Sweet Potatoes In Smoothies

Growing up, the only time sweet potatoes showed up on my table was on a holiday.......usually Thanksgiving.  They were cooked in loads of butter and brown sugar. The result was a sweet, sticky, gooey mess. There was no way to hide the grossness. I never liked them and avoided them at all costs.  It was only just recently that a friend of mine suggested putting them in smoothies.  Shit!  I'll try anything!  Plus I also had my coach who willingly tries anything I make.  I was pretty fucking surprised to discover that putting them in smoothies didn't suck!

Sweet potatoes are distantly related to potatoes but unlike potatoes, they are not a nightshade plant, which is good news for those of us who have a hard time with nightshade veggies.  They have great nutritional content and the darker orange the flesh, the better they are!  They are a simple starch and are loaded with complex carbs, fiber, Vitamin C and betacarotene (the last two both increases when you cook them).  They also have potassium, calcium, vitamins B5 & B6, and manganese.

Cooking these tubers of love for use in smoothies is so easy!  Keep the skins on.  Chop them and throw them in a baking pan with some water and toss that shit in a 350 degree oven until they are soft. Check them every once in a while to make sure they aren't burning.  Once they are done, store them in the fridge or freezer.  If you freeze them, lay them out on a parchment covered baking sheet to freeze otherwise those little bastards will stick together and make your life hell trying to separate them!  Once they are solid, throw them in a freezer bag.