag with 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil. Shake the bag to coat the potato strips evenly. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown, turning the potatoes halfway through cooking.
Sweet potato rounds- Use the above recipe, except slice the potatoes into ¼ inch rounds.
Sweet potato wedges-Again, use the above recipe, except slice the potatoes into wedges and sprinkle with chili powder.
Here’s another sweet potato recipe:
Maple Glazed Turnips
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups turnips, peeled and diced
2 cups sweet potatoes, cubed
Combine margarine, syrup, cinnamon and lemon juice. Mix turnips and sweet potatoes in a medium casserole dish. Add syrup mixture and stir to coat evenly.
Cover and bake at 400℉ for 15- 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned, 20-30 more minutes. Serve hot.
Nutrition facts: Serving size ½ cup, Serves 8. Each serving contains 80 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 15 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber.
Recipe from foodhero.org, Sweet potato fries, rounds & wedges ideas from ncsweetpotatoes.com
