AmyS Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I'm very meh on them. But in January I'm going to be starting to really up my activity level, and I figure I'm gonna need some sweet potatoes in my diet. I haven't found a way of cooking them that I like yet. Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJam Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Husbie is not a fan but I told him to eat them to improve his mood ....he has grudgingly done so and while he doesn't *love* them now, he doesn't grimace while eating them anymore...I consider this a minor victory I peel, chop into 1 inch chunks and coat in evoo and s&p or whatever compliant spices you like then bake in the oven on 425 for like 30 minutes. We always have a container of cooked ones in the fridge to throw together a lazy meal. Some people like them with coconut oil and cinnamon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyhoward Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I am the same way - not that I hate sweet potatoes, just not totally in love with them. I realized that part of my feeling was due to not knowing what to do with them or wanting to wait forever to cook them. I found a bag of steamable potatoes in my grocery store's produce department. You get 5 potatoes in a bag (washed, with the skin still on) and you just pop them in the microwave right in the bag and they cook for 8-10 minutes. I found that to be so easy - when they come out, they are soft and yummy. I can jsut cut one open down the middle, slap on some coconut butter (and/or spices) and I'm good to go. They are also yummy with eggs in the morning. Don't worry - I'm sure you'll get a ton more recipes in response to your post - you're bound to like some of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLC1968 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I was never a fan either, but I found that I like them when cooked savory. Even pre-paleo, I thought they were too sweet for me. The only way I ever experienced them was in some type of casserole with cinnamon and sugar. Ick. They are also a tad soft for my liking. That's why I like them best when roasted in chucks like MJam described. I love a combo of olive oil, garlic, salt and rosemary! i also like them when mixed with savory things. One of my favorite local diners does a great scramble with the sweet potato cubes with eggs, bacon and veggies. When I'm on a Whole30, I make my own version cooked in ghee and it's delicious! I've also had a delicious mashed sweet potato dish made with roasted chipotle peppers. Yum! Maybe you are like me and should try them more savory than sweet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Thanks for all the ideas - I do think I would gravitate more toward savory than sweet preparations, yes! I will try the chunked/oiled/seasoned/roasted version and see how that goes down. This is going to sound weird coming from a former sugar/grain/carb addict, but I find them too starchy in texture. (I'm also not a fan of white potatoes, which completely belies my German and English heritages. Ha!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted December 10, 2012 Moderators Share Posted December 10, 2012 You might want to try sweet potato fries... http://www.wholelife...-potato-fries/. I keep baked sweet potatoes in my refrigerator most of the time. I cook them for 90 minutes at 350 because that seems to make them softer and sweeter. Here is my old recipe... http://www.wholelife...d-cranberries/. Lately, I add macadamia nuts and dried cranberries and haven't used coconut flakes in a while. And I eat them cold because I like them best that way. My wife heats them in the microwave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 You can also rely on pumpkin, winter squashes, carrots, other root veg, etc.for your starchies :0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Thanks for all the ideas - I do think I would gravitate more toward savory than sweet preparations, yes! I will try the chunked/oiled/seasoned/roasted version and see how that goes down. This is going to sound weird coming from a former sugar/grain/carb addict, but I find them too starchy in texture. (I'm also not a fan of white potatoes, which completely belies my German and English heritages. Ha!) Ooo..then you might like butternut squash better. They are less sweet and squishy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candice@allthingsyogi Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 spaghetti squash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieOz Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I like to slice sweet potatoes.. toss them with some salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder and EVOO and then bake them (like sweet potato fries) for about 30 min (flip half way through). then you can sprinkle them with some salt and lime juice (optional) when they're done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Simpson Thumann Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I make sweet potato fries with garlic, salt and smoked paprika. YUM! I bake them(whole) and depending on my mood, I either mash them or eat them