2 Servings || Estimated Preparation Time: 75 minutes

  Citrus Omega Sweet Potatoes
      Nourish & Thrive
     
  
  
  There’s a nip in the air and the days are getting shorter, so these savory-spicy-sweet potatoes are the perfect warming companion that will make your home start to smell like the holiday season. So often we may rely on the microwave for cooking to save time, but the results can be disappointing to say the least; food can come out dried and rubbery, but setting aside the extra time for these sweet potatoes to hang out in the oven is worth the wait. When you bake a sweet potato in the oven, the outside skin gets crispy and the inside renders until buttery smooth. What this recipe takes in oven time, it makes up for by being almost completely hands off in preperation with a surprisingly rich result. 
  
  
  2 Servings
  2 sweet potatoes
  1 orange, sliced into wedges
  1/4 cup chopped walnuts (raw)
  1 tsp virgin coconut oil
  1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  pinch of flaky sea salt

  Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
  Scrub the sweet potatoes clean, then pat dry and prick with a fork in 3-4 places
  Massage coconut oil into the skin of the sweet potatoes and place on baking sheet
  Once oven is pre-heated, place baking sheet into oven and cook for about 1 hour, or until tender.
  While the sweet potatoes are baking, wash the orange and slice into wedges, as well as chop the walnuts.
  Split the sweet potatoes with a knife, then top with the walnuts and cinnamon. Squeeze the orange wedges over the top and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

There’s a nip in the air and the days are getting shorter, so these savory-spicy-sweet potatoes are the perfect warming companion that will make your home start to smell like the holiday season. So often we may rely on the microwave for cooking to save time, but the results can be disappointing to say the least; food can come out dried and rubbery, but setting aside the extra time for these sweet potatoes to hang out in the oven is worth the wait. When you bake a sweet potato in the oven, the outside skin gets crispy and the inside renders until buttery smooth. What this recipe takes in oven time, it makes up for by being almost completely hands off in preperation with a surprisingly rich result.

Health Highlights

Sweet potatoes are rich in carotenoids (such as beta-carotene) which has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer reoccurrence. Carotenoids work like antioxidants to help improve immune response and we can use all the help bolstering immunity we can get both during treatment and after! Topped with Omega 3-packed walnuts, anti-bacterial/blood sugar-regulating cinnamon, and a zip of juice from freshly squeezed orange wedges, this recipe tastes sweet and naughty, while providing a satisfying nutritional boost.

Ingredients

(2) sweet potatoes
(1) orange, sliced into wedges
(1/4) cup chopped walnuts (raw)
(1) tsp virgin coconut oil
(1/4) tsp ground cinnamon
pinch or two of flaky sea salt

Tools

cutting board and knife
(1) baking sheet

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.
Scrub the sweet potatoes clean, then pat dry and prick with a fork in 3-4 places
Massage coconut oil into the skin of the sweet potatoes and place on baking sheet
Once oven is pre-heated, place baking sheet into oven and cook for about 1 hour, or until tender.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, wash the orange and slice into wedges, as well as chop the walnuts.
Split the sweet potatoes with a knife, then top with the walnuts and cinnamon. Squeeze the orange wedges over the top and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Adaptations

Almonds can be substituted for the walnuts.
For extra zip and a boost of antioxidants, try zesting the oranges to sprinkle on top

Cancer Tips

Walnuts contain high amounts of polyphenols, phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties. They also contain a broad range of other potentially protective compounds [More info]
Sweet potatoes are rich in carotenoids (such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin), which may inhibit cancer cell growth, work as antioxidants and improve immune response [More info]
Eating foods rich in carotenoids has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence. Carotenoids are the natural pigments found in yellow and orange foods (such as carrots, sweet potatoes and squash) and dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach and Swiss chard. In a 2009 study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, increased consumption of carotenoids was associated with "greater likelihood of breast cancer-free survival." [More info]
Cinnamon has a long history of use as an herbal medicine. Laboratory studies have shown that cinnamon has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It was also shown to lower blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes but more studies are needed to confirm such effects. [More info]

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com