What is wrong with me???? (Don't answer that.) I can't believe that I have not sung the praises of Hungry Baby's absolute favorite food: sweet potatoes!!! And what an awesome food sweet potatoes are - sweet potato is like white potato's darker, sweeter, more nutritious cousin. And if you're used to seeing it only on holidays covered with marshmallow fluff and / or brown sugar, then let's take another look at this terrific tuber.
The sweet potato is a nutritional super star - one of the best vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. And they are so versatile; they can be whipped, cut into fries, or simply baked. And the best part is, the whole family will love 'em! Hungry Baby started at 6 months with whipped sweet potatoes, and now that she is 9 months, has graduated to sweet potato fries. Both recipes are below.
Baby's Age: 6 months
Consistency: whipped or in pieces
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
1 large sweet potato
butter, to taste
cream, to taste
dash of salt
formula or breast milk, to thin
Poke holes in sweet potato to allow steam to escape. Place sweet potato in microwave and press "Potato" button. I have found that sweet potatoes and white potatoes cook equally well in the microwave with the Potato button if your microwave has a steam sensor, which it should if it is not ancient. Otherwise, bake the sweet potato in the toaster oven on 400 for 45 minutes. Whether baking in microwave or toaster oven, the sweet potato will "sweat" a sticky, sweet goo out of the holes you poked in it when it is done. Test for doneness by inserting a butter knife into the sweet potato. If the knife slides in easily, the potato is done.
Allow the potato to cool enough to handle. Then, slice potato in half and, using a spoon, scoop the fleshy orange insides into a food processor. Add just a bit of butter, cream, a pinch of salt and just a bit of formula, breast milk, or water to thin the potato to desired consistency. The younger your baby, the thinner you will want the mixture. Then let the food processor run for about 30 - 40 seconds, periodically scraping down the sides and thinning with more liquid as necessary.
Serve immediately or spoon into ice cube trays and transfer to Ziplock bags when completely frozen. Potato will freeze well for up to a month.
Bake enough potatoes for the whole family and adjust the recipe (obviously you would not want to use formula or breast milk), making the potatoes thicker and more buttery.
Whipped sweet potatoes are great with grilled chicken and wilted spinach, or a full-flavored fish, such as salmon.
Sweet Potato Fries
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fries
1 tablespoon olive oil OR canola oil
cumin, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
sea salt, to taste
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large Ziplock or large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes and oil. Spread the fries out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle fries with cumin and salt.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until crispy and brown on one side. Turn the fries over using a spatula, and cook for another 15 minutes, or until they are all crispy on the outside and tender inside. Thinner fries may not take as long.
This recipe can be increased to feed the family, and of course, the fries for the family can be done on a separate tray with more intense seasonings than the seasonings for baby. Try some pepper on the family's fries!
These potato fry leftovers can also be frozen, but it is nearly impossible to get them crispy again.
Enjoy!
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