Monday, November 2, 2009

Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Butter (NOT high raw)



Let me just start by introducing my favorite raw food product ever - Artisana's Coconut Butter. This is not to be confused with Coconut Oil. Coconut butter is a mixture of the oil and meat from coconuts. The result is a delicious and creamy treat that tastes like the tropics. It's wonderful to blend into smoothies or to spread onto Manna Bread. Yesterday, I spread it on baked sweet potatoes.

My craving for sweet potatoes started on Wednesday. I was strolling through the greenmarket at Union Square and came across beautiful sweet potatoes. Usually I prepare baked sweet potatoes by slathering them with butter and brown sugar. While the flavor of this preparation method is heavenly, the nutritional content is disastrous. Then I remembered stumbling across a blog that was created by a student of the lovely and talented Gena (of Choosing Raw fame). Apparently, Gena taught her student how to top baked sweet potatoes with coconut butter instead of dairy butter - and that's exactly what I did.


Recipe:
First scrub the skin of sweet potatoes. Allow to dry for a few minutes.
Gently rub some olive oil into the skin and place on a baking sheet.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, turning half way through cooking time. Potatoes should be completely tender when pierced with a knife.
Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Cut potatoes in half.
Lightly salt potatoes.
Dollop 2 heaping teaspoons of Artisana coconut butter on each half.
Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon on each half.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of maple syrup on each half.

Devour and feel no regrets!


5 comments:

  1. Aloha James,
    Thanks for the link.
    I love sweet potatoes. I like dicing them up and pouring coconut milk over them with a bit of ginger and baking… sounds a lot like this. nothing better than a sweet potato… especially our purple variety here.
    I have never used coconut oil or butter. Will have to try.

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  2. That sounds delicious! I always like adding ginger to butternut squash soup, so it's only logical that it would taste great with sweet potatoes too. Can't wait to try your recipe with the coconut milk...maybe thanksgiving.

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  3. I love sweet potatoes, but I can't do the coconut butter on them. It just doesn't go well for me. I sure wish it did though!... having a little fat with foods containing beta-carotene helps ensure proper assimilation of the nutrient.

    Cheers XOXO,
    Kristen

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  4. I never knew that, thanks Kristen. I wonder if there's any beta-carotene left after it gets baked at 400 degrees.

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  5. Some beta-carotene remains, J! So delighted that you like the combination. One of my favorites.

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