Gone are the days of sweet potatoes only appearing on Thanksgiving tables. With increasing awareness of their versatility, great flavor, and nutritional benefits, sweet potatoes are showing up in many forms on home and restaurant menus.
#1 Veggie for Nutrition! That's right, sweet potatoes are one of the most nutrition-packed veggies you can eat. In fact, nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), ranked sweet potatoes #1 for overall nutrition above all other vegetables. They have a low glycemic index, making them a much healthier choice than regular Idaho spuds.
Sweet potatoes are a complex carbohydrate loaded with Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotine), Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and fiber. They are rich in antioxidants, potassium, and iron.
Beat the heat and use the grill. In cold weather months, I most often roast sweet potatoes in the oven. The method I'm sharing today is my favorite way to enjoy them in hot months. Cutting the potatoes into slices of even thickness makes them cook quickly and evenly, regardless the size of the potatoes. They taste so good with that grilled flavor, and they don't heat up the kitchen.
Step-by-step photos for making
Grilled Sweet Potato Kebabs
Step 1. Assemble the ingredients & supplies:
view on Amazon: oxo salt and pepper grinders (love these--easy to fill and adjust grind size)
Step 2. Scrub and wash the potatoes well. If you aren't using organic potatoes, peel them, too.
Step 3. Slice the potatoes into 1/2" thick rounds. You can discard the pointy end pieces.
view on Amazon: Scotch Brite scrubbing pads (I use these handy pads for scrubbing all of my root veggies so I can eat the nutritious skin.)
Step 4. Pierce each flat slice with the skewer all the way through the diameter. Use a twisting motion as you insert the skewer to make it easier to pierce the hard potato. Fill each skewer with slices.
view on Amazon: 15-inch metal skewers (I've had two sets of these for several years--simple, economical, dishwasher safe)
Step 5. Brush each slice lightly with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and any other spice that meets your fancy. I usually just stick with salt and pepper. Flip them over and oil and season the other side, too.
view on Amazon: silicone pastry brush (works great, dishwasher safe)
Step 6. Heat the grill and add the sweet potato skewers. They cook quickly--approx. 7 minutes on each side. Pierce them with a fork to make sure they're soft all the way through before removing them from the grill. If they start looking a little dry, you can brush them lightly with olive oil again right before taking them off the grill.
Done! Those charred grill marks add yummy flavor to every bite.
Serve them as they are, or sprinkle on some chopped fresh herbs, if you like. I've sprinkled some chopped Italian parsley on mine.
These are so easy to serve when they're skewered like this.
They're good served warm or at room temperature.
Can "regular" spuds be grilled this way, too? Absolutely! Use the exact same procedure and ingredients--just switch out the sweet potatoes with Idahos, Yukon Golds, or any kind of potato you like.
Make it a Yummy day!
Monica
If you're a fan of sweet potatoes, check out my other recipes: