The Deeper you go the SWEETer it gets: Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoe (Ipomoea batatas)

I have a confession to make. For the greater part of the last 6 months, I have had the habit of routinely buying potatoes on grocery days… they’re dirt cheap, fresh, and healthy, high in vitamins, fiber, and modest amounts of protein. The problem is that majority of the time, I end up tossing them out less than 1 month later because I have the slightest idea what on earth to actually do with them (before they start growing eyes!) besides bake them.  So I thought it might be a worthwhile exercise to dedicate this week’s MP to the potato.

You say potatoe; I say sweet potatoe. And the deeper you go the sweeter they get.

Another interesting fact: did you know that sweet potatoes are actually flowering plants? What we commonly consume is the tuber or underground nutritious storage root of the plant. Towering as high as 20-40 inches above ground, they are gorgeous morning glories with violacious throats and beautiful white majestic petals.
 

Here’s to being beautiful, inside and out!



Simple Sweet Potato and Spinach Quesadillas

*recipe courtesy of  health.com

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 cup red wine vinegar

½ cup sugar

1 large red onion, sliced

½ t black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

5 cups of fresh baby spinach

4 large (12-in) spinach or whole wheat tortillas

4 t olive oil

1.     Cook Sweet Potatoes: microwave or steamed in pot of water unpeeled until soft.

2.     Pickle Onions: In medium sauce pan bring vinegar and sugar to a boil until the sugar  dissolves. Into a heat-safe bowl, pour this mixture over sliced red onions and let stand 10 minutes to cook. Drain and transfer onions to plate to cool. Set this aside for now.

3.     Prepare Quesadillas: Scoop out flesh of cooked potatoes and mash in a separate bowl with black pepper. Portion potato filling onto ½ of each flat tortillas. Add 1 cup of spinach on top of mashed potatoes and dress with ¼ cup of cheese (optional). Fold tortilla in half.

4.     Cook Tortillas: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, heat 1 tsp oil and transfer 1 quesadilla to skillet. Cook until quesadilla is crisp and cheese is melted (~3 min per side). Remove from heat and repeat with remaining oil and quesadillas. Slice cooked quesadillas into quarters and serve warm with pickled onions and a simple side ( fresh marinated tomatoes or pan-seared sweet corn on the cob).

 

Serves 8

Serving size ½ quesadilla

 

NF:     Cal 231   Carb 33g   Fat 7g   Sodium 181mg   Sugar 15g   Fiber 3g   Prot 7g

 LJ