Sweet Potato or Yam? Know your Fall Vegetables

I love fall and I’m really looking forward to having the fall season instead of what usually happens… sometimes we get summer, then one to two days of wearing cardigans and then, voila, snowstorm in October! So I’m vowing to make the most of autumn and enjoy my outdoor activities in the gorgeous fall setting.

Fall changes the way I think about cooking. My fresh salads from the garden, bruschetta and corn on the cob days are pretty much over but my roasted zucchini, pasta sauce and squash days are just starting. As I was looking for recipes and fall menus I remembered learning about sweet potatoes from Mairlyn Smith last year at the Manitoba Association of Home Economists Conference. Do you know the difference between a sweet potato and a yam? Is your grocery store advertising them properly? I can tell you my regular grocery store definitely does not! Mairlyn gives a few recipes and a very clear explanation of the difference. Check out her post to make sure you are making an informed decision! The most interesting thing is that sweet potatoes are (fairly) local and yams are not.

Prepared by Meghan Rafferty, past member of the Manitoba Association of Home Economists.