Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

I've been in a good mood these days and when I'm in a good mood, I want to cook. And bake. A LOT! 



Today, I made Mark Bittman's Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Red Pepper Vinaigrette. I wanted something satisfying but healthy and more summery. The salad is like a potato salad, except without the fattening mayo and sweet potatoes subbed in for normal ones. I adore sweet potatoes and find they are best prepared roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper. Simple but delicious. 


Did you know sweet potatoes are rich in many vitamins including A, C and B6? They also contain dietary fiber and are surprisingly good for diabetics as they help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. 

I added both parsley and mint. 

This salad can be served warm or cold, but I'm looking forward to it cold later on this evening. I much prefer everything cold (pizza, pasta) and especially with summer finally having arrived in Istanbul, I can't bear the thought of anything hot and heavy!


I plan on serving this with an arugula salad (maybe some homemade croutons?) and a dollop of yogurt. I also picked up a bottle of Pinot Grigio Blush from the market today. All in all, the perfect summer dinner. 


Note: The dressing takes seconds to make and is really the icing on the cake, so to speak. So don't try to use anything else! All you have to do is puree a red bell pepper with olive oil, red wine vinegar (or sherry vinegar), salt, pepper and cumin. Since you dress the potatoes while hot, the flavor gets absorbed and is absolutely delish.