Christmas Articles - A “Sweet” Vegetable Just In Time For The Holiday Season

Sweet potatoes are often referred to “sweet potato pie” but there’s more you can do with the delicious winter vegetable. The sweet potato (or yam, as some people in the U.S. and Caribbean) is the starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots that comes the actual crop plant.

The edible root itself is long and tapered and has a skin colour which can be red, purple, brown and white.

Native to the tropical parts of the Americas, the sweet potato is now cultivated throughout warm and tropical regions wherever there is sufficient water to support their growth.

One popular area is the state of Mississippi, where the vegetable is grown on approximately 8,200 acres In regards to nutrition, the sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.

But aside from all the scientific research, sweet potatoes are used in a variety of different foods because of their delicious taste. But before you start cooking, you have to pick the right sweet potatoes at the grocery store.

A simple tip is to find firm, medium-sized potatoes with tapered ends. Avoid ones with blemishes, sprouts or any sign of decay.

For storage, keep the vegetable cool, dark and dry place instead of the refrigerator. Once you’re ready to cook, scrub the vegetable well as you would with the ordinary potato.

The vegetable itself can be candied, baked, steamed, boiled and even sliced and fried into the equivalent of a potato chip. But in today’s world of dishes, the sweet potato has also been used in soufflés, casseroles and simple side dishes.

So instead of just making a simple sweet potato pie this holiday season, entertain your family by creating a scrumptious dish that they will remember for years to come. Just make sure to remind them Christmas only comes once a year!

Here are some delicious recipes that are easy to make and full of sweet potatoes!

Cherry-Sweet Potato Bread

http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/39041/

Sweet Potato and Cranberry Quiche

http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/23348/

Pork Chops and Sweet Potato Gravy

http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/32475/

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