Mashed Sweet Potatoes – 10 Variations

Well now that Thanksgiving is over a lot of people have had their yearly sweet potato fix and won’t be tucking back into that orange goodness for another 12 months or so.

And that’s a shame, because not only are sweet potatoes good for you (high in fiber, cancer fighting compounds, etc.) they’re also such a tasty vegetable, particularly when mashed.

To make mashed sweet potatoes:

• Peel and cut into segments and then place in cold salted water (the water should taste like the sea)
• Bring the water to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 20 minutes or so
  
• Drain, add salt and butter to taste and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to mash/whip.

That’s it – these simple mashed sweet potatoes are a great (and healthier) alternative to everyday mashed potatoes, but with mashed sweet potatoes, you can have a lot of fun playing around with some extra ingredients and some really great taste combinations. Try taking the basic recipe from above and adding:

• A scant pinch of any of the sweet spices…cloves, cinnamon (I really like a mixture of cloves and cinnamon for sweet potatoes) allspice, nutmeg, etc. Just remember when adding these potent spices, that you can always add more…but you can’t take it out after you add it! Start with a little and taste before getting carried away.
• A splash of orange juice and orange zest
• A little chipotle chili in adobo sauce
• Cranberries and heavy cream
• A little honey and a squeeze of lemon juice
• A dash of maple syrup and some freshly cracked black pepper
• Applesauce
• A pinch of curry powder
• A little minced garlic with some fresh cilantro and lime juice
• A little grated fresh ginger and coconut milk

Serve mashed sweet potatoes as a side dish that is perfect with roasted pork or chicken or any kind of duck, and with all the flavor possibilities, you can really take these in a direction that matches the meal you’re serving.

Why You Should Be Eating Sweet Potatoes

As much as I enjoy a good mashed potato, when you compare the health benefits of regular and sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes are a pretty clear winner.

Sweet potatoes are:

• High in fiber
• High in beta carotene (hence the orange…)
• High in potassium
• High in vitamin C
• High in Vitamin B6

Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index score and some studies have shown that sweet potatoes can help people with type 2 diabetes.