whole. When I mash them I add in coconut milk, ghee, crumbled bacon, salt, pepper and stardust seasoning from Penzeys or pumpkin pie spice! If I have them whole, I top them with ghee, smoked paprika, salt and "mock" sour cream made from coconut cream. I love sweet potatoes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 I appreciate all the tips. Also - I love butternut and spaghetti squash. Just bought a spaghetti squash yesterday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenderbender Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I find a BIG difference in the quality/ taste/ texture of different types of sweet potatoes.... My favorite are garnet yams and jewel yams... The Japanese yams are pretty darn tasty to... Most better end stores will carry a few types.... The type that most run of the mill grocery stores carry taste like they are meant for farm animals IMO.... Costco usually has very good ones.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpinSpin Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I like sweet potatoes in soup and stew using the sweets in place of russet potatoes, and I did list a recipe here for a carrot ginger soup that has sweet potato in it. I also like to roast chunks, and I have made hash from them twice now. Looks like a mess, but tastes really good. The first 2 batches I made with roasted sweet potatoes, but they just mushed out--did not hold up like white potatoes/russets, so I think the next time around, I will use shredded raw sweets and see if that is better. My husband loves corned beef hash, and I am trying to recreate a dish with similar texture profile. Maybe, chopped mushrooms would be better, but that is off subject. I like sweet potatoes, cut like fries tossed in coconut oil, and seasoned up with salt and pepper, garlic and thyme and roasted till starting to blister. Pretty good! Like parsnips and carrots the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 I find a BIG difference in the quality/ taste/ texture of different types of sweet potatoes.... My favorite are garnet yams and jewel yams... The Japanese yams are pretty darn tasty to... Most better end stores will carry a few types.... The type that most run of the mill grocery stores carry taste like they are meant for farm animals IMO.... Costco usually has very good ones.... Ah - I hadn't thought about the quality differing. Makes sense. Where I live, of course, what you call Japanese yams (here we call them Okinawan sweet potatoes or just purple sweet potatoes) are more common than the orange variety. I find them all sort of sticky to eat. There used to be a restaurant here in town that made the. best. purple sweet potato salad, but they closed years ago and plus I'm preeeeetty sure that recipe would not be Whole30!!! Hehe (Though I suppose with homemade mayo... hmm...) I like sweet potatoes in soup and stew using the sweets in place of russet potatoes, and I did list a recipe here for a carrot ginger soup that has sweet potato in it. I also like to roast chunks, and I have made hash from them twice now. Looks like a mess, but tastes really good. The first 2 batches I made with roasted sweet potatoes, but they just mushed out--did not hold up like white potatoes/russets, so I think the next time around, I will use shredded raw sweets and see if that is better. My husband loves corned beef hash, and I am trying to recreate a dish with similar texture profile. Maybe, chopped mushrooms would be better, but that is off subject. I like sweet potatoes, cut like fries tossed in coconut oil, and seasoned up with salt and pepper, garlic and thyme and roasted till starting to blister. Pretty good! Like parsnips and carrots the same way. Not off subject at all. Tell me about hash. People keep talking about this stuff. No clue what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriciaLo14 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 We're obsessed w squashes and sweet potatoes in our house! I ant buy them enough. Our new favorite has been a sweet potatoes hash with eggs in the morning. 1 grated sweet potatoe goes a long way! We also like to slice w the mandolin and microwave 12-15 minutes and get them crispy. This is a great treat or side dish. I make a huge pot of butternut squash soup every week and keep it as my go to meal if I'm in a crunch. I do this even when I'm not whole30'ing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janine Costanzo Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I LOVE sweet potatoes. My favorite, easy way to prepare them is to wash them (skin on), poke some holes in them with a fork, and then put them in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes or so. After that, I open them up and they're really soft, and I cover them in grass-fed butter (or ghee if I'm on a Whole30) and a little cinnamon. So good! Even the skin tastes good when prepared this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpinSpin Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 AmyS--hash.... mmmmm... a great way to use up left over meat and veg. The 'classic' diner breakfast is corned beef hash with poached eggs--finely diced--nearly minced--cold corned