Recipe: Spicy roasted sweet potatoes
| Recipes | Healthy You
Sweet and spicy side dish
Roasted sweet potatoes are great as a side dish any time of the year. Pro tip: Double the recipe so you can have leftovers throughout the week.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, cleaned, peeled and diced into 1” cubes
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fat-free zesty Italian dressing
- 3 tablespoons non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- Green onions, sliced
Directions
Microwave potatoes and water in a covered dish on high for about 8 minutes; drain. Add garlic and 2 tablespoons of Italian dressing, tossing to coat potatoes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread sweet potatoes on lined baking sheet. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Mix non-fat plain Greek yogurt, sriracha sauce and remaining dressing in a large bowl. Add cooked potatoes and onions, mix lightly. Serve warm.
The term sweet potato and yam are frequently used interchangeably, but they are actually two different potatoes.
Yams are traditionally grown in Africa, Asia and other tropical regions. True “yams” are difficult to find in the United States. Sweet potatoes come in two main varieties in the states; golden skin with creamy white flesh and crumbly texture.
Sweet potatoes have copper skin with orange flesh that is sweet and soft. Americans have been calling the orange-fleshed variety of sweet potatoes a “yam” since colonial times. The USDA decided to label them as “yams” to differentiate the two varieties. Orange sweet potatoes are one of the best natural sources of beta-carotene (better than carrots). But your body needs some healthy fat to help absorb this immune-boosting, eye-protecting, vitamin A.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
110 calories, 0g fat, 160mg sodium, 25g carbohydrates, 3 protein, 8g sugar (0g added sugar)
Recipe from Cecelia Jacobson, Registered Dietitian for the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.
