Orange-Maple Sweet Potatoes
Try this method of cooking sweet potatoes and you’ll discover how subtly delicious they are. Here, they are glossed with an orange-maple glaze. Beta carotene and fibre are the sweet potato’s secret weapons against heart disease.
1 kg sweet potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230°C). Place the sweet potatoes and garlic in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain and transfer the sweet potatoes and garlic to a medium bowl. Add pepper and 2 teaspoons oil. With a potato masher, mash the sweet potatoes and garlic until not quite smooth, with some texture remaining.
- Transfer to a 28 x 18 cm (11 x 7 in.) baking dish. Combine the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, maple syrup and orange rind in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat. Drizzle the mixture over the potatoes. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Serve. Orange-maple sweet potatoes can be cooked ahead and refrigerated. Reheat, covered, in a 265ºF (130°C) oven.
preparation time 10 mins
cooking time 45 mins
serves 6
PER SERVING
162 calories
3 g protein
3 g total fat
0.4 g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
30 g total carbohydrate
17 g sugars
4 g fibre
16 mg sodium
Sweet potatoes are a nutritional “super food” because they’re bursting with vitamins, minerals and fibre. So don’t just think of them for Sunday lunch—find ways to get them into your diet on a regular basis. Sweet potatoes can be sliced and steamed, baked or mashed and they will still maintain their goodness.
Source: Cook Smart for a Healthy Heart, Reader's Digest Canada
