I think everyone should incorporate more sweet potatoes in their diet. Not because I want you to try these recipes (although that would be great 😉 ), but because they are nutrient packed. There are many varieties of sweet potatoes to choose from, but we are most familiar with the white flesh and orange flesh variety.
You get way more nutritional value from a sweet potato compared to a potato. They contain fiber, a significant amount of vitamin A and vitamin C, and are high in the B vitamins as well: B5, B6, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin.  A large sweet potato contains more than 100% of the recommended vitamin A. They do have more sugar then a potato, but the fiber helps to offset this, and they are lower in calories.
Another reason for runners to love sweet potatoes is for their potassium content. Now that I am back into training I am eating all the time. Mostly I have been eating sweet potatoes too.
Our family started the week with some vegan Sweet Potato Burritos. Another meal that is simple and delicious. The meal is super fast to, under 30 minutes, if you microwave the potatoes. We don’t own a microwave for a variety of reasons, so I baked mine.
I use GF tortilla shells and I do have to be honest and say they are hard to work with. They are not as flexible, so rolling them is tricky, but they taste just as great. Feel free to use whatever tortillas are your favorite.
I have found that kids love these and meat eaters. My sister’s hubby said he didn’t mind them, and was surprised they were good. Their son even ate them, and he’s hard to please.
- 6-8 tortilla shells (GF, white, wheat, whatever you love)
- 2 large baked sweet potatoes, peeled and mashed
- 2 c frozen vegetables, thawed (I like the organic vegetable medley from Trader Joe's)
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed
- ½ c yellow onion, chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1½ tsp cumin
- ½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1-2 c vegan shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with a little oil.
- Combine mashed sweet potatoes with frozen vegetables, black beans, onions, and spices in a medium bowl.
- Fill each tortilla with sweet potato mixture, and sprinkle cheese and then roll into burritos.
- Place burritos in baking dish (I fit 8). Dust with some oil and sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, covered with tin foil.
- Enjoy topped with avocado and salsa.
Our second sweet potato dish we have ate twice now in the past week. Another easy and delicious recipe. My sister made a stuffed chicken dish with spinach and pepperjack cheese. I thought it would be great with sweet potatoes as well. Everyone was skeptical, but they turned out great. I made Spinach and Avocado Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and they were loved.
I used vegan mozzarella for mine, but pepperjack cheese for Marc. Again bake the potatoes or microwave them, and then stuff. You can bake them again after stuffing them (I have done it once like this) or if you can’t wait just stuff and eat.
It may seem like an odd combination, but the spinach and avocado pair well with the sweet potato, and the leftovers taste great for breakfast. Yes, I may have done that. A well rounded meal, with vitamin A from the sweet potatoes, some greens, and healthy fat. Yum!! Calories you don’t have to feel guilty about.
You can find the recipe here for the Spinach and Avocado Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
What’s you favorite way to use sweet potatoes? Favorite go to meals when in a time crunch?
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