Sweet Potato Wedges

Making French Fried potatoes in the oven is an easy trick. But for for something different, how about Sweet Potato Wedges? These give you a nutritious and slightly sweet break from regular potatoes. Even better, you can make all sorts of different dipping sauces for them, like the easy honey-yogurt sauce included in this recipe. 

The recipe as written makes four servings of six wedges and a tablespoon on sauce per serving. Nutritional information is based on that.

Ingredients For The Wedges

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, about 2 lbs., halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon neutral flavored vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients For The Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Dash of vanilla extract

Whether you peel the sweet potatoes is up to you and probably depends on the smoothness and blemishes on the skin. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly. I like to use soybean oil but many people use canola oil. You could also use sunflower or safflower oil. I think Greek yogurt and local honey are always best, as is real vanilla over imitation. 

For equipment, you’ll need a sharp chef’s knife, a large microwave-safe bowl, plastic wrap, a baking or cookie sheet, a medium bowl, spoon and measuring tools.

Directions

1. Place the baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven with the pan to 450F.
2. Place the potato halves in the microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Pierce the wrap with a knife edge to create a vent. Microwave on High for five minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave and drain the water. Allow the potatoes to sit for a minute or two to allow the steam to escape. 
3. Transfer the potatoes to a cutting board and cut each half lengthwise into 4 wedges. Toss them with the oil.
4. Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and carefully coat with cooking spray, Arrange the potato wedges in a single layer on the sheet and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until the wedges are brown and tender. 
5. While the potatoes are baking, in the smaller bowl mix together the yogurt, honey and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Serve with the potato wedges. 

Variations

Along with the salt and pepper, sprinkle the wedges with cinnamon and cumin.

After removing the wedges from the oven, sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cheddar or Monterrey Jack work well for this. Serve without the yogurt sauce.

Replace the yogurt sauce with a combination of 2 tablespoons of melted butter, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of cider vinegar

Nutritional Information

A serving size for this is 6 wedges and a tablespoon of sauce. Per serving: 247 calories, 4 grams fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 283 mg sodium, 50 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 4 g. protein.

Bonus Nutrition: 804 mg Potassium, 8% of daily recommended intake of iron, 9% of vitamin C, 10% of calcium and more than six times the RDA for Vitamin A. In addition, sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants.