This was one of my favorite recipes that I discovered from the Whole Living action plan. It’s a perfect simple but filling dinner staple with just 5 ingredients and the option to be made in an oven or the microwave.
How to caramelize onions, fast!
While making this dish, I discovered that using just a pinch of baking soda while caramelizing the onion browns, breaks down and cooks the onion extremely fast. like whoa. It’s crazy fast. You could even cook the onion without oil and with just baking powder, a trick I learned from Susan at Fat Free Vegan. It’s always best to start out lightly with the baking soda as you can’t go backwards.
Sweet Potato with Greens
Soft sweet potato flesh, sweetly caramelized onions and bright, mild greens are totally harmonious in this simple, tasty entrée. I swapped in mix of dirt-cheap collard greens and spinach for the more expensive Swiss chard, but use your greens of preference. This was adapted from Whole Living.
Servings 2 servings
Calories 275kcal
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced thin
- 1 bunch collard greens washed, stemmed and chopped
- 1 bunch spinach washed, stemmed and chopped (about 3 cups)
- salt
- sliced avocado optional
Instructions
Leisurely oven version:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
- Slice onion and greens while heating a large pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add onion and cook until slightly caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Add collard greens and spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Serve potatoes split and topped with a mountain of greens and sliced avocado, if using. More salt, pepper, cayenne or a squeeze of lemon optional.
Quick and dirty microwave version:
- Stab a sweet potato a few times with a fork and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Check for doneness. If still firm, microwave for another minute until tender.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and a tiny pinch of baking soda (less than 1/8 teaspoon—this will speed up the cooking process like whoa). Once onions are brown and tender, add greens and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Serve split potatoes with a mountain of greens and sliced avocado if you want. More salt, pepper, cayenne or a squeeze of lemon optional.
Millie l Add A Little
Yum! This is legit one of my faves – I love cooking sweet potatoes with caramelised onions, kale and mushrooms mmm!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Brandi
Oh I love sweet potatoes and eat them weekly! This looks really delicious and pretty at the same time. I like to put avocado and nutritional yeast and smoked paprika on mind…weird but delish! I’ll need to try this next time!
erika
Mmm that sounds delish! I love all of those ingredients 🙂 Thanks so much Brandi!
Liz Ardell
You could also cook the sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker, they are so yummy cooked this way, and it only takes 15 minutes.
erika
That sounds like a great idea! I’ve never used a pressure cooker but maybe I should get one–that sounds so handy!
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen
Haha, great animation! I love sweet potatoes, and they are good for you – its a win-win! 🙂
erika
Thanks Kristi 🙂 I totally agree, unless you deep fry sweet potatoes…like I did last night. Ahhh!
yummychunklet
How tasty looking!
Choc Chip Uru
You make me want to go on a detox diet my friend, the food has never looked so appetizing 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Alex @ Brain, Body, Because
This is gorgeous! I love all of the colors. Thanks for sharing the baking soda tip – I never carmelize onions because it takes for-freaking-ever, but I’ll have to give it another shot!
erika
Thanks Alex! Right?? I’ve only caramelized onions maybe two or three times, but this will make the whole process sooooooo much faster. I’m envisioning caramelized onions everywhere!! 🙂
Leah
Hahaha, I definitely just got a kick out of your GIF – very nice! This recipe looks great – I love how you provide two diff cooking methods. I’m so excited to try the baking soda tip!!
erika
Lol thanks Leah…I was debating including the gif! And let me know how the baking soda tip works for you! It’s SO quick, it feels like cheating!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Ok, now this is detox food I can get behind. I love eating all of these things individually, but never thought of eating greens with sweet potato! Your photos are gorgeously tantalizing and I love the GIF – hilarious! Thanks for meeting both my pancake and healthy food needs, lady.
erika
YAY! I originally didn’t think this would make a very well-rounded/satisfying meal but it totally is! Thank YOU for the kind words, as always 🙂
Rachel @ Bakerita
This looks so good! I love sweet potatoes, but would never think to add greens and onions. I really want to run to the store to make this! Mmm. Delicious. And thanks for the baking soda tip – never knew that.
erika
Haha thanks Rachel! Glad the baking soda tip was helpful. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