Sweet Potato Casserole is a great place to start if you desire a tasty meal and wish to reap some of the many benefits of the sweet potato. The sweet potato is also referred to as Yam in some parts of the world. The average per capita consumption of sweet potato used to be in excess of 10kg per year, in the early part of the 20th Century. However as we have become more affluent and your diets have changed, the consumption of sweet potato has been reduced to around 2kg a year. Consuming more is beneficial for good health as not only is it packed with excellent nutrients but it is inexpensive, easy to incorporate into your regular dietary intake and best of all, raw sweet potato only contains around 86 calories per 100g. Sweet potato is a great choice for diabetics as well as it assists in the stabilization of blood sugar levels and lowers insulin resistance.
Why is sweet potato casserole so good?
The darker the flesh in your sweet potato, the more carotene it contains, this is good news as carotene is essential for the absorption of vitamin A. When you include sweet potato in your diet you will be benefiting from the following nutrient values:
- Complex carbohydrates
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Carotene
Not only does it contain the above nutrients but research shows that it contains more complex carbohydrate, protein, Vitamin A and C, Iron and fiber content than any other vegetable! Remember that our bodies need certain foods more than others, and if you follow a blood type diet, sweet potato is in the clear unless you are a type A.
Below is a fantastic recipe for a casserole that contains sweet potato. It is delicious and low in fat so you can enjoy it and know that you are eating a meal that is good for your health. I cook mine in a slow cooker but it also works in a casserole dish on 180 degrees Celcius.
Vegetable and Chickpea Curry
Preparation Time; 35 minutes, cooking time; 3-4 hrs.
Ingredients:
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ tablespoon minced turmeric
- 1 red chilli (seeded and minced)
- Indian curry paste to taste (2-3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1 1/2 cups of hot water
- 500g orange sweet potato, diced diagonally
- 250g cauliflower, cut into florets
- 250g broccoli, cut into florets
- 100g of eggplant, 3cm thick slices
- 400gm tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
- 155g of beans, cut into 3cm thick slices
- 165 ml of low fat coconut milk
- Coriander leaves to garnish
Mix garlic, turmeric, chilli, curry paste, spices, tomatoes and the vegetable stock into the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the beans and coconut milk. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until vegetable are done. Cook for a further ten minutes after you add the remaining ingredients.
Serve with a ladle onto a bed of basmati rice and garnish with the coriander leaves.
Try and incorporate sweet potato into your diet regularly and perhaps even instead of potato most of the time, as it has superior nutritional value (and it tastes better).
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