I seriously love sweet potatoes. I love them salty, sweetened, mashed, fried, roasted – anything goes. The best part: they are so healthy for me. These little orange gems are packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B-6, vitamin C, vitamin d, iron, and magnesium. They are fat-free and contain a decent amount of fiber and protein. Oftentimes, I will take one to work for lunch with some spray butter and a seasoning and it will subside my afternoon snack cravings.
In light of the New Year and one of my goals is to lose 15 pounds, I am maxing out on salads and all things healthy. While the boys ate pasta, I whipped up this incredibly healthy salad and a homemade vinaigrette.
I started by prepping the kale. Kale can be a very dirty green so be sure to wash it thoroughly. You will want to rip the leaves off and dispose of the stalk. I used my salad spinner to give the leaves a good wash.
Next I prepared the spiced sweet potatoes. Usually, I would dice the potatoes myself, but I had one of those pre-cut packages from the store because I was going to be a sweet potato stew. This cut down on hands-on time significantly. I spread the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet, tossed them with the olive oil and seasonings and put them in the oven.
While the potatoes roasted, I prepared the vinaigrette which was so easy. Basically, combine all ingredients then drizzle in the oil.
Once the potatoes were finished roasting and a cooled. I seasoned them with a bit more of salt and prepared the salad. For toppings, I used pecan chips and a bit of shredded white cheddar cheese. This salad satisfied my sweet tooth, salty tooth and left me feeling full and healthy. If losing weight and/or eating healthy is part of your New Year’s resolution add this to your regular eating schedule! Toppings can be altered in order to mix it up a bit.
enjoy.
