It’s really hard to believe that I went for so many years without ever tasting a single sweet potato. My mother didn’t like them, and by extension neither did I. As far as I can remember, I think I had my first one at about age 19 in the fry form (cause seriously, anything in the fry form has to be good, right?).
Since then, I have discovered that I adore the naturally sweet and moist flesh. It’s just so good. And sure, the traditional casserole is delicious, but it’s the sweet potatoes themselves, seasoned and roasted, that I really love. And as luck would have it, Shawn and our kids do too.
I’m fortunate to have a very adventurous eater in Will, who’s now nearly four and a half. He’ll try absolutely anything, and has even been the catalyst for me trying a few new things (anchovies? those were Will’s idea). Paige tends to be less adventurous on her own, but she adores her big brother and will eat anything he does.
What’s great about this recipe is that it’s really quick and easy to make. Prep takes just minutes and it’s out of the oven in about a half hour. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Do you have kids? What kind of eaters are they (adventurous, cautious, etc)? Share in the comments!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 very large sweet potato or two smaller ones, , peeled
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a heavy, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray it with cooking oil spray and set aside.
- Cut the sweet potato into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes and place into a large boil. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cinnamon, paprika and salt. Pour over the sweet potatoes and stir to coat. Pour the potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring/turning once or twice.
- Serve hot from the oven, with a sprinkle of sea salt (if desired).
Dibby
Wednesday 27th of March 2013
Not only were the sweet potatoes easy to prepare, they were absolutely delicious. Will make them often.
Mangochild
Friday 11th of December 2009
I love love love sweet potatoes - they are eaten at least 2 times a week in the colder months when they are in season. Both orange and white sweet potatoes are favorites, but I use them in different ways. The whites I tend to treat more as I would a "regular" potato - it has a nice undertone of sweetness though that makes it stand out and lend itself to lighter spices. The orange - sweet potato fries, baked, stuffed with black beans, grilled.... in sweet potato pancakes, baked goods... the list goes on and on!
Angel
Wednesday 9th of December 2009
We have the 1 bite policy at my house, but usually after one bite Elijah does really like it. It's pretty rare that he likes things. But I found that he likes blander food than the rest of us (sooo different from me). Prince is definitely the more adventurous one. He prefers to eat off our plates, and ate candied yams by the mouthful from Thanksgiving dinner. I too just recently discovered sweet potatoes and can't wait to try your recipe out!
Viktoria
Wednesday 9th of December 2009
Sounds and looks delish! Have to try it this week!
Tonia
Tuesday 8th of December 2009
Sarah - I am hoping that Landon does not turn out to be a picky eater. My plan is to start him out on a variety of foods & textures as soon as he's ready. As a toddler, I hope to enforce the rule that he at least try one bite of everything on his plate. It truly disturbs me that so many parents give their children "Kids Cuisine" frozen meals or chicken nuggets while the rest of the family eats something completely different.