Monday, December 17, 2012

Sweet Potato Pancakes



This has been my morning treat in recent days.  It nourishes me with savory taste, vitamin-packed sweet potatoes and protein.  And it only takes ten minutes to make if you have roasted sweet potatoes waiting for you in the refrigerator.  I often make large quantities of roasted sweet potatoes and use them in a variety of ways.  This is one of my favorite uses for them.  Great way to start my day with Pzazz.  The fresh rosemary is the star ingredient.  I don't think the taste would be nearly so fine with dried rosemary.  

Ingredients:
1 cup cubed raw sweet potato (1/2 " cubes) to make 3/4 cup roasted sweet potatoes
1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or less if desired)
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil (or olive oil if you prefer)
Approximately 3/4 cup Egg Beaters or similar egg substitute

Optional toppings:
Ricotta cheese
Yogurt with maple syrup
Rosemary sprigs


Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the sweet potato cubes with the rosemary, oil and a dash of salt.  Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender.  The one cup of cubed raw sweet potato will yield about 3/4 cup after roasting. Roasting a large quantity of sweet potatoes to have available is a great time-saver.  Put 3/4 cup roasted sweet potatoes into a Magic Bullet pr similar appliance with the egg substitute, and puree until smooth.  I have also used a combination of egg whites and Egg Beaters, using about equal amounts of both.  Pour the batter into six pancakes on a griddle which has a small amount of coconut oil on it to fry the pancakes.   These pancakes take a bit longer to cook than typical pancakes to ensure the center is thoroughly cooked.  I made the mistake on my first trial of not having the batter thin enough so the inside was still a bit gooey.  After about three trials, I think I figured out the right proportion of sweet potato to egg mixture.  Feel free to adjust to fit your preference.  These store well in the refrigerator to reheat another morning or for a healthy side dish.

A mixture of 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup and 2 -3 Tablespoons plain yogurt makes a delicious topping. One time I put a dollop of ricotta cheese on top.  Whatever Pzazz you want to add is up to you!


Nutrition: (does not include toppings) 
Servings per recipe: 2 servings of 3 pancakes each
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 180
Total Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 2 mg
Sodium: 354 mg
Total Carbs: 18 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 18 g