Less Chipmunk-y and Recipe: Perfect Roasted Sweet Potato

Miraculously, I’m actually beginning to look like a normal human being again.

In other words, my jowels are no longer the size of Jamaica.

Diggin’ it.

I can’t say that getting my wisdom teeth pulled over a break has been the most pleasant experience, but there have been a few positives. Like the fact that…

1. I have been re-educated on how horrible daytime TV is. Brain cells were indeed lost. I’d blame it on the Millionaire Matchmaker for starters. Is that a positive?
2. I had no choice but to rest and “do nothing.” That’s a rare occasion ya’ll.
3. I was forced to eat everything slower. Okay, this has actually been a legitimate, positive change. Like it or not, swollen cheeks do not allow for quick chowing down. One of my New Year’s bucket list goals was to eat more mindfully, which includes eating more slowly and savoring each bite. Ironically, having a sore jaw and no back molars has helped me to do that, and I’m lovin’ it.
4. I’ve been eating sweet potatoes like it’s my job. Now that’s what I call career building.

I loooooooooooove sweet potatoes and because they’re soft and easy to “gum,” they’ve been a (breakfast, lunch, and) dinner staple for the past week.

Scared of sweet potatoes? Don’t be! They’re delicious and wonderful with both sweet and savory accompaniments.

My favorite way to enjoy said potatoes actually combines both sweet and savory.

I slow roast them to get the sweet potato at the pinnacle of its naturally sweet, syrupy-ness comb and then slather on some salty, nutty walnut butter.

I kid you not, this combination is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

Perfect Roasted Sweet Potatoes

If you’ve never slow-roasted sweet potatoes, you need to get off the couch from where you’re watching the Super Bowl and go toss one of these babies in the oven. I can eat sweet potatoes like this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert. In other words, they’re pretty much my favorite “anytime” food. And they could be yours as well.

Ingredients:

1 (or more) medium sweet potatoes

nut butter, for topping (optional but HIGHLY recommended)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Wash your sweet potato(es) in cold water. Scrub well with a vegetable brush/scrubber to remove all dirt and debris. Don’t peel the potatoes—the skin provides an ideal home for the sweet potatoes while they’re roasting.
3. Put sweet potato(es) on a baking sheet or piece of foil. Put sweet potatoes in oven.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes. (Timing will depend upon the size of the sweet potato.)
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. It well be HOT!
6. Cut in half lengthwise and top with nut butter.

Don’t know where to buy walnut butter? Me neither.

I make my own (just like peanut butter)!

Recipe post to come soon on that one, but basically, you just need to blend 1 cup of walnuts with a 1/2 tsp of sea salt in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth.

If you’re not a nut butter fan or you don’t have any on hand, feel free to top with butter/brown sugar/honey or even a drizzle of pesto/ketchup/herbed olive oil.

You really can’t go wrong. It’s the perfect food for anytime, or in my humble opinion….

All the time