Sweet potato slices are the latest rage in the avocado toast trend. If you are at all involved with Pinterest, you know this already. Pop a slice of unpeeled sweet potato in a regular old toaster and then top it with healthful goodies — like the very popular avocado — for a breakfast or snack filled with slower carbs and healthy fats.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical. But I decided to take one for the team, and get to the bottom of this craze. I love the idea of getting some extra vitamins (mostly A and B6) and minerals (mostly potassium and magnesium) with my morning meal, so why not?
I discovered that the sweet potato really will cook in the toaster, if you let it go through enough cycles. However, some slices got dried out with all that toasting, or turned an unpleasant shade of dull brown.
I tried thinner slices, but they just turned hard or fell apart. My solution? Give 1/4 -inch slices a quick turn (30-60 seconds) in the microwave wrapped in a damp towel. This barely started cooking the slices while also infusing them with the smidgen of moisture that made all the difference. The toasts still took 3-4 toasting cycles, but retained their color and pleasant texture.
Our household preferred sweet toppings like pear or banana slices with yogurt or almond butter .
Savory versions worked best when they were combined with spice and acid to offset the sweetness of the potato — eggs with hot sauce, avocado with chili oil and lime, shredded pork curry, for instance were extra tasty. But once we left the hot zone, we found ourselves noticing the sweet potato flavor too much to not regret the absence of bread.
Dip your toe into this sweet potato toast craze using our family’s favorite — a super-simple pear and yogurt combination that reminded us all of a heavenly sour cream apple pie. Feel free to swap out toppings, or even toast up a bunch of toasts and serve with a (spicy?) dip at your next party.
Sweet Potato Toast with Pear Slices and Yogurt
Start to finish: 10 minutes; Servings: 8 toasts
8 ( 1/4 -inch) slices from a clean and unpeeled orange-fleshed sweet potato
1/2 cup reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 pear, thinly sliced
ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
pinch salt
Lay a damp paper towel on a microwave-safe plate and lay out the sweet potato slices. Cover with a second damp paper towel. Microwave until slices barely begin to soften and turn brighter orange, about 1 minute. Blot with paper towel to remove any extra moisture. Run the slices through the toaster cycle until the potato is softened, but not flimsy, about 3-4 cycles. Let the slices cool a few minutes. Top with yogurt, pear slices, a sprinkling of cinnamon, a drizzle of maple syrup and a tiny pinch of salt. Pick up a mini-pie or two with your hands and enjoy for breakfast, snack or even dessert.
Other topping options: almond butter, banana slices and chia seed; peanut butter and honey; avocado, lime juice, hot sauce and cilantro; hardboiled egg, tomato slices and chopped cooked turkey bacon.
Shopping note: Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are often called “garnet” sweet potatoes or “yams” in American grocery stores.
Nutrition information per serving: 40 calories; 1 calories from fat; 0 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 1 mg cholesterol; 58 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 2 g protein.