beef, boiled potato, onion, fried up on a flat top or skillet and finished off with poached or fried eggs and hash browns. Very popular after St. Patty's day. I have made a variation with left over roast beef and 'red flannel' hash is hash made with cooked beets instead of or in addition to, diced potato. Hash can be pretty much made from anything--from left overs to hash made from poached salmon, onion and diced potatoes and served with creme fresh and dill. Like I said before, hubby loves hash, and I have tried to replicate it with cold roasted sweet potatoes, and cold boiled ones, and the consistency of the potato is too moist and 'mooshes' out (great culinary term huh?) and becomes gooey rather than crisp. I think next time I will do a shredded raw sweet instead and see if that makes a more hash like meal. I did do a sort of hash the other night, using left over roasted carrots, parsnips, brussel sprouts and onions. I heated it thru, seasoned with thyme and tossed in some cooked chicken and had that sans egg. Not too shabby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezygoat Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I turn my skillet on medium high and add about a Tbl of coconut oil. Then, I peel a sweet potato, put it through the shredder on my processor (which total takes about 2 minutes), and scatter evenly over the now-heated skillet. While it starts to sizzle, I season with whatever my fancy dictates. This frequently involves: salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. At this point, I give them a toss to coat them evenly with the oil and spices. Seeing as I frequently have leftover cooked chopped bacon, I'll scatter the bacon in at this point, followed by a gentle turning of the hash browns. After about 2 minutes more (or so), they're just about ready. They're a great side dish with any kind of meat, but if I'm feeling eggy I'll crack several eggs over the top (usually 4, this makes two servings of two eggs each), season with salt and pepper, cover, and wait (stomping with impatience) for about 2 1/2 minutes for a nice, warm sunny-side up (longer if you like your eggs done more). It just makes me *so* happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendyland Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Great ideas. I cubed some and threw them into my last batch of chili. It was a great addition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Herman Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Personally, I love sweet potatoes. However, my boyfriend does not. One thing I do for my boyfriend when I cook is mix sweet potato into the meat I make him. For example, here is how I make beef meatballs: I put one cubed sweet potato (TJ's sells this pre-packaged but its easy to do yourself), kale, and spinach into my food processor and pulse until all the components are broken down into very small pieces. Then (usually with my hands) I combine that mixture with 1 egg, 2 tbsp. of almond flour, some tomato paste, and 1lb. of grass fed ground beef. Roll into meatballs and cook on 350 for 15-20 minutes! If you don't have a food processor, I have chopped up the sweet potato/kale/spinach mixture with a knife and it works just as well. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Simpson Thumann Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 That is a great idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ10 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 This may be too sweet for you but I eat sweet potato cakes for breakfast many mornings. Microwave sweet potato and mix with an egg. I add cinnamon and just a few raisins. Place a big spoonful in the skillet and flatten out, flip. So so yummy! I keep the mixture on hand in the fridge and is good to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 Personally, I love sweet potatoes. However, my boyfriend does not. One thing I do for my boyfriend when I cook is mix sweet potato into the meat I make him. For example, here is how I make beef meatballs: I put one cubed sweet potato (TJ's sells this pre-packaged but its easy to do yourself), kale, and spinach into my food processor and pulse until all the components are broken down into very small pieces. Then (usually with my hands) I combine that mixture with 1 egg, 2 tbsp. of almond flour, some tomato paste, and 1lb. of grass fed ground beef. Roll into meatballs and cook on 350 for 15-20 minutes! If you don't have a food processor, I have chopped up the sweet potato/kale/spinach mixture with a knife and it works just as well. Good luck! That sounds good. Do you cook the sweet potatoes before putting them in the food processor? Also, would it work without almond flour? I'm not expecting to buy any in the near future... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 That sounds good. Do you cook the sweet potatoes before putting them in the food processor? Also, would it work without almond flour? I'm not expecting to buy any in the near future... I never use almond flour as a binder in my meatballs. Only an egg if I think they really need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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