Recipes: 3 ways to use sweet potatoes

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  Photo by Kirsten Decker

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  Photo by Kirsten Decker

Tropical twisted sweet potato vichyssoise

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 leek, tough stalk ends removed, white and green parts chopped in circles

1-2 tbsp butter or coconut oil

2 sweet potatoes (4 cups), peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger

3 cups chicken stock or water

1-1 1/2 cups coconut cream (250-375 ml)

1/2 pomegranate, seeds removed

1 bunch green or spring onions, chopped

1 large lime, juiced

1 lime, cut in quarters

Salt to taste

Method

1. Soak leeks in water and thoroughly rinse.

2. Heat butter or oil over medium to medium-high heat.

3. Add leeks, sweet potatoes, garlic and ginger. Sauté for several minutes until leeks begin to soften.

4. Add 3 cups of stock (if using water add ½-1 tsp salt to water). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until sweet potato is pierced easily with a fork. Remove from heat.

5. Cool slightly and blend, or use an immersion blender directly in pot.

6. Add coconut cream until soup is desired consistency.

7. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and green onions. Serve warm or at room temperature with extra lime wedges.

Sweet potato pancakes with a creamy citrus sauce

Makes 8-10 small pancakes or 4-6 large pancakes

Ingredients

Pancakes

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (approximately 1 medium sweet potato)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup laban

1 large orange, zested, divided in half

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1 tsp ground ginger

Pinch of salt

5 tbsp spelt flour or whole wheat flour

1-3 tsp butter or oil

Creamy citrus sauce

1 cup yogurt or coconut cream

Remaining orange zest

Honey or agave to taste

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method

1. Mix sweet potato, eggs, laban, zest and vanilla in a bowl.

2. Add spices, salt and flour, and mix until combined.

3. Heat a griddle or pan over medium to medium-high heat. Grease with butter, spray or coconut oil.

4. Spoon batter into desired size pancakes. Cook until bubbles pop on top and the bottom is firm.

5. Flip very carefully, these are not as sturdy as traditional pancakes. Remove from pan when cooked and set aside.

6. Mix yogurt or coconut cream with remaining ingredients.

7. Serve pancakes with sauce and pecans on top. Drizzle with extra honey, syrup or agave if desired.

Mediterranean stuffed sweet potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes, cut in half lengthways

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp sumac

1 tsp oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh

Salt to taste

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 cup spinach, chopped

Dash of balsamic vinegar

Sauce

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Lemon, zested

Garnish

2 small cucumbers, peeled and diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 tsp sumac

Method

1. Preheat oven to 204 C (400 F).

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle it with the olive oil, sumac and salt.

3. Using your hands, coat the sweet potatoes with oil and seasoning.

4. Roast skin side up until they are soft (about 20-30 minutes).

5. While roasting prepare stuffing. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.

6. Add garlic, oregano and salt. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

7. Add black beans and tomatoes and cook over medium to medium-high heat until tomatoes reduce.

8. Add spinach and a dash of balsamic vinegar until the spinach begins to wilt (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.

9. Mix yogurt, feta and lemon zest in a bowl. Add to bean and veggie mix and combine.

10. Top sweet potato halves with mixture.

11. Mix cucumbers, red onion and sumac in a bowl, and use to garnish sweet potatoes.

Recipes and images by Kirsten Decker, a menu creator who enjoys cooking healthy meals for her family, which includes three young children