When Life Gives You Lemons, Freeze Them!

Power-Up Cubes

When I was growing up, I had a friend who was really into video games. I think he was the best Pac-Man player in our town. I, myself, didn't really see the point in getting all worked up about controlling the movements of blinking lights on a screen, but, to each his own, right? I did pick up a few nuggets of information about video games just from being around him. One of them was the concept of "power-ups", which were objects in the game that gave instant power or heightened abilities to the character that obtained them. Years later, I still remember this, which just goes to show how deep-seated and influential our early life experiences can be. 

World's Best Sugar-Free Dessert Recipe!

Want to satisfy your sweet tooth and get a giant helping of calcium, folate, potassium, beta carotene and Vitamin C? Have I got the dessert for you! And so easy to make, anyone can do it. Even your kids!

I use the sweet potatoes with the orange flesh in many different recipes. I just love their mildly spicy/sweet flavor and smooth texture. And they are so versatile! They can be used beautifully in both sweet and savory dishes.

For those who are watching their blood sugar levels (and really, we all should be), sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index. And their high content of potassium makes them the perfect food for avoiding muscle cramps, especially in very active people.

Before I get to the recipe, here's a short video about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams. (Hint: what the stores label as yams are more than likely sweet potatoes.)




World's Best Sugar-Free Dessert
             
2 medium sized sweet potatoes (with the red skin)
1 lemon

Makes two servings.

Preheat oven to 375. Thoroughly wash and dry sweet potatoes, then place in a baking dish. Be sure that the dish is big enough that the potatoes aren't touching one another or the sides of the dish. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until soft to the touch. Remove from oven, cut open the skin and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Alternately, you can cut open the skin and leave the flesh in. Either way, take a fork and mash the sweet potato until smooth and creamy, then squeeze some lemon juice on top. I really love the taste of lemon, so I go pretty heavy handed with it, but you can add as much or as little as you like. And that's it! You can serve this dish hot, warm, or cold, it is delicious in any form. I like it cold during the warmer months and warm in the colder months.

My kids have a great time making the Best Sugar-Free Dessert. They mash the potato and form it into fun shapes on their plates and garnish with raisins, nuts, cinnamon, or their very favorite, dried currants.