Each year, the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission holds a Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest in conjunction with Louisiana Cookin’ magazine. 

Last year’s winner in the Soup Category was Sally Sibthorpe of Shelby Township, MO, who wowed judges with her recipe for Ginger Thai Sweet Potato Bisque. This soup makes a zesty Thanksgiving starter, fusing Asian flavors with the natural goodness of America’s sweet potato crop. 

All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store. Click here for more sweet potato recipes. 

Ginger Thai Sweet Potato Bisque

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
4 cups cooked sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger root
1 can (15 ounces) coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon red curry paste
4 tablespoons minced cilantro
4 tablespoons shredded coconut

1. Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan or stockpot on medium setting. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until tender.
2. Remove mixture to a food processor or blender. Add sweet potatoes and ginger, then puree until mixture is smooth.
3. Return mixture to saucepan. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, salt, soy sauce, lime juice and curry paste. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro. Simmer for 2 minutes more.
5. Ladle soup into serving bowls, and garnish with shredded coconut and remaining cilantro.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission

1.8 billion pounds. 

That’s how many sweet potatoes were grown last year by the major U.S. sweet potato-producing states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. North Carolina led the way with 874 million pounds, followed by California (437 million pounds) and Mississippi (335 million pounds). 

We’ve increased our consumption of the healthful orange tuber over the years. In 1999, the average American consumed 3.7 pounds of sweet potatoes. Last year, we averaged 5.1 pounds per person, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. 

We really should eat more. Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse. A half-cup serving contains only 90 calories, with no fat or cholesterol and only 35 mg sodium. This serving size delivers 3 g fiber, 2 g protein, 380% of your daily vitamin A requirement and 35% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I’ll focus on sweet potatoes over the next few days. Check out Bargain of the Week for shopping and preparation tips. In addition to the recipes already available on our organic blog (listed below), I’ll add some new ones for culinary inspiration.

Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Table

• Sweet Potato Toppers
• Sweet Potato and Spiced Pecan Soup with Chive Chantilly
• Grilled Sweet Potato Steaks with Maple Pecan Butter
• Sweet Potato Bake
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Pecan Streusel Topping
• Curried Sweet Potato
• Roasted Vegetable Medley
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Organic Sweet Potato Custard
• Sweet Potato Bundt Cake
• Organic Turkey Sandwiches (with Thanksgiving leftovers) 

Year-Round Treats

• Sweet Potato Pie Smoothies
• Kootu Curry
• Cinnamon Beef Tagine

Photo courtesy of the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission

Americans have expanded their Thanksgiving repertoire in recent years. While many of us have fond childhood memories of the classic Sweet Potato Bake studded with miniature marshmallows, our adult tastes now run more toward organic Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Pecan Streusel Topping or Curried Sweet Potato.

In recent years, winter squash has replaced sweet potatoes on many Thanksgiving tables. The two are interchangeable in many recipes (see Candied Butternut Squash and Butternut Squash Soup with Sage), and both veggies contain high levels of cancer-fighting carotenoids.

The beauty of winter squash is its many varieties, flavors and preparations. Registered dietitian Karen Collins, nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research, offers the following tips:

• Acorn squash is small, with a very hard rind. Your best bet is to cut it in half and bake it, without peeling it. Season with pumpkin-pie spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Butternut squash is sweet and moist, with a slightly nutty flavor. The skin is easy to peel, and you can roast cubes or add chunks to a soup or stew.
• Buttercup squash has a sweet flavor, but it can be dry. Use it in moist dishes to avoid drowning it in butter.
• Large squashes (like Hubbard) are also delicious and will provide lots of leftovers. Use what you need now, and freeze cooked cubes or purée.
• Spaghetti squash is a little lower in calories, fiber, and nutrients like vitamin C and potassium. Its preparation is unique, as strands of cooked squash are pulled from the flesh with a fork. As the name implies, it’s often served like pasta.

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Virtually every supermarket and natural/organic food store is now offering sweet Thanksgiving deals on holiday sweet potatoes, including organic varieties. 

My shopping trips have revealed mixed results. Some of the sweet potatoes have been blemish-free beauties, while others were moldy mounds. 

When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for firmness, dark coloring and a smooth texture. Head to another market if the selection sports wrinkles, bruises, sprouts or decay. (Even if you cut away the decay, the flavor will be rank.) 

Maintain freshness by storing fresh sweet potatoes in a dry, cool (55°F to 60°F) place, such as a cellar, pantry or garage. Do not store them in the refrigerator; they’ll develop a hard core and unpleasant taste. 

Stored properly, sweet potatoes will keep for roughly 30 days. If you’re going to store them at room temperature, they’ll last about a week. 

Never wash sweet potatoes until you’re about to cook them. Excess moisture promotes spoilage. When you’re ready to cook, wash them thoroughly. Whenever possible, leave the skins on, as they contain most of the vegetable’s nutrients. 

Sweet potatoes with dark-orange flesh are moister, while those with lighter skins and yellow flesh are decidedly less sweet and plump. Yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes also require a longer cook time. Avoid mixing the two varieties when cooking, as you’ll encounter textural differences and uneven doneness.

Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission

Blood oranges are my favorite citrus fruit, largely because they’re a seasonal treat. 

First grown in Italy and Spain, they’ve made their way to the United States and are now grown in California and Texas. Peak season is November to May (California) and December to March (Texas). 

Our weekend recipe combines blood oranges and red beets for a savory, yet sweet, salad. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store. If you have trouble finding blood oranges, you may substitute navel oranges.

