Receta In praise of sweet potatoes #alexiafoods
I’m here today to praise the sweet potato. No only is it delicious, easy to prepare, and pretty, it’s also good for you. According to the folks at the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission:
One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides 1,922 mcg_RAE of beta carotene (Vitamin A).It would take 16 cups of broccoli to provide the same amount!
Sweet potatoes have four times the US Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) for beta-carotene when eaten with the skin on.
Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin E, but are virtually fat-free. Most Vitamin E rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat. Two thirds of a cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of the USRDA for Vitamin E.
Sweet potatoes provide many other essential nutrients including Vitamin B6, potassium and iron.
Sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, which helps to promote a healthy digestive tract. Bet you didn’t know that sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal!
Sweet potatoes are a complex carbohydrate.
Sweet potatoes are virtually fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium. One cup (200 grams) of cooked sweet potatoes has 180 calories.
The Sweet Potato Council of California has a sweet potato nutritional comparison chart on their website. Check it out to see how sweet potatoes compare to other vegetables.
The Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission says the folate in sweet potatoes helps reduce homocysteine levels, a chemical capable of destroying the circulatory system and causing heart attacks! Also, potassium in sweet potatoes helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body cells, as well as normal heart function, nerve function and blood pressure.
Alexia Foods Reinvent a Classic French Fry contest
With all this in mind, how could I not choose sweet potatoes for my Alexia Foods “Reinvent a Classic” French fry creation?
Now I need to figure out if I want to use a traditional French fry julienne cut, a crinkle cut, or maybe should I get out my mandoline and make some waffle fries? Alexia Foods makes sweet potato fries in all three cuts. Plus, they make bite-sized sweet potato puffs!
I’m leaning towards a waffle cut just because it looks like fun. Here’s how you make waffle fries using a mandoline:
I’m a little intimidated by my Pampered Chef Mandoline, so I could end up using my Pampered Chef Crinkle Cutter instead to make crinkle cut sweet potato fries. Thank goodness I bought a lot of sweet potatoes to practice on!
Once I get the cutting down, I’ll be working on the flavors. So stay tuned!
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Disclosure: I am being compensated for my time in working with Alexia Foods on this project. All opinions are my own.