Healthy Indulgence: Sweet Potato Fries

Nothing is more fun to make than comfort-food that's secretly loaded with health benefits: that's why i love making home-made sweet potato fries!
A medium sized sweet potato is about 100 calories and has over 700% of your RDA of Vitamin A. Vitamin A contains antioxidant properties that help eliminate tissue-damaging free radicals in your body. Sweet potatoes also contain about 65% of your RDA of Vitamin C! [source:www.nutrition data.com]
Sweet potatoes also contain high levels of potassium & maganese which reduce the risk of high blood pressure and maintain bone health.
Not only are the health benefits of sweet potatoes numerous, but their flavor can be both sweet and savory! These fries are quick and easy to make and so delicious any picky eater(kids included) will find themselves happy to consume this vegetable!


Sweet Potato Fries

1 med sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1/4'' strips
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch cayenne pepper (Add more to increase heat)
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 420°F; Pour EVOO over sweet pot strips and toss to coat; sprinkle w cinnamon & cayanne pepper; Bake 12 minutes on each side; Take out of oven and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste. Let cool and serve.

Soy Beans- The Perfect Snack

Thanks to the recent popularity of soy products, frozen soy beans are easy to find at your local grocery store. They're light on calories and big on flavor. And because they're high in protein, they make for the perfect pre-gym snack.

At only 100 calories per 1/2 cup, edamame fills you up and keeps you feeling full without the guilt of other snack foods.

Even better, studies have now shown that isoflavones in soy beans may help lower your risk of breast cancer, decrease the risk of osteoperosis, promote prostate health, and more.

Brad's 1 Step Edamame

1/2 c frozen soy beans

1/2 c water

sea salt to taste

Place frozen soy beans in a cup, add water and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Strain out water

Add sea salt to taste & enjoy

Kate's Spiced Brussels Sprouts

2 1/2 cups Brussels Sprouts (washed, stems removed, & Chopped)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

pinch allspice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 slice cooked bacon

1) Coat large saute pan in olive oil

2) Bring stovetop to medium heat, add chopped sprouts and saute 1 min

3) Add in water, and spices through salt & pepper and stir with spoon

4) Let cook for approx 12 mins or until water has evaporated, stirring occasionally

5) Crumble strip of bacon and sprinkle into saute pan

6) Continue cooking until sprouts are tender when pierced when cooked

Serve!

Because of their high protein content, this can even serve as a meal when paired with a whole grain!

Low-Cal Delicious Brussels Sprouts!

My Favorite ingredient of the moment is Brussels Sprouts!

This delicious veggie (a member of the cruciferous family- cabbage, kale, broccoli...) is known for it's high protein content (2 g per 1/2 cup steamed) as well as it's cancer-fighting qualities such as high fiber content which helps with elimination and therefore may help prevent colon cancer.

If that's not enough to convince you to try out this delicious vegetable then consider this: 1/2 cup steamed Brussels Sprouts is only 30 calories! And as a cruciferous veggie, Brussels Sprouts aid in liver detoxification, therefore helping to eliminate free-radicals from your body!

Give my Spiced Brussels Sprouts Recipe or my Chicken & Brussels Sprouts Recipe a try and you'll see how helping your body stay healthy can be so fun!!