Recipes for Eye Health: Sweet Potato
Packed with fiber and vitamins, sweet potatoes are a versatile addition to a healthy, well-balanced diet not only for eye health but also for overall wellbeing.
The health benefits of sweet potatoes for your eyes are quite impressive. They contain both Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene which research has shown can help prevent night blindness and dry eyes. They are also high in beta-carotenes, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin, which contribute to the prevention of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Looking for some new food inspiration I came across this great website called Cooking Light and found these yummy Sweet potato tots. The nutty almond flour and panko crumbs create a warm, crispy shell around a sweet and smooth interior, mimicking a classic fried tater tot.
These are great fun snacks and are kid-friendly, plus you can double the batch and freeze half for another day.
INGREDIENTS:
Sweet Potato Tots:
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 egg whites
- Cooking spray
Jalapeño Garlic Ranch Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork several times. Bake sweet potatoes on baking sheet lined with foil until soft, about 45-55 minutes. Let cool.
- Remove skin from sweet potatoes and combine flesh with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let the mixture sit in fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine almond meal, panko, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, crack egg whites.
- Roll about 1 tablespoon sweet potato mixture into a tot shape, douse in egg white mixture, and roll in breading mixture. Place on an oiled baking tray.
- Once all tots are on baking sheet, spray tots with cooking spray in order to achieve even browning.
- Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes or until they’ve reached desired crispiness, flipping tots halfway through.
- For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Serve immediately.
Every Thursday, our Envision Optical blog brings you ‘Nutrition Thursday’ – news about nutrition for your eye health. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and like us to receive the reminders once they are posted. Each week we also include a delicious recipe for you to make: www.facebook.com/envisionoptical
When was the last time you had your eyes checked?
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