Okinawa Dessert Bars
Gluten Free / Vegan / Dairy Free
These Okinawa Dessert Bars were inspired by my son, Ryan. He is currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan and his birthday is in a few days. I miss him so much and wanted to feel a little closer to him by making something he might possibly enjoy while in that foreign region.
Where do purple sweet potatoes originate from?
They are very resilient and one of the few vegetables that are able to survive the many typhoons and tropical storms that occur there. Polynesians eventually introduced the purple sweet potatoes to the volcanic soils of Hawaii where they continue to flourish. The ones I’m using in this recipe I found at a Sprout’s Farmers Market and were harvested from California, although interestingly enough, the variety I found “Stokes Purple” was first cultivated in Stokes County, North Carolina by Mike Sizemore and he patented his variety in 2006. (As you can tell I got caught up in the worm hole while researching this interesting vegetable! 😅)
Purple sweet potatoes vs orange sweet potatoes
Purple sweet potatoes are more dense, drier and less sweet compared to the orange variety. Therefore, they will take longer to cook, and you may need to add more liquid/oil and sweeteners when baking. The purple sweet potatoes have a less sweet, slightly winey flavor and a deep purple color that doesn't fade when baked or cooked making them a wonderful way to naturally add a bright purple color to dishes and recipes.
Health benefits of purple sweet potatoes
Complex carbohydrates are found in all sweet potato varieties and are an important source of energy our bodies need. However, anthocyanins are what sets the purple sweet potatoes apart from the others. It’s a powerful antioxidant flavonoid naturally found in purple, red and blue berries and fruits. Purple sweet potatoes have been found to be anti-inflammatory, protect against diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. (ref) They also contain lots of vitamin A, C and have the highest dietary fiber content of any sweet potato variety.
Since Ryan’s birthday is soon, I wanted to create a birthday dessert using this unique super food. This is a simple recipe that yields a stunning double layered dessert with a smooth, silky upper layer that has a sugar cookie like crust on the bottom for a slight salty complimentary contrast. Makes 9 large bars.
How to make Okinawa Dessert Bars
Let’s begin!
Ingredients:
Instructions:
How to cook purple sweet potatoes
Note: I am not a big fan of boiling vegetables because it reduces the optimal amount of nutrients, but if that’s what you want to do here are the instructions for boiling: Slice and quarter your sweet potatoes then add to a large pot and cover with water, about 1-2 inches above sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and continue boiling for about 20 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and drain, then peel away skin and discard.
To make crust
Near the end of the potatoes cooking, you can start making the crust: