Sweet Sweet Sweet Potato

Isn't it just darling to find new ways to cook well-loved foods? I am talking about the sweetest potato I know.  

(Sweet potato or yam? In the US we use the terms interchangeably. Botanically, they are two different tubers. But most of what we enjoy here in the States are true sweet potatoes! Google it.)

Three sweet potatoes. Two new recipes. One tasty and beta carotene-filled day!

My excuses for cooking up Sweet Potato Blueberry Muffins and Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes are both internship-related.

First, the muffins. Another intern and I are testing recipes we will make for a breakfast event in Keene honoring Champions in the area. Champions are individuals and organizations who have pledged to help make Keene the healthiest community in the country by the year 2020. (Also known as Vision 2020.) The breakfast is in March. We'll prepare food for about 50 people, and then give a short presentation on how to make the most out of breakfast. So far we know we will make homemade granola bars, mini-quiches, and muffins. We are also able to serve yogurt, fruit, and coffee... making it a complete meal. I like this recipe because it is so different, wholesome, and kind of fun! (I mean, a sweet potato muffin? Really? I still get a kick out of it!)

This recipe was adapted from chef Mark Bittman's Sweet Potato Muffins, created for Runner's World Magazine. If you look at his recipe, you'll notice I added 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, tossed in a bit of flour. I also substituted some brown sugar for the white, and next time may even use a bit of maple syrup too (you just do that in New Hampshire.) These treats are the perfect, perfect pre-workout fuel... and a delightful afternoon snack.

*Update* The second time I baked these, I reduced the total amount of regular whole wheat flour from 2 1/2 down to 2 cups. The muffins came out a bit lighter and even better! I imagine if you used whole wheat pastry, 2 1/2 would still be fine, but it can be hard to find.

"Make me! Eat me!"

The other sweet (potato) dish we whipped up (literally) is a mashed sweet potato with some uncommon flavors. Let me explain. A fellow intern and I are doing a lunch 'n' learn presentation at a local senior center. Since seniors are often told what they can't eat, (goodbye saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamin K perhaps...) we are going to talk to them about how to make what they do eat even better. With spices! Did you know... 1 tsp of cinnamon contains the antioxidant equivalent of 1/2 cup of blueberries? Dried spices are essentially concentrated forms of fruits and vegetables. No, that doesn't mean we can replace vegetables with spices in our diets, but it does mean we can maximize the nutrient punch by adding spice.

These spices are some of the most powerful:

• Cloves 
• Cinnamon 
• Oregano 
• Turmeric 
• Curry 
• Thyme
• Ginger
• Cumin
• Black pepper

To start off the session with our seniors, we'll have them taste our Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes and guess what spices we added to the dish. Much of our research for the topic, as well as the recipe, came from McCormick.

Recipe: Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

1. Cook 2 lbs sweet potatoes. (Microwave, boil, bake, whatever your heart desires. We microwaved!) 
2. Mash.
3. Add 2 tbsp butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp dried thyme.

Thanks McCormick for the photo... I promise it looked like this when I made it too!

I think you will find this dish intriguing. The vanilla suggests sweetness, but the thyme keeps it savory. And the ginger does its own thing. It's good, I promise. One taste-tester exclaimed... This is confusing!

Keep it interesting! Happy cooking!

Empty Bowls- A Community Food Event

Lunch on Saturday made me feel good from the inside out. The concept was simple: students, artists, and everyone in between donated handmade bowls to The Community Kitchen, a local soup kitchen in Keene... local restaurants and chefs donated big batches of their best soups... the public was welcome to purchase a bowl and partake in an all-you-care-to-enjoy scrumptious soup lunch. The sweetest ending is that all of the proceeds from the lunch will go to the hungry and needy in our local community!

Step 1: Choose a bowl.

Some bowls cost $5... some cost $70!

Mine's the blue one in the front... made by Cam, grade 7.

Step 2. Go through the soup line and taste all the soup!

Step 3. Go back for a bowl of your favorite... and don't forget dessert!

My taste buds were too overwhelmed to remember to vote for my favorite soup. No soup was boring... the selection included:

• Vermont Cheddar Ale (Winner of People's Choice Award... tasted like fondue!)
• Pumpkin Cider Bisque
• Butternut Squash with Ginger (2nd place Overall Winner... made by Luca's restaurant)
• White Bean and Fennel
• Vegan Cream of Corn (this one was actually one of my faves... it had a very fresh, light, corny taste)
• Roasted Eggplant and Potato Leek
• Corn Chowder with Bacon (personal favorite of Emily, Kelly, and Heather) 
• Chicken Tortilla (1st Place Overall) 

Fresh bread was served to every table, along with apple cider or pomegranate tea to drink and your choice of a killer cake; Pumpkin (pictured above), Apple Spice with Chocolate Chips (aka "War Cake"), or Banana.

I just loved this event. It was wonderful to see people of all ages and walks of life gathering together over fabulous food for a good cause!