Seasonal Eating

What’s in Season for Winter?

Herbs, Mushrooms, Apples, Sweet Potatoes, Canned and Frozen Produce

What’s Cooking Now?   

Sweet Potatoes!

Picture of Hasselback Sweet Potato
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

February is national sweet potato month!  So instead of chocolates, maybe you should woo your sweetie with sweet potatoes!  Maybe not—but sweet potatoes are packed full of good things and taste deliciously sweet and hearty for a cold and dreary month.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin B6.  The skin contains a lot of the fiber so eating the skin on a baked sweet potato will increase the fiber content.

Be sure not to store your sweet potatoes in the refrigerator as it will turn the sugars to starch and give them a bitter flavor.  Just store in a cool, dark place, up to 3-5 weeks.  Wash them, using a brush to remove dirt, before using.  You can cook them with the skin on or peel it off, depending on the end use.  Sweet potatoes can be baked, roasted, broiled, boiled, mashed, pan sauteed or fried.  They are extremely versatile from hash browns for breakfast to fries or a baked potato for lunch to mashed sweet potatoes for dinner.

So add some sweet potatoes to your meals this month.  Here are some recipes to get you started:

Cranberry Salsa with Sweet Potato Chips

Balsamic Honey Roasted Sweet Potato

Caramelized Sweet Potato Hashbrowns

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Pork Chops with Molasses Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower (Sheet Pan Dinner)

Sweet Potato Pork Chop Supper

Jerk Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes

Cranberry Orange Sweet Potatoes

Slow Cooker Orange Scented Sweet Potatoes

Lemon Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Molasses Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet Potato Puffs

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet Potato Bread

Sweet Potato Rolls

Sweet Potato Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet Potato Chicken Chili Soup

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Sweet Potato Orange Winter Salad

Sweet Potato and Kale Salad

Extension Explores Food Preservation Ad
Extension Explores is a monthly program combining internet-based learning using the zoom platform, how to videos, quick tips and recipes using preserved food. Recordings from the live sessions as well as many resources can be found at https://bedford.tennessee.edu/extension-explores-food-preservation/.

Check out the Produce Information Pages Below:

Eat Seasonally!

Seasonal Eating is all about eating what is growing here and now.  A tomato doesn’t taste nearly as good in January when it is out-of-season as it does in July when it comes directly from the grower to you or to the grocery store.  Produce eaten when it is in-season tastes better and maintains more of its nutrients.  Eating with the seasons also helps reduce transportation, saving gas and emissions, as well as helps to support our local growers and local economy.  

To eat seasonally, try growing your own produce this Spring and Summer to use throughout the growing season and preserve what you can’t use through freezing or canning. Another option is to frequent the local farmer’s markets.  Even when shopping at the grocery stores, focus on what is seasonal for that month.

To see what is growing in Tennessee each month take a look at the Seasonal Eating Chart for Tennessee​.

Collard Greens
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Sweet Peppers
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Summer Squash
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Strawberries
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Spinach
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Potatoes
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Sweet Potatoes
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Carrots
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Snap Beans
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Cabbage
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Chard
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The Seasonal Kitchen Videos:

Know Your Carrots
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Know Your Sweet Peppers
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Know Your Collards
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Know Your Sweet Potatoes
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Know Your Snap Beans
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Know Your Summer Squash
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Pasta Stuffed Peppers
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Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Sweet Carrot Chutney
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Braised Chicken Thighs with Collards​
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Cranberry Orange Sweet Potatoes
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Green Beans with Tangy Vinaigrette
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Chicken Sausage and Summer Vegetable Sauté​
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