Most of the orange vegetables you see labeled as yams or sweet potatoes are actually sweet potatoes. To find a true yam, which is from the lily family and can be as big as your arm, you need to go to a specialty food store. So the whole argument about which one is better for you is a moot point, since most yams are sweet potatoes.
Like white potatoes, sweet potatoes should not be eaten raw. Even if you wash the skin, unless they are organically grown, I would not recommend eating the skin. You can treat them as you would any potato and boil them, but doing so can lose some of the nutrients. Steaming them is an alternative. If you peel and then cut each one into half-inch pieces, you only need to steam them for about seven minutes. You can also choose to microwave one for 3-4 minutes after spearing it with a fork and wrapping it in a damp paper towel. Baking them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit may take longer, but it will warm up the kitchen on a cold winter day, and they can be done on time with everything else or in about 35-40 minutes.
I make sweet potato chips in my deep fryer at 390 degrees Fahrenheit. I slice them thinly with a mandolin and fry for 8-10 minutes. Then lightly salt them with a mixture of baking salt (less coarse) and ground ginger. I can’t seem to make enough of these, but I usually slice 3-4 of them to last a few days.
Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, C, and B6, and manganese, potassium, and fiber. They can be treated just like you would a pumpkin in terms of seasoning them. In fact, feel free to use pumpkin spice and a little butter on them. Any of the sweet spices for baking are good, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. Because of their sweet flavor, they are perfect when paired with something spicy, like black pepper, cayenne, or red pepper flakes. Even the chili powder is a nice touch. Other spices to experiment with include fennel, coriander, coconut, rosemary, oregano, and cumin. Sauté them in some coconut oil with some 5-spice powder for a real treat.
Make your own sweet potato spice mix by mixing the following spices and keeping them in their own jar: 1 tablespoon each of fennel and chili powder, ¾ teaspoon each of coriander and black pepper, 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes , if you like spicy . This with a teaspoon of salt will make about 1½ ounces or less than a quarter cup of your own mix.
If you have any left over, remove them from the skin in the morning and mix them into your favorite pancake mix. Wow, what could be better than maple syrup with sweet potato pancakes? Or if you’re going to have eggs, make patties and fry them in a little butter or coconut oil. Sprinkle with your special mixture. For an easy soup, dilute an onion and sauté it in a little butter. Put the onion in a pot and add 3 cooked sweet potatoes, 2 cups of chicken or beef broth, 2 cups of milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree the mixture and add some of your special blend of spices. As versatile as a potato, but with many more vitamins and nutrients, how can you resist something so sweet?
