| Issue #05 - April 24, 2009 |
Food for 'Tauk with Genevieve Salamone
Roasted Maple Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
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Photo by Genevieve Salamone
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So I've been feeling a bit under the weather this past week, and if there's one thing I'll freely admit, it's that I'm a horrible sick person. First off, I hate being sick. I'm angry when I get sick, because I just have no patience for it. So when I'm not feeling well, I try to figure out the quickest way to feel better without having to suffer through a doctor's appointment. So the sickly foodie turns to food for help, of course.
Some of you may not know this, but the most nutritious vegetable on the planet is the sweet potato. It's a powerhouse of vitamins and nutrients. A 1/2 cup serving provides you with 390% daily value (DV) of vitamin A, 40% DV of vitamin C, 18% DV of fiber and 13% DV of potassium, plus vitamin E, iron, magnesium and beta carotene.
Bottom line: Sweet Potatoes are good and good for you.
So, with that in mind, I've been eating a sweet potato a day since I've been feeling badly. Last week I brought a sweet potato to work that I had roasted at home already, so I simply needed to warm it up. So I pop it into the toaster oven, real low so it doesn't burn (although it did get a bit crispy on top) and the next thing I know everyone in the office is asking what that delicious smell is. I thought I was going to have to fight for that sweet potato!
Although I love, love, LOVE to simply roast my sweet potatoes in the oven, then pop them out of their skin and add a dollop of butter (and a dash of salt and pepper) and eat them just like that, I wanted to come up with something a little different, and a bit healthier, to share with you all. Of course, I wasn't going to sacrifice the flavor roasting gives sweet potatoes, so I knew I needed to start there. I also decided to throw some carrots into the party for even more nutrition. Then I started thinking about the flavors I wanted to add, without adding too much fat. The result was pretty close to sweet potato heaven.
Roasted Maple Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into large chunks
1/4 cup pure Maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (grate some extra for garnish)
1-teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1-teaspoon pepper
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of your ingredients until potatoes and carrots are well coated. Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, or wax paper (spray the wax paper with some cooking spray so nothing sticks!)
Roast for 45 minutes at 375 degrees, then put the oven on 425 degrees, and let cook another 15 minutes, until your sweet potatoes and carrots are soft and have caramelized around the edges.
Serve with a sprinkle of orange zest and an extra drizzle of maple syrup. Serves 6-8.
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