Healthy Endeavors

When Thanksgiving rolls around, it’s easy to kick our diets to the curb, gain weight and forget all that we know about healthy eating. Sound familiar? But with a little creativity and some planning ahead, it’s possible to create healthy and delicious Thanksgiving dishes to accompany all that turkey.

One of my favorite side dishes is roasted sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are high on my list of all time favorite vegetables and at this time of year, they’re in season and delicious, especially when locally grown. I love that sweet potatoes are so good for us, brimming with important nutrients and providing a source of long lasting energy.

Knowing me, you can guess that my recipe forgoes all the less than healthy, full-of-fat-and-calories ingredients — sugar, marshmallows, and butter, just to name a few  Instead, I sweeten them only with fresh orange juice and a few spices. Bruce swears by them and so do I — they’re part of our fall/winter routine, not just at Thanksgiving but during the course of many weeks.

So enjoy this simple, quick and delicious recipe that will have your waistline thanking you when all is said and done – a simple and healthy way to stay on track during these days of holiday overindulgence.

Check out the recipe below and let me know what you think. And less us know you’re favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Makes 6-8 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:
4 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tbsp. pure maple syrup (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 1 hour, or until tender. Remove and let cool.
2. Scoop sweet potatoes from skin and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Either mash by hand, put in a food processor or use an immersion blender to mix, removing lumps until a smooth consistency.
4. For sweeter potatoes, add the maple syrup.
5. Warm up in the oven or microwave and enjoy.

Filed under: Healthy Meals, Locally Grown Food, Meal Planning, Optimal Health, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sweet Potatoes, Vegetables