This isn't raw but it is a delicious salad any time of the year. You can have it hot once the roasted sweet potato comes out the oven or refrigerate it and wait for everything to cool down, making it a tasty cold savoury dish. I adore sweet potato, often I just wrap it in foil and put it to roast in the oven and then make mash, or make roasted wedges from them. Combined with the crunchy spinach and the sweet taste of the caramelized onion, you've got yourself a sure winner for a meal!
Sweet potato is an amazing vegetable, it's not very good eaten raw though, I have tried it, but because of the starch it's best actually cooked in order for the body to digest it. I use it for veggie stacks, salads, mashed, and even desserts; sweet potato cheesecake or pie is actually quite delicious! The are a good source of vitamins A, C, E and B6, manganese and magnesium. It's an excellent source of beta-carotene, making it an powerful antioxidant food. Unlike most starch foods, sweet potato actually improves blood sugar regulation - when boiled or steamed the glycemic index (GI) rating is approx 50, which is on the lower end of the scale and combined with their superior fiber content, this means that their caloric energy is used more slowly and efficiently.
Spinach is a very nutrient dense food - it's low in calories yet very high in vitamins and minerals. It's one of my top veggies I always have on hand, being readily available all year around as well as being versatile - using it raw, cooked and blended. It contains high levels of iron, vitamins A, C, K and B, magnesium, potassium and a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Spinach is loaded with flavonoids which acts as antioxidants, protecting the body from various illness and conditions, containing anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Some people go to the movies with a bag of popcorn, sometimes I go in with a bag of spinach!
I always add caramelized onions to this recipe, it just adds that extra little oomph. I make up a batch of it and store it in the fridge, then add it to either wraps or salads. It's a wonderful side dish that can be used in everything!
Spinach is a very nutrient dense food - it's low in calories yet very high in vitamins and minerals. It's one of my top veggies I always have on hand, being readily available all year around as well as being versatile - using it raw, cooked and blended. It contains high levels of iron, vitamins A, C, K and B, magnesium, potassium and a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Spinach is loaded with flavonoids which acts as antioxidants, protecting the body from various illness and conditions, containing anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Some people go to the movies with a bag of popcorn, sometimes I go in with a bag of spinach!
I always add caramelized onions to this recipe, it just adds that extra little oomph. I make up a batch of it and store it in the fridge, then add it to either wraps or salads. It's a wonderful side dish that can be used in everything!
Roasted Sweet Potato & Spinach Salad
1 large sweet potato
2 cups spinach
1/2 cup caramelized onion
olive oil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp basil
1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C
2. Cut up the sweet potato into cubes of roughly 2-3cms
3. Put into a baking tray, drizzle olive oil lightly on top and evenly scatter the herbs on top
4. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 30 mins
5. Add the spinach and caramelized onion
* The heat from the sweet potato will help soften the spinach, if you don't want this to happen, let it cool down first then add the spinach
* Sometimes I omit the herbs altogether and just opt for pepper. The veggies themselves make the salad
2. Cut up the sweet potato into cubes of roughly 2-3cms
3. Put into a baking tray, drizzle olive oil lightly on top and evenly scatter the herbs on top
4. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 30 mins
5. Add the spinach and caramelized onion
* The heat from the sweet potato will help soften the spinach, if you don't want this to happen, let it cool down first then add the spinach
* Sometimes I omit the herbs altogether and just opt for pepper. The veggies themselves make the salad
