Sweet Potato Cakes Recipe with Lime and Avocado (2024)

FAQs

Are sweet potatoes and avocado good for you? ›

Both ingredients are high in fiber and potassium, but like every dynamic duo, they bring out the best in each other. The avocados have fats to help your body absorb the sweet potato's vitamin A, and they also add immune-boosting vitamin C, says nutritionist Tara Dellolacono Thies, R.D.N.

The naturally sweet, super-creamy ingredient can go way beyond sweet potato pie. When peeled, cooked, and mashed, sweet potatoes are a delicious way to pack in nutrients (think: beta carotene, potassium, fiber, and vitamins A and C) to a number of fall treats. Plus, they add moisture and a nice orangey hue.

This superfood is high in complex carbs, has a surprisingly low glycemic load, and packs an antioxidant punch with anthocyanin (the compound that makes blueberries blue). Okinawans typically serve sweet potatoes steamed, which perfectly renders their creamy texture and sweet flavor.

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Just one sweet potato gives you 102% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body's defense against germs. It's also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys.

Boil the sweet potatoes in a large stockpot until soft, about 25 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, add the butter, cream, agave, cinnamon and salt, and mash until smooth. Sprinkle with the orange zest.

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Freeze Time for Sweeter Sweet Potatoes

So if you want a sweet, sweet potato, you have to cook it until it reaches 135–170°F (57–77°C). And you want to keep sweet potatoes in that range for as long as possible. That will maximize how sweet the potatoes taste.

Freezing sweet potatoes drives excess water out of the potato, resulting in an interior with more concentrated flavor. Freezing also lowers the starting temperature of the potato, allowing more time for amylase enzymes to convert starch to sweet-tasting maltose.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potatoes? ›

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.

Okinawan Sweet Potato vs. Japanese Sweet Potato

Unlike the light skin and purple flesh of the Okinawan sweet potato, Japanese sweet potatoes (locally known as satsuma imo) have reddish-purple skin and light-colored flesh, which can either be yellow or white. Both varieties also differ in texture.

Unlike its darker skinned counterpart, the tubular-shaped Okinawan sweet potato has a buff or light brown colored skin with a violet-purple flesh. This tuber has a slightly sweet taste and a creamy texture, lending itself to the same recipes you would use with orange sweet potatoes.

Gastrointestinal Health

Along with anti-inflammatory properties, sweet potatoes have plenty of gut-friendly fiber, especially if you eat the skin. They are a mixture of soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol and balance glucose, and insoluble fiber, which helps keep your bowels healthy and regular.

Compared with other high-fat foods, avocados are a healthy option. An 80g portion counts towards your 5-a-day and contains vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Avocado Benefits: The Most Nutrition-Packed Food on the Planet? Avocado has snagged a spot as one of the world's healthiest superfoods — and for good reason. In addition to being delicious and easy to enjoy, avocados also contain a hearty dose of important nutrients, such as fiber, good fats, potassium and vitamin K.