Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable that comes from the same family as the morning glory vine. The plant actually originated in Central America, but is now grown throughout the southern United States. You can use mashed sweet potato in a variety of recipes, from breads to sweet potato pie. Some seasonings that blend especially well with this tuber include nutmeg, ginger, coconut, lemon, lime, honey, and molasses.

Sweet potatoes were a form of trade in America as early as the 16th century. They were an essential part of the colonial diet because they kept well in root cellars and there was an abundance of them due to trade and good growing conditions in the southern U.S. They are not as popular as they once were, but as people begin to understand the many health benefits of these naturally sweet vegetables, more people are looking to them for taste and nutrition.

What to Look For in Fresh Sweet Potatoes

If you really look closely, you might be able to tell the difference between the orange-fleshed and yellow-fleshed varieties of sweet potatoes, but you almost have to be an expert to pick them simply by appearance. The orange variety is a bit plumper than the other and has a slightly red cast to the skin while the yellow variety is a bit thinner with tan skin. If in doubt, it's best to simply ask your produce manager which is which.

When choosing your sweet potatoes, look for ones that feel heavy when you pick them up. You want them to be as close in size as possible, especially if you don't plan to cut them up before cooking. They should also be free of any blemishes, cracks, or bad spots. Decay can spread a bad flavor throughout the whole potato, so make sure you pick fresh, clean, healthy potatoes without any black spots. Avoid wrinkles and soft potatoes and look for a smooth skin.

Canned or Frozen

These classics also come canned and frozen. Often, the canned varieties come packed in heavy sweet syrup, but some do come in water. The canned varieties are often what make it to the table for Thanksgiving dinner in many households, but if you roast a fresh sweet potato, you'll never go back to canned. The canned and frozen varieties lose some of their nutritional value, too, especially beta-carotene, vitamin C, and many B vitamins.

Types

• Moist – (Orange-fleshed). The moist, orange-fleshed variety is the most common. It is sweeter than the dry variety and a bit less starchy. Most sweet potatoes in the produce section of your supermarket are the orange-fleshed type. Some markets may label these potatoes as "yams."
• Dry – (Yellow-fleshed). These are often called sweet potatoes in markets. These varieties have a drier flesh and tend to be a bit starchier than the orange variety.
• Yams – Yams aren't really sweet potatoes, they are another tuber in the same family. A true yam is a root that weighs over 100 pounds! However, many cooks and recipes lump them together into the same category and use them interchangeably.

Storage

Storing these veggies is just about as easy as sweet potato pie! When you bring them home, keep them in a cool (55°F to 60°F), dry place, such as a cellar, pantry, or garage. Just don't put them in the refrigerator because they can form a hard core and develop an unpleasant taste. If you store them correctly, they will last for a month or more. At room temperature they may last 6 or 7 days. Don't wash them when you bring them home, instead, wait until just before you are going to cook them.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene and the skin contains a fair amount of fiber.

Try growing a sweet potato vine! Simply place some toothpicks around the center of a fresh whole potato and suspend it in a glass or jar full of water. Soon you'll see shoots appear on the top half of the potato and roots on the bottom half. The vine can grow several feet long if you allow it to and it's great fun for the kids!

Sweet potatoes are a true health food. They have virtually no fat or cholesterol and almost no sodium content. A medium sweet potato weighs in at just 118 calories.

Related Sweet Potato Links

• Potato Recipes
• Vegetable Recipes
• Canning and Preserving

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