Wednesday, November 24, 2010

I am thankful for... Sweet Potatoes.


I LOVE sweet potatoes! When I was a kid my grandma made baked sweet potatoes with big marshmallows on top and I LOVED them. When I got married my husband's grandma introduced me to a sweet potato casserole type dish which consists of mashed sweet potatoes topped with coconut, crushed cornflakes, and pecans and I LOVE it. Over the past few years I have discovered that I LOVE sweet potatoes roasted, microwaved, baked, mashed, stewed, French fried, in a pie, salt and peppery, sweet and cinnamon-y, you name it and I LOVE it! Now that I am adult and bring a dish to holiday family dinners, I bring it upon myself to bring the sweet potatoes. This year... Sweet Potato Fancy! Or maybe not-so-fancy depending on who you ask. Many sweet potato recipes call for a lot of butter and a lot of sugar. So, I omitted and cut down several ingredients in my version of this "fancy" dish. However, adding lots of spices (or herbs - whichever best suits the dish) can really enhance the flavor without enhancing the calories. We all know that we certainly don't need any help meeting our calorie requirements over the holidays!
If you have never tried a sweet potato, let this be the year! A sweet potato is stuffed full of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber (just to name a few nutrients) and is low in calories and fat. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that keeps your immune system strong, along with healthy eyes and healthy skin.
Did you know sweet potatoes come in white, yellow, red, orange, and even purple! Keep in mind that the various colors provide various phytochemicals and nutrients but rest assured they will all benefit your health.
This Thanksgiving, think about the little things in life that you are thankful for and take nothing for granted...even if it is a sweet potato. :-)

No comments:

Post a Comment