“Sweet potatoes are a Native American plant that was the main source of nourishment for early homesteaders and for soldiers during the Revolutionary War.”   foodreference.com

When was the last time you choose a sweet potato over a white potato?

At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.  (Daniel 1:15; NIV)

Last month I featured soups for the weekly recipe.  Vegetables and side dishes will be on the menu for the month of February.  Since we all know that eating vegetables is one of the healthiest things we can do, let’s purpose to include them in our menu plans every day.

You’ve heard me tout the wonderful properties of the sweet potato.  I wrote about some of its many benefits in November just before Thanksgiving.  It seems many people only think about sweet potatoes at holiday time.  Although sweet potatoes are harvested in August through October, they are available in supermarkets throughout the year.

The sweet potato is a nutritious and economical food. One baked sweet potato (3 1/2 ounce serving) provides over 8,800 IU of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) or about twice the recommended daily allowance, yet it contains only 141 calories. It is low in sodium and is a good source of fiber and other important vitamins and minerals. The beta-carotene and vitamin C content in the sweet potato are powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer.

For the most food value, choose sweet potatoes of a deep orange color. Organically grown sweet potatoes have such a wonderfully sweet taste.  Store them in a dry, unrefrigerated bin or basket.  Don’t refrigerate sweet potatoes, since temperatures below 55 degrees F. will chill them giving them a hard core and an undesirable taste when cooked.

A very easy way to cook sweet potatoes is to wash them and place them in a crock pot.  Nothing else is needed.  Allow them to cook until soft.  They can be peeled and used in recipes or eaten warm with butter.

Today’s recipe comes from our many years of eating a vegetarian diet and looking for ways to add variety and color to what we were eating.  Be creative with the recipe.  You don’t have to follow exact proportions.

Prayer Power
Lord, You are such a wonderful, loving and giving Heavenly Father.  We offer You praise and thanksgiving for Your goodness to us.  May we tune our ear to hear Your voice.

Link of the Day
Layered Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Blessings on you as you continue to enjoy eating “your vegetables.”