Sweet Potato Joy
In this episode of Eating by Heart Colombe Jacobsen creates a flavorful side dish using nutritious sweet potatoes, green apples, fennel and pecans.

In this episode of Eating by Heart, Colombe Jacobsen creates a flavorful side dish using sweet potatoes, green apples, fennel and pecans. Colombe's sweet potato recipe is sure to become one of your favorites since it's simple, satisfying and healthy.
Always opt for sweet potatoes over regular white potatoes - sweet potatoes are high in both fiber and vitamin C. Start by peeling your sweet potatoes and cutting them into even pieces. Peel and cut your apples into pieces roughly the same size as the sweet potatoes so that they will roast evenly. Colombe uses green apples here because the tartness is a nice contrast to the sweet potato. Next Colombe demonstrates how to cut and core fennel. When you cut off the top, save the green fronds for garnishing later. The fennel will caramelize beautifully and add a nice anise flavor that will taste delicious with the other components of this dish.
This sweet potato recipe really comes together when you toss in olive oil and maple syrup and roast in the oven. First mix the maple syrup and olive oil on a parchment lined baking sheet, which will help with clean up later. Olive oil is heart healthy since it's a monounsaturated fat, and maple syrup is a great natural sweetener that has minerals like calcium. Add the sweet potatoes, apples and fennel to the pan, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Shake it around so that the vegetables and fruits are evenly coated, season with a bit of sea salt, and pop it into the oven.
Pecans will be the finishing touch to add flavor and a toasted texture. Pecans are also high in vitamin E and B complex, which makes them healthy and anti-inflammatory. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the dish about 10 minutes before it's finished baking. The last step is to garnish with fennel fronds and enjoy! This sweet potato recipe is a perfect healthy combination to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds peeled sweet potatoes (about 3 medium cups), sliced into ½ inch thick pieces
- 1 large fennel bulb, cored and sliced into ½ inch thick pieces (reserve green fronds for garnish)
- 3 green apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¾ inch rounds
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup raw unsalted pecans
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit Using a baking sheet or large ovenproof dish, toss the ingredients in the olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and spread in one layer. Roast until sweet potatoes are soft on the inside, rotating occasionally. (About 40 minutes.) Remove from oven and sprinkle with pecans, return oven for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve warm garnished with fennel fronds. Serves 4
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Information Based on a Single Serving
*Percent Daily Value are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Dietary Needs



Cholesterol


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[SOUND] I always prefer sweet potatoes to
regular white potatoes, cuz they're so
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much better for you, and they satisfy your
sweet craving.
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This is Eating By Heart, and I'm Colombe.
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[MUSIC]
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Let me show you how to make a delicious
side dish from sweet potatoes, fennel,
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and apple.
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So,first we're gonna start by peeling the
sweet potatoes.
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And sweet potatoes are really high in
fiber.
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They're also really high in vitamin C.
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First, what I like to do is, I like to get
a flat edge to my sweet potato, so
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that they're easier to cut.
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And then the most important thing is for
me to just get them all into even pieces,
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so that they cook evenly, when they go in
the oven.
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And then I'll go ahead and peel my apple.
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I like using a green apple because they're
nice and
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tart, and they really give a nice contrast
to the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
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So here's an easy way to core an apple
without having any fancy utensil for it.
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So I just, go around the core of the
apple.
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And then, I just wanna get these pieces of
apple,
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about the same thickness of the sweet
potatoes, so they all cook evenly.
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[SOUND] And then lastly, my fennel.
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So, I'll take the top off of the fennel.
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The green fronds on the fennel is really
nice for
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garnishing, so I'll put that to the side,
don't discard that.
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And then I'll go ahead and cut this down
the middle.
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And I wanna take the core out, so.
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[MUSIC]
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Just like a little triangular cut there.
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I get to teach you some knife skills.
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And then I'll go ahead and slice.
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And fennel is such a delicious vegetable.
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It adds a nice anise kinda flavor to the
dish.
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They also get nicely caramelized, and
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taste delicious, with the other vegetables
and fruits in this.
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Everything's ready, so, I'm just gonna
start by putting my maple syrup, and
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my olive oil, onto the parchment lined
baking dish.
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This is a great tip for saving on clean up
later.
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I'm gonna go ahead and mix it, now, olive
oil is one of my
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favorite heart healthy oils to use, cuz
it's a mono unsaturated fat, and
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maple syrup is a great natural sweetener
to use, cuz it has lots of minerals,
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it's got calcium in it [SOUND] sweet
potatoes, fennel, and apple.
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I don't wanna crowd the pan, because I
want everything to get nice and
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golden all around.
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Just roll it around.
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And then I'll just give it a shake.
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[SOUND] Perfect.
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A little bit of sea salt.
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I'll pop this in the oven, for about 40
minutes.
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The temperature is at 400.
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[SOUND] And I'll check on it from time to
time.
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So I'll get my pecans ready for the
finishing touches.
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Pecans are really great because they're
anti-inflammatory,
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they're high in Vitamin E and B complex.
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And they add really great flavor, and a
really nice texture at the end.
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I mean, there's something about pecans
that always goes with
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sweet potatoes, right?
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So about ten minutes before my dish is
finished,
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I'm gonna sprinkle these over top,
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and pop it back in the oven for another
ten minutes, and that'll just toast them.
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I know it's almost done, because it smells
so good.
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Now I'm ready to put my pecans on.
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So, rather than toasting the pecans
separately,
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I'm just gonna top the sheet tray with
some pecans.
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They'll get nice and toasted.
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Looking good.
All right.
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[MUSIC]
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And now I just need to garnish it with
some red fennel fronds.
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And now I get to taste it.
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[MUSIC]
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I love this dish.
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It really satisfies your sweet cravings,
but it's really healthy.
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Thanks for watching Eating by Heart.
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I'm Colombe.
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Hope to see you again soon.
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[MUSIC]