This is a lovely Autumn recipe that my good friend April shared with me years ago. It is a staple in our house once the cooler weather hits, perfect with so many meals. It is super easy to throw together and it’s very tasty. The sweetness from the honey, the salt and the tang from the lime all match-up so perfectly, then the distinct flavor from the cilantro finishes it off so nicely. If you are vegan and want to skip the honey, a nice organic brown sugar would be nice, too.

I had my parents over for a delicious Autumn dinner last night and this was the perfect side. Our entire meal was made from either our gardens, the farmers market or Sojourner Farms. We had a baked smoked ham from our pork share at Sojourner, these fantastic sweet potatoes, a green salad and southern-style green beans. My mom even made her delicious gluten-free apple crisp from the apples growing on the tree in their yard. (Recipe to follow).

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes
serves 4

2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 4-6 potatoes, depending on size)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons honey (You can find great local honey from your farmers market)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest
fresh lime juice from one lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss sweet potatoes with oil, honey, lime juice and salt in a shallow baking pan. Top with lime zest. Arrange potatoes in 1 layer and roast, stirring halfway through roasting, until tender, about 30 minutes total. (You can taste halfway too to see if you need more of any of the ingredients – sometimes you may need a bit more of something) Remove potatoes from pan to a serving bowl, top with a bit more fresh cilantro, lime juice, lime zest and kosher salt to taste. Toss slightly and serve.

Here is a photo of the beautiful smoked ham that we baked from Sojourner Farms. Hands down, the tastiest ham I have ever had.