1. Did you know that a medium-sized sweet potato contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin A, nearly a third the vitamin C you need, almost 15 percent of your daily dietary fiber intake and 10 percent of the necessary potassium?
2. Did you know that orange-fleshed sweet potatoes may be one of nature's unsurpassed sources of
beta-carotene? And that the beta-carotene and vitamin C in these tubers work together to
rid the body of cancer-friendly free radicals?
3. Well did you know
diabetics can eat sweet potatoeswithout worry as they have a low glycemic index?
4. How about the fact that they contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health, especially for women.
It's important to have some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. This can be 1 Tbs. of virgin olive oil (also recommended for breast cancer suppression) per serving for 4.
Organically grown sweet potatoes are free from the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and inorganic sprays. They cook relatively quickly and are rather versatile, lending themselves both to sweet or savory dishes.
Below is a recipe I adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi , so it fits in with our Anti-Cancer Diet. Instead of pan frying, we're going to bake these patties, and instead of dairy yogurt we're using soy or coconut yogurt.
SWEET POTATO CAKES (Vegetarian and Gluten Free)
- 1 3/4 lbs peeled organic Sweet Potatoes, cut in large chunks
- 2 tsp. organic Butter or Coconut oil, plus more for cooking
- 2 Tbs. organic Green Onions, thinly sliced
- 1-1/2 tsp. Tamari sauce
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 3/4 tsp. Sea Salt
- pinch of Red Pepper flakes
- Scant 1/2 c. organic Oat flour (gluten-free)
- 1 Omega-3 Egg, well whisked
Sauce
- 1/2 c. Soy or Coconut Yogurt
- 2 Tbs. Lemon juice
- 1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tbs. chopped organic Dill
- 2" section of organic Cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbs. organic Red Onion, thinly sliced (opt.)
- pinch of Sea Salt and Black pepper
Steam the potatoes until tender throughout. Set aside in a colander to drain and cool.
While the potatoes cook, warm the butter or oil in a cast iron pan. Sauté the green onions in 1 Tbs. coconut oil over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, blend all of the yogurt sauce ingredients, besides the dill, together in a mini blender or food processor. Lastly, add the dill and give it one or two more whirls just to blend. Set aside.
When the potatoes have released most of their moisture, transfer them to a bowl and mix them with the tamari sauce, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and flour to combine. You want the mix to be tacky not wet, add more flour if it seems too moist to hold shape. Add the green onions and egg and mix to combine.
Add enough coconut oil to baking sheet to coat lightly.
Drop potatoes by 2 Tablespoonfuls onto sheet, and flatten into patties. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes, flipping after 6 minutes. Add another 2 -3 minutes if not quite browned on top.
Remove to a plate. Serve with some lightly dressed greens and a generous portion of the sauce. Garnish with a dill stem.
These would be so wonderful with a poached egg and a few leaves of watercress on top.
~ Enjoy! ♥
