I am always looking for easy ways to serve veggies. And one of the veggies we particularly favor is the lowly sweet potato. But even if our taste buds admire sweet potatoes passionately, they can become a bit boring if they are always served the same way. So, with a minimum of effort, this simple combination of ingredients can turn your basic sweet potato into a dazzling low calorie side dish that everyone in your family will enjoy. And for the cook, who undoubtedly has other dishes to prepare, this recipe produces savory, crispy on the outside, buttery on the inside, chunks of vegetable goodness! With a minimal amount of effort! Now tell me true, who doesn’t welcome that kind of dish to their dining room table?!?! (This is a no brainer folks.)

I found this recipe on the chelseasmessyapron.com site. I added granulated onion because I could, and we were both seriously happy with the result. In fact, there was a bit of fork stabbing going on at the dinner table. But that’s all in the past now and no one lost an eye! Remember, It’s all fun and games ‘til someone loses an eye. (Sorry, family joke. Right Kaspar?) Anyway……

You simply must try this recipe next time you get a hankering for sweet potatoes. But don’t be surprised if you are unable to stop yourself from eating these little darlings until you are stuffed. Which BTW, is quite alright. The ingredients are all good for you. (Isn’t it grand when something tastes fabulous and it’s healthy too.) So, stop right now and add sweet potatoes to your grocery shopping list. Because if you are anything like me, if it isn’t on the list, it will probably remain at the food emporium along with all the other items that failed to be jotted down. (Isn’t it fun getting older?!)

As always, keep playing with your food, keep trying fun ways to get your family to eat healthier, and don’t worry if you slip once in a while and serve something that you are sure would cause eyebrows to raise. Like what I’m going to serve for dinner tonight, for example. Tonight, we are going to feast on salami and cheese grinders (think hot submarine sandwiches). Complete with mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, onion, tomato, black olives, pepperoncini, and anything else I can think of to tantalize our taste buds. And on the side – Tim’s extra thick potato chips and a big old glass of dark beer. I can hardly wait! (And yes, tomorrow I’ll be good again.) But not tonight!!

Peace and love to all.

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly ½-inch chunks

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

¾ tsp. fine sea salt, divided

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. ground chili powder

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. granulated onion

Combine the olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, granulated garlic, and granulated onion in a large baking pan. (I use my fingers for this delicate operation.) Then add the sweet potato chunks and toss to coat every bit of every surface. Spread the coated chunks out evenly with no overlapping. (If the potatoes touch each other the pieces will steam rather than roast. Not what you want!)

Bake in a pre-heated 425-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Flip once during baking time.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with the remaining sea salt, and serve immediately.