Superfood of the Week

Thanksgiving shouldn’t be the only day you eat sweet potatoes, add this nutrient rich vegetable to your diet for a sweet surprise during the colder months. A distant relative of the potato, sweet potatoes pack tons of vitamins and minerals to help meet or exceed your daily recommended value of nutrients, with as little as a single 4-ounce potato.

A single serving of sweet potato (approx. 1/2 cup), contains a myriad of health boosting vitamins such as 390% daily value (DV) of vitamin A, 40% DV of vitamin C, 18% DV of fiber and 13% DV of potassium, not to mention containing significant amounts of iron, magnesium, beta carotene and lutein.

Sweet potatoes are a great starch component to use when the weather is cold and frightful, because their peak growing season is from fall through winter. Aside from their great health benefits, choose sweet potatoes over their regular spud brethren to add new color and taste to your meals. When shopping for sweet potatoes look for taut papery skins, as well as uniform size, shape and color. While the intensity of orange in sweet potatoes  varies by type, look for a deeper color, for that indicates more beneficial carotenoids.

Unsure of how to cook, prepare or season sweet potatoes? Here’s a simply sweet, and healthy twist on a baked potato.

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.)
2. Meanwhile, in a medium microwaveable bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt; microwave on High until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.)
3. When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.

For more information on sweet potatoes and several satisfying recipes visit:

http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_food_guide/sweet_potatoes

{ 0 comments }