Here is another quick recipe from my weekday arsenal. The only folks who don’t love sweet potatoes are those who have not tried them or those who only tried them with marshmallows on top. Eek!
The creamy, sweet flavor of a this root vegetable mixes perfectly with cinnamon, maple syrup and butter. We eat sweet potatoes about once a week. Our go-to ways of serving them are generally baked and roasted. But, mashed is just as easy and provides a bit of variety.
To make my sweet potato smash you will need:
1 small sweet potato per person, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. I used 3 potatoes.
1 Tablespoon butter per potato
1 Tablespoon maple syrup per potato
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon per potato
1 dash salt per potato
Place a pot 3/4 full of hot water on a burner set to high. I used a small 2 quart pot, for the three small sweet potatoes. Boil until tender, which is about 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain. Place the sweet potatoes, butter and syrup in a bowl and mash or whip until smooth. Add cinnamon and salt, combining.
Taste. Add additional seasoning as needed. If too dry, add a splash of chicken or vegetable broth.
This recipe is so simple and so fast that you won’t even believe it is decently healthy for your family!
If you want to vary the taste or texture, try adding some toasted chopped pecans. Yum!
Bonus information: If you kids (or adults) are skittish about trying a sweet potato, remind them that the word “sweet” in the name, means they must be good! This orange root vegetable may look weird, but it is very tasty!
The rule in my house was that you could only “not like” something if you had tried it. I did my best to describe the veggie in the best terms before the tasting. Many times kids “don’t like” something that they have heard their parents say they don’t like. That never worked for me!
For example, my nephew, when he was a little guy, said he did not like brussels sprouts. I asked if he had tried them, and the answer was no. I asked if he liked nutty, buttery flavors, and he said he did. I explained that he would love brussels sprouts…and once he tasted them, he did!