Sweet potatoes are easy to make and love

Sweet potatoes are versatile and complement a variety of sweet and savory dishes from quesadillas (Black bean and sweet potato quesadillas) to desserts (Sweet potatoes with apples and cranberries) and several things in between.

They can be sliced into wedges and oven-roasted as fries or incorporated into hearty chili recipes: Black bean chili with sweet potatoes and Swiss chard, Vegetarian sweet potato chili

Or a simple baked sweet potato is both delicious and incredibly easy.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 sweet potato

Asian-inspired topping (optional):

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon orange or tangerine juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon thinly sliced scallion

Other simple topping ideas (optional):

1 teaspoon butter, olive oil or coconut oil
For a sweet topping: A pinch of cinnamon and/or nutmeg
For a savory topping: Black pepper and a pinch of sea salt

Directions

For easy baked sweet potatoes, wash and dry well and pierce your sweet potato with a fork several times. If you prefer a moist potato, wrap the sweet potato completely in heavy duty foil. If you prefer a dryer, crisper skin, leave unwrapped, but make sure you have foil underneath the sweet potato. Otherwise you will have to scrub burnt sweet potato drippings off of your oven surfaces.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 75 minutes until caramelized and sweet. The length of time needed is determined in part by the size of the sweet potato and in part by your own personal preference. The longer they bake, the more the sweet, caramel flavors will develop. You’ll know they are done when they are soft and oozing syrup. If you’ve baked your sweet potato unwrapped, you can test for doneness with a knife or fork. You shouldn’t get any resistance all the way through to the middle. If your potatoes are wrapped, try squeezing gently with an oven mitt-protected hand to check for softness.
Handle with care when removing from the oven and unwrapping the foil. If you don't wait for it to cool sufficiently, the sweet potato packet can leak molten syrup.
Once unwrapped, slice down the middle. Filling a baked sweet potato is up to your own taste and imagination.
One delicious option is to whisk together a scant teaspoon of sesame oil with a tablespoon of orange or tangerine juice and some freshly grated ginger. Mix in with the sweet potato flesh and top with thinly sliced scallions.
Pair with a green salad or sautéed greens and a lean protein and you have a complete and filling meal.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

For one sweet potato with Asian-inspired toppings:

Calories: 272
Total fat: 14 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 72 mg
Potassium: 560 mg
Total carbohydrate: 33 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 11 g
Protein: 2.6 g

For one sweet potato with other simple toppings:

Calories: 146
Total fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 73 mg
Potassium: 439 mg
Total carbohydrate: 26 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 5.5 g
Protein: 2 g

Contributor

Food for health editors

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