Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Three Ways)

How do you like your sweet potatoes? If you are like me, you like them smothered in butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. Now, sweet potatoes are full of nutrients, but you can hardly call them healthy smothered in sugar and butter. Save the sugar and butter for dessert. Here are three ways to prepare roasted sweet potatoes that are healthy and tasty. I made the Moroccan Spiced variety to go with the couscous in the last post.

Ingredients:

• 3 Lbs. sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), scrubbed, ends trimmed, and sliced 3/4 inch thick.
• 2 TBSP. canola oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Choose sweet potatoes that are as even in width as possible for even cooking. Trim the small ends off to prevent them from burning. I left the peels on, but you can peel them if you want. Prepare the sweet potatoes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly. Toss the potatoes with the oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a bowl. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and cover tightly with foil.

2. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place the potatoes on the rack, and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cook the potatoes for 30 minutes. The recipes instructs to start them in a cold oven to allow the potatoes to stay between 135 and 175 degrees as long as possible. This is the temperature in which the starch in the sweet potatoes is converted to sugar. Covering the sweet potatoes allows them to stay in the range a little bit longer. But the 425 temperature creates  a caramelized golden brown exterior.

3. Remove the foil and continue to roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are golden. , 15 to 25 minutes.  Flip the slices and continue to roast until golden on the second slide, 18 to 22 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

BARBECUE SPICE VARIATION:

– Combine 1-1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, 1/4 tsp. chili powder, 1/ tsp. ground cumin, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper in a bowl. Toss with the potatoes in step one.

MOROCCAN SPICE VARIATION:

– Combine 1 tsp. ground ginger, 3/4 tsp. ground coriander, 3/4 tsp. ground cumin, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric in a bowl. Toss the spice mixture with the potatoes in step one.

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cook Book