Food Rx: Health Benefits Of Sweetpotatoes + 3 Sweetpotato Breakfast Boats Recipes
by Julie Harrington, RD
We’ve teamed up with Julie Harrington, registered dietitian and culinary nutrition chef in a series focusing on the important role food plays in overall health. In today’s Food Rx episode, we’re talking about all things sweetpotatoes and we have three delicious Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat recipes, so be sure to watch the video. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. All opinions are our own.
Sweetpotatoes have a plethora of nutritional benefits. They are a starchy root vegetable high in fiber and contain a whole range of vitamins and minerals. They’re also a great source of antioxidants which help protect the body against disease. Surprisingly, sweetpotatoes provide a plant-source of calcium, helping to facilitate strong and healthy bones.
While regular potatoes are nutritious, sweetpotatoes have more bang for your buck. Sweetpotatoes have the better ability to strengthen and support your immune system. The presence of beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C all contribute to the sweetpotato’s immune boosting properties. Vitamin A is also great for your eyesight and skin.
The abundance of non-heme iron found in them helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body more efficiently. Non-heme iron is better absorbed accompanied with vitamin C (which sweetpotatoes already have!) The potassium in sweetpotatoes also helps to regulate blood pressure.
With sweetpotatoes being rich in fiber, it helps you stay full and satiated throughout the day, as well as helps to improve gut health. But did you know that fiber also helps prevent cancer, manage heart disease, and regulate blood sugar. Talk about a super root!
How to select and store sweetpotatoes:
Picking out the right sweetpotato from the produce section can be made easier when you know what to look for. Start off by seeking a sweetpotato that is smooth, clean, and firm textured. Also be sure it has no cuts, bruises, or discoloration.
Once you’ve purchased the perfect sweetpotatoes you must store them correctly to preserve their perfection. Find a cool, dark, and ventilated place to store them, like a pantry. Be sure to avoid storing them in the refrigerator. This will produce a hard center and unpleasant taste. Other areas, such as beneath the sink and next to large appliances, should also be avoided. These areas tend to get warmer than desired when it comes to sweetpotato storage.
Another quick and easy tip for your sweetpotatoes is to store them in a perforated plastic or paper bag. This is the best environment for promoting a long and stable shelf life. Also be sure to avoid washing your sweetpotatoes before storing. The dampness can promote early spoiling.
Incorporating sweetpotatoes all year round:
Sweetpotatoes are available year-round because of North Carolina’s unique storage capabilities, so there’s no excuse to be skimping out on these taters. They can also be adapted for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even for dessert. Another great way to incorporate more sweetpotatoes in your diet is by swapping them in for another food in a recipe. One food that can easily be swapped with sweetpotatoes is pumpkin. Any time you would use pumpkin puree can be swapped 1:1 for sweet potato puree. You can also cook them in a variety of ways so you never get bored of them. They can be baked, roasted, grilled, pureed, mashed, etc.
Fun Facts:
Did you know that sweetpotato is actually one word? Who knew! Or that the flesh of a sweetpotato can come in a variety of colors like orange, white, and purple. How about the fact that February is National Sweetpotato Month, or that the sweetpotato is North Carolina’s official vegetable? The United States alone produces 2.5 billion pounds of sweetpotatoes annually, while 260 billion pounds are produced globally each year.
Now that you know all about this incredible orange superfood, watch Chef Julie make Sweetpotato Breakfast Bowls – 3 ways! Breakfast is served 🙂
I also wanted to include the Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat recipes below so that you can print them and save them for later. These are definitely healthy breakfast recipes you will want to make again and again. Be sure to prep the sweetpotatoes ahead of time, then you can use them all week for breakfast. I love meal-prepping when I can. It saves so much time!
Baked Sweetpotatoes
Ingredients
- 3 sweetpotatoes
Instructions
For the oven
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and scrub potatoes.
- Using a paring knife to pierce into the sweet potatoes, and loosely wrap each sweet potato in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until puffed up and soft inside when pierced with a fork.
For the Instant Pot
- Wash and scrub sweet potatoes. Using a paring knife, pierce sweet potatoes.
- Set a heatproof trivet or steamer basking in a 6-quart Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Add 1 cup of water and place the sweet potatoes on the trivet.
- Lock the lid and seal the valve. Set to cook for 18 minutes on HIGH pressure for medium potatoes or 25 minutes for large potatoes.
- When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure. Open the pressure cooker and remove the sweet potatoes with tongs.
Nutrition
Now that you have your baked sweetpotatoes ready, let’s make some breakfast! You are going to love this Banana PB&J Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat
Banana PB and J Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat
Ingredients
- 1 baked sweetpotato
- 1 banana sliced
- ¼ cup strawberries chopped
- 4 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Strawberry Chia Jam We made ours with this recipe, but you can also use store bought
Instructions
- Cut the baked sweet potato in half. Gently scoop out the flesh of the sweet potato, mash with a fork, then restuff into the sweet potato skin.
- Each half layer slices of banana and strawberries. Drizzle with peanut butter and strawberry chia jam.
Notes
Nutrition
Blueberry Maple Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat is topped with fresh in-season blueberries, maple syrup and a little crunch. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a sweet treat at lunch.
Blueberry Maple Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat
Ingredients
- 1 baked sweetpotato
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 2 tbsp pecans
- 2 tsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Cut the baked sweet potato in half. Gently scoop out the flesh of the sweet potato, mash with a fork, then restuff into the sweet potato skin.
- Drizzle each half of the sweet potatoes with maple syrup, almond butter. Sprinkle on blueberries, pecans, and chia seeds.
Nutrition
We are switching from sweet to savoy with this Bacon, Egg, Cheese Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat. Topped with all your favorite breakfast foods, you will love this one!
Bacon, Egg, Cheese Sweetpotato Breakfast Boat
Ingredients
- 1 baked sweetpotato
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 tbsp chives thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the baked sweet potato in half. Gently scoop out the flesh of the sweet potato, mash with a fork, then restuff into the sweet potato skin. Place on the baking sheet.
- Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the sweet potatoes. Crack an egg into each sweet potato half. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 2-10 minutes or until eggs are cooked to desired doneness.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with bacon and chives.
Notes
Looking for more delicious ways to enjoy sweetpotatoes? Here are a few of our favorite sweetpotato recipes:
- Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream – Made with Sweetpotatoes!
- Sweetpotato Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Sweetpotato and Apple Casserole
- Roasted Sweetpotato Taco Bowls
Notes about our sponsor:
The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission was founded back in 1961 with only six original charter members. Fast forward to present day and the Commission now has over 400 farmers along with their packers, processors, and business associates belonging to the commission. The NC Sweetpotato Commission is a non-profit organization focused on promoting sweetpotato consumption through education, promotional activities, research, and honorable horticultural practices. Thanks to these efforts North Carolina has been the number one state in terms of sweetpotato production since 1971.
Their name is a bit different in that it is typed out as North Carolina SweetPotato Commission with a Capital P for emphasis.
