The Mail-Order Catalog for Healthy Eating

Sweet Potatoes

Dig up some great sweet potato recipes in Great American Vegetarian

Tortellini or Ravioli in Sweet Potato Sauce
Candied Yams
Baked Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Sweet potatoes, one of the most ancient, nutritious, and valuable food crops of the Americas, are also one of the most underused and misunderstood. Among us Yankees, their use is fairly concentrated in the stretch from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Not to diminish the value of the white potato, but as a point of comparison, sweet potatoes are substantially richer in nutrients. They are especially high in vitamin A and the major minerals. I think that sweet potatoes deserve far more attention. Southern or regional American cookbooks are a great source of recipe idea. Otherwise, just bake or microwave them for a nourishing side dish.

TORTELLINI OR RAVIOLI IN SWEET POTATO SAUCE
Serves: 4

Sweet potato sauce for pasta? Try it and see! Serve with strips of colorful sauteed bell peppers and zucchini. Sweet potato sauce:

1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 2 1/2 cups diced sweet potato (1 large)
1 cup low-fat milk, rice milk, or soymilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spinach or tri-color cheese tortellini or small cheese ravioli (or try vegetable or tofu-filled tortellini or ravioli)
Minced fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium-low heat until golden. Add the diced sweet potato and just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture from the saucepan, including the liquid, to a food processor. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and process until smoothly pureed. Transfer back to the saucepan and set aside, covered, off the heat.

Cook the tortellini in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente. Drain, then stir them into the sweet potato sauce. Heat gently and briefly, just until well heated through.

Serve, garnishing each serving with some parsley, if desired.

CANDIED YAMS
Serves: 8 or more

Here's a lightened version of the American holiday classic.

1/2 cup orange juice, preferably freshly-squeezed
1/2 cup natural granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine, melted
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans for topping, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except the last two in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the sliced potatoes and stir well, then transfer to a shallow 1 1/2 -quart round or 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

Bake, covered, until the sweet potatoes are just tender, about 40 minutes. Stir once or twice during that time to distribute the liquid over the potatoes. If desired, sprinkle the nuts over the sweet potatoes at this time. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the glaze thickens. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

BAKED SWEET POTATOES AND APPLES
Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Though sweet potatoes have never been as favored in the North as in the South, this simple dish hails from old New England. A cheering winter recipe, and a great side dish for Thanksgiving, it is characteristically sweetened with maple syrup.

4 large sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Cinnamon
Ground cloves
1/2 cup apple juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until done but still firm. When cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Oil a deep, 1 1/2 quart baking casserole. Arrange half of the sweet potato slices on the bottom. Drizzle with half of the margarine, then half of the maple syrup. Top with the apple slices. Sprinkle lightly with the cinnamon and cloves.

Repeat the layers, then pour the apple juice over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, covered, then for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Serve at once or cover and keep warm until needed.

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