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Sweet Potatoes


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Let's talk tubers! First I will start with what seems like a mini-blog...

Before my whole 30 I was carb-cycling. I only had carbs 2 days out of the week. Needless to say this messed me up in the head pretty badly. Starting the whole 30, I was happy to again have sweet potatoes in my life because I love them. I also re-introduced fruits in the form of about 1 serving per meal.

Now, I am reading The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf, and while I haven't finished it yet, he mentions restricting tubers only for days when you are highly active.

How often do you eat sweet potatoes? During my W30 I have been eating them usually with breakfast and lunch and not dinner. If I have one for breakfast and not for lunch, I crash. Since reading TPS, I am leaning towards only eating SP on days I workout as post-workout fuel, but I am wondering if I will crash later in the day.

I don't want to take them out entirely as I feel the highly restrictive counting & carb cycling I practiced did a number on me mentally. Sorry if I am rambling, but any thoughts/comments you have on the lovely sweet potato are appreciated.

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For my first Whole30 I didn't have any. For my second one I had them about twice only. Now on my third Whole30 and I'm having them approx twice a week! I was kind of afraid of relying on them too much initially when going paleo, hence the slow introduction of them. Am loving them though with chorizo and egg or with striploin steak. I try to limit them to once or max twice a week-just my own personal limit though-I'm sure others have them more often.

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I shred one sweet potato into this breakfast casserole that I'm addicted to. The entire casserole lasts me 6 days, so I'm basically having a sixth of a sweet potato daily. I've had one entire sweet 'tato after a long (for me) run, but I will probably only have a whole one on those types of days (i.e. once a week).

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Thanks for your responses, girls! I am going to try and tone down my sweet potato consumption. They are definitely one of my favorite foods, so I think I will appreciate it more and *earn* them after my workouts. I knew I would be inactive today and I feel fabulous without them :)

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For me, psychologically, sweets fall squarely in the "paleofied dessert" category. I can definitely dress them up any number of ways to turn them into a food to emotionally eat. This is what I have done historically when quitting sugar. So, I am only using them sparingly, not b/c of their carbs, but b/c of their creamy desserty-ness.

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I eat them almost every day! Definitely on days I work out and usually at breakfast the other days. I think they help me with my energy levels-especially on days that I run. I don't eat a whole sweet potato-probably 1/3-1/2 per serving. I LOVE them.

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For me, psychologically, sweets fall squarely in the "paleofied dessert" category. I can definitely dress them up any number of ways to turn them into a food to emotionally eat. This is what I have done historically when quitting sugar. So, I am only using them sparingly, not b/c of their carbs, but b/c of their creamy desserty-ness.

Ummm yeah, bake them coated in coconut oil and it is out of this world...

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Hmmm.....I think I eat them too often. Not everyday but maybe every other and sometimes not a whole one but still...maybe that is too many.

For now, I am trying to limit them to only post workout. If I find I really want one, I will have it because it isn't too sugar-laden and well it's a sweet potato for Pete's sake! B)

Edit:

Ok, I realize it has been mere hours since my previous post--but I have to jump off the avoidance bandwagon once again. For me, avoiding and deprivation can lead to stress and aggravation. I simply cannot deprive myself of a sweet potato simply because it is a "carb". I am not doing that any more. I am only speaking for myself, but I feel a whole lot better when I don't have an entire macro nutrient on my sh*t list. I am accepting sweet potatoes and glucose-based fruits (berries, cherries and some bananas) back into my regular life with open arms. I always try to have 2 vegetables, a meat source, some fats and then a sweet potato and/or berries, so it is not replacing anything ever, I just really want to not exclude something nutritious and yummy from my diet life.

http://www.paleoforwomen.com/carbohydrates-for-fertility-and-health/

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I shred one sweet potato into this breakfast casserole that I'm addicted to. The entire casserole lasts me 6 days, so I'm basically having a sixth of a sweet potato daily. I've had one entire sweet 'tato after a long (for me) run, but I will probably only have a whole one on those types of days (i.e. once a week).

Breakfast casserole recipe please!!

