Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes (or camote in Spanish) are sweet-tasting tubers which originated in Central America. Most of the tubers referred to as yams in the U.S. are actually sweet potatoes. Looking at the image at the top of this page, from left to right, is the red sweet potato, the jewel sweet potato, and white sweet potato. Both the red and the jewel are typically labeled "yams" in U.S. grocery stores. Both the red (Garnet) and lighter-colored Jewel sweet potatoes have orange flesh and a more moist when cooked than the light beige/yellow color sweet potatoes. Canned sweet potatoes are typically the red variety.

The sweet potato can be baked, boiled, mashed, or pureed. It is also used for making Sweet Potato pie. Canned sweet potatoes are cooked then canned.

Substitute For Sweet Potatoes

If you don't have sweet potatoes then select from one of these options:

• Use red (Garnet), Jewel (called yams in the U.S.) or white sweet potatoes interchangeably. Do remember the red and Jewel will be moist rather than "dryer" inside. The white are typically the preferred for roasting.
• Depending on how you are using the sweet potato you can substitute canned or frozen for fresh.

Vary The Flavor

• OR - You can substitute equal amounts of parsnips which are also sweet
• OR - Butternut squash is a good alternative to roasting or use in soups or as a side vegetable.
• OR - Use pumpkin but most will be less sweet.
• OR - Yukon gold potatoes will work well too, but they have a higher glycemic index than sweet potatoes.