Potato Nirvana! GF, V & Paleo

Behold.

The Great.

Potato.

Youuuuu Guyssssssss. This is by far one of the most insanely delicious things ever. Literally, ever.

Have you ever had one of those days where you'd just rather skip dinner and just go straight to dessert? Or rather, have dessert for dinner?

Like everyday? Okay yeah, me too :)

Well, this recipe is the best of both worlds. You get dinner and dessert in one! How? Because it's so friggin tasty, and deceptively healthy!

I'd call that a #win!

Now, potatoes are a little tricky. They're not on the Specific Carb Diet. Period. Sweet Potatoes are on the Paleo diet, and Red potatoes are on the Body Ecology Diet. So, do with this what you will.



Before I dive in, I promised yesterday to give you a quick update on our trip to Florida.

It was amazing -- we stayed right on the water and we spent the week on the beach,

taking walks,

watching the sunset,

and enjoying delicious Tiki Bar drinks:)

Ok...back to the spuds.

For this recipe I used a Japanese Sweet Potato. There are all different types of tubers -- sweet potatoes, yams, japanese sweet potatoes, etc. But I choose the Japanese variety because I like the texture of it. The flesh is actually white, not orange, like we're used to at Thanksgiving. But the texture is almost gummy, and creates this beautifully thick, paste-like consistency that I found really enjoyable. ((It doesn't sound that appetizing from that description, but believe me, it was splendid...Think cookie dough))

Also - to "up" the nutrition factor, and intensify the color, I added steamed carrots to the flesh. Aren't I tricky ;)

Here's what you need. (Serves one -- although, I guesssss you could split it)

1 massive Japanese sweet potato, baked
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped and steamed
pinch of salt

Drizzle:
3 Tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Garnish
pecans, roasted and chopped

Optional: (to be blended in)
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 375. Prick your sweet potato all over with a fork. Rub the skin with a little bit of oil - I used grapeseed. Bake for about 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes with an oven mitt. (I placed a cookie sheet underneath the potato to catch any sugary drippings that might ooze out of the spud.)

While the potato is baking, I made my almond butter drizzle. In my food processor, I mixed the peanut butter, honey and cinnamon until it was nice and smooth and drizzly. If the consistency is too thick, you can add either a splash of water, or a little bit of oil. I used a touch of almond oil, but another flavorless oil would be fine too.

Transfer your sauce to another bowl, and try to refrain from eating all of it. ((I made 4x the amount listed in the recipe to keep on hand for yogurts, cereal, smoothie additions, fruit dip, etc.))

*You don't have to clean your food processor just yet. Any remaining sauce left of the sides/blade will just mix nicely in with the flesh.

Also while your potato is baking, steam your carrots either on the stove or in the microwave. I just used the microwave and a Pyrex measuring cup.

Lastly, toast some pecans in a skillet over low heat until fragrant. This doesn't take very long - about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. But watch them, because they can burn quickly!

Once the potato is finished baking, cut a slit in it lengthwise, but not all the way through. Then, carefully (with oven mitts because it's hot) push the two ends together.

Then, spoon out the flesh of the potato and place into your food processor along with the carrots and a pinch of salt. Don't scrape all of the flesh out of the potato -- you still need the potato to be sturdy and able to stand on its own.

While the flesh of the potato and the carrots are still hot, process them until combined and smooth. (The steam given off helps facilitate this.) I also added about a Tbsp of almond butter, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 pinch of salt and 1/8 tsp cinnamon to the food processor to be mixed in. That is optional -- but highly encouraged :)

To assemble, generously spoon the potato/carrot mixture back into the skin and pile it high! Then, liberally smother that baby with your almond/peanut butter and honey mixture. Garnish with pecans if desired.

DIG. IN.

Was this bigger than my face? Yes. Did it weigh roughly the same as a large cat? Yes. Was it one of the most delicious things in the entire world? Abso-friggin-lutely!

Ladies and gentlemen, this potato. This potato. This potato. THIS POTATO! I kid you not....it was nirvana. And I got that word, because Webster told me that it meant utter bliss. Ecstasy. Pure joy. Yep - that about sums it up.

It was like eating pumpkin pie flavored cookie dough. It was sweet and nutty and had a kiss of cinnamon.

And the texture was marvelous. Like I mentioned, Japanese Sweet Potatoes have a tacky and thick texture that makes it so you almost have to chew it. It was so good.

But the drizzle. OH THE DRIZZLE! In the words of Uncle Jesse,

Seriously, though...it should be illegal. It is so rich and nutty and sweet, and combined with the sweet potato and carrot mash, it is just out of this world. 

Lastly, the color is just outrageous. That orange color is not enhanced, nor from a can, my friends. No filter here! It's all from some good old beta carotene found in Bugs Bunny's favorite veggie. Not only do carrots intensify the color, but they also up the nutrition factor too!

This was a ten. Nay -- an eleven. If you feel like giving yourself a hug through your stomach, make this dish.

It's "Din-sert." "Desse-ner." It's healthy dessert for dinner. It's Potato Nirvana.

PS: You can thank me later ;)