This grilled sweet potato and herb salad wasn’t the original plan. It’s better! I was originally going to make a creamy potato salad. But then I realized I had a sweet potato on hand. And since the potato salad was just going to be for me, I opted for a sweet potato salad instead. It gave me an opportunity to enjoy a portion of an avocado I needed to use up soon, too. So, here’s the yum-worthy result!

Basically, you’ll boil sweet potato rounds until nearly done … but not all the way done so they don’t get mushy on you. Then, you’ll grill or pan-grill those rounds for overall appeal. Once they’re cool enough, they’re ready to be accessorized with a simple-to-fix spicy avocado dressing, fresh herbs leaves, and some toasted pine nuts. Serve this plateful of goodness with a bowl of vegetarian chili or black bean soup. It’s a delightfully hearty meal that’s ideal for fall. (Hint: Plan to prepare it for the next Meatless Monday!)

grilled sweet potato & herb salad

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 1 salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8- to 9-oz) sweet potato, unpeeled, cut into 1/2”-thick rounds
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons spicy avocado dressing (see below)
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh herb leaves, such as small basil leaves and cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon pan-toasted pine nuts or roasted pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the sweet potato rounds to a saucepan and cover with cold water. (Hint: Salt the water for extra taste.) Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until nearly tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the sweet potato rounds well.
2. Brush both sides of the sweet potato rounds with the oil. Grill or pan-grill the rounds over medium-high heat until rich grill marks form on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
3. Arrange the grilled sweet potato rounds* on a plate. Drizzle with the spicy avocado dressing. Sprinkle with the scallion, herb leaves, and pine nuts. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Per serving: 330 calories, 18g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 540mg sodium, 40g total carbohydrate, 8g dietary fiber, 8g total sugars includes 0g added sugars, 5g protein

*For added richness and eye appeal, brush the grilled sweet potato rounds with a little extra avocado oil at serving time.

spicy avocado dressing

1/4 of a large avocado + 1/4 cup chilled unsweetened (jasmine) green tea + 1 tablespoon lime juice + 1 teaspoon cider vinegar + 1/8 teaspoon each sea salt and ground cayenne pepper | Blend all ingredients together. Adjust seasoning. Makes 2 servings, about 3 tablespoons each.