Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have been called one of the healthiest foods on the planet.  It’s easy to see why:  they are a great source of vitamin A, B6, C and D, they contain iron and magnesium, and are a wonderful source of potassium and beta carotene.

And never mind that they taste amazing!  You can have them in that delicious casserole during the holidays, in a pie, or in savory dishes and just plain ole baked.  No matter how you like them, just try to incorporate them somehow into your diet.

Recently, I decided to try to grill them and not only was it easy, it was a great break from the norm…and fast, too!

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

1 T extra virgin olive oil

Uh, yah, that’s it.

Preparation:

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them cross-wise about ½ - ¾”; you’ll want them to be a little bit on the thicker side.

Bring a med/large saucepan of water to boil and drop the sweet potato discs in.  Let them parboil for about 5 minutes…just long enough to soften them a bit.

In the meantime, preheat your grill to medium – about 300 degrees, or medium setting.  Spray your grill grates with a non-stick grill spray.

Drain the potatoes and rinse them with cold water so they are able to be handled.  Pat dry.  Cover the discs with olive oil making sure that both sides are oiled.

Place the discs on the hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes.  Flip them over and cook them for 4-5 more minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve with your favorite topping (butter, salt, etc.).  I made a little bit of  maple cinnamon butter to put on top (see below).

Nutrition for Grilled Sweet Potatoes (serves 4):

Calories 111 / Carbs 19g / Fat 4g / Protein 2g / Fiber 3g / Sodium 33mg

Maple Cinnamon Butter (this makes enough for a couple of uses…use it on toast, pancakes, or however you see fit!)

6 T butter, softened

3 T, maple syrup

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Stir everything together and use right away or refrigerate...dont forget to refrigerate any leftovers.

Nutrition for Maple Cinnamon Butter (serves approx. 18 / 1tsp serving):

Calories 42 / Carbs 2g / Fat 4g / Protein 0g / Fiber 0g / Sodium 28mg