General: Sweet potato vs white potato

Subject: Sweet potato vs white potato
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:39:18 -0500
--------
Been reading up on sweet potatoes and it appears they are not even really a "potato".

Also it appears that sweet potatoes have a LOT more nutrition than white potatoes.

Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up eating white potatoes altogether?
From: myrl_jeffcoat at yahoo.com
Date: 20 Oct 2006 18:13:15 -0700
--------
I often make mashed potatoes using all Irish potatoes, but throw in one Yam, to add a pretty color. And it adds a nice flavor.

I also like to mix in grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onion, sour cream, fennel, and caraway seed. They're especially nice with Roast Beast;-)
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp.omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:34:39 -0500
--------
myrl_jeffcoat wrote:
> I often make mashed potatoes using all Irish potatoes, but throw in one
> Yam, to add a pretty color. And it adds a nice flavor.

Yams make _fantastic_ fries!
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 03:16:09 -0500
--------
Harvest Mashed Potatoes
(from my friend Sharon)

Note: I've tweaked the directions since I understood perfectly what she meant in her instructions but not everyone might

4 large russet potatoes (2 pounds)
2 medium-size sweet potatoes (1-1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. prepared horseradish
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. ground cinnamon

Bake peeled sweet potatoes until tender; mash. Cook russet potatoes (cut large ones in half or quarters) in a Dutch oven in boiling salted water to cover until tender; peel and mash or press through ricer and combine with sweet potatoes. Add 1/2 cup butter and next 8 ingredients; mash with a hand held, non-electric, potato masher until mixture is smooth. Spoon into a casserole dish and bake at 275F about 15 minutes until heated through and starting to lightly brown on top. Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Yield: 8 servings.
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:52:16 -0500
--------
myrl_jeffcoat wrote:
>I often make mashed potatoes using all Irish potatoes, but throw in one
>Yam, to add a pretty color. And it adds a nice flavor.
>
>I also like to mix in grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onion, sour
>cream, fennel, and caraway seed. They're especially nice with Roast
>Beast;-)

Great ideas!
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp.omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:34:04 -0500
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up
> eating white potatoes altogether?

Yes, both dad and I have...

IMHO they don't have enough nutritional value to make them worth the calories to him, and they make me ill. I have a sensitivity to the nightshade family.

I love Yams. :-) They are related to morning glories.
From: kenkozak (kenkozak at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 03:33:43 GMT
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> Been reading up on sweet potatoes and it appears they
> are not even really a "potato".

Have you tried Japanese sweet potatoes? Great baked, for a snack or as an ingredient--white flesh, low wax.
From: Dave Smith (adavid.smith at sympatico.ca)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 20:54:13 -0700
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up
> eating white potatoes altogether?

I am allergic to potatoes. I like them, but I rarely eat them, maybe once a week at most.
From: Ward Abbott (presby at terian.com)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:19:15 -0400
--------
Dave Smith wrote:
>I am allergic to potatoes.
> maybe once a week at most.

Why? You are allergic...period. Waiting "a week at most" will not make the allergy go away.
From: Leonard Blaisdell (leo at greatbasin.com)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:07:26 -0700
--------
Ward Abbott wrote:
> Why? You are allergic...period. Waiting "a week at most" will not
> make the allergy go away.

I read that as a humorous post with an implied winkey. Gosh, I hope I was right.
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp.omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:36:29 -0500
--------
Ward Abbott wrote:
> Why? You are allergic...period. Waiting "a week at most" will not
> make the allergy go away.

It'll probably make it worse with time too. ;-)

I've run into that with my wheat allergy...

The last two times I ate some, (6 crackers one time and one flour tortilla the second time), my heart rate hit 130 bpm after about 1/2 hour and took 2 hours to come down.

It's starting to cause a drop in blood pressure.
From: Dave Smith (adavid.smith at sympatico.ca)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 20:57:05 -0700
--------
Ward Abbott wrote:
> Why? You are allergic...period. Waiting "a week at most" will not
> make the allergy go away.

True, but I can get away with it once in a while if I have them in small doses.
From: dee (szewma at hotmail.com)
Date: 20 Oct 2006 21:28:26 -0700
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up
> eating white potatoes altogether?

