North Carolina is number one in sweet potato production in the U.S. You will find sweet potatoes on many menus in North Carolina and at the Farmer's Market when you visit. We even make our vodka with sweet potatoes. However, North Carolina also ships sweet potatoes everywhere. This educational feature about the "Life of an N.C. Sweet Potato." makes me realize how important North Carolina is to the world when it comes to the crop and harvesting of sweet potatoes. There's a good chance that the sweet potatoes you use to make your delicious sweet potato casserole or sweet potato pie came from N.C.
As founder of @OutaboutNC on Instagram, I have learned from my NC travel community that culinary travel is a huge part of the charm when guests plan a first-time trip to visit North Carolina. That's because my home state is historically an agriculture state. Farming is at the root of our rich heritage so when you visit NC, you want to taste the food. Food needs to be part of the travel experience.
NC chefs and restaurants that specialize in farm-to-table cuisine are winning over visitors.regularly. As more national magazines highlight NC chefs throughout the state, reservations are getting harder to come by at many NC restaurants, unless you plan weeks or months in advance. The reason these restaurants are so popular is that they feature dishes using fresh ingredients from North Carolina farms.
Here are eight great recipes that put sweet potatoes as the star of the main meal to you in your own home.
Background on Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes are a low-calorie vegetable and are good on the grocery budget. There are many health benefits for eating sweet potatoes. They are a good source of Vitamin C and A, and other nutrients. Even though they are a starchy vegetable, they are high in fiber and are a slow-burning carb which keeps blood sugar levels lower and sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, which can also aide in lower blood pressure.
Many people get confused between yams and sweet potatoes. We don't produce yams in North Carolina, and when Southern people refer to yams, they most likely mean sweet potatoes. The N.C. Sweet Potato Commission sums it up best. A true yam is imported from the Caribbean and is quite different from a sweet potato. But, a sweet potato has many, many varieties and its flesh can be white, orange, and purple. The orange variety was introduced decades ago, and in order to distinguish it from the white-flesh sweet potato, suppliers and producers chose an English form from the African-word,"nyami" and labeled "yam."
Sweet potatoes are almost always incorporated into a Thanksgiving menu. But, the vegetable can be used in so many recipes other than a sweet potato casserole. From pasta noodles to the filling for tacos, sweet potatoes are versatile. Many N.C. restaurants serve a side of sweet potatoes with their burgers, too.
The following eight recipes will help you put sweet potatoes on your menu. All recipes shared here are with permission in a collaborative effort.
1. Easy Sweet Potato and Chicken Sausage Skillet Meal
2. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos from the N.C blog, TwinStripe.
3. Mad Sweet Potato Pasta from Nourish and Nestle.
4. Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes and Maple Syrup Katja Presnal of Skimbaco Lifestyle.
5. Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Walnuts from the Minnesota-based blog, Baby Loving Mama.
6. Sweet Potato Souffle from North Carolina's third oldest town, Beaufort, N.C. I love this recipe and now make it for Thanksgiving.
7. Spinach Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust from A "Mind 'Full" Mom
8. Quick Apple Sweet Potato Hash from Bites of Wellness.
As founder of @OutaboutNC on Instagram, I have learned from my NC travel community that culinary travel is a huge part of the charm when guests plan a first-time trip to visit North Carolina. That's because my home state is historically an agriculture state. Farming is at the root of our rich heritage so when you visit NC, you want to taste the food. Food needs to be part of the travel experience.
NC chefs and restaurants that specialize in farm-to-table cuisine are winning over visitors.regularly. As more national magazines highlight NC chefs throughout the state, reservations are getting harder to come by at many NC restaurants, unless you plan weeks or months in advance. The reason these restaurants are so popular is that they feature dishes using fresh ingredients from North Carolina farms.
Here are eight great recipes that put sweet potatoes as the star of the main meal to you in your own home.
Background on Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes are a low-calorie vegetable and are good on the grocery budget. There are many health benefits for eating sweet potatoes. They are a good source of Vitamin C and A, and other nutrients. Even though they are a starchy vegetable, they are high in fiber and are a slow-burning carb which keeps blood sugar levels lower and sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, which can also aide in lower blood pressure.
Many people get confused between yams and sweet potatoes. We don't produce yams in North Carolina, and when Southern people refer to yams, they most likely mean sweet potatoes. The N.C. Sweet Potato Commission sums it up best. A true yam is imported from the Caribbean and is quite different from a sweet potato. But, a sweet potato has many, many varieties and its flesh can be white, orange, and purple. The orange variety was introduced decades ago, and in order to distinguish it from the white-flesh sweet potato, suppliers and producers chose an English form from the African-word,"nyami" and labeled "yam."
Sweet potatoes are almost always incorporated into a Thanksgiving menu. But, the vegetable can be used in so many recipes other than a sweet potato casserole. From pasta noodles to the filling for tacos, sweet potatoes are versatile. Many N.C. restaurants serve a side of sweet potatoes with their burgers, too.
The following eight recipes will help you put sweet potatoes on your menu. All recipes shared here are with permission in a collaborative effort.
1. Easy Sweet Potato and Chicken Sausage Skillet Meal
2. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos from the N.C blog, TwinStripe.
3. Mad Sweet Potato Pasta from Nourish and Nestle.
4. Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes and Maple Syrup Katja Presnal of Skimbaco Lifestyle.
5. Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Walnuts from the Minnesota-based blog, Baby Loving Mama.
6. Sweet Potato Souffle from North Carolina's third oldest town, Beaufort, N.C. I love this recipe and now make it for Thanksgiving.
7. Spinach Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust from A "Mind 'Full" Mom
Post originally published in 2015. Updated in November 2018.
My time for writing, updating and sharing these recipes are made possible by HinesSightBlog sponsor, Lane and Associates Family Dentistry in Raleigh at Wake Forest Road.
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