Red Beet and Blood Orange Salad

Serves 4 (about 1 cup salad per serving, plus 1/4 cup dressing for later use)

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup berry-infused red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Salad

2 medium fresh beets (about 10 ounces total), stemmed and scrubbed
4 large Romaine lettuce leaves or 4 cups loosely packed field greens (about 4 ounces total)
2 blood or navel oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 ounce chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Peel beets under running water to prevent staining of fingertips. Drain on paper towels, and cut each beet into eight wedges.
3. Place beets on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil (from the dressing ingredient list), and toss to coat well. Arrange in a single layer. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Stir beets and cook 10 minutes longer, or until just tender. Remove foil and beets from baking sheet, and place on wire rack to cool at least 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine salad dressing ingredients in a jar or container with lid.
6. Arrange lettuce on a large platter; top with remaining salad ingredients and beets.
7. Shake jar vigorously, and evenly drizzle one half of the dressing over salad. Refrigerate remaining dressing up to 3 days for later use.

Check out:

• Pepita-Crusted Halibut with Blood Orange Jicama Chutney
• Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
• Rose Geranium Sangria
• Greek-Style Beet Salad
• Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Beets and Goat Cheese
• Spinach and Baby Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Plum Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pompeian

You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.

Mushrooms and oranges join this month’s peak-season list, while eggplant moves off.

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Oranges
• Pears
• Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

10 Recipes to Inspire You

1. Florida Orange and Sweet Oso Onion Salad
2. Grilled Flatbread with Olive, Orange and Fennel Relish
3. Orange and Radish Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette
4. Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
5. Sautéed Mushroom Salad
6. Moist & Savory Stuffing
7. Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts
8. Broiled Italian-Style Portobello Mushrooms
9. Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
10. Pugliese Mushroom Scafata with Green Olive Crostini

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Yesterday, I provided the basic recipe for Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Today’s recipe ups the flavor ante, with spices that will remind you of red pepper jelly—both sweet and hot.

If you’ve purchased a Halloween pumpkin, you’ll have the basis for a high-protein snack. If not, you may use raw pumpkin seeds from the snack or nut aisle of your local natural and organic food store.

Enjoy!

Sweet-Hot Pumpkin Seeds with Autumn Spices

Makes 8 servings (2 tablespoons each)

1 pumpkin (or 1 cup purchased raw pumpkin seeds)
Canola oil spray
4 teaspoons walnut oil (olive oil may be substituted)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
Dash salt
2 teaspoons water

1. Remove seeds from pumpkin with a large spoon. To separate seeds from pumpkin fiber, place the mixture in a large bowl filled with cold water. Wash and dry them thoroughly.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with canola oil spray. Place seeds in one layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in small skillet, whisk together oil, spices, sugar, salt and water. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until seeds finish toasting.
4. Remove seeds from oven, and stir into spice mixture, coating evenly. Cook on stove for another 5 minutes.
5. Return seeds to baking sheet, patting into one layer. Bake about 10 minutes, until crisp.
6. Remove from oven, and let cool. Gently loosen from baking sheet with tip of metal spatula. Store in a tightly covered container.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite fall snacks. Companies like Eden Organic offer bags of dry-roasted seeds, including a spiced version. The seeds are a great source of protein, fiber, phosphorus and magnesium. Unlike most of the nonorganic brands, Eden’s pumpkin seeds are relatively low in sodium (75 to 100 mg per 1/4 cup). 

If you’re carving an organic pumpkin this Halloween, toast your own seeds and flavor them with your favorite herbs and spices. The basic recipe follows. Tune in tomorrow for some kicked-up Sweet-Hot Pumpkin Seeds with Autumn Spices. 

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 small pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Remove seeds using a large spoon. To separate seeds from pumpkin fiber, place the mixture in a large bowl filled with cold water.
3. Stir the mixture, and seeds will float to the surface. Remove seeds with a slotted spoon, and pat them dry on paper towels.
4. Place seeds in a dry bowl. Coat them with vegetable oil.
5. Spread seeds on a foil-lined baking sheet, coated with nonstick spray, and sprinkle with salt.
6. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Recipe courtesy of Pumpkin Masters

At this time of year, formerly barren lots on even the busiest city streets are transformed into pumpkin patches.

Local farmers’ markets display a bevy of gourds, and kids go into hyperdrive as they suit up to turn their carefully selected finds into jack-o’-lanterns.

Pumpkin carving is much like driving: safety first. Thankfully, alternatives to serial killer-style kitchen knives are available at supermarkets, party stores and organic food stores. The Pumpkin Masters Carving Kit, for example, includes five tools and 14 patterns. The company also offers a children’s version.

As I’ve admitted in the past, I usually opt to cook with canned organic pumpkin puree—in particular, Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin. It’s a hassle-free base for Early-Morning Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal, Pumpkin Curry Soup, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Bisque and Pumpkin Five-Spice Butter.

Tune in tomorrow for a new recipe: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. In the meantime, check out some of my past posts:

• Pumpkin Power
• Organic Halloween Cuisine
• Think Orange!
• Attention, Pumpkin Carvers: Pulp Clogs Plumbing
• Carve Your Halloween Pumpkin Safely
• The Halloween Candy Conundrum
• Go Wild for Halloween!
• Healthy Holiday Baking
• Ghostly Meat Loaves
• You’re Never Too Old for Halloween
• Why Dogs—and Small Children—May Hate Halloween
• A Halloween Environmental Tale

Organic cabbage is available year-round, and organic apples are at their best this season.

Our weekend recipe combines the two ingredients to make a healthful, tasty and kid-pleasing slaw. One serving contains only 60 calories, while meeting 80% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

Prep time is 15 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Confetti Apple Slaw

Makes 8 servings

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1 red apple, unpeeled, cored and diced
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 small red onions, finely shredded
1 red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl, stir together juice concentrate and diced apple.
2. Add cabbage, onion, bell pepper and raisins.
3. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, paprika and ground pepper. Add to vegetable mixture.
4. Cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy of the CDC