Whether you’ve been given a basic meal plan by your trainer or you’re looking to get to grips with meal prep, the sweet potato may become a staple when it comes to choosing a healthy carbohydrate source, that won’t impact on your progress.
We’ve put together 6 seriously simple and delicious ways to get sweet potato into your diet.
Spiced Sweet Potato Hash Browns
Ingredients
- 150g Sweet Potato, peeled and shredded
- 1/4 white onion, peeled and shredded
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp gluten free flour
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- freshly chopped chives
Method
- Pat the grated sweet potato dry and add to a mixing bowl.
- Add the diced onion, finely chopped garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and combine well.
- Add the beaten egg and flour and mix well.
- Heat the coconut oil in the pan.
- Using a spoon, scoop out a heaped tablespoon of the mixture. Add to the pan and press down with the back of the spoon to shape into small, thin ‘patties’.
- Cook for 5 minutes on each side, flipping twice until they are golden brown all over.
Serving suggestion – top with fresh chives and poached eggs.
Cajun Sweet Potato Wedges with Garlic Yoghurt Dip
Ingredients
- 150g Sweet Potatoes, washed
- 1 tbsp Melted Coconut Oil/ 5 Sprays of 1kcal Spray
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Chipotle Chilli Flakes
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Garlic Yoghurt:
- Greek Yoghurt
- 1 Garlic Clove
- Sprig of Parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
Method
- Slice the sweet potato into ‘wedges’, leaving the skin on.
- Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, and par-boil your wedges for 5 minutes.
- Pat the potatoes dry and transfer to a bowl.
- Pour over the melted coconut oil to cover the wedges, and sprinkle over the salt and pepper.
- Mix together the dry herbs and spices and sprinkle over the bowl of fries.
- Shake the bowl to ensure the wedges are covered and then roast in the oven at 200C for 20-25 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestion: Delicious with a grilled steak and vegetables, or as a snack with a fresh guacamole dip.
Garlic + Thyme Crispy Dice
Ingredients
- 150g sweet potato
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp oregano or rosemary
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil
Method
- Peel and dice the sweet potato into small cubes.
- Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, and par-boil for 8-10 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes, pat dry and add to a bowl.
- Add the coconut oil, salt, pepper and herbs to the bowl and mix well to coat the dice.
- Heat a pan or skillet and add the balsamic vinegar.
- As the vinegar starts to bubble, add the dice to the pan and fry for 5-8 minutes until the sides are brown and a little crisp.
Serving suggestion: with Italian Lemon Chicken and Green Beans.
Sweet Potato Boats
Ingredients:
- 2 small sweet potatoes
- 50g ham, sliced into strips
- 2 button mushrooms, sliced
- 30g feta cheese
- 80g Greek yoghurt
- 1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 10g finely chopped chives
- 1/2 clove of garlic, minced
Method:
- Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven as jackets, for 20-25 minutes at 180C.
- Slice in half and mash up the sweet potato flesh. Season.
- In a pan, gently fry off the garlic and sliced mushrooms.
- Add the sliced ham and reduce the heat.
- Add the greek yoghurt and wholegrain mustard to the pan and gently simmer.
- Season well and add the feta cheese.
- Top each sweet potato boat with the ham and mushroom filling and serve, topped with chopped chives.
Sweet Potato Mustard Mash
Ingredients:
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1/2 clove of garlic, minced
- 10g chopped chives
- pinch of himalayan sea salt
- pinch of cracked black pepper
Method:
- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes.
- Bring a pan of water the the boil and add the potatoes.
- Boil for 7-10 minutes, until your potatoes are soft when poked with a knife.
- Drain off and add to a mixing bowl.
- Mash the potatoes together with the rest of the ingredients and serve.
Spiralised Sweet Potato ‘spaghetti’
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 finely sliced spring onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Spiralise the sweet potato using the spiraliser.
- Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the sweet potato for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the water and submerge in a bowl of cold water. This technique is known as ‘blanching’ and it prevents the sweet potato for over-cooking.
- In a pan, add the coconut oil and gently fry the garlic together with the herbs. Don’t burn the garlic or it will taste bitter.
- Drain the sweet potato noodles and add to the pan to heat back up with the spring onion. Add the lemon juice to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Sprinkle over the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.
Serving suggestion: This makes a great side for a spicy chicken breast or you could pair it with a healthy, lean beef ragu. You could even stir through some roasted Mediterranean vegetables for a quick and nutritious vegan meal.