With lower-carb diets as a popular diet choice, potatoes get a bad reputation as a no-go high carb food. Although their energy is primarily from carbohydrates, sweet potatoes contain many valuable nutrients. They are a rich source of fiber, vitamin B6, and antioxidants including vitamin A and vitamin C.
Sweet potatoes can be used in a variety of unique ways to boost the nutritional profile of many dishes. They can be incorporated into many healthy dishes including some recipes that hide or highlight sweet potatoes.
So, move over traditional sweet potato casserole… Explore these new, versatile ways to use sweet potatoes for any time of day or occasion!
Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast has never been sweeter with these delicious healthy sweet potato recipes!
Sweet Potato Hash
Take breakfast to a whole new level with a sweet potato hash. The hash can also be wrapped into a whole-grain tortilla for a satisfying meal on the go any time of day.
Follow these simple steps to have breakfast served in under 30 minutes:
1. In a large pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Add in three sweet potatoes (cut into bite-sized pieces), one medium red onion (diced), and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cover and cook for 20 minutes (or until the potatoes are tender), stirring occasionally. Uncover and turn heat on high, stirring the potatoes until they have acquired a golden color.
Serve with favorite styled eggs, including scrambled and sunny-side up, etc. Also feel free to add bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes, etc. to best accommodate personal preferences.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Flour-free, gluten-free, and lactose-free pancakes? You may be thinking, "No way is that possible!"
But with only two ingredients, two steps, and the help of sweet potato's natural flavor, the unimaginable becomes deliciously executed. Here's how to do it:
1. Mesh the flesh (no skin) of one medium-sized sweet potato with two eggs or a 1/2 cup of egg substitute.
2. In a medium-low heated, greased skillet add a spoonful or two (depending on desired size) of the sweet potato batter. Cook for approximately four minutes, or until golden brown, then flip to the other side.
Serve with apples or bananas, yogurt, favorite nut butter, and honey or maple syrup. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger can also be added to the batter to enrich the flavor.
Sweet Potato Lunch Recipes
Lunchtime tends to be all about the soups and salads, and boy do these healthy sweet potato recipes deliver!
Sweet Potato Soups
Soups can be made ahead of time for an easy, nutritious lunch throughout the week.
At under 200 calories per serving, this creamy carrot and sweet potato soup combines two superstar orange vegetables to provide a nutrient-packed, delicious soup. This sweet potato soup is a dairy-free lunch option and can be made in under 30 minutes.
Sweet Potato Salads
Roasted sweet potatoes have a delicious depth of flavor that can be enjoyed either right from the oven or served cold in a salad. Roast sweet potatoes ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator for a delicious addition to any salad including mason jar salads for easy, healthy lunches.
Roasted sweet potatoes can be a featured salad ingredient any time of year. Tasty ideas include in a farmer's market cobb salad or roasted sweet potato salad contrasted with spinach, dried cranberries, and avocado.
Sweet Potato Dinner Recipes
Sweet potato dinner recipes mostly include side items that accompany a wide variety of protein sources. Be sure to continue reading, though, to find out how to make a sweet potato main dish recipe that stands balanced alone!
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries may be the most beloved way to enjoy sweet potatoes. There are many ways to make homemade sweet potato fries with various flavors and spices that will please any palate.
Pair sweet potato fries with burgers or veggie burgers and a salad for a well-balanced, satisfying meal.
Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
In addition to sweet potato fries, these wedges ditch the fryer and are roasted to perfection in the oven. Coated with a blend of mustard, garlic, and rosemary, the potato wedges are packed with flavor!
Ingredients:
• 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
• 1 1/2 Tbsp garlic-flavored olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes with the remaining ingredients until the potatoes are coated.
3. Place the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes or until soft, turning over wedges after the first 15 minutes before returning to the heat. Serve while hot.
Curry-Spiced Sweet Potatoes
This healthy sweet potato recipe harnesses exotic and antioxidant-rich ingredients from the east - namely curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon - to transform a bland side dish into savory curry-spiced sweet potatoes. This dish offers 4 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 80 mg of calcium.
Ingredients:
• 6 1/2 cups sweet potato (peeled and cubed)
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots to the pan and cook for 6 minutes or until tender.
3. Add the brown sugar, salt, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper and cook 1 minute. Add the shallot mixture, half-and-half, and lemon juice to the potatoes.
4. Mash the potato mixture with a potato masher or fork.
Sweet Potato Mash
This mashed sweet potato recipe takes the standard white mashed potatoes and gravy to an entirely different dimension. Cozy up to cinnamon-spiced sweet potato mash during the cooler fall months (or any day, for the matter!) for a nutritious, yet delicious sweet potato variation.
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Hasselback potatoes are a unique way to transform a traditional baked potato into a quite fancy product. This recipe for hasselback sweet potatoes features fresh herbs along with creamy, protein-filled Greek yogurt.
Since hasselback is essentially the technique in which the potato is cut, the flavors can be easily modified. For instance, take a cut hasselback potato and sprinkle it with cinnamon, and drizzle with a peanut butter yogurt mixture for a naturally sweetened alternative!
Sweet Potato Quesadilla
Potatoes are often relegated to side dishes, but their nutrient density earns them a place at the center of your table with sweet potato and spinach quesadillas. This healthy sweet potato main dish recipe offers a mighty 14 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, all in under 400 calories!
While not required, the recipe features pickled onions that complement the quesadilla quite nicely!
Ingredients:
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound total)
• 1 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 5 cups baby spinach (4 oz)
• 1 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded
• 4 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
1. Microwave potatoes on high for 15 minutes or until tender.
2. To make pickled onions, bring vinegar, sugar, and peppercorns to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir to melt and dissolve the sugar.
3. Place onion in a medium bowl then pour hot vinegar mixture over onion. Let stand for 10 minutes then drain the onion slices and transfer them to a plate.
4. Remove the flesh from the potatoes and transfer it to a bowl. Mash the potatoes with salt and pepper.
5. Divide the potatoes among 4 tortillas. Top each of them with 1 cup spinach, 1/4 cup cheese, and another tortilla.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Heat 1 teaspoon oil and transfer a quesadilla to the skillet, cooking 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and quesadillas.
7. Cut the quesadillas and serve with pickled onions.
Sweet Potato Dessert Recipes
What's a unique sweet potato recipe without dessert? Give these delicious (and nutritious!) recipes a try, including a dessert comfort food with a twist.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Sweet potatoes and chocolate? Absolutely!
Making sweet potato brownies bumps up the vitamin and fiber content of brownies. (And no one will know sweet potatoes are a secret ingredient unless told!)
Besides sweet potatoes, these brownies are based on maple syrup, nut butter, and oat flour making them a nutritionally balanced sweet treat.
Sweet Potato Pie Bars
Like any traditional dessert, sweet potato pie can be high in refined sugar. However, sweet potato pie gets a makeover with these healthy sweet potato pie bars that are higher in fiber and lower in sugar.
In Conclusion on Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet potatoes can be shied away from because they may be seen as not healthy "higher-carb" vegetables. However, sweet potatoes are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber making them an important food not to be missed.
The naturally sweet flavor of sweet potatoes can pair with savory flavors and cut down the need for added sugars when used in sweets. Sweet potatoes can be used in many fun, unique ways from breakfast to dinner to dessert.
