It may not be as hard as you think to get kids to eat more veggies. Sweet Potatoes are naturally sweet and delicious, so you don’t have to disguise them and trick your kids into enjoying healthier foods.

Sweet potatoes, sometimes called yams, are loaded with nutrition:

• Sweet potatoes have more vitamin A than any other vegetable. Vitamin A is necessary for strong tissues and maintaining a healthy immune system.
• The sweet potato is a complex carbohydrate that contains more than one-third the recommended daily requirements of vitamin C.
• Potassium in sweet potatoes also helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body cells, as well as normal heart and nerve functions.

By adding Louisiana Sweet Potatoes (both fresh and canned) to your kids’ diet, you’re boosting their nutrition and helping them learn healthy eating habits. Because they’re available year-round, it’s easy to incorporate sweet potatoes into any meal, from breakfast to dessert.

For more recipes the whole family will want to dig into, visit the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission’s Web site, www.sweetpotato.org .

Yamster the Hamster® encourages kids to learn more about sweet potatoes. To see Yamster and for recipes that kids can help prepare with adults, go to  www.sweetpotato.org .

Yamcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes or 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. In small bowl, mix sweet potatoes, milk, egg, oil and lemon juice.
2. In another bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
3. Stir flour mixture into sweet potato mixture, stirring only until combined.
4. Heat a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Pour about one-fourth cup batter onto skillet and cook about 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbly. Turn to cook on other side until light brown.

Serves

Makes 16 pancakes

Lemon Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 cups shredded peeled sweet potatoes (yams), about 3 medium
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 4-serving box instant lemon pudding and pie filling

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine sweet potatoes, margarine, sugar, milk, eggs, cinnamon and pudding mix in a 2-quart oblong casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for one hour. Remove foil and continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Serves

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Heavenly Yam Delight

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3cup chopped pecans
• 7 tablespoons margarine
• 1 8-ounce package fat free cream cheese
• 1 8-ounce container fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 2 15-ounce cans Louisiana yams (sweet potatoes) drained or 2 cups fresh sweet potatoes, cooked and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, pecans and margarine. Press into bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. In mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar until creamy. Fold in 3/4 cup whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust.
4. In mixing bowl, beat sweet potatoes, sugar, and cinnamon until smooth. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate.

Serves

Makes 16 servings

Easy Colorful Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 cups canned low sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 3 cups diced, peeled fresh sweet potatoes (yams)
• 1 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 14 3/4-ounce cans cream style corn
• 1 10-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In large nonstick pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, sweet potatoes, frozen vegetables, cream style corn, tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and season to taste.
2. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.

Serves

Makes 12 servings

Source

Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission

Provided by Family Features