By Annie Scott, RD, LDN, MPH
Community Outreach Registered Dietitian (CORD)
Swedish Hospital – Part of NorthShore

Here’s a great health hack for your holiday table. Try using sweet potato instead of a cracker for your appetizer! Sweet potatoes are high in fiber (both soluble and insoluble fiber), minerals, and vitamins and rich in beta-carotene, which is a compound converted into Vitamin A. Goat cheese pairs well with this dish and is considered a lower fat cheese than other cheeses. Cranberries are high in antioxidants and adding nuts provides more protein for the appetizer.

For this recipe, you can use pecans or walnuts. Walnuts are a little higher in Omega 3.

If you don’t drink regular milk, try non-dairy options such as almond, soy or oat milk for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Honey for drizzling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil.
3. In a large bowl toss together the sweet potato slices, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Lay the slices out on the baking sheet in a single layer.
5. Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes then flip them over and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until tender.
6. Whip the goat cheese, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper until smooth and fluffy.
7. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture onto each baked sweet potato round.
8. Top the goat cheese with a few chopped pecans and cranberries, then drizzle with honey.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe adapted from Recipe Runner

Food Connections Program | Swedish Hospital | Chicago (swedishcovenant.org)

Food Connections and the CORD programs work collaboratively to increase healthy food access and promote food security among Swedish patients and the surrounding community.

Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support | Swedish Hospital (swedishcovenant.org)

Our Nutrition and Diabetes Center (NDC) offers comprehensive education, resources and support to patients diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and gestational diabetes, as well as other nutrition related diseases.