Give Me Starchy Roots Any Day

Sweet potatoes might not be the sexiest of veggies out there, but I'm definitely attracted to them. 
With my running steadily becoming more intense the closer I get to my marathon, I've tried to boost my calorie intake and make sure I'm getting all the necessary vitamins I can from my food. 
The sweet potato has some amazing qualities and benefits that make this yummy root a win/win! 

Here are just some reasons the sweet potato is the Top Tuber! 

-Rich in beta carotene
-Lots of fiber
-Contains potassium and manganese
-Loaded with Vitamin A and C
-a great complex carbohydrate


Angela from Oh She Glows shared a lovely recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad on her website. After searching for a different way to serve sweet potatoes, I knew this would be a perfect meal after my long run. My version is pretty similar, just a few changes. 

Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (Juice of 2 limes)
1 tsp cumin
1 can of cooked black beans, drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Place sweet potatoes (I added regular potatoes in as well), chopped onion, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Toss till evenly coated and season with salt and pepper. Bake on a cookie sheet for about 35-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. The veggies should be tender and lightly browned.

While this is cooking, mix your dressing together in a bowl. Use the rest of the olive oil, a dash of salt, minced garlic cloves, lime juice, cumin, and cilantro (I didn't have fresh cilantro, so I substituted in oregano and basil). Mix in the beans and stir well.  Once the potatoes and onions are done, mix the beans, dressing, and the veggies all together.  

I paired this with one of the healthiest and easiest grains to make...couscous; along with some baked whole wheat pita bread! So simple. 

Green Pepper Couscous:
 Pour 2 cups of water or broth (I used vegetable broth) in a pot
 Cut up 1/4 cup green peppers and put in broth
Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. 
Put 1 cup couscous in and cover. 
Wait 5-10 minutes and fluff with a fork. 

You're Done! 




What is your favorite meal for after workouts or a long day? 
Does anyone have a great recipe for sweet potatoes that you'd like to share? 

Happy Monday! 

-KateLainey 



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2 Responses to Give Me Starchy Roots Any Day

  1. What are you talking about? Sweet potatoes are fine as hell! :P

    I loooooove sweet potatoes! You keep posting such delicious looking recipes and cute crafts! I am going to send some of them to my mom and ask her to make them since she is the cook in the family. These look goooood!

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  2. Umm...I beg to differ; sweet potatoes are as sexy as it gets. And that dish? My mouth is watering for it. Yum, yum.

    ReplyDelete

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