04 Apr It’s Sweet Potato Week! Here’s why I LOVE them

Ladies and gents: I’ve heard that this week is actually Sweet Potato Week and so I – your vegan girl Deni – am celebrating!

Baked sweet potato

There are myriad reasons why I love scrummy sweet spuds.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ve got a penchant for all kind of root veg. I’ve been known to often say to my partner while we’re impatiently preparing dinner: ‘Want to share a carrot, babe?’.

I love a plain, naughty potato. Jacket, mash, even a cheeky chip. A Japanese potato (purple skin) melts like caramel when baked properly. Don’t even get me started on Caribbean cassava…

But there’s something special about the classic American sweet potato, with orange flesh. Here’s why:

Their succulent flavour goes with many sweet or savoury dishes. Sweet potatoes really have the taste factor.

They’re sweet, a bit aromatic like a pumpkin, nutty (a bit chestnutty!), creamy and doughey. I find them so moreish.

In general, some healthy, tasty accompaniments with which I like to pair them. include baked tamari tofu, beans and broccoli. A perfect dinner.

Oven roasted sweet potatoes

I love ’em both but American sweet potatoes are much better for you than white potatoes and provide a slower energy release.

They have a little more sugar but more fibre, fewer calories, and way more vitamins.

The beta-carotine is an anti-ageing antioxidant and they have loads of vitamin A for glowing skin.

Are you sold yet?!

Yellow and white-fleshed ‘yams’ (in the US) – or sweet potatoes as we know them

Not just any cake but raw, fudgy, protein-packed chocolate brownies.

OMG I hear you say. Yep – and this recipe from VEGA is the absolute bomb.

Makes 16 portions, prep time 15 mins (plus 2 hrs chill time).

Ingredients

300g pitted medjool dates
150g pecan nuts, plus 12 reserved pecan nuts for decoration
Pinch salt
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 scoops (108g) Chocolate Vega® Essentials
2 small cooked sweet potatoes

I love this protein brownie recipe (Bikini Girls Diary)

Method

Add the pecan nuts to a food processor and blend into a flour.
Scoop the sweet potato flesh and add to the food processor with 2 tbsp cocoa powder, pinch of salt, dates and Chocolate Vega® Essentials. Blend into a smooth mixture.
Line a small square deep-sided baking dish with parchment paper and squash the mixture right into the corners and level it out with the back of a spoon. Put in the fridge to chill for two hours.
Dust the top with the remaining cocoa powder and cut into 16 squares. Press a pecan nut into the top of each one.

Here’s to the sweet potato!