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,Here's the recipe for the "savory breakfast casserole." I always use the base of eggs, sweet potato, and onion, but I switch up my protein and sometimes add different vegetables. I cannot tell you how much I love the recipe. One word of warning, I think the recipe says 30-35 minutes, but I have never gotten it out of the oven in under an hour. My pan is a little smaller, so it makes a thicker serving. I end up with 6 servings, which lasts me all week.

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,Here's the recipe for the "savory breakfast casserole." I always use the base of eggs, sweet potato, and onion, but I switch up my protein and sometimes add different vegetables. I cannot tell you how much I love the recipe. One word of warning, I think the recipe says 30-35 minutes, but I have never gotten it out of the oven in under an hour. My pan is a little smaller, so it makes a thicker serving. I end up with 6 servings, which lasts me all week.

Is there supposed to be a link or attachment here? I don't see anything.

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I have sweet potato a couple of times a week at dinner, usually 1/2 of an average one. You shouldn't feel bad about eating them- they offer nutrition and a sense of fullness and most women thrive on diets with a bit more carbs. For me the bigger issue is why I am eating them. Anytime I crave a sweet snack or dessert, I certainly do not have a sweet potato. Instead I go for a big glass of water, then some fat. I've read that reserving the starch for the later meal allows the body to remain fat burning most of the day. It helps with restful sleep as well. And like you've said, Laura B., it's a sweet potato for Pete's sake! Enjoy your clean food and let go of the guilt! :)

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Ummm yeah, bake them coated in coconut oil and it is out of this world...

I second this! I cut them in half, coat the cut side with coconut oil, and bake till they are REALLY mushy. OMG amazing. I'm just starting my first W30 today (been eating 80/20 paleo/primal for 2 years, though) and I'm going to limit sweet potatoes to only after my CrossFit WODs or Tough Mudder training sessions.

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Oh no! I just checked the link and you're right. Darn! I always used that site for recipes. She had another good one for curry meatballs. I think I copied those down in my recipe book at home, though. At any rate, from memory, here's the recipe:

pre-heat oven to 375

1. 12 eggs, whisked

2. 1 lb. chorizo

3. half yellow onion, diced

4. 1 sweet potato shredded

5. add seasonings. I think the suggested were garlic powder, hot sauce (make sure no sugar added), and there was something else I don't remember. I just added various spices for each different batch.

6. combine onion and sweet potato with whisked eggs

7. pour into 8X8 baking dish ( I only have an 8x6, so my cook time was LONG...at least an hour)

According to the original recipe, cook for 3- 35 min. I set my timer for 35, then inserted a knife into the middle, which took the longest to cook. I think an 8x8 pan might result in less cook time, overall.

After it is cooked through, remove from oven, cool and eat or cool and stick it in your fridge!

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The link posted by n9vember for the recipe now says "NOTICE: This domain name expired on 08/12/2012 and is pending renewal or deletion"

Hmmm.........

And, even stranger, I just used that site yesterday to make a spaghetti squash egg bake, which was essentially the same as the one I listed above, but with spaghetti squash and no meat. I tried it this morning and it was good, but the texture was a little mushier, most likely due to the water content of the spaghetti squash. Either way, it was still tasty.

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Ok, I realize it has been mere hours since my previous post--but I have to jump off the avoidance bandwagon once again. For me, avoiding and deprivation can lead to stress and aggravation. I simply cannot deprive myself of a sweet potato simply because it is a "carb". I am not doing that any more. I am only speaking for myself, but I feel a whole lot better when I don't have an entire macro nutrient on my sh*t list. I am accepting sweet potatoes and glucose-based fruits (berries, cherries and some bananas) back into my regular life with open arms. I always try to have 2 vegetables, a meat source, some fats and then a sweet potato and/or berries, so it is not replacing anything ever, I just really want to not exclude something nutritious and yummy from my diet life.

http://www.paleoforw...ity-and-health/

^ This :). I have sweet potatoes every day, and definitely a starchy carb with every meal. It makes me significantly more pleasant to deal with.

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Wow Thankyou so much for that sweet potato casserole I'm def gonna cook that up this weekend it looks Devine. Now in regards to my consumption well I work out 5 times a week an hour average I have a small to medium sweet potato every day or 2 nd day in my meal usually at lunch not at night. My workouts are usually in the morning so I need my energy then ;) I have no I'll effects I feel better eating them when I need them.

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