SUPER FOOD
Ranked as one of the more nutritious vegetables, sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamins A, E and C, plus several powerful phytochemicals (lignans, carotenoids and phytosterols). And these deep-orange root vegetables are virtually fat-free, low in sodium and a good source of fiber — all of which helps to protect against heart disease and a variety of cancers.
Yield: 8 servings ( cup each) | Prep: 20 minutes | Ready In: 1 hour
Why we love it:
Aunt Sue's marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole makes the list of not-so-good-for-you holiday recipes with its high fat and sugar content. But wait - sweet potatoes can easily win a spot on the good-for-you food list! Remember, it is what you add to the sweet potato that increases the fat, sugar and caloric content.
For a healthier sweet potato dish:
- Serve baked sweet potatoes;
- Eliminate the fat in recipes since sweet potatoes are already very moist;
- Use orange or apple juice concentrate, unsweetened orange juice, or orange rind to flavor;
- Make a casserole using sweet potatoes, pineapple or apples, cinnamon and just a tad of brown sugar (or sweetener);
- Add any one of a variety of spice mixtures (1-2 tablespoons) to cubed sweet potatoes drizzled with canola oil and toss in a zip-top bag, then follow the baking instructions given in this recipe.
Baking tip: Before baking, rub the potato skin with a small amount of oil for easy peeling.
What you need:
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
2 large Granny Smith or honeycrisp apples, peeled
4 tablespoons butter, melted (or canola oil)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons orange rind, grated (rind from one large orange)
- teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground (or to taste)
Optional: teaspoon of cinnamon and/or nutmeg
What you do:
1. Cut peeled sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Cut peeled apples into -inch-thick slices.
2. Stir together melted butter, brown sugar and orange rind.
3. Add cubed sweet potatoes, sliced apples and butter mixture to a large zip-top plastic bag. Toss to coat.
4. Place potato mixture on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes and apples are tender, stirring mixture once halfway through cooking time.