It’s Always a Good Thyme for Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Here’s the crux of the problem for recipe creators: the best tasting food is simple food. Sure, pairing spices in a new way and experimenting with flours can be fun, but let’s face it … for most of us our favorite comfort foods have just a few ingredients.
It’s taken me years of following food blogs, “learning” to cook, making and creating recipes, to realize that my body doesn’t truly crave ALL of that variety. In fact, there are weeks where I could (and do) enjoy very similar versions of the exact same meals every day.
Sure, I might mix up the fruit, the vegetables, the protein, or the seasoning, but in essence, my favorite food day right now looks pretty much like this:
- Early Breakfast: Smoothie (almost always with a banana)
- Late Breakfast: Brown Rice Cake with Nut Butter, Cinnamon, and Herbal Tea
- Lunch: Big (make that HUGE) Salad and my “Dressing of the Day”
- Mid-Day (and After-Dinner Treat): Fruit and Popcorn (yeah, there might be a light dessert in there too)
- Dinner: Roasted Chicken or Fish with Steamed Broccoli and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Though I do try to mix things up, the vegetables in that last meal of the day don’t vary quite as often as they should. You see, I’m a bit of a broccoli addict … and sweet potatoes … is it just me, or are roasted sweet potatoes one of the most perfect foods?
Sweet potatoes and yams are “at their peak” in fall and winter, but I for one am grateful that they are grown domestically year round. After all, what would summer be without sweet potato salads and sweet potato french fries?
But, since it is still cold, and even snowing(!) here, I’m happy to have these roasting in my oven …
Recipe: Sweet Potatoes with Thyme and Garlic
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs (approximately) Sweet Potatoes or Yams
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme or 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (I quickly powder them in the spice grinder to keep from having pockets of spice; feel free to double the amount if you want them a bit on the spicy side)
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
- Cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch chunks. I chop off and discard the ends, but do not peel them (after giving them a good rinse of course!).
- Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish, or similar size baking pan.
- Toss in the sweet potatoes, and sprinkle them with the thyme, salt, red pepper, and garlic.
- Drizzle the remaining oil over top, and stir the potatoes until they are well coated with the oil and spices.
- Bake the potatoes for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on your desired tenderness.
- Be sure to check in every 15 minutes and give them a good stir to ensure they cook evenly.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)
Diet tags: Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten free, Milk free, Nut free, Peanut free, Soy free, Sugar free, Wheat free
Number of servings (yield): 6
Copyright © Alisa Fleming.
What meals frequent your rotation? Do you have any foods that you eat (or want to eat) nearly every day?
Alisa Fleming is the founder of the largest dairy-free website, Go Dairy Free, and author of the best-selling special diet book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living.
We’re thinking like twins today, Alisa. I just put a post up on my blog about how I eat similar foods day in and day out, too! Your daily meal plan sounds just my speed. And I’m always a sucker for roasted sweet potatoes!
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Alisa,
You are so right about the challenges of creating recipes when what you want to eat is pretty straight-forward! I frequently eat a plain sweet potato as my lunch, so I’m looking forward to the dressed-up version you’re offering here. Your recipe sounds absolutely delicious!
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I haven’t thought of thyme on roasted veggies lately — what a good idea!
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I’ve actually been craving sweet potatoes lately. These sound amazing! I feel like I missed out on my cold weather food this year with all the warmer temps here. I think I need to just go for it and turn the oven on anyway.
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I think I could eat sweet potatoes every day and never get tired of them. And I also eat them along with steamed broccoli for dinner constantly! Always delicious!!
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Alisa,
These were DELICIOUS! Thankyou.
We missed you so much at Nourished and GFAF Expo.
Hope to catch you on the next one!
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foods containing gluten http://www.aboutgrain.com/foods-containing-gluten-2/
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