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Sweet Potato Basics
Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
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- Choose firm, smooth-skinned sweet potatoes without cuts, soft spots, or bruises.
- Fresh sweet potatoes are likely to be lowest cost and best quality from October to January.
- Frozen and canned sweet potatoes (yams) are available year-round.
Sweet Potato Math
- One pound raw fresh sweet potato = 3 cups shredded, cubed, or sliced = 1 3/4 cups cooked, mashed
- Yellow flesh: texture like baked potatoes when cooked.
- Orange flesh: usually called yams in the store. Moist and sweet when cooked.
Preparing Sweet Potatoes
- Fresh/Raw: Serve sticks or thin rounds with your favorite dip, or grate and toss in a salad.
- Bake/Roast: Prick the skin of whole sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Bake until tender. Depending on size and oven temperature, whole sweet potatoes take 45 - 60 minutes; cubes or sticks take the 20 - 30 minutes.
- Microwave: Prick the skin of whole sweet potatoes several times. Microwave on high until tender, 5 to 8 minutes for whole sweet potatoes depending on size and amount.
- Steam: Steam in a basket over boiling water until tender, about 40 - 50 minutes for whole sweet potatoes and 15 - 30 minutes for cubes.
- Boil: Cook in boiling water until tender, about 35 - 40 minutes for whole sweet potatoes and 12 minutes for cubes.
- Sauté: Peel and slice or cube. Sauté in a small amount of oil until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Grill: Slice lengthwise into halves or thick slices. Grill until tender, turning once.
- Sweet potatoes are often called yams in the united states.
Store Well Waste Less
- Store in a cool, dark area in an open container or bag that allows air flow. Use within 2 weeks for best quality. Refrigeration of raw sweet potatoes can cause a hard center and an unpleasant taste.
- Scrub under cool running water just before using.
- Cooked sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for 4 to 5 days.
- Cooked sweet potatoes can be frozen whole, sliced, or mashed.
- Package in an airtight bag or container. Use within 10 to 12 months.
Enjoy Sweet Potatoes
Recipes
Sweet Potato and Orange Muffins
Savory Sweet Potatoes
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Mash cooked sweet potatoes with enough milk to make creamy. Season with salt and pepper or add a dash of cinnamon or chili powder.
Kids Can!
When kids help make healthy food, they are more likely to try it. Show kids how to:
- scrub sweet potatoes under cool running water.
- prick whole sweet potatoes with a fork before baking or microwaving.
- mix sweet potato cubes with oil and seasonings before roasting.