Sweet on Sweet Potatoes

I think my four-year-old son might love sweet potatoes more than me.


Oh, I know he does love me.  He gives me kisses and is happy to see me when he wakes every morning.  He wants to play with me all the time and holds my hand while we read books.


But dinner last night made me stop and think.   Possibly - just possibly - he might love those potatoes a bit more.


Maybe it was the way he whooped with delight and did a little jig in the kitchen when I informed him sweet potatoes were on the menu.  Perhaps it was the way he rhapsodized about the taste while eating them.  Or the way he absolutely, unequivocally was not willing to share with another human being.  But the clincher?  When he proceeded to inhale three (yes, count them, three) potatoes.  And asked for more.


I understand why the child loves them so.  I do make a mean mashed potato, I must say - bake them whole in the oven, mash up the flesh and add just a touch of skim milk and a bunch of really good cinnamon.  No sugar, no butter, no cream.  Just sweet, delicious, rich and creamy potatoes.  


And they are really good.


Not to mention they are one of the healthiest veggies you can eat - low in calories and dense with nutrients.  Eat just one and you'll get two times the vitamin A you need and more fiber than a bowl of oatmeal.  You'll also get a good dose of potassium, folic acid and vitamin C.  And that deep, rich orange color?  It tells you that sweet potatoes are chock-full of beta-carotene, an antioxidant essential for healthy eyes, skin and immunity.


So, it's OK if he loves them.  Even a tiny bit more than me.


I mean, it could be worse.  He could be having a love affair with Skittles, Doritos or soda.  Which really wouldn't fly too well at my house.

Saying Goodbye to Summer

Summer is just about gone - the first official day of autumn is Wednesday, September 22nd.

I always feel a little sad this time of year as I bid a bittersweet goodbye to the season.  Is it the heat I'll miss?  Well, no, not really.  Especially not this year.  The lazy days at the pool?  Nope - I'm not that big into lazy days or water.  

Summer is my all-time favorite season because of one word: fruit.

I love fresh, summer, seasonal fruits - peaches, berries, apricots, cantaloupe and watermelon, in particular.  I savor their taste and aroma.  You know what I mean if you've ever been stopped dead in your tracks by the heady fragrance of a perfectly ripe peach, or have been led by your nose to buy a sugary-sweet cantaloupe.  There's really nothing quite like it.

And I know you can find all of these fruits pretty much any time of year now, thanks to worldwide distribution.  But I like buying seasonal for the freshest taste - for me, blueberries from Chile in December just don't taste quite the same as Texas-ripe blueberries at the peak of their season in June.

So as summer fades away, allow me to pay tribute to a few of my favorite fruits - which also happen to be nutrient superstars, as you'll see.  And let me know what your favorites are - or what you may be looking forward to in the fall (juicy, ripe pears anyone?).

Strawberries

My kids adore strawberries. And that's great, because one tiny cup contains over 100% of our daily vitamin C needs - essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums, as well as healing cuts and scrapes.

Raspberries

Just one cup of raspberries contains as much fiber as three slices of whole wheat bread - meeting 1/3 of your daily fiber needs.  Raspberries are also a good source of vitamin K, essential for bone health.

Blueberries

Their beautiful blue color comes from an antioxidant called anthocyanin - believed to help keep your immune system working in peak form, reducing your risk for several diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Apricots

Their season is short - just a few weeks in early summer.  But don't miss it.  By eating just three apricots, you'll be getting 75% of your daily requirement for vitamin A, a key nutrient for healthy vision. 

Peaches

Lucky for us, Texas had a bumper crop this year.  And they were awesomely good.  Not only is a perfectly ripe peach sublime, but it is a good source of fiber, vitamin C and beta carotene - the antioxidant that gives the peach its golden glow and keeps your vision healthy.  Plus, peaches have a high water content, helping with weight control by keeping you feeling fuller, longer.

Tomatoes

Yes, a tomato is technically a fruit.  And the rich red color comes from the antioxidant lycopene, which aides in reducing heart disease and cancer risks.  Eat them raw with a little healthy fat like olive oil or cooked up in a sauce to fully take advantage of lycopene's benefits.

Watermelon

On a hot day, watermelon can't be beat.  And these babies are 92% water, so they are super low in calories, yet fill you up.  And just like tomatoes, the red color is the result of lycopene - and lots of it.  One cup of watermelon contains twice the lycopene as a fresh tomato (and only 40 calories to boot).

Cantaloupe

Kids love super-sweet cantaloupe (or "lopey" as my son calls it).  Eating just a quarter of a melon (about a cup) gives kids all the vitamins A and C they need in a day.  And it provides as much potassium as one banana, a key nutrient for healthy blood pressure.

Summer Lovin'

Check out my latest column for CoppellToday.com - all about my favorite summer fruits.  

They're not only sweet and juicy, but also chock-full of super nutrition.  Perfect for cooling down the hot summer days while pumping up your body's health.  I love them all.

Do you have a favorite summer fruit (or veggie)?  Post your thoughts in comments if you do!