Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving is approaching, and with it, lots of recipes and coupons for the fixings for this traditional meal.  This being a blog about the food of the Mediterranean, let me state outright that sweet potatoes are not part of the traditional fare around the Mediterranean.  Be that as it may, now that I live in the States, I have become familiar with this tuber, and find it delicious.  Moreover, it is reputed to be one of the healthiest foods in the world.  Notice I said foods, not only Thanksgiving foods.  What makes it so lofty in its standing among foodstuffs? Consider a 1-cup serving:

• Calories 115
• Fat (saturated or unsaturated) 0.1 g
• Cholesterol 0
• Sodium 73 mg
• Potassium 450 mg
• Carbohydrate 27 g
• Dietary fiber 4 g
• (Natural) sugar 6 g
• Protein 2.1 g
• Vitamin A 377%
• Vitamin C, calcium, iron, B6, and magnesium in negligible amounts.

Compare the above nutritional content with what is served at a traditional Thanksgiving dinner: the ubiquitous sweet potato casserole, with brown sugar and marshmallows, with each 1-cup serving packing close to 500 calories.  And that's if you eat only 1 serving.

Taking this a little further, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner did not include marshmallows! I made a sweet potato casserole yesterday that included orange juice, vanilla, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans, and sprinked some cinnamon on top before baking.  It was divine.

By the way, roasted sweet potato, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder, is absolutely delicious.