Lifestyle

11 Epic Reasons You Should be Eating Sweet Potatoes

By Rose Gerber at University of Pittsburgh

As a young child, I ate so many sweet potatoes that my skin literally took on a distinctly orange tinge. I stopped eating them for about 15 years, but I’m now back on Team Sweet Potato and occasionally marvel at the orange glow emanating from my being.

In honor of sexy sweet potato glows, I’ve decided to compile some proof that sweet potatoes can (and should!) be eaten on more occasions than you may realize.

You see, sweet potatoes swing both ways. Actually, I would like to argue that sweet potatoes swing ALL ways. Does anything else exist that can cover such a large range of dietary preferences, geographic locations, textures, economic states, functions, and flavors? No. Sweet potatoes sweep the board.

Join me as we explore some of the many times in which the humble sweet potato are versatile AF.

1. You can choose between dipping them in something or dipping something in them.

As far as what you could dip in this sweet potato chipotle hummus, the possibilities are endless. I’d recommend pita chips, tortilla chips, toasted bread, baby carrots, cucumbers, celery, olives, chicken strips, french fries, or, most epic of all—sweet potato chips.

Although I highly recommend dipping these sweet potato chips in the previously mentioned chipotle sweet potato hummus, you could also dip them in other kinds of hummus, fresh salsa, french onion dip, 7-layer dip, or buffalo chicken dip.

2. You can serve them to all of your friends, vegan or paleo.

Hosting vegans? Wow them with this vegan sweet potato mac ‘n cheese.

If you want your friends who follow the Paleo diet to bow down to you, serve them an apple and bacon stuffed sweet potato.

3. They can be made by broke college students as well as the swankiest of restaurants.

Busy? Broke? Lazy? Hungry? Steam a sweet potato in the microwave and watch all of your problems dissolve into fluffy, sweet, orange-y goodness.

Or, if you have the cash and need to impress someone, fix them some of these sweet potato shrimp boats.

4. They encompass a full range of textures, from creamy to crispy.

In this curried butternut squash soup recipe, simply swap the squash with sweet potato for a hot, nourishing, creamy sweet potato soup.

A photo posted by Local Lunchbox (@locallunchboxaz) on Nov 30, 2015 at 5:20pm PST

True Life: I once at an entire bag of One Potato Two Potato sweet potato chips from Whole Foods while waiting for the bus. The irresistible crunch mixed with a perfect blend of sweet and salty makes for a dangerous situation. I highly recommend the experience.

5. They can be healthy, or nah.

Make this sweet potato, apple, carrot and feta salad using fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market. Feel like a goddess.

ORRRR put on a cozy (read: big) sweater and curl up with a bowl of sweet potato bacon mac ‘n cheese. This is actually a cheese-free recipe, but throw some in if your body says yes. Feel like the goddess of cheese, carbs, and bacon.

6. They can be consumed cold or hot.

Q: What’s better than your favorite root vegetable, ice cream, and booze?

A: All of them, together, at once, in this sweet potato pie boozy milkshake.

Too cold for ice cream? Cuddle up with some steaming sweet potato lentil soup and stay warm all winter.

7. You can have them at any time of the day or night.

EL SPECIAL :: Sweet Potato Pancakes. Puréed sweet potato whipped into our pancake batter. Topped with some very special supporting cast members, toasted pecans, cinnamon butter and an apple, maple syrup. Come try it this weekend. #nestnation #sweetpotato #sweetpotatopancakes #pancakes #nestspecials

A photo posted by The Nest (@eatatthenest) on Nov 13, 2015 at 12:20pm PST

Sweet potato pancakes? Yasss. Root vegetables for breakfast is how I roll.

Late night munchies? Whip up a batch of these delicious sweet potato cookies.

8. You can top them with anything from cheese to marshmallows.

I’m a big fan of staying in, and these cheesy sweet potato wedges may be the most perfect staying-in food I’ve ever heard of.

The Thanksgiving sweet potato is ideal for two situations: the first is Thanksgiving, the second is when your sweet tooth is raging but all you have in the house is sweet potatoes and marshmallows.

9. You can eat them in any part of the country.

Holla @ me, west coast friends. As a native Oregonian, I can verify that sweet potatoes in tacos are a win. Nom yourself some chipotle sweet potato tacos.

Now I live in Pittsburgh, boo. But wait, do I spy sweet potato fries being served with this buffalo chicken wrap from Peter’s Pub? I could literally walk there in 3 minutes. Midwest, maybe you’re alright after all.

10. They can be transformed to fit any culture’s customs.

Although they originated in Portugal, empanadas have reached much of Latin Europe, Latin America, and parts of other regions. Do yourself a favor and make some sweet potato and brie empanadas.

These sweet potato latkes are an orange spin-off of the classic Hanukkah dish.

11. They’re in two of the best food groups: fries and bread.

I strongly believe that sweet potato fries are superior to normal fries. Look at these magnificent, delicious bundles of beta-carotene. Time to stop drooling and go make some oven-baked sweet potato fries.

As Freelee the Banana Girl would say, “carb the f*ck up” with this spiced sweet potato bread.

Immerse yourself in the wonderful world of the root vegetable:

• How to Roast Root Vegetables
• 5 Reasons Beets are the Next Kale
• How to Make Roasted Carrots that Caramelize Themselves