Sweet potato cakes
Welcome to the second Superfood diet feature.
Each week, we'll provide you with a food type that you should try and incorporate into your diet at least twice during the next seven days because of their benefit's to your health.
Our first article featured crayfish and described the all the postives they provide for you and this time it's sweet potato.
Replacing part of your regular potato intake with a sweet one is a simple way of getting that little bit healthier. In fact, you may find sweet potatoes so delicious that they become your potato of choice.
The sweet potato is one of the oldest known cultivated foods, going back over 9,000 years, and is packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre. Its sweet flavour has been shown to satisfy the palette, while at the same time curbing your appetite longer by stabilising blood sugar levels. Sweet Potatoes are also rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Sweet potatoes can be used in just about every recipe that calls for regular potatoes. Replace them for a jacket spud or use them to mash on your roast dinner - just these small changes will lead to a healthier you.
Sweet potatoes are:
Low in fat
Filled with the anti-oxidant beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A by the body
Filled with vitamin C and E which promotes healthy skin
They support immune system
Filled with more dietary fibre than oatmeal per serving
Cooking Tips and Tricks
For grilled spuds: Boil a few whole potatoes in their skin for about 10 minutes. Slice lengthwise into wedges. Brush with olive oil, then place directly on the grill. Cook for one to two minutes on each side, or until crispy.
For potatoes in a hurry: Prepare a large batch of sweet potatoes. Let cool, then wrap the cooked potatoes individually in plastic wrap or zip-close bags. Toss in the freezer to defrost and eat later on.
For sweeter potatoes: Go slow and low. Cooking slowly allows the sugars in the potatoes to caramelize and brings out its natural sweetness. Try baking your spuds at 350 degrees for around an hour.
For a more savory dish: Cook for speed. Aim to soften the potato's flesh as quickly as possible, by boiling or microwaving for example. This helps bring out the potato's earthy, less sweet flavor.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
Tagged in Health Super Food