Frozen meals don’t always mean sacrificing nutrition. Balance your plate with a fresh side dish like these simple roasted sweet potato coins. A flavorful, yet simple side dish that pairs well with just about any meal!
“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Nestle Balance Your Plate and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I received coupons for free product but was not compensated for my time. As always, all opinions are my own.”
It’s 4:55 pm on a weeknight. The baby is crying, your toddler decided to draw a mural on your living room wall, the dog is barking and you are ready to pull your hair out. Then, your husband texts you on his way home from work: “What are you cooking for dinner? I’m starving!” That just about puts you over the edge. Really? How can you think about making dinner at a time like this?!
If your evenings ever sound any thing like this, let me tell you: you are not alone! Some nights dinner is the last thing on my mind – except when my stomach starts growling and my toddler is asking me, “Can I have some food, mom?” Oh, yeah – I have to actually feed you. Every. Day. Sigh. Still, with your patience and energy running low, the last thing you want to do is cook that elaborate meal you had planned. Good thing you remember you have some frozen meals stocked in the freezer! Life saver…err…at least dinner (and sanity) saver!
Now before you go get all “Frozen meals are bad for you,” on me – let me tell you that I (yes, a dietitian) sometimes eat frozen meals. Say WHAT? You heard that right. A registered dietitian who is trained in all things nutrition eats frozen meals?! Yes, I do. Not every night, but sometimes I need that time and sanity saver. But you know what? You don’t have to sacrifice nutrition just because you are having a frozen dinner.
Did you know? Over the past 3 decades, Nestlé has reduced the average sodium content in their Stouffer’s® meals by up to 10% – and they are continuing to make gradual recipe changes to decrease sodium by an additional 10%. They have a team of health and nutrition professionals (yes, including registered dietitians!) and chefs to ensure a healthier product that tastes great.
Nestlé has made it easier than ever to make dinner time with frozen meals healthier for you and your family. They have launched an educational campaign called Balance Your Plate to help consumers build nutritious, delicious, and convenient meals that meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Nestlé encourages you to use MyPlate to build your plate. Visit ChooseMyPlate.gov for tools and tips for building a balanced plate. It’s simple – just pair a frozen meal with whole grains, fruits, veggies and/or low-fat dairy to make a balanced meal.
It was really hard for me to choose which item to make for my family because they offer such a wide variety of dinners! For my balanced family meal, I chose Stouffer’s® Stuffed Peppers. I LOVE stuffed peppers but I don’t always love the time and dirty dishes that goes into making them. Stouffer’s® Stuffed Peppers allows me to have a tasty meal without all the work! As I was going for easy, I decided to make my go-to side dish: simple roasted sweet potato coins.
I usually always have a sweet potato on hand, which makes this a no-brainer healthy side dish in a snap. Simply peel and slice the sweet potato, drizzle on a little olive oil, sprinkle on some salt and pepper and put it in the oven to roast. Delish + Nutrish = win, win!
One quick tip when roasting vegetables: make sure that each veggie has contact with the pan. Do not bunch up your veggies so much to where they are crowded on the pan. You need the light coating of olive oil (or a lot, if you’re my husband) and contact with the pan to ensure they get fully roasted.
While the sweet potato coins are roasting, cook the stuffed peppers in the microwave. Plate them, serve up some roasted sweet potato coins, and you have a balanced meal! I even added a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese on my stuffed pepper for extra yumminess!
And guess what? I loved the meal, my husband loved the meal, my toddler loved the meal and we were a happy, fed family. I felt good about serving them a balanced meal. And I still had my sanity.
Now to cleaning that toddler created mural off the wall…
How do YOU balance your plate? Let me know in the comments!
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Simple Roasted Sweet Potato Coins
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: side
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These simple Roasted Sweet Potato Coins make a great side dish to any meal!
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Wash and peel the sweet potato. Cut the sweet potato vertically into 1/4 inch slices.
- Arrange the slices on a foil lined baking sheet. Pour the olive oil over them and toss to evenly cover the sweet potato coins. Sprinkle the salt and pepper across the coins, toss again to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- Place in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping the slices over halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy as is, with dip or in any other dish you desire!
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