Sautéed Sweet Potatoes and Spinach with Currants
If you’re thinking that healthy = boring, just one bite of this Sautéed Sweet Potatoes and Spinach with Currants is guaranteed to change your mind! The flavor and texture combo is outrageously wonderful!
Not to mention the color!
Talk about something to brighten up these bleak winter days!
Plus it’s guilt free!!
In every bite you get the natural earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes balanced out by the slight bitterness of spinach, the tart/sweet chewiness of the currants, the crunch of toasted walnuts and the tangy acidic kick of a splash of balsamic vinegar. Miles away from ordinary!
It comes together in one skillet and is very flexible too. Don’t have currants? Sub in dried cranberries. Hate walnuts? Leave them out or swap in your favorite nut. Do what makes you happy!
And with that in mind, though I totally made this as a side dish to go with some ordinary baked chicken, the truth is that I would have been entirely happy to gobble down this vegetarian “side” as my main dish!
Boring? No way! Try it tonight and you’ll see what I mean!
Sautéed Sweet Potatoes and Spinach with Currants
Makes about 6 servings
Prep Time: 12 minutes; Cook Time: About 20 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled and cut into small cubes
Kosher salt and black pepper
5 ounces baby spinach
½ cup currants (you could also use dried cranberries or golden raisins)
¼ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
The Recipe
1. Add the oil to a large heavyweight skillet and heat over medium-high heat until oil is very hot and shimmers. Add in the sweet potatoes and a pinch or two of salt and stir so that the oil coats the potatoes. Cover and lower the heat to medium. Let cook, stirring every now and then, until potatoes are tender and just beginning to brown, about 12-15 minutes. If potatoes aren’t softening but getting too dark too quickly, lower the heat and add a little water to the pan to help them steam.
2. Once potatoes are cooked, add the spinach and use tongs to toss it around so that it wilts. Stir in the currants, walnuts and balsamic and let cook a minute or two to allow the flavors to meld together. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper if necessary and serve.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Eat A Little Better by Sam Kass. I subbed in toasted walnuts for the pine nuts and tinkered with the proportions too.