No way! :D Also, I really like the combination of sweet and normal potatoes in chicken curry.
From: Default User (defaultuserbr at yahoo.com)
Date: 21 Oct 2006 04:39:55 GMT
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:

> Been reading up on sweet potatoes and it appears they
> are not even really a "potato".

No kidding.

> Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up
> eating white potatoes altogether?

No. Potatoes taste good. Sweet potatoes taste nasty.

Brian
From: Chatty Cathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 13:58:10 +0200
--------
Default User wrote:
> No. Potatoes taste good. Sweet potatoes taste nasty.

LOL. I used to think that as a kid. But since we have 'grown our own' sweet potatoes I have changed my mind. Have tried them baked, fried, mashed - you name it. Now, I like both white and sweet potatoes.
From: jay (none at billybob.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 12:30:21 GMT
--------
Chatty Cathy wrote:
>> No. Potatoes taste good. Sweet potatoes taste nasty.
>
> LOL. I used to think that as a kid. But since we have 'grown our own'
> sweet potatoes I have changed my mind. Have tried them baked, fried,
> mashed - you name it. Now, I like both white and sweet potatoes.

Home grown sweet potatoes .. how cool! I love potatoes all of 'em. Pork roast and baked sweet potatoes are a perfect match.
From: Chatty Cathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 15:08:18 +0200
--------
jay wrote:
> Home grown sweet potatoes .. how cool! I love potatoes all of 'em. Pork
> roast and baked sweet potatoes are a perfect match.

Quite so. :) They are even nice done on the (charcoal) grill as a side dish. Thing is, we get so many of them at once that I have to find ways to use them up. LOL. And some of them are 'huge'. Luckily they keep for quite a while ;)

Here's one of them:
http://www.recfoodcooking.com/pics/SweetPotato.html
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp.omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 10:11:13 -0500
--------
Chatty Cathy wrote:
> Here's one of them:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/pics/SweetPotato.html

Pretty!

Have any pics of the blooming vines?
I understand that they are beautiful!
From: Chatty Cathy (cathy1234 at mailinator.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:33:19 +0200
--------
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> Have any pics of the blooming vines?
> I understand that they are beautiful!

Sorry, no pics of the "green stuff" in flower. Took this one last season after we dug them out. However, will endeavor to do so this year ;)
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 10:54:15 -0500
--------
Chatty Cathy wrote:
> Sorry, no pics of the "green stuff" in flower. Took this one last season
> after we dug them out. However, will endeavor to do so this year ;)

Being related to morning glories, I'll bet they are pretty!

Tried making fries with them yet?
From: jay (none at billybob.com)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 19:59:10 GMT
--------
Chatty Cathy wrote:
> Here's one of them:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/pics/SweetPotato.html

Nice..and a good shot! It looks like a yam. Did you propagate those by planting pieces of the tuber? If so it is a yam. Yams are more starchy and less sweet than a sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are propagated through vine cuttings or transplants. Are they a lot better than the *shelf worn* store bought variety?

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-23-a.html [archive.org]
From: George (george at nospam.invalid)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:14:52 -0400
--------
Default User wrote:
> No. Potatoes taste good. Sweet potatoes taste nasty.

I didn't care for them when I was a kid but I like them as an adult. The reason being back then everyone served "candied sweet potatoes". apparently they didn't consider that sweet potatoes have tons of flavor and natural sugar and you don't have to do much more than roast them to enjoy all of that flavor.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 12:04:24 -0500
--------
> I didn't care for them when I was a kid but I like them as an adult.
> The reason being back then everyone served "candied sweet potatoes".
> apparently they didn't consider that sweet potatoes have tons of
> flavor and natural sugar and you don't have to do much more than
> roast them to enjoy all of that flavor.

You're exactly right. They are naturally sweet-tasting (hence the name!) and the skins tend to carmelize a bit when you roast them. I never worked up the nerve to try them until I realized you could do more than make that horrid (southern U.S.) "sweet potato pie" which people tend to top with mini marshmallows. Ugh! But a baked sweet potato with a little butter, salt and pepper is a glorious thing. So are sweet potato "shoe-string" fries, although I don't fry very often so that's more of a once a year treat.
From: Julia Altshuler (jaltshuler at comcast.net)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:07:57 -0400
--------
Jill wrote:
> I never worked
> up the nerve to try them until I realized you could do more than make that
> horrid (southern U.S.) "sweet potato pie" which people tend to top with mini
> marshmallows. Ugh!

