I have an undying love for wholesome sweet potatoes. I batch cook them on the weekend so I can enjoy them for breakfast every day. They are a more filling, gluten-free, fiber-rich canvas for sweet or savory toppings than bread. I use Japanese sweet potatoes and orange sweet potatoes interchangeably. Japanese sweet potatoes are purple on the outside and yellow inside. They have a sweeter taste than orange sweet potatoes, which are also called yams. They are also fluffier. Leveled up with sweet cashew cream and berries or nut butter and banana, topped with a lil’ crunch from nuts and seeds—I want you to see possibilities in sweet potatoes! Add them to bowls and smoothies or smother them with Loaded Chipotle Chili for dinner.
Ingredients
- 7 small to medium (6 to 7 ounces each) Japanese sweet potatoes or orange sweet potatoes (yams), skinon and scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons neutral
- oil, such as avocado or
- grapeseed
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Use a fork to poke holes on all sides of the potatoes. Arrange them on the baking sheet, drizzle the oil over them, tossing to coat evenly, then sprinkle with the salt. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they are soft and easily pierced with a knife.
If you’re making this to serve right away, slice a still-warm sweet potato down the middle and top with your choice of toppings (see the Variations that follow for ideas). Then turn to your fur-kid or beautiful human in your life and say, “Good morning, Sweet Potato!”
If batch cooking for later, transfer the potatoes to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Variations:
Nut Butter and Banana Sweet Potatoes: Fill a warmed potato with 2 tablespoons nut butter, such as cashew, peanut, or almond. Top with banana slices and 1 tablespoon seeds (hemp, pumpkin, or sunflower). Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste.
Sweet Cashew Cream, Berry and Seed Sweet Potatoes: Fill a warmed potato with 2 tablespoons Sweet Cashew Cream, followed by 1⁄4 cup fresh berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. Scatter 1 table- spoon seeds (hemp, pumpkin, or sunflower) over the top.
Hot Sweet Potato Scramble: Fill a warmed potato with Really Good Tofu Scramble. Top with avocado slices and a dash of sriracha or other hot sauce
NOTES:
TO REHEAT SWEET POTATOES IN THE MICROWAVE: Wrap a roasted potato in a damp paper towel and place in the microwave to reheat for 2 to 3 minutes.
TO REHEAT IN THE OVEN: Preheat the oven to 350of. Place a roasted sweet potato on a sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes to warm through.
TO REHEAT IN AN AIR FRYER: Preheat the air fryer to 350F, add 2 to 3 potatoes, depending on the size of the basket, and warm for 15 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Excerpted from EAT WHAT ELEPHANTS EAT: Vegan Recipes for a Strong Body and a Gentle Spirit. Copyright @ 2024 by Dominick Thompson. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Caitlin Bensel. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
