Thursday, November 7, 2013

one potato, two potato......

.....sweet potato that is.

unless you call these yams?
but I don't.

I love everything about sweet potatoes--you really can't go wrong with how you cook them--I think they taste great any way. And of of course, they are ridiculously good for you....

Nutritional Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
-almost 2x the fiber of regular potatoes
-rich in B6 and potassium
-all the beta-carotene you need in one day (read more about it HERE)
-vitamins E and C (good for healthy skin and hair)
-manganese--a trace mineral that is helpful in maintaining a good blood sugar level and cholesterol (more about manganese HERE)

But really......they just taste good.

One of the easiest ways to prepare them is to simply peel, dice, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at around 400° until they are tender. The perfect side dish.

And here is the easiest meal you can make with a sweet potato.
Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes
Pierce potato with fork all over and bake at 450° until tender--about 40-50 minutes.
top with:
-smoked gouda
-black beans
-salsa
-sour cream
-cilantro

so good.
www.inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com
For an even heartier meal, saute some ground beef with onions, garlic, and chili flakes and add it to your potato.

Here is a favorite soup (blogged two years ago) that we just had last night.
    ...
Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
1 butternut squash, quartered and cleaned
1 large sweet potato, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves
1 onion, halved
2 apples, halved
1 shallot, halved
1 tsp dried sage
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
4-6 cups chicken broth
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 425°
Brush veggies with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Roast veggies until fork tender (around 30 minutes for the smaller, and 45-60 for the larger)
Remove veggies from oven. Squash will easily remove from peel.
In a few batches, puree veggies in food processor or blender until smooth (you may need to add a little broth if puree is thick)
Add puree to large pot and stir in chicken broth until you reach a consistency you like ( I used about 5 cups of broth). Stir in sage, cayenne, nutmeg and apple cider vinegar. Simmer for at least 30 minutes......or if you're like me, maybe you like your soup to simmer on low all afternoon.
Top with crumbled bacon and gorgonzola cheese.

We ate our soup with grilled cheese sandwiches--a mixture of extra sharp cheddar and smoked gouda.
.....yum! 

Another favorite from the blog:
www.inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com
Sweet Potatoes Around the Web
Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges from Smitten Kitchen
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Sour Cream from Martha Stewart

What's your favorite way to eat a sweet potato?

Happy Weekend!
(let's see your #howweweekend !)

5 comments:

Elise said...

I saw that top picture when you posted it on Instagram and it inspired me to make a version with leftovers we had, so we smashed it a little after baking it and topped with cider beans, roasted pecans, turkey bacon, and smoked Gouda. It was delicious.

Sini | my blue and white kitchen said...

Wow, thanks for all this sweet potato inspiration! This recipe from Sprouted Kitchen is one of my all time favorites (I just had it yesterday): http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2011/9/23/baked-sweet-potatoes-with-chili-beans.html

Have a great weekend,
Sini

gram said...

Sheena ... for a little girl who would never eat such things you've become so creative!... looks good!

Alison said...

I love sweet potatoes! My favorite is baked and topped with black beans, green onions, any kind of salsa, avocado and a dollop of Greek yogurt. I crave it after long runs.

Liz - oneawkwardyear said...

Hi! Long time reader and maybe first time commenter? Ah! I just had to tell you, I made loaded sweets inspired by you for my fiance last night & we decided it is our new go-to easy peasy cold weather meal. So simple & perfect. Love all of your recipes!