If you like pumpkin pie or custard, there's no reason not to like sweet potato pie. Just leave off the marshmallows and use whipped cream. It is just baked sweet potato, mashed and mixed with eggs and milk or cream or evaporated milk, some sweetener and spices. When the sweet potato is baked again, it gets sweeter. A lot of people don't realize that you can vary the amount of sugar in Southern cooking. If you do that and don't overcook the vegetables, it really isn't half bad. (Also skip the coke served at breakfast.)
From: Goomba38 (goomba38 at comcast.net)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:22:04 -0400
--------
Julia Altshuler wrote:
> If you like pumpkin pie or custard, there's no reason not to like sweet
> potato pie. Just leave off the marshmallows and use whipped cream. It
> is just baked sweet potato, mashed and mixed with eggs and milk or cream
> or evaporated milk, some sweetener and spices. When the sweet potato is
> baked again, it gets sweeter. A lot of people don't realize that you
> can vary the amount of sugar in Southern cooking. If you do that and
> don't overcook the vegetables, it really isn't half bad. (Also skip the
> coke served at breakfast.)

I LOVE pumpkin pie, but don't care for any sweet potato pie I've eaten. People seem to make them sweeter, and often vanilla-y, which I care for less than a good spicy, less sweet pumpkin pie.
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 15:52:40 -0600
--------
Goomba38 wrote:
>I LOVE pumpkin pie, but don't care for any sweet potato pie I've eaten.
>People seem to make them sweeter, and often vanilla-y, which I care for
>less than a good spicy, less sweet pumpkin pie.

My grandparents used to make me a sweet potato pie every week, when I was a little girl. They used lemon as a flavoring, rather than vanilla. I rarely see it made that way anywhere... I don't like the vanilla flavored ones either.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 18:48:58 -0500
--------
Julia Altshuler wrote:
> If you like pumpkin pie or custard, there's no reason not to like
> sweet potato pie. Just leave off the marshmallows and use whipped
> cream.

Actually, I don't care for sweet stuff at all. I do love baked sweet potatoes with just a little butter, salt & pepper :)
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com)
Date: 22 Oct 2006 01:57:52 +0200
--------
Oh pshaw, jmcquown meant to say...
> Actually, I don't care for sweet stuff at all. I do love baked sweet
> potatoes with just a little butter, salt & pepper :)

My favorite way to eat them, although I do make some dandy candied sliced sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving that are really delicious. No marshmallows!

My grandmother used to make a wonderful sweet potato pie that wasn't overly sweet.
From: Green Mtn. Griller (not at verylikely.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 02:35:38 GMT
--------
Jill McQuown wrote:
> Actually, I don't care for sweet stuff at all. I do love baked sweet
> potatoes with just a little butter, salt & pepper :)

Baked, with butter, s & p and a little maple syrup.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:52:21 -0500
--------
Green Mtn. Griller wrote:
> Baked, with butter, s & p and a little maple syrup.

There you go with the sweet stuff! You're entitled to your maple syrup but please, I just want butter, s&p on my sweet potato!!!
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com)
Date: 22 Oct 2006 07:57:26 +0200
--------
Oh pshaw, jmcquown meant to say...
> There you go with the sweet stuff! You're entitled to your maple syrup
> but please, I just want butter, s&p on my sweet potato!!!

I would have to agree. Several steakhouses we go to serve huge nicely baked sweet potatoes and promote serving them with a butter/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. I always decline in deference to plain butter. IMHO, they need no further enhancement.
From: Green Mtn. Griller (not at verylikely.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 06:21:27 GMT
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> I would have to agree. Several steakhouses we go to serve huge nicely
> baked sweet potatoes and promote serving them with a butter/brown
> sugar/cinnamon mixture. I always decline in deference to plain butter.
> IMHO, they need no further enhancement.

