Cook a Sweet Potato Day - Who Knew?

The humble sweet potato is finally getting some recognition, because today is Cook a Sweet Potato Day. So zap one in the microwave, pop one in the oven, or boil one on the stove, and appreciate this often unappreciated tuber.

Stuck in the 70s
When we think of sweet potatoes, we often have visions of orange mash covered in toasted marshmallows. (Whose idea was it to put marshmallows on vegetables anyway?)

But sweet potatoes have so much more potential than to share the back of the counter with Aunt Mildred’s ambrosia salad. The following recipes are sure to bring the sweet potato out of the 70s and into the 21st century.

• Curry Salmon Patties with Sautéed Mushrooms and Spiced Sweet Potatoes
• Herbed Sweet Potato Fries
• Crunchy Sweet Potato Salad
• Sweet Potato, Lime, and Cucumber Dip
• Shepherd’s Pie
• Golden Tuna Melt
• Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
• Curried Collard Greens and Sweet Potato

Sweet potato stats
On top of being just plain delicious, and pairing with pretty much any flavour (with the exception of marshmallows—seriously, who did that?) sweet potatoes are packed with nutritional goodness.

• They are bursting with eye-enhancing vitamin A—just one cup contains nearly eight times our recommended daily intake.
• They are high in vitamin C. A single cup of cooked sweet potato contains 65 percent of our daily intake of this free radical-fighting antioxidant.
• They boast a high concentration of dietary fibre—7 grams per cup, to be exact. Dietary fibre keeps bowels healthy, lowers blood cholesterol levels, lowers blood glucose levels, may protect against colorectal cancer, and may help with weight control.