Maple-roasted sweet potatoes

In this healthy side dish, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and roasted until tender and golden brown with a sticky glaze.

Ideal for diabetics

Sweet potatoes are a low-glycemic food loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals—including vitamin A, which is great for healthy vision and a strong immune system. The low-glycemic factor and fiber combo means sweet potatoes are less likely to spike your blood sugar.

Pure maple syrup comes from the sap of the maple tree. When consumed in moderation, maple syrup can certainly be part of a healthy, varied diet and even provides some nutrition.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
3. Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Additional time: 1 hour

Servings: 12

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 92

Carbs: 18g

Protein: 1g

Fat: 2g

Tips

The best quality sweet potatoes are available in fall and early winter. Choose sweet potatoes with smooth skin that are firm and free of soft spots, cracks or bruises. For this recipe, we use an orange-flesh variety, which tend to be denser and sweeter than the yellow-flesh variety. Common varieties of orange-flesh sweet potatoes are Beauregard, Jewel and Garnet, so look out for these when shopping.

For this recipe, we peel the sweet potatoes for the best texture. You can leave the skin on if you prefer, just make sure to scrub the sweet potatoes under cool running water with a vegetable brush.