Life’s Sweeter with Sweet Potatoes (Plus a Tasty Recipe!)

Did you know that sweet potatoes and yams are two different vegetables? Although some people use these vegetables interchangeably, they are botanically quite different! Celebrate this root vegetable all November long for Sweet Potato Awareness Month.

Sweet potatoes are a delectably sweet, starchy vegetable that can be found in white, orange, and purple varieties. They provide a ton of nutrients and all varieties have a similar nutritious profile!

With the holiday’s around the corner, now is the perfect time to learn all you can about sweet potatoes and what they have to offer.

Sweet Nutrition

Sweet potatoes are loaded with a ton of nutrition making them the perfect addition to any meal. Add some color to your plate while also increasing your intake of numerous vitamins and minerals. Here are just a few that you will find in sweet potatoes:

Vitamin A– Unlike regular potatoes, sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotene- a precursor to vitamin A. Beta-carotene provides antioxidant properties to help reduce inflammation, reduce damage to your cells, and to support healthy vision.

Fiber- When it comes to potatoes, don’t forget to eat the skin! Sweet potatoes are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber to help keep your gastrointestinal tract healthy.

Vitamin C- Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin C, which also works as an antioxidant that can help boost your immune system.

Manganese- This mineral is found in high amounts in sweet potatoes and helps support bone health.

Handling, Storage & Cooking Tips

Sweet potatoes are a versatile vegetable that can be boiled, baked, roasted, steamed, and sauteed! It is also important to note, sweet potatoes should be handled and stored with care to get the most out of them.

Handling- Sweet potatoes should be washed only right before cooking to avoid any unwanted moisture buildup on their exterior, leading to faster spoilage.

Storage– They can be stored for weeks or even months in a dry cool place. So, keeping them on your kitchen counter is perfectly okay! Storing them in the fridge may change their taste and texture.

Cooking- Cutting them up into smaller pieces before cooking can accelerate cooking time. Steaming them is deemed the best method to cook sweet potatoes because it preserves more of their nutrients and antioxidant properties.

Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Hash with Baked Eggs

By: Anisa Carver, nutrition intern

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup of olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp of paprika
1 large yellow onion
2 green bell peppers
4 large eggs
2 tbsp of fresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment

paper

Chop sweet potatoes in small cubes.
Add chopped sweet potatoes to a bowl and lightly toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season

with salt and pepper and paprika.

Evenly line baking sheet with seasoned sweet potatoes and bake for 20-25 mins
While the potatoes cook, heat the remaining olive oil in a medium sized pan. Dice the onion and green pepper, add to the pan and sauté until onions are caramelized and soft. Turn off the heat.
Take out sweet potatoes from oven. Add in onion and green pepper mixture and stir to

combine. Add mixture to a deep baking dish and make 4 holes to place eggs. Crack an

egg in each hole and season with salt and pepper. Reduce oven to 425 degrees and bake for an additional 12 mins.

Serve immediately and garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Sweet potatoes are one vegetable packed with a ton sweetness and a ton of nutrition. They will make for a great addition in your next holiday meal or anytime time of the year. Do not forget to spread awareness about this fantastic vegetable to all your friends and family!

There are many wonderful resources available to assist you in finding the perfect sweet potato-based recipe, such as my most recent cookbook, Enjoying Food Peace: Recipes and Intuitive Eating Wisdom to Nourish Your Body and Mind, which you can purchase here if you haven’t already.

Your Turn to Take Action: What is your favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes? Let me know in the comment section below.