Roasted sweet potato and courgette in lime, ginger and basil dressing

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ROASTED SWEET POTATO AND COURGETTE IN LIME, GINGER AND BASIL DRESSING

Add a bit of the exotic to your midweek supper with this roasted sweet potato and courgette in lime, ginger and basil dressing! 
Roasted sweet potato and courgette in lime, ginger and basil dressing
Roasted sweet potato and courgette in lime, ginger and basil dressing
I can very clearly remember the first time I heard of a sweet potato. I was 11 years old and chatting to my schoolfriend Lizzy, who hailed from Kenya. We were both boarders at our all girls' school in south-East England. 

 On a cold and dreary Sunday that didn't seem to end, we began lamenting about what we missed most from home, and the conversation inevitably turned to food (it usually does with me). We both desperately missed our Mums' cooking, of course. But then Lizzy mentioned how much she missed sweet potatoes. Now, I loved potatoes in all forms - mash, chips, crisps, wedges: you name it, I'd eat it - but I had never heard of sweet potatoes.
"What do they taste like?" I asked.
"Like potatoes, but sweet," answered Lizzy.
Potatoes; but sweet. Genius. Surely this must be the holy grail of food. 

 In those days, sweet potatoes weren't as readily available as they are today, so it was many years before I had the opportunity to try one. But I can assure you I certainly wasn't disappointed when I finally did, and I have never looked back. 

 Sweet potatoes are rich in fibre and a fantastic source of Vitamin A, as well as B Vitamins and potassium. This roasted sweet potato and courgette in lime ginger and basil dressing is really brought alive by the dressing, which adds a a zingy contrast to the sweetness of the potato.

Roasted sweet potato and courgette in lime, ginger and basil dressing

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, sliced
1 courgette, sliced
50g pine nuts
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ginger powder
2 tsp dried basil
Salt & pepper to taste

 1. Heat oven to 220°C. Place the sliced sweet potato in a roasting dish, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 20 minutes..
2. Combine 2 tbsp olive, juice of 1 lime, ginger powder and 3 tbsp dried basil. Mix well.
3. Place the sliced courgette over the sweet potatoes and pour the dressing over the top. 
4. Mix the sweet potatoes and courgette so the dressing covers all ingredients. Allow to roast for 5 minutes.
5 Add the pine nuts, mix all the ingredients together, and allow to roast until the potatoes are browned on the edges. 

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