Recipe: Ginger Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Black Pepper Honey and Baby Arugula

Sweet potato is a healthy and delicious starchy vegetable. JJ Layton, executive chef at BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Hospital, shares a sweet potato recipe that’s low in sodium and full of flavor. 

Ingredients 

• 6 each - Medium sweet potatoes
• 12 sprays - Nonstick pan spray
• 2 Tablespoon - Salt-free seasoning (your preference)
• 1 “Thumb” - Ginger, fresh (approximately the size of a cherry) 
• 1 each - Medium onion
• 1/2 cup - Water
• 2 cups - Baby arugula 
• 1/4 cup - Clover honey 
• 1 teaspoon - Black pepper, fresh ground if possible

Directions

• Heat a backyard grill or cast-iron grill pan over medium heat for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, (until 450 degrees)
• Wash and split sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. 
• Spray cut side of potatoes with nonstick pan spray and sprinkle on salt-free seasoning.
• Place the potatoes, cut side down on the grill and mark for 1-2 minutes. Then rotate 90 degrees and mark for another 1-2 minutes. You are looking to “cross-hatch” the sweet potatoes. This will help to add a layer of flavor as the sugars in the potato caramelize. 
• Remove the potatoes from the grill and transfer to a 9 by 13 baking dish. 
• Slice the ginger into coins (no need to peel) and slice the onion into 1/4-inch slices. These are used to perfume the sweet potatoes and will not be eaten at the end of the dish. 
• Place the ginger and onion on top of the sweet potatoes and add 1/2 cup water to the dish. 
• Tightly wrap with tin foil and bake in a 350-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix the honey with the black pepper.
• Top the sweet potatoes with the arugula and drizzle the black pepper honey on top. 

Yield: 12 1/2 sweet potato portions. 

Per serving

• Calories: 134  
• Carbs: 29.5 gm  
• Protein: 2.1 gm  
• Fat: 1.1 gm  
• Sodium: 64 mg