Winter warmth: seasonal sweet potato recipes - Food: easy and healthful recipes

Better Nutrition, Dec, 2003

Roasted Sweet Potato,
Apple & Onion Salad

SERVES 8

The secret, rich-tasting ingredient in
the dressing for tilts salad is pumpkin
seed oil from Austria. However,
since it can be hard to come by, you
could use dark sesame oil instead.
(For a main dish salad, add sliced
roasted chicken breast.)

4 tsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 tsp. rosemary, minced
2 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 Tbs. maple syrup
3 Tbs. bourbon or dark rum
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbs. pumpkin seed oil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 large apples, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 large red onion, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Combine olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a large baking pan. Add sweet potatoes, and toss to coat. Bake, turning potatoes as they color, for 35 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned. Remove garlic from pan. peel and mash.

3. Meanwhile, heat maple syrup in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove skillet from heat, and add bourbon. Return to medium heat, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and whisk in vinegar, pumpkin seed oil. mustard, salt, pepper and mashed garlic.

4. Add apples, onion and sweet potatoes, and toss. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

PER SERVING: 180 CAL; 2G PROT; 2.6G TOTAL FAT (0.4G SAT. FAT); 36G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 228MG SOD; 4G FIBER

Vegetarian Chili

SERVES 4

Sweet potatoes vary in dryness
depending upon their age and type,
so in step 5, check the potatoes after
10 minutes. If they seem almost
tender, don't cook them for the full
20 minutes; just skip to the part
where you add the corn. The final
5 minutes of cooking will ensure
that the sweet potatoes are tender.

1 cup (8 oz.) dried red kidney beans,
rinsed and picked over
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium-sized red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, cut into
1/2-inch squares
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tap. coriander
2 8-oz. cans salt-free
tomato sauce
1 10-oz, pkg. frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and drained
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen corn
kernels, thawed

1. Combine beans and cold water to cover by 2 inches in a large skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside for 1 hour and drain.

2. Return beans to saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and cook until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-low heat in a heatproof casserole. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, for about 7 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in sweet potatoes, chili powder, salt, cinnamon and coriander until coated. Add tomato sauce and 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the spinach, beans and reserved bean cooking liquid. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes, Add corn, and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.

PER SERVING: 453 CAL; 21 PROT; 5.5G TOTAL FAT (0.8G SAT. FAT); 88G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 837MG SOD; 19G FIBER

Golden Mashed Root
Vegetables

SERVES 4

The sweet potatoes and carrots give
these mashed root vegetables a lovely
golden color. You should mash
the vegetables the same way you like
mashed potatoes: smooth or lumpy.
Either way, they're delicious.

1 lb. all-purpose potatoes, peeled
and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into
1-inch chunks
1/2 lb. white turnips, peeled and cut
into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup chicken broth, homemade or
reduced-sodium, canned
2 Tbs. fat-free milk
2 Tbs. reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Place all-purpose potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips in a large saucepan. Add broth and cold water to cover by 1 inch. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in colander, and return to pot.

2. Mash vegetables with milk, using potato masher. Stir in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt.

PER SERVING: 205 CAL; 5G PROT; 1.5G TOTAL FAT (0.9G SAT. FAT); 44G CARB; 4MG CHOL; 444MG SOD; 6G FIBER

Michael Nischan's Root
Vegetable & Apple Gratin

SERVES 8

Michael Nischan--until recently
the executive chef at New York
City's Heartbeat restaurant--creates
dishes that stress the pure, natural
flavors of food. Chef Nischan has
also found inspiration in his personal
need to create delicious, low-fat
food for his son, who was diagnosed
with juvenile diabetes at age 5.

3/4 lb. parsnips, peeled and very
thinly sliced
3/4 lb. potatoes, preferably Yukon gold,
peeled and very thinly sliced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. Vidalia onions, halved and
thinly sliced
3/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and
very thinly sliced
3/4 lb. baking apples, peeled and
thinly sliced
1 Tbs. minced, fresh herbs (any
combination of parsley, chives,
chervil and thyme)