Nope, sorry, it's with maple syrup, or not at all! <jk> ;-) This is Vermont! If we don't consume our Minimum RDA of maple syrup, people talk! Start saying that we're from Massachusetts or Connecticut! The maple does add a nice flavor, though; completely different from brown sugar/cinnamon. End of shameless promotion of the VT Maple Products Producers Association. <whispering> I like 'em without the syrup, too!
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com)
Date: 22 Oct 2006 09:19:50 +0200
--------
Oh pshaw, Green Mtn. Griller meant to say...
> Nope, sorry, it's with maple syrup, or not at all! <jk> ;-) This is
> Vermont! If we don't consume our Minimum RDA of maple syrup, people
> talk! Start saying that we're from Massachusetts or Connecticut! The
> maple does add a nice flavor, though; completely different from brown
> sugar/cinnamon. End of shameless promotion of the VT Maple Products
> Producers Association. <whispering> I like 'em without the syrup, too!

There's no denying the delight of fine maple syrup. My personal favorite is Grade A Dark Amber, or Grade B for cooking. I like it on pancakes, waffles, french toast, in black walnut cake and black walnut ice cream, shorthread, and maple/black walnut fudge. I can't stand it in baked beans, and wouldn't even think of putting it on a sweet potato. Leave my sweet potatoes alone! :-)
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 04:13:51 -0500
--------
Green Mtn. Griller wrote:
> Nope, sorry, it's with maple syrup, or not at all! <jk> ;-) This is
> Vermont! If we don't consume our Minimum RDA of maple syrup, people talk!
> Start saying that we're from Massachusetts or Connecticut! The maple does
> add a nice flavor, though; completely different from brown sugar/cinnamon.
> End of shameless promotion of the VT Maple Products Producers Association.
> <whispering> I like 'em without the syrup, too!

I prefer my maple syrup served over pancakes (and sausage) or formed into those delectable little maple sugar candies...... ;-d
From: Alan Moorman at visi.com
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:12:09 -0500
--------
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>I prefer my maple syrup served over pancakes (and sausage) or formed
>into those delectable little maple sugar candies...... ;-d

Right! On waffles, with lotsa butter! Ohhhh, me!

It's my semi-annual splurge-on-the-sugar breakfast. With sausage.
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:58:41 -0500
--------
Alan Moorman wrote:
>Right! On waffles, with lotsa butter! Ohhhh, me!

agree

good maple syrup is to die for!
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:39:30 -0500
--------
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> I prefer my maple syrup served over pancakes (and sausage) or formed
> into those delectable little maple sugar candies...... ;-d

Gawdalmighty, preserve me from maple cured bacon and maple sausages. Maple has no reason to be anywhere near either one. UGH.
From: Bob Terwilliger (virtualgoth at die_spammer.biz)
Date: 22 Oct 2006 22:19:01 -0500
--------
Jill wrote:
> Gawdalmighty, preserve me from maple cured bacon and maple sausages.
> Maple has no reason to be anywhere near either one. UGH.

Jill, you have different tastes from many people here. That's no reason to wax histrionic about the things you don't like. Take a look at what you wrote, and ask yourself how you would like it if someone responded like that to every post that YOU ever made.
From: BOB (abc at defg.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:25:55 -0400
--------
Bob Terwilliger typed:
> Jill, you have different tastes from many people here. That's no reason to
> wax histrionic about the things you don't like. Take a look at what you
> wrote, and ask yourself how you would like it if someone responded like that
> to every post that YOU ever made.

Heh heh. She'd go off on a tangent explaining that she has "been here longer than you..." and bitch their heads off.
'-)
From: Alan Moorman at visi.com
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:10:58 -0500
--------
Green Mtn. Griller wrote:
>Nope, sorry, it's with maple syrup, or not at all! <jk> ;-) This is
>Vermont! If we don't consume our Minimum RDA of maple syrup, people talk!
>Start saying that we're from Massachusetts or Connecticut! The maple does
>add a nice flavor, though; completely different from brown sugar/cinnamon.
>End of shameless promotion of the VT Maple Products Producers Association.
><whispering> I like 'em without the syrup, too!

My mom used to serve us candied sweet potatoes, now and then. I think they came out of a can, went into the oven until well baked, and then onto the dinner table.

Having always had a sweet tooth, I pretty much loved them. But I got over that.

Now, I think I'd like them baked, with butter and s&p, but not with sweet added.

