Meal prepping Sundays are getting more and more of my attention because, with every year going by, I feel that my time is getting more and more precious. I would rather use it for reading, cycling and take a walk, instead of spending time in my kitchen every evening.
Having healthy meals every day of the week usually takes time and planning, and I often find myself doing shopping for groceries, deciding on the last minute about a recipe and being frustrated about the time I waste prepping dinner.
Roasting vegetables is a crucial step in my meal prepping and with time I discovered the simple secrets of getting the perfect roasted sweet potatoes, one of the veggies that never misses from my kitchen.
This is why making them in large batches ensures having a healthy, nourishing ingredient to add to several meals of the week, without loosing time and saving energy.
It is true that their texture will be crisp and firm only if eaten after cooking them. The refrigerator will make them softer, but their nutritional values stay the same as long as you don’t reheat them every time.
I prefer the taste and texture when they’re freshly out of the oven, but the luxury of having roasted sweet potatoes any time of the week without any additional effort makes me forget they aren’t just as crisp as freshly cooked.
In terms of nutrition, it would be great to incorporate sweet potatoes in your diet routine for a constant intake of vitamins, fiber and minerals. Beta-carotene and anthocyanin pigments (especially in purple colored ones), together with their storage protein play both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role. These elements lower the health risk of heavy metals residues and reduce the premature ageing.
The high potassium concentration in sweet potatoes (about 20% of the daily recommended intake in about 1 cup) makes them a good choice for preserving alkalinity in our cells, while their manganese and copper contribute to the natural detoxification processes.
I especially love to incorporate roasted sweet potatoes to my meals during the luteal phase of my cycle, to support the need of comforting food and sweets, while also helping my body to naturally balance the hormone production and gently lean into the next cycle.
The fiber in sweet potatoes helps my body flush out excess oestrogen, while also easing digestion.
If you’re having sweet potato fries during the luteal phase, you can top them with nutritional yeast for a good dose of B vitamins, which helps cut the sugar cravings.
To get the perfectly roasted sweet potato fries, you need to follow some very simple steps. From keeping the cut vegetables under cold water to help reduce their starch and get the crispy texture, to using enough oil (but not too much) and then roasting them at high temperature.
You can use the same technique for roasting sweet potatoes cut in different size and shapes, as long as you arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet to ensure that all the pieces take the same time to cook.
I love roasting sweet potatoes because of their versatility. You can add them to a Fall Lentil Salad, to a Sweet Potato Lunch Wrap, my Ultimate Veggie Burger, or a Buddha Bowl.
Or, if you’re into different color potatoes, you can try this easy recipe for Mashed Purple Potatoes.
Have you tried this recipe of deliciously crispy sweet potato fries? Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @theawesomegreen so I can see them and share with the community!
Perfectly Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into fries shape
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- To serve: diced red onion, freshly squeezed lime juice, nutritional yeast, chopped fresh parsley, avocado mash
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cut sweet potatoes into a large bowl with cold water and set aside for 15 mins.
- Drain the water and use paper towels to dry them completely.
- Transfer them on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and red chilli flakes and use your hands to evenly coat all the pieces.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes into a single layer and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and cook for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve with the toppings and dips, or let cool completely and refrigerate in a glass box for later use.
Dana says
beautiful recipe + images, friend! xo
Sarah | Well and Full says
I’ve been really into sweet potatoes lately so I’d love to try these fries! 🙂
Ana says
You’re the queen of veggie combos, so I’m sure you’ll find a delicious way to fit them into one of your creations!
Simone Jason says
Who would have thought that a few easy steps will bring the tastiest sweet potato ever? Great recipe!
Kathy says
I always have fresh sweet potatoes ready, we love them that much! This was so good and convenient. Gives me time to make other dishes if I wish. A favor, if I may… the green text is quite difficult to read because it is so light. Any way to darken the font? Thank you for your wonderful recipes, I really enjoy your website.
Ana says
Lovely to read you are enjoying my site, Kathy! I will check and see what can we do to make it easier for you to read.
LINDA says
These look delicious! What is the green dipping sauce?
Ana says
It’s an easy vegan sauce made of 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup soaked cashews, 2 tsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp garlic powder, a few spinach leaves and lots of aromatic herbs of choice.
Linda says
Thank you so much! Made the sweet potato fries and they were delicious! Better than any I have ever tried! Can’t wait to make the sauce.