Featured Produce... Sweet Potatoes!

Sweet potatoes come in many shapes, sizes, textures, and colors. Sweet potatoes can be red skinned with orange flesh, purple skinned with orange flesh, white skinned with white flesh, or even purple skin with deep purple flesh. The term sweet potato and yam are often used interchangeably in the United States though they are entirely different plant species. Yams are native to Africa and Asia and are difficult to find in the US. What is labeled as a yam in grocery stores, is often a ‘soft’ variety of sweet potatoes, that will be perfect for most recipes, vs. a hard variety that would be best for storage. 

Nutrition fun facts: Sweet potatoes are nutrient powerhouses; serving up some of the highest levels of beta-carotene and vitamin A. The deep pigmentation in sweet potato flesh lends them their nutrient punch, and aid with inflammatory diseases, diseases of the gut, and can even help regulate blood sugar. Purple fleshed sweet potatoes pack in extra inflammation fighting nutrients.
 
Storage tips: Store sweet potatoes in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight, ideally a cool garage or basement, where the temperature stays around 55 degrees. Store in a box with air holes, paper or cloth bag. Check regularly for sprouting and soft spots. Sweet potatoes will sprout if conditions are too warm and if they are in direct sunlight. When properly stored, sweet potatoes can be stored for upwards of a year. Do not wash sweet potatoes until immediately prior to cooking, as moisture can cause spoilage.
 
Preparation tips: Sweet potato casseroles are a great holiday tradition, but they only scratch the surface of what sweet potatoes can be used for. They are great roasted whole, sliced into strips and roasted into fries, or cubed and added to a stir-fry. The smaller, and thinner, you cut a sweet potato the faster it will cook. Sweet potatoes are great in soups and stew, or mashed with caramelized onions and ginger. The possibilities are really endless!
 

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Recipe: African Peanut Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Greens

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
• ¼ teaspoon clove
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into ¼" cubes
• 2 to 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
• 3 cups spinach, chard, or Asian greens roughly chopped
• Brown Rice to serve, optional
• Peanuts, lightly toasted

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a pot. Add onions and saute for 4 to 6 minutes, or until onions are fragrant. Stir in garlic and ginger, continuing to cook for two more minutes.
2. Stir in clove, salt, cayenne, and cumin. Start on the low end of the cayenne pepper and add more only if you want it spicier. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes until spices are fragrant.
3. Next add in sweet potatoes, carrots, veggie broth, and honey. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer over low heat. Stir in peanut butter and let stew cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Once the sweet potatoes are soft, stir in spinach and continue to cook until spinach has wilted. Serve with over brown rice if desired and top with toasted peanuts.

 
Recipe from: http://naturallyella.com/peanut-stew-with-sweet-potatoes-and-spinach/