Sweet potatoes are a rich source of the vitamin A precursor beta­carotene, which is essential for immune health and good eyesight, and also acts as an antioxidant. Combined with a zesty hazelnut crumb top­ping and fresh hemp seed cream, this is sure to be a dish the entire family will love. Try this recipe for Hemp-Cream Hazelnut Sweet Potatoes from Mark Hyman’s new book, The Pegan Diet.

Serves: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes
3 long, thin sweet potatoes, unpeeled 1 tablespoon ghee
1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1¼ teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

Hazelnut Crumble
1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1½ tablespoons ghee
½ cup blanched hazelnuts, finely chopped
¼ cup raw white sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon sea salt Zest of 1 lemon

Hemp Seed Cream
1 cup hulled hemp seeds 1 1/3 cups filtered water
2 large garlic cloves Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ghee, paprika, salt, and pepper and toss with the sweet potato halves.

3. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the sweet potatoes facedown. Bake for 30 min­utes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.

4. To make the crumble, with a mortar and pestle grind the cumin and fennel seeds. Heat a skillet with the ghee over medium heat, adding the hazelnuts once the ghee has melted. Stir using a wooden spoon for 1 min­ ute, then add the sesame seeds and stir for 1 minute. Add the ground cumin and fennel seeds to the skillet and stir for 2 more minutes. Then add the salt and lemon zest, stir, and remove from heat.

5. To make the hemp seed cream: Place the hemp seeds, water, garlic cloves, lime juice, tarragon, olive oil, and sea salt in a blender and blend for 2 minutes.

6. To serve, spread the hemp cream on a large plate. Place the sweet potatoes on top, then sprinkle with the hazelnut crumble.

Excerpted from THE PEGAN DIET. Copyright © 2021 by Hyman Enterprises, LLC. Used with permission of Little, Brown Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

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