|
|
You are here: main
 articles
food article archive |
Delicious and Nutritious
Sweet Potato Surprises
Family Features Editorial Syndicate
Sweet Potato Bisque
Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Veggies
Baked Sweet Potatoes With Topping
Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Bananas
Sweet Potato, Orange and Cranberry Muffins
Whether you're watching your calories, counting your
carbohydrates or just looking for more healthy options, the
sweet potato is a great choice.
Sweet potatoes liven up any meal and are considered diet-
friendly. Many popular diets, including South Beach, Atkins
and Sugarbusters, have moved sweet potatoes to the "good
carb" list.
Ranked as the No. 1 most nutritious vegetable by the Center
for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), sweet potatoes,
or yams, deliver high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-
carotene and potassium. They are also a great source of
fiber and calcium.
Sunflower seeds, raisins and maple syrup as toppings offer a
new twist to the traditional baked sweet potato.
Sweet Potato, Orange and Cranberry Muffins can be a tasty
breakfast treat or a healthy dessert alternative.
For a sweeter taste in all of these delicious, nutritious
recipes, choose Louisiana sweet potatoes. Available year-
round, canned and fresh, Louisiana sweet potatoes add color,
taste and nutrition to any recipe. For more recipes and
information, visit the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission's
Web site at www.sweetpotato.org.
The Diet-Friendly Sweet Potato — Among root vegetables,
sweet potatoes offer the lowest glycemic index rating.
That's because the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a
gradual rise in blood sugar, so you feel satisfied longer
after eating.
Carotenoids and Cancer — Orange vegetables, like the sweet
potato, contain phytochemicals called carotenoids. The
Nurses' Health Study showed that women eating carotenoid-
rich vegetables lower their risk of breast cancer.
A Blast of Beta-Carotene — The sweet potato gets its bright
orange color from the large amounts of beta-carotene it
delivers. Beta-carotene is known to lower the risk of stroke
and fight cancer.
Loaded With Vitamin A — Sweet potatoes have more vitamin A
than any other vegetable. Vitamin A is necessary for strong
tissues and is required to maintain a healthy immune system,
while protecting the body from cardiovascular disease and
lowering the risk of stroke.
Packed With Vitamin C — The sweet potato is a complex
carbohydrate that contains more than one-third the
recommended daily requirements of vitamin C. Vitamin C has
been known for its anti-cancer effects and has been
associated with an increase in blood levels of "good" or HDL
cholesterol, which lowers the risk of heart disease.
Potassium Power — Sweet potatoes are a good source of
potassium, which regulates blood pressure. Potassium in
sweet potatoes also helps maintain fluid and electrolyte
balance in the body cells, as well as normal heart and nerve
functions.
Sweet Potato Bisque
Makes 4 (1-cup) servings
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cups (1/2-inch) chunks fresh sweet potatoes, peeled or 3 (15-ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained
2 cups canned chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup skim milk
Salt and pepper to taste
In large pot, melt butter and sauté onion until tender,
about 4 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and chicken broth and
bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes
or until potatoes are tender. Pour mixture into food
processor and blend until smooth; return to pot. Add thyme,
cayenne and milk and cook over low heat just until heated
through. Season to taste.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 153 calories, 5g protein,
25g carbohydrate, 4g total fat, 23% fat, 2g saturated fat,
4g dietary fiber, 9mg cholesterol, 561mg sodium
Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Veggies
Makes 6 servings
4 cups fresh peeled sweet potatoes (1-inch) chunks
1 1/2 cups zucchini slices, halved
1 small red onion, cut into small chunks
1 (6-ounce) package portabella mushroom slices, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray. In large bowl, combine sweet potatoes,
zucchini, onion and portabella slices. Mix in olive oil to
coat. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix and spread on
prepared baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes or until tender and
roasted, shaking pan every 15 minutes.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 138 calories, 3g protein,
22g carbohydrate, 5g total fat, 30% fat, 1g saturated fat,
4g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 241mg sodium
Baked Sweet Potatoes With Topping
Makes 1 serving
1 fresh sweet potato (yam)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon raisins
2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick potato with fork. Bake on foil-
lined baking sheet one hour, or until very tender. Split
sweet potato and top with maple syrup, raisins and sunflower
seeds. Season to taste.
Microwave instructions: Pierce potatoes with fork and
arrange on paper towels. Microwave on high 8 minutes; turn
potatoes over after 4 minutes.
Nutritional analysis per serving (no topping): 130 calories,
2g protein, 33g carbohydrate, 0g total fat, 0% fat, 0g
saturated fat, 4g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 45mg
sodium
Nutritional analysis per serving (with topping): 247
calories, 4g protein, 56g carbohydrate, 3g total fat, 10%
fat, 0g saturated fat, 5g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol,
48mg sodium
Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Bananas
Makes 8 servings
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 cup fat free half & half
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 pounds cooked fresh sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely mashed or 4 (15-ounce) cans sweet potatoes, peeled and
coarsely mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
In medium pot, combine bananas, half & half, honey, brown
sugar and orange juice, and bring to boil over medium-high
heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add mashed sweet
potatoes and continue cooking and mixing 3 to 5 minutes,
leaving mixture with some chunks. Mixture will thicken
slightly as potatoes absorb half & half. Stir in vanilla and
butter.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 289 calories, 5g protein,
67g carbohydrate, 2g total fat, 5% fat, 1g saturated fat, 5g
dietary fiber, 4mg cholesterol, 92mg sodium
Sweet Potato, Orange and Cranberry Muffins
Makes approximately 18 muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh mashed cooked sweet potatoes or 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 400°F. Use nonstick cooking spray on or
paper-line muffin tins. In bowl, combine flour, baking
powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In separate small bowl,
combine sweet potatoes, brown sugar, oil, orange juice, egg
and orange rind. Add orange juice mixture and yogurt to dry
ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in
cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling
about three-fourths full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until
done.
Nutritional analysis per muffin: 153 calories, 3g protein,
28g carbohydrate, 4g total fat, 21% fat, 0g saturated fat,
2g dietary fiber, 12mg cholesterol, 91mg sodium
SOURCE: Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission
|
|
