Sweet Poratoes: Round 2

If you've stopped by the Fresh Gatherings Harvest Market lately, you may have noticed some massive sweet potatoes.  The most common question regarding these beasts are, "What could you possibly do with a sweet potato that size?!"  Well, to ease your sweet potato woes, here is a five-star recipe that requires 5 sweet potatoes.  Instead of cleaning and peeling five little sweet potatoes, save time by just cleaning and peeling one!  Just be sure to cut it up into smaller chunks when roasting, so it bakes faster!  For another look at sweet potatoes, check out our post from September 19th that features a more in-depth look at this sweet little veggie, and another recipe!

Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic

 

Ingredients

• 5 sweet potatoes (or one giant one!)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation 

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
•  Bake sweet potatoes for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until they begin to soften.  (If you're using a giant sweet potato, cut it up into smaller chunks before baking!)  Cool slightly, peel, and mash.
•  In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar, and heavy cream.  Transfer to the prepared baking dish.  
•  In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans.  Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers to the consistency of coarse meal.  Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.  
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until topping is crisp and lightly browned.  
• Makes 8 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Diving in with Delicata

Delicata squash is characterized by its distinctive dark green stripes that run lengthwise down its yellow or cream colored background.  It has sweet, orange-yellow flesh.  The delicata squash is an heirloom variety, originally introduced by the Peter Henderson Company of New York City in 1894, and was popular through the 1920s.  It has fairly recently mad its reentry into the culinary world, pleasing the taste buds to all those who dare to try its sweet, orange-yellow flesh that is reminiscent of corn and sweet potatoes. 

To help you celebrate the delightful delicata, here's a recipe from Allrecipes.com!

Baked Delicata Squash with Lime Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 delicata squash, halved and seeded
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest (optional)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the squash cut side down into a baking dish.  Pour water into the dish about 1/4 inch deep.
• Bake in preheated oven until the squash pierces easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend the butter with the lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl.  Mix in the lime zest, if desired.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the butter mixture into the cooked squash, and serve immediately. 

October 24th: Food Day

Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Food Day, created by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), is powered by a diverse coalition of food movement leaders, organizations, and people from all walks of life. Food Day takes place annually on October 24 to address issues as varied as health and nutrition, hunger, agricultural policy, animal welfare, and farm worker justice. The ultimate goal of Food Day is to strengthen and unify the food movement in order to improve our nation’s food policies. 

There are Food Day events going on all over the country, even here in St. Louis!  Saint Louis University’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics (DND), the City of St. Louis Department of Health, and Les Dames d’Escoffier International are celebrating the second anniversary of “Gardens to Tables Food Day” on October 24 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.  This event will be held in the organic teaching garden run by the DND just a block and a half away from our office in the Allied Health Building at the corner of Compton and Rutger.  This event is held to promote the sustainable, healthy, and just agricultural practices the DND teaches throughout its curriculum.  "Gardens to Tables Food Day" specifically targets students from all of the colleges in the St. Louis area to increase their awareness of the need for sustainable food systems and allow them to become involved with local food.  There will be stations throughout the garden teaching about food deserts and food access, composting and vermiculture, how to get involved with CSA's, fighting childhood obesity, and humane agricultural practices, and many more.  With each station, there will be a menu item served using local produce.

For more information about Food Day, or to search for other Food Day events, visit the Food Day website.  If you are unable to attend a Food Day event, on this Wednesday, October 24th, challenge yourself to eat at least one locally grown food with each meal!