Recipe: Sweet Potatoes Galore!

by Rachel Tsao

Fall is in the air. Which means students are layering on their Bruin sweatshirts, enjoying the crisp air as they stroll down Bruinwalk, and savoring every sip of their pumpkin spice lattes during class. But ’tis the season for sweet potatoes as well. Sure, you might want to celebrate the season with pumpkin spice-doused products (there’s nothing wrong with them), but there is so much more you can do with sweet potatoes. Not to mention, they are especially cheap and abundant during this time of year. Here are four healthy, vegan-friendly recipes made with my favorite root vegetable.

Breakfast Sweet Potato Pancakes

photos by RACHEL TSAO

Ingredients

1 cup Sweet potato, pureed

1/2 cup Banana, mashed

2 cups Oat flour

2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground ginger

1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Almond milk

1 tbsp Maple syrup

Coconut oil for frying

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add to the dry mix and fold until well combined.

3. Preheat skillet on medium heat, and lightly brush with coconut oil.

4. Ladle 1/4 cup batter onto skillet.

5. Cook on each side on low heat for 2 minutes, and flip when edges start to brown.

6. Repeat until batter is used up.

Healthy-licious Sweet Potato Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups Sweet potato, grated

1 cup Oat flour

1/2 cup Almond meal

1/4 cup Brown sugar

1/2 cup Desiccated coconut

2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground ginger

1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg

1/2 cup Coconut milk

1/3 cup Coconut oil

1 tbsp White vinegar

1 tbsp Maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC, and line muffin tin with muffin liners.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

3. Add grated sweet potato in the dry mixture and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add to the dry mix and fold until well combined.

5. Spoon batter into muffin tin, and add toppings of choice (add chopped almonds and granola for the perfect crunch).

6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool slightly before serving.

Guilt-free Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

2 cups Sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked

3/4 cup Coconut milk

1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp Maple syrup

1/4 Salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

3. Serve with chocolate shavings.

Actually Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

4 large Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fry-shaped pieces 1/4-inch thick

6 tbsp Cornstarch

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp Garlic salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper

1 tsp Paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220ºC.

2. Soak sweet potato fries in cold water for at least 2 hours.

3. After soaking, drain and pat them dry.

4. In a large bowl, toss the fries with just enough cornstarch to coat, followed by olive oil.

5. Season with salt, pepper and spices of choice (I personally love paprika!)

6. Arrange fries in single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray. Do not overcrowd.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, turning them half-way, until tender and golden brown.

Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

4 Sweet potatoes

1 Avocado

1 cup Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Lime juice, to taste

Garlic salt, to taste

Paprika, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.

2. Prick potatoes with a fork before baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.

3. Meanwhile, mash together the avocado, lime juice, and garlic salt in a bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, season chickpeas with paprika and a squeeze of lime.

5. Once potatoes are thoroughly baked, slice potatoes open and stuff with avocado and chickpeas.

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