Growing up I was a huge fan of potatoes. Whether they were mashed, fried or baked, potatoes were my “vegetable” of choice. For years my mom had talked about how much she loved sweet potatoes and I would smile and nod my head but could not get over the bright orange glow of these supposed “potatoes.” That was until I started eating paleo. A sweet potato fry here, a baked yam there and pretty soon I was hooked. But I still couldn’t figure out how could something that looked so much like mushed carrots could be so delicious!
Now, three years into my paleo adventure, I like to consider myself a bit of a sweet potato connoisseur. Sweet potato french fries, latkes, tater tots and chips. You name it, J and I have mastered it. However, mashed sweet potatoes were by far the biggest challenge. Too many recipes make the sweetness to strong, adding maple syrup or honey. Instead, I wanted to keep the original flavor and sweetness center stage, without adding anything that might outshine it. So I decided the best way to do this is stick with what I know. Bake the potatoes first to cook them and then mash them together with some coconut milk, butter and cinnamon. What you get is pure magic!
What is your favorite way to eat a sweet potato?
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Wash the sweet potatoes and pat dry
- Pierce each sweet potatoes several times with a fork
- Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until soft
- Remove and let cool before removing the skin
- Place the inside of the potato in a large bowl
- Mix in the butter, coconut milk, cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt using an electric mixer