Sweet potatoes are the queen of the low-carb kitchen: they’re allowed on most low-carb diets including the paleo diet, are great fuel before or after a workout, have more vitamins and minerals than your standard white potato, and are tastier, too! If you aren’t used to cooking with sweet potatoes, here are some of the different ways that you can cook them:
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Bake sweet potatoes and load them with the same toppings as baked potatoes. Make a sweeter version of baked potatoes by topping them with brown sugar, maple syrup, and/or butter.
Sweet Potato Hummus
Make your own hummus by using sweet potatoes as a base. You can also buy sweet potato chips to dip into regular hummus instead of using pita chips.
Sweet Potato Fries
For a healthier version of french fries, use sweet potatoes. Cut them into strips, toss with olive oil and seasonings, then roast them in the oven. You can also make sweet potato fries in the deep fryer or by pan frying them on the stove.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables
Cut sweet potatoes into cubes and roast them on a pan with other vegetables such as carrots, leeks, and onions. Make sure to cut the vegetables into similar sized chunks and add vegetables into the pan at different times according to how long it takes to cook each vegetable. Carrots and sweet potatoes take about the same amount of time to cook.
Boiled Sweet Potatoes
Boil sweet potatoes whole or cut them into cubes for even faster cooking (although they’ll be more watery). Once they’re cooked, drain and toss with butter and fresh herbs such as rosemary.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Slice sweet potatoes into half inch circles, add them into a casserole dish, add butter, maple syrup or brown sugar, and let them cook. When they’re almost done, add marshmallows on top and cook until the marshmallows are melted and a bit browned. Other versions of this dish call to cook and/or mash the sweet potatoes before putting them in the oven.
Sweet Potato Pasta
Use sweet potatoes a base for gluten-free gnocchi and pasta. Mashed sweet potato also makes a great filling for ravioli.
As a Substitute for Regular Potatoes
Use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes to jazz up your old recipes. Try sweet potatoes in latkes, breakfast hash, potato salad, or mashed potatoes. Make a sweeter version of mashed potatoes by using coconut milk and a bit of ginger and sugar/honey.
For Gluten-Free Baking
Sweet potatoes can be used to make gluten-free pancakes, a gluten-free paleo pizza crust, in cookies or puddings, and even as a base for peanut butter and jelly “sandwiches”.
Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet Potatoes are the perfect base for a creamy soup made with cream or coconut milk. You can make a savory soup with rosemary (and bacon) or make a sweeter version with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other fall spices.
Sweet Potato Pie
Don’t forget about pumpkin pie’s cousin, sweet potato pie. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for a delicious treat.
