When it comes to healthy eating, it can be hard to find ways to implement healthier options into your diet. For me, I have never been a sweet potato girl. It always tasted a little weird to me unless it was in pie form. But, I then realized that when cooked properly and seasoned, they are amazing. I literally, eat them at least twice a week. Sweet potatoes are full of wonderful health benefits. They are packed with Viatmins B6, C, D, and best of all, iron. They are a great source of potassium and magnesium, and also are not the overly sweet food that will have you in a coma just minutes after consuming. More importantly, they are versatile. You can turn them into fries, roast them, or even bake a full one and eat like a regular potato. My favorite is simply pan roasting them, like home fries. They are crunchy, spicy, sweet, and a perfect healthy addition to any meal.

Here is what I do:

1. First, take one sweet potato(more if you are cooking for others), and peel it. Once it is peeled, dice it into little squares.
2. This is the important step to achieve the crunchiness of the potato. Take the diced potatoes and put them in a container with a lid or plastic wrap covering and stick it in the microwave. I do for about 6 minutes, making sure you can stick a fork through them and they are soft. Soft…not mushy.
3. Once you have done this, you want to heat up your pan with some olive oil. I prefer grape seed oil because it adds a little more flavor to it.
4. While the oil is heating up, add your seasoning to potatoes before adding to the pan. I like to add kosher salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I add in fresh garlic and lemon juice towards the end of cooking.
5. Once the pan is hot, add the potatoes evenly and let them sit. Too much stirring will not give you the crunchy exterior, but properly watch them so they do not burn.
6. Since they are already precooked, you are really just looking to get the crispiness of the potato so it should take only 10-12 minutes. Don’t forget to add in your garlic and lemon juice towards the end of cooking.

And there you go! A delicious and healthy side that pairs well with almost anything. Low in calories and packed with nutrients, sweet potatoes are a must have in any healthy diet.

Photo credit: http://www.en.wikipedia.org and Jeanine Nicole.