Summer Sweet Potato Salad

It’s crazy that I find myself actually saying this, but “I really enjoy running!”  And I enjoy eating the foods that will fuel my body for a good run.  The hubs and I are getting ready to run our second 5K next month in Coronado!!!

 

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I found these little tidbits of advise to be very helpful, minus the meat and coffee for me! The hubs is no fan of fish (or anything that comes from the sea!), but I’m excited I get to make fish tacos this week!  It’s the only way he’ll eat it….plus lathered in my homemade guacamole and salsa to drown out the “fish” taste!

Seeing sweet potatoes at the top of the list, I can honestly say they have never been at the top of my list of foods that I like.  When I think of sweet potatoes, I think of the dish so many people crave at Thanksgiving…you know, sweet potatoes drowned in butter, brown sugar and topped with gooey marshmallows!  I’ve never actually tried the dish, but it makes my stomach turn just thinking of it.  I have found that these little taters pack a punch in the nutrient department, so I’ve been busy making sweet potato fries…I call them chips because I like slicing them thin crosswise and baking them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper and garlic.  They have the taste of a “fry” but the look of a “chip!”  Today I boiled up a few to try in a new salad and saved the leftovers to puree for some muffins later this week. 

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4 quarts water

2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and peeled

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

1/4 tsp Braggs liquid amino acids

1/2 red onion, chopped fine

3 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

Rind of one fresh lemon, grated

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds or sliced almonds

Directions:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into half-inch cubes.  In a medium saucepan place 4 quarts water and chopped sweet potatoes.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Cook potatoes over low heat until they are tender – about 20-30 minutes.  Do not let the potatoes get too soft or mushy.  Remove from heat and drain.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Set aside and let cool.

Place vinegar, amino acids and lemon juice into a large serving bowl.  Mix and add all chopped vegetables – onion, celery and cucumber.  Toss to coat veggies with lemon and vinegar.  Now add cooled sweet potatoes and yogurt and gently toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  You can refrigerate it or serve immediately.  Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or almonds and lemon zest.

This is yet another refreshing salad that I will definitely be making again during the upcoming Summer months!  I brought this salad to our family’s Memorial Day BBQ and it got a round of thumbs up from everyone!!  There was an itty bit left over, so I saved it for lunch the next day and served it on top of some spring mix lettuce and some quinoa of course!!  My mouth is watering just thinking of it…guess I need to make a trip to the farmers market this week for some more sweet taters!

 

Blessings,

J’lene

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