Purple Sweet Potatoes

Purple sweet potatoes make colorful, fun and healthy additions to any meal. Like their orange counterpart, they are great sources of fiber, vitamins A and C, and potassium. The purple variety is also loaded with anthocyanins that are high in anti-oxidants and may offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer properties.

We offer three easy ways to serve them, including mixed in with the ever popular orange sweet potato. 

Roasted Honey-Lime Glazed Purple & Orange Sweet Potatoes

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Roasting time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. purple sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb. orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 tablespoons honey
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Several tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Coat rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish with cooking spray. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on baking sheet.
3. Roast about 20 minutes, turning sweet potatoes over with spatula mid-way through.
4. While sweet potatoes are roasting, mix together lime juice, honey, cayenne pepper and cinnamon in a small bowl.
5. When sweet potatoes are fork tender, remove from oven, toss with the lime-honey mixture then return to oven and roast 5 more minutes.
6. Remove from oven, place in serving bowl and garnish with parsley or cilantro, if desired. This dish is delicious reheated.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information
Per 1 cup serving: 201.7 calories; 0.0g total fat (0.0g saturated, 0.0g polyunsaturated, 0.0g monounsaturated); 17.6mg sodium; 0.0mg cholesterol; 49.1g carbohydrate; 3.9g fiber; 15.5g sugars; 2.0g protein; 387.3mg potassium.

Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. purple sweet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream cheese
• ¼ to ½ cup warmed skim milk
• Several tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish, if desired.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place sweet potatoes in 2-quart sauce pan and cover with water. Add ½ teaspoon salt.
2. Bring water to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sweet potatoes for 20 minutes, or until soft when pricked with a fork.
3. Drain sweet potatoes of water and place in a mixing bowl.
4. Add the cream cheese and mash sweet potatoes with a hand-held potato masher or a hand mixer. Add milk gradually until desired consistency is reached.
5. Spoon into serving bowl and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Makes 4, ½ cup servings.

Nutritional Information
Per ½ cup serving: 109.5 calories; 0.8g total fat (0.4g saturated, 0.0g polyunsaturated, 2.0g monounsaturated); 375.7mg sodium; 2.8mg cholesterol; 23.2g carbohydrate; 3.3g fiber; 5.7g sugars; 2.5g protein; 398.4mg potassium.

Roasted Purple & Orange Sweet Potato Wedges

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Roasting time: 25 minutes
Total time: about 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. purple sweet potatoes (about 2 large), washed with skin-on, each cut into 6 wedges
• 1 lb. orange sweet potatoes (about 2 large), washed with skin-on, each cut into 6 wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss potato wedges with oil, salt and pepper in large bowl.
3. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread wedges in single layer on baking sheet.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Turn wedges over mid-way through. Remove from oven when they are easily pricked with a fork and beginning to brown.

Makes 8 servings with 3 wedges per serving.

Nutritional Information
Per serving (3 large wedges): 145 calories; 3.4g total fat (0.5g saturated, 0.3g polyunsaturated, 2.5g monounsaturated); 303.2mg sodium; 0.0mg cholesterol; 26.9g carbohydrate; 2.9g fiber; 2.8g sugars; 1.4g protein; 267.1mg potassium.