(Although, if I WAS going to add something sweet, it certainly would be maple syrup. Real Vermont maple syrup!)
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:37:55 -0500
--------
Green Mtn. Griller wrote:
> Nope, sorry, it's with maple syrup, or not at all! <jk> ;-) This is

EWWWWW and this is Tennesse, home of Sorghum (black strap molasses) and I still don't want it on my sweet potatoes.

Do us all a favour and stop posting in HTML
From: Green Mtn. Griller (not at verylikely.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:41:11 GMT
--------
Jill McQuown wrote:
> EWWWWW and this is Tennesse, home of Sorghum (black strap molasses) and I
> still don't want it on my sweet potatoes.
>
> Do us all a favour and stop posting in HTML

OKAY! OKAY!! They're your potatoes, season them the way you like! Or don't season them at all! I was just kidding that you have to have them with syrup! Trust me, no S.W.A.T.(Syrup With Any Thing) team will burst into your homes at supper time, drenching your food with Grade A Medium Amber!

And, I'm not posting in HTML, it's Plain Text. I don't understand.
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com)
Date: 23 Oct 2006 02:53:49 +0200
--------
Oh pshaw, jmcquown meant to say...
> EWWWWW and this is Tennesse, home of Sorghum (black strap molasses) and I
> still don't want it on my sweet potatoes.

Oh, I love good country made sorghum! But *not* on sweet potatoes.

The *only* time I add anything sweet to sweet potatoes is at Thanksgiving when I make a slow-baked candied version. Peeled and sliced raw sweet potatoes baked in a syrup of butter, granulated sugar, orange juice, a bit of spice, and slices of whole lemon.
From: George (george at nospam.invalid)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:41:27 -0400
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> I would have to agree. Several steakhouses we go to serve huge nicely
> baked sweet potatoes and promote serving them with a butter/brown
> sugar/cinnamon mixture. I always decline in deference to plain butter.
> IMHO, they need no further enhancement.

I just don't get that either. Roasted sweet potatoes have *tons* of flavor and don't need any assistance.

Save the syrup for almost flavorless waffles and pancakes.
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 04:12:36 -0500
--------
Jill McQuown wrote:
> There you go with the sweet stuff! You're entitled to your maple syrup but
> please, I just want butter, s&p on my sweet potato!!!

<lol> Ditto here!!!!!

I prefer my sweet potatoes served savory...... :-)

I often use seasonings and salt on sweet potato fries.

Same goes for winter squashes.

I will, however, do sweeter winter squash recipes for my father as he likes them that way. Maple works for that.
From: Alan Moorman at visi.com
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:14:25 -0500
--------
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>I prefer my sweet potatoes served savory...... :-)
>
>I often use seasonings and salt on sweet potato fries.
>
>Same goes for winter squashes.
>
>I will, however, do sweeter winter squash recipes for my father as he
>likes them that way. Maple works for that.

Another sweet thing my mom served was Acorn squash, halved, baked part way through with the cut side down, then turned over and filled with butter and brown sugar. (Well, half-filled.)

I used to LOVE that, but now that I'm watching sugar, and being selective about it, I haven't had Acorn squash for years, decades.

Any good savory, non-sweet squash recipes that I might try? I think it is time to explore. . .
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:28:55 -0500
--------
Alan Moorman wrote:
> Another sweet thing my mom served was Acorn squash, halved, baked
> part way through with the cut side down, then turned over and filled
> with butter and brown sugar. (Well, half-filled.)
>
> I used to LOVE that, but now that I'm watching sugar, and being
> selective about it, I haven't had Acorn squash for years, decades.
>
> Any good savory, non-sweet squash recipes that I might try? I think
> it is time to explore. . .

Just try winter squashes again.... without the syrup or sugar!

I personally prefer butternut, hubbard and turban squashes to acorn. I don't like the texture of acorn.

Just serve them with a bit of butter, salt and whatever your favorite seasonings are.

Did you see my stuffed butternut squash post a week or so ago????
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:56:19 -0500
--------
Alan Moorman wrote:
> Another sweet thing my mom served was Acorn squash, halved, baked
> part way through with the cut side down, then turned over and filled
> with butter and brown sugar. (Well, half-filled.)

