Every time when I think of sweet potatoes, I can’t help but think of a funny story well-loved among my nutritionist friends. Here’s how it goes: A body builder wanted to know what is a healthy source of carb to eat. A fitness buddy told him sweet potato is the healthiest carb on earth. The body builder was very impressionable and took his friend’s advice to heart. Day in and day out, the body builder made sure he had sweet potatoes in every meal: protein shakes, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Weeks later, his buddy was surprised to find out the body builder turned completely orange!
I hope this won’t stop you from enjoying the recipe I’m about to share. Because sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene (orange-yellow pigment), which is readily converted to vitamin A (fat-soluble) in our body, over-dosing on sweet potatoes can cause ‘carotenemia’, a harmless condition usually goes away on its own once the person stop consuming too many sweet potatoes. So, regardless how healthy a food can be, moderation is key.
One way I enjoy my sweet potatoes is to use it as a sugar, egg and flour substitute in treats. I’m often impressed by the natural sweetness in sweet potatoes. A little goes a long way. Along with the fiber and other nutrients, this brownie is great for a sweet fix without the sugar crash followed shortly after.
The best way to prepare sweet potatoes is boiling, which help to retain most of the antioxidants compare to roasting or steaming. Here are 2 reasons why boiling is the better way to go:
the boiling process breaks down thin out the starch, which make the nutrients more readily available for us
reduced starch content in boiled sweet potatoes is more effective to protect us from a blood sugar spike and dip (glycemic index of boiled sweet potatoes=46, glycemic index of baked sweet potatoes=96)
Are you ready for some healthy treats? Here it is:
6-Ingredient Guilt-free Brownies
Serves 10
Healthy brownie with only 6 ingredients!
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
3/4 cup sweet potatoes, mashed
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp almond milk
1/8 tsp coconut oil (for greasing the pan)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a small baking dish or square pan (9 X 9)
In a large bowl, add the mashed sweet potato, sunflower seed butter, maple syrup and almond milk. Mix well.
Fold in the coconut flour and cacao powder and mix until everything is well incorporated.
Transfer the mixture into the greased baking pan. Bake for about 25-30min until a cake tester comes out clean. The cooking time depends on how well the sweet potato is drained.
Cool for 10 min before removing from the pan. Keep them fresh in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a week.
Notes
Add in the mashed sweet potato while still hot will help melt the seed butter and make the mixing process easier. If you made the mashed sweet potato ahead of time, simply microwave the seed butter for 10-15 seconds to soften it up.
Adapted from (inspired by Dr. Axe's Sweet Potato Brownies recipe)
Special Note for Ladies:
Do you know the benefit of seed cycling? It’s a simple yet powerful trick to improve your mood and skin. Read this post to find out why. The sunflower seed butter can be easily substitute by pumpkin seed butter depending on where you are at in your cycle. Give it a try!
Book a free 15 min strategy session to find out your one simple step towards better energy and health.