Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Herbs and Cayenne

There is no hiding my admiration for sweet potatoes; not only are they tastier than your typical spud, they have significantly more vitamins and minerals. But who wants to hear about health benefits, right? I know I just want to talk about the yummy, creamy goodness of sweet potatoes. At least you know while you are devouring these beauties you can feel better knowing they are nutrient-packed. In my opinion, any way a regular potato can be prepared, substituting sweet potato is just the way to go. Sweet potato fries? Check. Sweet potato salad? Sure! How about roasted sweet potatoes? Yes, and yes.  So that’s exactly what we’re going to make: roasted sweet potatoes. Fresh herbs, a dash of heat, garlic powder, and olive oil for crisping = savory deliciousness.

And the best part? It’s so easy to make sweet potatoes a perfect comfort food for the sluggish winter or a bright, beautiful and light side for the summer. Substitute the herbs for cilantro and chives with chili powder and lime juice – grill those bad boys up and voila: sweet summertime. But the reality we face is that the winter months are trudging forth and comforting roast sweet potatoes console our appetites until spring decides to arrive.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

• Two sweet potatoes, sliced into inch-thick rounds and quartered
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for coating
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (you could substitute regular minced garlic but it burns easily at such a high temp)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (or less, if you don’t like heat).

First: preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Then, remove any blemishes from the potatoes. Slice your sweet potatoes into inch-thick rounds and quarter them.

Mince your fresh herbs.

Drizzle olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Finish by sprinkling the fresh thyme and rosemary, garlic powder and cayenne powder atop. Toss to coat evenly. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with tinfoil and distribute the potatoes in a single layer so they are not touching each other.

Once your oven is preheated, place the baking sheet in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes total, scraping up and flipping the sweet potatoes once, about halfway through. Remove from heat, let cool slightly and enjoy!