Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges

Serves 6 to 8
The sweet potato truly is a super vegetable: it is packed with antioxidants and four times the daily recommendation of beta-carotene needed for healthy skin, hair, and eyesight. In several vegetable rating roundups, it consistently beat most other vegetables in overall nutritional power. No wonder it’s one of the first foods we feed to babies.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, and cut into wedges about 4 inches long
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with baking parchment or foil.
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, cumin, and cayenne. Spread the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the wedges and toss to coat.
3. Transfer the wedges to the bowl and toss completely with the spice mixture to coat each piece. Return the potatoes to the baking sheet and spread out in a single layer.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn over the wedges. Raise the heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.

cook's note
Other ways with sweet potatoes
• Bake whole in the oven: Wash the sweet potato, dry it, then poke it in a few places with a fork so it doesn’t explode. (Yes, they do explode. Trust me.) Bake at 375°F for 50 to 60 minutes, until the potato is tender when pricked with a thin knife and its seepage is caramelized. It should be really soft on the inside and gooey under the skin. Then drizzle with soy sauce.
• Bake whole, slice open, and fi ll with steamed broccoli. Melt your favorite cheese over the top.
• Peel, cube, boil, mash, and use in place of mashed pumpkin for pie, fl an, or cheesecake.
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