# Elevated Sweet Potato



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 15, 2015)

The sweet potato is a widely ignored veggie that is a powerhouse of nutrition and flavor.  The sweetness comes from a compound called inulin, and nutrient that does not spike blood sugar, and feeds the healthy flora of the gut.  Sweet potatoes are high in many nutrients, and fiber, all of which are again, good for you.  Sadly, there are many who don't enjoy this wonderful tuber.

Here are a couple of options that will elevate the humble sweet potato to gourmet status.

I. Vanilla Sweet Potatoes (made this last night, and everyone loved it.
    Ingredients:
    3 cups peeled & cubed sweet potato
1. 1 tsp. stevia sweetener
2. 1/2 tsp. Salt
3. 4 tsp. butter
4. 1 tsp, vanilla (use artificial vanila for this one as natural vanilla is volatile and will evaporate into the air.

Place the sweet spuds in a pot with enough water to cover, and boil until tender.  Drain and add butter.  Mash and then add the remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine all of the flavors.  serve hot as a side.

II. Spiced Sweet Potatoes (Can you say Pumpkin Pie Flavor)
    Ingredients:
1. 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
2. 3 tbs. butter
3. 1/2 tsp. salt
4. 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
5. 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
6. 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
7. 1 tsp. mollases
8. 3 tbs. sugar, or stevia sweetener.
9. 1/4 cup instant milk powder, or coffee creamer

Cook, drain, and mash the sweet potatoes, reserving a half cup of the liquid.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.  Enjoy.

III. Baked Sweet Potatoes
    Ingredients:
1. three cups cubed sweet potatoes.  You don't have to peel these.  The skins    
   are edible.
2. 3 tbs. olive oil
3. 1 tsp. salt
4. 2 tsp. ground black pepper
5. 2 tsp. lime juice

Preheat oven to 375' F.
Combine all ingredients in a plastic zipper bag and shake until the sweet potato chunks are evenly covered.  Place onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake until lightly browned (about 40 minutes).  Serve hot.


I don't know about you, but in my house, at Thanksgiving time, I always include both sweet potatoes, and rutabagas in my meal.  Sweet potatoes are so much more versatile that just throwing them into a casserole dish with brown sugar, and orange juice, and topped with mini-marshmallows.  In fact, that preparation is kind of terrible, IMHO.  The sweet potato flavor only needs a touch of enhancement.  I also enjoy them cooked whole, in their skins, either baked in the oven, or on a covered grill.

And though you see them labeled - yams, at many stores, they are not the same thing.  Yams grow on tropical islands, are very starchy, and not sweet at all.  Sweet potatoes come in different shades of orange or yellow, and are sweet, and very nutritious.  If prepared properly, they are delicious as well.

Seeeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North.


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## Cheryl J (Aug 15, 2015)

Thanks for sharing your recipes Chief, they sound good. 

I *love* sweet potatoes and have them often.  My favorite and easiest way is peeled and cut into wedges, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a little cinnamon, tossed to mix, and roasted at 425 for about 20 minutes.  

We always have the brown sugar, butter, and orange juice method for Thanksgiving too, but we skip the marshmallows.


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## Addie (Aug 15, 2015)

I love to take any leftover sweet potatoes then next day and just sauté them in a little butter and sprinkle a very light layer of dark brown sugar. These make for a great breakfast with eggs and ham.


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## Uncle Bob (Aug 16, 2015)

Never met a sweet potato I didn't like. The white varieties are good too, for a change. 
Have 100+ hills of Beauregard to dig in the very near future. Never met a woman that loves a sweet potato more than the little brown-eyed girl.


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## FoodieFanatic (Aug 16, 2015)

Those all sound delicious!  Sweet potatoes (the red ones) are my dog's favorite.


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## Addie (Aug 16, 2015)

Uncle Bob said:


> Never met a sweet potato I didn't like. The white varieties are good too, for a change.
> Have 100+ hills of *Beauregard *to dig in the very near future. Never met a woman that loves a sweet potato more than the little brown-eyed girl.



They are my absolute favorite ones.


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## bethzaring (Aug 16, 2015)

This photo is to make Uncle Bob laugh? smile? grin? When we were in Ohio in early June, I picked up a few Beauregard's that I asked a friend to save back for me. Here they are mid August. My goal is to get any tubers to take through the winter to properly start next spring for a better crop next year. Sweet potato plantings are risky here with our short growing season. Our first expected fall frost is in 6 weeks. Can't be without any Beauregard's.


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## Addie (Aug 16, 2015)

bethzaring said:


> This photo is to make Uncle Bob laugh? smile? grin? When we were in Ohio in early June, I picked up a few Beauregard's that I asked a friend to save back for me. Here they are mid August. My goal is to get any tubers to take through the winter to properly start next spring for a better crop next year. Sweet potato plantings are risky here with our short growing season. Our first expected fall frost is in 6 weeks. Can't be without any Beauregard's.



How about starting next springs planting in a protected planter. The kind with a glass top that you can prop up during the sunny daytime and lower at dusk to protect them from the cold. There are YouTubes showing you how to build them. Any junk yard has old windows.


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## Uncle Bob (Aug 16, 2015)

It worked Beth! ~ I smiled a big smile, and grinned like a billy goat eating briers!


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## bethzaring (Aug 17, 2015)

Thanks UB for not saying, missy you will never get any taters from those young'uns'!


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## Uncle Bob (Aug 17, 2015)

A belt served a greater purpose than holding up my Daddy's pants up Miss Beth.  ~~ I would never (get caught) saying something like that  ~~ Besides, a big chunk of your Carrot cake would be out of the question!


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