Over the past couple of weeks, we have been blessed with an unusual amount of time with family. First, my in-laws visited us for a long weekend, and then a few days later we went to South Carolina to see both of our families for Labor Day weekend. Per usual, when we get together with family or friends, we eat very well. And by well, I mean a lot. We’ve been surviving off of tacos, fried foods, and more pizza than I’d like to admit. I heard a quote the other day that the average American eats 46 slices of pizza per year. If that’s true, Patrick and I may have a problem. I am fairly certain that we have each eaten close to that number in the past 2 months alone. Seriously.

Canoeing in the Loxahatchee River with Patrick, his dad, Ken and Lynn.

Lake day with our family in South Carolina. Emery and I watching her daddy and Patrick ski!

Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” I hear you, Julia, and I completely agree. I am okay with the fact that I eat significantly more pizza than the average American. In fact, there’s really nothing I love to eat more than a good thin-crust pie. But, after a couple of weeks of tomato sauce being my main vegetable source, my body finally said, no more! 

The first thing I did when we got back into town was take a much needed trip to Trader Joe’s to fill up our kitchen with berries, carrots, arugula, sweet potatoes and any other produce I could get my hands on. My body was begging for something lighter and cleaner than what it had been getting. For dinner that night we had Mediterranean Meatballs packed with fresh spinach, a simple arugula salad and roasted sweet potatoes. 

Roasted sweet potatoes end up at our dinner table about once a week. They’re healthy, easy to prepare, and are generally available year round. Sometimes I like to toss them in coconut oil and sprinkle cinnamon over them for a sweeter version. But, more often than not, we like them savory, thinly sliced with a drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of Uncle Jimmy’s House Seasoning. They come out a little brown and crispy on the outside, and perfectly soft and sweet inside. 

Savory Sweet Potatoes 

Ingredients

• sweet potatoes (usually around 1 per person, depending on how many you’re feeding)  
• extra virgin olive oil
• Uncle Jimmy’s House Seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and either cube them or slice into rounds.
3. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the potatoes.
4. Sprinkle with the seasoning mix.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Tossing gently every 15-20 minutes to avoid over-browning. 

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Happy stirring!

xoxo, Stacey