Featured Food

The highest nutrient dense vegetable according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest is the sweet potato. This popular vegetable, commonly consumed during fall and winter, was a popular food item of the Native Americans. The sweet potato was also the primary food consumed by the soldiers during the Revolutionary war. Sweet potatoes are tuberous roots with smooth thin skins and white flesh and are grown in the U.S.

This sweet potato is often confused with yams that were imported from the Caribbean. Yams, who received their name from African slaves, have an orange flesh and can weigh up to 100 lbs. Yams, with their long cylindrical shape and rough, scaly skin, are not as nutrient dense as sweet potatoes. Yams must be cooked before consumption. However, yams and sweet potatoes are both commonly defined under the name "sweet potato". The sweetness of the potato develops from an enzyme in the potato that converts some starch into sugar. The sugar concentration increases with storage and cooking.

Select firm potatoes without cracks or bruises at the store then store them in a cool and dark room. Refrigeration may alter the flavor of the sweet potato. The sweet potato with its high sugar content is versatile and the shelf-life can be up to 2 weeks, however, if stored over 60 ° F the potato may became woody in texture, or sprout sooner. Therefore, after cooking, the sweet potato can be stored for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Sweet potatoes can be used in many dishes such as casseroles, breads, and good desserts combined with nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, honey, coconut, or lime.

Nutrition fact (1 sweet potato 5"): Energy 136.5 kcal, Carbohydrates 31.6 g, Fiber 3.9 g, Protein 2.1 g, Fat 0.4 g, water 94.7 g, Calcium 28.6 mg, Potassium 265.2 mg, Magnesium 13 mg, Phosphorus 36.4 mg, Sodium 16.9 mg, Vitamin C 29.5 mg, Folate 17.9 m g, Vitamin A 26082 IU, Vitamin A, RE 2608 m g

Information Courtesy of Iowa State University Extension

Roasted Squash with Sweet Potatoes & Garlic

Ingredients:

• 1 unpeeled acorn squash, washed, halved, seeded and cut into 12 equal pieces
• 4 medium (about 2 lbs) unpeeled sweet potatoes, washed and quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large sprig rosemary

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. Combine squash, potatoes and garlic in 9 x 13-inch shallow baking pan.
3. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper to taste, and top with rosemary sprig.
4. Bake 45-50 minutes, turning once after vegetables are browned on one side.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition Information: 150 calories, 5 grams total fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams protein, 3 grams fiber, 10 milligrams sodium, 0 milligrams cholesterol. Adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more recipes and access to the recipe's full nutritional profile, visit www.cdc.gov.