Just roast them, sans seeds, cut side up, with some butter in the well of the squash and sprinked with salt and pepper. You can always season them at the end of baking. There's not a law that says you have to season while they cook :) I often sprinkle on Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seaoning. Works well for me!
From: Dan Abel (dabel at sonic.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:54:47 -0700
--------
Alan Moorman wrote:
> Any good savory, non-sweet squash recipes that I might try? I think
> it is time to explore. . .

Nope. Follow the same recipe, just omit the sugar. We usually add butter, if desired, at the table.
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:13:43 -0500
--------
Green Mtn. Griller wrote:
>Baked, with butter, s & p and a little maple syrup.

that does sound good

Do you put the condiments (maple syrup) on them AFTER baking..or while baking?
From: Green Mtn. Griller (not at verylikely.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:46:44 GMT
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> that does sound good
>
> Do you put the condiments (maple syrup) on them AFTER
> baking..or while baking?

Baked like a white potato, then seasoned at the table. I do have a recipe for cut-up sweet potatoes in a baking dish, but I wouldn't dare post it in this conversation! ;-)
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:42:02 -0500
--------
Green Mtn. Griller wrote:
>Baked like a white potato, then seasoned at the table. I do have a recipe
>for cut-up sweet potatoes in a baking dish, but I wouldn't dare post it in
>this conversation! ;-)

Ok thanks I will try it!

I love maple syrup anyway!

Matter of fact I have to buy small bottles of it as I go nuts with it
From: modom (palindrome guy) (moc.etoyok at modom)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:29:15 -0500
--------
Jill McQuown wrote:
>You're exactly right. They are naturally sweet-tasting (hence the name!)
>and the skins tend to carmelize a bit when you roast them. I never worked
>up the nerve to try them until I realized you could do more than make that
>horrid (southern U.S.) "sweet potato pie" which people tend to top with mini
>marshmallows. Ugh! But a baked sweet potato with a little butter, salt &
>pepper is a glorious thing. So are sweet potato "shoe-string" fries,
>although I don't fry very often so that's more of a once a year treat.

Yeah, and I like them split and baked with Dijon mustard and lemon and basil and a dash of soy sauce.
From: kilikini (kilikini1 at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:53:19 GMT
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> Been reading up on sweet potatoes and it appears they
> are not even really a "potato".

I've never cared for sweet potatoes. I know they're more nutritious, but I just don't care for them at all. You can have my share.
From: modom (palindrome guy) (moc.etoyok at modom)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:13:51 -0500
--------
me a privacy.net wrote:
>Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up
>eating white potatoes altogether?

Pretty much so chez modom. South Beach allows sweet potatoes, but not regulars.
From: me at privacy.net (TammyM)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:04:30 GMT
--------
modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>Pretty much so chez modom. South Beach allows sweet potatoes, but not
>regulars.

How is D doing on the South Beach thang? My recollection (which is always suspect as my memory fades with age...) is that she's lost quite a lot. That diet essentially uses the glycemic index, no?

TammyM, could stand to lose a few herself
From: modom (palindrome guy) (moc.etoyok at modom)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:43:07 -0500
--------
TammyM wrote:
>How is D doing on the South Beach thang? My recollection (which is
>always suspect as my memory fades with age...) is that she's lost
>quite a lot. That diet essentially uses the glycemic index, no?

In terms of holding to the regimen, it's an on and off thing for her. She lost about 75 lbs and is holding pretty steady after that as long as she limits the carb intake. But the pastrami I made last week tempted her off plan for grilled pastrami, Swiss, and kraut on rye sandwiches a couple of times.

I've heard of the G index, but I don't know enough about it to say yes or no to a question about its relation to SB.
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:06:45 -0500
--------
modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>Pretty much so chez modom. South Beach allows sweet potatoes, but not
>regulars.

Interesting.

Do you happen to know whey South beach allows sweet potatoes but not white ones?
From: modom (palindrome guy) (moc.etoyok at modom)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:43:29 -0500
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
>Do you happen to know whey South beach allows sweet
>potatoes but not white ones?

Nope.
From: Dan Abel (dabel at sonic.net)
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 16:34:19 -0700
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> Also it appears that sweet potatoes have a LOT more
> nutrition than white potatoes.

