There is so much to love about sweet potatoes. Not only do they taste delicious, but they are extremely good for you. They are high in vitamin B6, a good source of vitamin C, D, iron, magnesium and potassium. They are high in beta carotene, which is the precursor to vitamin A in your body. If that isn’t enough, they are easy to cook and there are so many great recipes out there. Here is one of my favorites. I made it for friends this weekend as a side dish and grilled the leftovers on the BBQ the next day!

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 3 pounds)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large garlic clove, minced

1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, and roast until they can be pierced easily with a knife but still offer some resistance, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes or so.

Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, and toss with garlic, lime juice, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

A little added bonus: It’s important to have some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. Of course, this minimal amount of fat can be very easy to include, so don’t skimp on the extra virgin olive oil!