My Maine Ingredient: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes:
The kitchen smells heavenly as a pan with my Mimi’s sweet potato recipe comes out of the oven (Mimi was my grandmother, Becky Dixon, who was an amazing cook). I thought I would share her recipe with you today.

Sweet potatoes will grow in New England if you choose a cool season variety to plant. Our family just harvested Beauregard sweet potatoes from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Mimi’s Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Maple Syrup
I have substituted coconut oil in place of butter in Mimi’s recipe which adds a nice hint of coconut to this dish. Wash and bake sweet potatoes on 375 degrees until very soft when pricked (I cook one per person if the potatoes are large). Allow the potatoes to cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh and smash the potatoes in a bowl. In a saucepan, melt a couple tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat. Add whole pecans (about 1 cup to every four potatoes) and ~1/2 cup of maple syrup for every cup of nuts. Cook until the nuts are well coated and the syrup starts to thicken and then spread over the top of the potatoes. The nuts will caramelize as they cool. Warm and serve.

Here is another sweet potato recipe that I’m making for lunch today:

Sweet Potato Oven Fries
5 sweet potatoes
1-2 tablespoons of Safflower oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice them “French Fry” style. Mix the potatoes and other ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread the potatoes on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 400 for around 30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring several times with a spatula.

Some Nutritional facts:
Sweet potatoes are a good source of protein, fiber, calcium, zinc, iron, potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin, E.

Warning for diabetics: because of this tuber’s richness in carbohydrates (starch and sugars) that are released and absorbed quickly, sweet potatoes should be eaten in moderation or avoided. (Source: Encyclopedia Of Foods And Their Healing Power by Dr. Pamplona Roger, pg 302.)

Sienna Mazone

About Sienna Mazone

As a teen chef, I look forward to sharing my passion for eating great food and enjoying the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.