What do you mean by "a LOT"? I went through this with another poster a while back with iceberg lettuce. The poster claimed that it had no nutritional value, and that therefore only other kinds of lettuce should be used. Well, that's just not true.

So I whipped out my trusty nutritional database, and compared white and sweet potatoes:
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

I just didn't think that they were that different. The water, calories, protein, fat, carbs and fiber were almost the same. Some of the other nutrients were more different, but nothing really stood out.

> Having said that I was curious if anyone has given up
> eating white potatoes altogether?

Several people gave very good reasons to do this, either a reaction or else they just didn't like them that well.
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:12:44 -0500
--------
Dan Abel wrote:
>I just didn't think that they were that different. The water, calories,
>protein, fat, carbs and fiber were almost the same. Some of the other
>nutrients were more different, but nothing really stood out.

I don't know

I could be wrong! <g>

I just assumed sweet potatoes were a better food choice over reg white potatoes....nutrient wise that is.

I thought sweet potatoes were considered a "super food".

No?
From: OmManiPadmeOmelet (omp_omelet at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:26:05 -0500
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> I thought sweet potatoes were considered a "super food".
>
> No?

Yes.
From: Dan Abel (dabel at sonic.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:02:33 -0700
--------
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> Yes.

Cite please? I don't think I'm going to change my diet, but I'm curious.
From: Dan Abel (dabel at sonic.net)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:01:24 -0700
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> I thought sweet potatoes were considered a "super food".
>
> No?

Who knows?

I did a Google on "Super Foods list" and got some hits. There was some overlap on the lists but they weren't at all unanimous. Chocolate was on one and wine was on another. Tea was on another. None had potatoes, sweet or otherwise. My favorite was this one:
http://www.geocities.com/superherofood/ListIndex.html
From: me at privacy.net
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:10:52 -0500
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
>Been reading up on sweet potatoes and it appears they
>are not even really a "potato".

The reason I ask above question is a I REALLY need to start shedding some weight. Need to get serious abt this. id love to lose enough weight to quit taking my lipitor even.

Having said that....I'm trying to come up with an analysis of what I'm eating right now.....what I need to QUIT eating... and what I should replace it with or START eating.

I'm also interested in the so called "super foods" list. The foods that pack a lot of nutritional value.

And am also interested I developing a diet that is simple...simple to prepare, simple to cook, simple to buy, simple to eat.

I eat way too much prepared foods such as frozen dinners..... but if changing my diet must replace them with foods that are easy to make as I have little time.
From: George (george at nospam.invalid)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:44:58 -0400
--------
me at privacy.net wrote:
> And am also interested I developing a diet that is
> simple...simple to prepare, simple to cook, simple to
> buy, simple to eat.

Sweet potatoes are hard to beat for efficiency. They come in their own cooking container and don't need anything except roasting and then slitting the container open and enjoying. Thats what we are having today. There are sweet potatoes in the oven along with a porketta. The house smells great and there will be enough leftovers for another meal and lots of real meat to make sandwiches.
Subject: REC Re: Sweet potato vs white potato
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: "Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" (shopalot at foodsource.eat)
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:59:58 GMT
--------
modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
> Yeah, and I like them split and baked with Dijon mustard and lemon and
> basil and a dash of soy sauce.

This is how I like 'em. Got this last year from allrecipes.com. It's good and you can tweak the recipe in so many ways.

Sweet Potato Bisque
SUBMITTED BY: Barbara

"Velvety smooth soothing soup with zip! Serve hot with dollop of sour cream and garnish of chopped chives."

Original recipe yield: 8 servings

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr 15 Min
READY IN 1 Hr 35 Min

3 sweet potatoes
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
10 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chicken broth
3/8 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Roast sweet potatoes in 450 degree F (230 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and slice open, allowing to cool while assembling rest of soup.

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil and butter until soft and slightly browned. Add potatoes to pot and saute 1 minute. Stir in flour. Deglaze pan with broth, scraping up brown bits. Add water and sweet potato flesh. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer partially covered for approximately 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (Liquid will have reduced to approximately 8 cups.)

Remove from heat and puree soup in batches in blender or directly in pot with hand-held blender.

Return soup to pot and re-heat over low heat. Add buttermilk, nutmeg, ginger, white pepper, thyme, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring well.