Sweet Potato "Skinny"
I created these through experimentation. Before making changes in my diet, I loved loaded sweet potatoes, and wasn’t very selective with what I loaded them with. Lots of butter or margerine, plenty of salt, plenty of brown sugar and cinnamon, you name it. At first, I cut out most of what I loaded them with, and while they tasted good, they were a little boring. The half-and-half was a surprise, because it added a creaminess and flavor from fat, but with a lot less fat. Then, I read about the benefits of coconut sugar, and used it in place of the brown sugar.
The half-and-half can be reduced if calories are a concern. The coconut sugar adds a light sweetness without a spike in blood sugar. The “skinny” is the joke--because the puree is served in the skin. It also happens to be a delicious part of the dish, Cooking in the skin helps preserve the nutrients and vitamins and the skins add fiber and potassium to the dish, according to Sharecare.com
According to Livestrong.com, “Sweet potato skins are a good source of potassium. A medium sized sweet potato baked with the skin has 542 milligrams of potassium. Even though the recommended daily intake of potassium is 4,700 milligrams, a sweet potato has one of the higher contents of the nutrient. The skin is also a good source of iron. Especially for people who do not eat meat, the iron found in sweet potato skins is an important nutrient.”- Veronica Coons
The half-and-half can be reduced if calories are a concern. The coconut sugar adds a light sweetness without a spike in blood sugar. The “skinny” is the joke--because the puree is served in the skin. It also happens to be a delicious part of the dish, Cooking in the skin helps preserve the nutrients and vitamins and the skins add fiber and potassium to the dish, according to Sharecare.com
According to Livestrong.com, “Sweet potato skins are a good source of potassium. A medium sized sweet potato baked with the skin has 542 milligrams of potassium. Even though the recommended daily intake of potassium is 4,700 milligrams, a sweet potato has one of the higher contents of the nutrient. The skin is also a good source of iron. Especially for people who do not eat meat, the iron found in sweet potato skins is an important nutrient.”- Veronica Coons
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
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Ingredients:4 small sweet potatoes
1/2 cup half-and-half 2 Tbsp. Coconut sugar 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice salt to taste |
Directions:Rinse and roast the sweet potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees until they are soft to the touch
Split the potatoes across the top, and and scoop out the interior, keeping the skins in tact. Add the half and half, coconut sugar and spices to the mashed sweet potatoe, and combine well. Scoop the mixture back into the shells, and place back in the oven for five minutes to warm. They go well with any dish that you would serve sweet potatoes with. |