Sweet potatoes and carrots are a great source of vitamin A and potassium, and when prepared with the recipe shared below, is the most flavourful and creamy delicacy to have for a weekend treat! I mean, literally, this recipe is healthy and quick to prepare. Well, not quick as in quick, due to the preparatory part involved in pealing carrots, sweet potato and all, but because this done over the weekend where you are not so much in a haste to rush off to somewhere, we consider it, a quick and easy recipe. The carrot and sweet potato puree recipe is also an excellent way to coax that picky eater or vegiephobe kid into eating something that’s good and healthy for them. 

Ingredients

2 carrots

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 shallot, finely minced

1/2 small sprig of rosemary

1 Golden Sweet potato

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, freshly ground

1 tablespoons creamy almond butter (optional)

2 tablespoons evaporated milk, warm

1 tablespoon roasted almond oil 

1 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon curly parsley (optional)

Direction

Peel and cut the carrots into quarters, depending on the size of the vegetable. Break the sprig of rosemary in half. In a pot, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until slightly golden. Add rosemary and cook for another minute. Add the carrots and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, add the brown sugar and 1 to 1-½ quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes. Once the water evaporates, check doneness (add more water if the carrots aren’t fully cooked) and transfer to a platter. Remove and discard the rosemary. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and let them cool. Put the carrots and shallots into a food processor.

Cooking sweet potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and dice them into 2-½-inch chunks. It’s preferable not to cut them too small as they might fall apart. Place the sweet potatoes in a small pot. Add about 2-3 cups of water (add more water if it evaporates too quickly, depending on the heat). Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook for about or about 10-15 minutes. The potatoes should be fork-tender but still firm. Remove from the pot. Transfer to a platter. Let them cool a little.

Assembly time: Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough and dried (with no excess water I mean), place them back in the pot and stir them using a wooden spoon. Using a fork (or a potato masher), mash the sweet potatoes. Add garlic powder, mustard, almond butter, cumin and carrots. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir well, stir well with the wooden spoon. Add the almond oil and 1 teaspoon of parsley. Season with salt and white pepper, garnish with more parsley if you choose to.

Serve warm with fish or chicken breast!

Other useful tips: You can also garnish the carrot purée with golden raisins or green onions.

A little roasted almond oil for a subtle nutty flavour as a substitute for regular butter is healthier plus, the almond butter gives a nice mealy texture to the purée. As soon as the sweet potatoes are peeled, it’s preferable to cook them immediately to prevent them from darkening. Better to mash sweet potatoes with a fork for a more rustic look. If the sweet potatoes are cooked properly, a fork should be sufficient.