• December 2, 2022

The wonderful, fabulous and versatile sweet potato

There’s nothing like a hot baked sweet potato with melted butter and maybe a little brown sugar or cinnamon! Hmm! Or how about yam casserole at Thanksgiving? Sprinkle on a pecan topping and melt some marshmallows and you’re ready to go! As good as they are, many people don’t realize that this tasty root vegetable is so much more and is so versatile.

The sweet potato, according to nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), is the vegetable richest in complex carbohydrates, ranking first in nutrition well above the humble white potato and, surprisingly, more than many other vegetables. . In fact, CSPI ranked sweet potatoes number one in nutrition of ALL vegetables. With a score of 184 it beat most vegetables by over 100 points! How were they rated? Points were awarded for dietary fiber, natural sugars and complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. Points were deducted for fat, especially saturated fat. Sodium, cholesterol, added refined sugars, and caffeine were also considered. Check out these comparisons to other vegetables:

Baked sweet potato 184

Potato, baked 83

spinach 76

kale 55

Mixed Vegetables 52

broccoli 52

Winter Squash, Baked 44

Brussels sprouts 37

Cabbage, Raw 34

Green Peas 33

carrots 30

okra 30

Corn on the cob 27

tomato 27

green pepper 26

cauliflower 25

Artichoke 24

Romaine Lettuce 24

(SOURCE: The Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington DC)

Sweet potatoes are higher in beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C; fiber, thiamin, niacin, potassium and copper. They are also a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin E. Well, I could go on and on, but I’m here to talk about the versatility of this superfood and to give you some ideas on how to use this versatile root vegetable in any way. you may not have thought.

Sweet potato has become my go-to vegetable to add to recipes. One thing I love to do is stir fry. It’s a great way to prepare a colorful and healthy meal or use as a side dish. I wash the sweet potato first and most of the time I leave the skins on. I cut off any bad spots and usually cut off the ends. Now, get out that shredder or food processor; I personally love the versatility of the old fashioned metal shredder. Just mash the amount of sweet potato you think you’ll need. I find a potato goes pretty far depending on what else you sauté with it. The nice thing about sautéing is that you only need a couple teaspoons of oil. Go ahead and use a healthy oil like olive oil, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil. You may also want to add a couple of pats of butter. Add some fresh kale or whatever your favorite cruciferous green is. Use your imagination and use the vegetables that you like. Experiment with combinations to find out which one you like best. I like to chop asparagus, carrots, cabbage, bell peppers and onions… I’m always experimenting. Surprisingly, the teriyaki sauce really brings out the flavor of the grated sweet potato in a stir fry. You can also add meat of your choice that has already been cooked and cut small. Season to taste. You can add salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic… whatever you want!

How about a good quiche? Instead of using a pie crust, here’s a healthy twist. Bake your sweet potatoes, peel them, then mash and spread them around a pie plate up to the sides of the plate to create a sweet potato pie crust. Bake in the oven at approximately 375°F until slightly dry to the touch. While it’s baking, sauté some of your favorite vegetables. I like eggplant, kale, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and other vegetables in various combinations. When the sweet potato pie crust is ready to bake, drizzle it into the bottom of the pie. If you like, you can also add meat of your choice that has already been cooked and cut small. Crack a couple of eggs into the mixture and some grated cheese. Stir this up just a little bit. If you like a cheese topping, add some grated cheese as a topping. Then return to the oven until the egg is fully cooked and the cheese has browned to your liking, maybe even switch to broiling just for a crispy cheese topping.

Sweet potatoes can also be made into a healthy source of brownies. 1 cup of mashed sweet potato should do the trick. Mix 3 beaten eggs, ¼ cup coconut oil, and honey. ¼ teaspoon each vanilla extract and cinnamon. Mix in 2 tbsp. cocoa powder, more if you like it more chocolatey; 3-1/2 tablespoons of your favorite flour. Mix everything together and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Really tasty and healthy.

Gypsy soup is another recipe that I love. In a large pot, sauté some onions, garlic, celery, and a few bite-sized pieces of sweet potatoes for about five minutes with a little turmeric, basil, salt, cinnamon, even a little cayenne if you like it for a kick. Add about 3 cups of broth of your choice. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, then add vegetables like celery, tomatoes, sweet peppers, cauliflower florets… whatever you like. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes and you will have a delicious stew.

That gives you some ideas to work with. Just go wild and you’ll be amazed at how versatile sweet potato can be!

Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts (for one medium-sized sweet potato)

calories 130

Fat 0.39g

2.15g protein

Net Carbs 31.56g

Dietary Fiber 3.9g

Calcium 28.6mg

Sodium 16.9mg

Potassium 265.2mg

Folate 18.2mcg

Vitamin C 29.51mg

Vitamin A 26081.9 IU

(Source: US Department of Agriculture)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *