Sweet potatoes are a nutrient powerhouse. They contain a good amount of dietary fibre, beta-carotene and moderate amounts of vitamins C, B5 and B6 and manganese, and are considered to have anti-inflammatory properties. It is also good to know that sweet potatoes are good for blood sugar regulation as they do not cause your sugar levels to spike, although they contain natural sugars that release into the bloodstream over time.
Sweet potatoes are a favourite for the gluten-intolerant community as they are naturally free from gluten. They can also be used as a baking alternative to traditional flour when used with other wheat flour alternatives such as chickpea flour, almond flour or coconut flour. You can also use them to make toast. Don’t believe us? Read about sweet potato toast here.
When buying sweet potatoes keep this in mind:
Choose sweet potatoes that are free from cracks, bruises and soft spots.
How should you store sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot. This will keep them fresh up to 10 days.
5 delicious ways with sweet potatoes:
MASH
To make the sweet-potato mash, peel 1 kg sweet potatoes and cut into chunks. Simmer in 3 cups chicken (or veggie) stock until tender. Drain, reserving the stock, and mash with ½ cup naartjie juice. Add ¾ cup chicken stock and mash again. Add 1 T butter and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. View the full recipe here.
SLAP CHIPS
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel and slice 1 kg sweet potatoes into chips and place on a baking tray. Mix 3 T olive oil, ½ T ground cumin, 1 T ground coriander and a pinch of salt, then pour over the sweet potatoes and toss so that they are all evenly coated with the oil-and-spice mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven halfway through roasting and turn the tray so the chips roast evenly. Get the recipe here.
SWEET POTATO BAKE
Thinly slice 2 sweet potatoes into rounds and arrange in a deep baking tray. Pour over 1 cup chicken stock, the juice and zest of ½ lemon, dot with 100 g butter and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 40 minutes at 180°C. This pairs perfectly with this no-fuss roast chicken recipe.
BROWNIE LOAF
If you like a traditional brownie but want to try a different version that has a lovely earthy flavour, this is for you. You’ll also love the dense, cake-like texture. Find the full recipe here.
CAKE
A gluten-free cake featuring sweet potato and coconut with medjool date “butter”? Yes please! Get the recipe here.
Comments