-HEART HEALTH TK

Instant Pot Pumpkin sweetpotato soup

February HEART HEALTH MONTH NATIONAL SWEETPOTATO MONTH

Ingredients • 2 Tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium to large onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 4-5 cups peeled, diced sweetpotato (2 large) • ½ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling) • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth • 1Tablespoon maple syrup • 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves • 1 teaspoon salt

TALKING POINTS y February 22 is National Cook a Sweetpotato Day! Not sure how to cook sweetpotatoes? The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission has you covered! Discover easy tips and tricks for choosing, cutting, storing, baking, grilling, and microwaving sweetpotatoes. Click here to learn more: https://ncsweetpotatoes.com/how-to/ y We often hear about limiting sodium for heart health, but did you know that adding more potassium can help? Potassium helps the body manage and eliminate excess sodium and fluid. Best of all, 1 cup of sweet potatoes provides 95 mg of potassium, making them a delicious way to boost your heart health! y Sweetpotatoes are an excellent source of fiber, making them a heart-healthy choice. Aim for 25-30 grams of fiber daily to support your heart health. One medium sweetpotato delivers nearly 20% of your daily fiber needs. Fiber, found in fruits, vegeta bles, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and sweetpotatoes, supports digestion and may help lower cholesterol. y Put a heart-healthy twist on your Super Bowl festivities with Southwestern Sweetpotato Nachos! This recipe combines fiber-rich beans and sweet potatoes with heart-healthy fats from guacamole. It’s a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy game day snacks. NEWSLETTER COPY February may be a short month, but it’s packed with celebrations: National Sweetpotato Month, Valentine’s Day, Heart Month, and the Super Bowl! Sweetpotatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, high in potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner, heart-healthy meals, or game day snacks, sweetpotatoes are a versatile and delicious choice. They can be baked, mashed, roasted, or even made into fries for a tasty treat. Embrace the festivities and boost your health by incorporating sweetpotatoes into your meals this month. Discover new recipes and tips to make the most of this nutrient-rich vegetable!

SOCIAL POSTS Happy National Sweetpotato Month! Celebrate with delicious and healthy recipes for the whole family. Grab our FREE dietitian-approved recipe book here: ht tps://user-qur5gze.cld.bz/Registered-Dietitian-Ap proved-Mini-Cookbook/2/ February is Heart Month and the season of love! Celebrate with a heart-healthy breakfast: Sweetpotato Waffles! Made with whole wheat flour and sweetpotatoes, these waffles are packed with fiber and potassium for a delicious and nutritious start to your day. Perfect for Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed! #HeartMonth #ValentinesDay #HealthyEating #SweetPotatoWaffles #HeartHealthy #ncsweetpotatoes

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ¼ ground ginger • Pumpkin seeds for garnish/topping

TEACHING TOOLS Sweetpotatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables and are easy to add to a variety of recipes to enhance flavor and nutrition content. Did you know that sweetpotatoes can also be microwaved to decrease cooking time for quicker meal options? Don’t be intimidated about cooking and serving sweetpotatoes! These options come together quickly and are a breeze in the kitchen. Download our 5 Ways to Include Sweetpotatoes in your Diet Teaching Tool! 6. Remove the Instant Pot top. The sweetpotato chunks should be very soft. The mixture may look a little watery. Grab an immersion blender or Vitamix and blend the mixture until smooth. If soup is too thick at this point, you can add more broth or water. If soup is not sweet enough, add a bit more maple syrup. 7. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, sage or other options. Directions 1. Turn Instant Pot to sauté feature and add 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil. After a minute, add in diced garlic and onion. Saute’ both for 2-5 minutes, or until they start to soften and become fragrant. 2. While they are sautéing, dice your sweetpotatoes. 3. Add the remaining ingredients into the Instant Pot and turn off sauté function. 4. Give all of the ingredients a good mix and add to Instant Pot. Turn to pressure cook feature. Set for 3 minutes on high. Note that it may take 10-12 minutes before it starts cooking, as the Instant Pot heats up. 5. After the timer goes off, quick release Instant Pot, open the vent and let steam out.

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