It does not surprise me that my parents decided to retire in Tennessee, the Volunteer State, as they are two of the most selfless volunteers I know.

Since moving to the beautiful state of Tennessee they have become die hard Tennessee Volunteer sports fans. I have to admit, even though I’ve never lived in Tennessee, it’s hard not to catch their Tennessee football fever.

I channeled a little Tennessee Volunteer spirit to bring you two recipes using one of the worlds healthiest foods, the sweet potato! Let’s kick off with…

BIG ORANGE Mashed Sweet Potatoes

• 1 medium sweet potato (NuVal score – 96)
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 T pecans (optional)

Scrub sweet potato and bake at 450 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until tender. Remove at once and poke with a fork to let steam out. Cut the potato in quarters and mash with a fork or toss into your Magjc Bullet blender. Mix in Greek yogurt and top with pecans if you’re a sports nut. Note: You can remove the skin from the sweet potato before mashing or leave it on and benefit from the extra fiber!

Now for the second half…I love baked sweet potato fries prepared simply by spraying them with Pam Olive Oil and sprinkled with salt (and/or cinnamon). But last night, I decided to spice them up a little bit more. Remember when we made Fitness & Spice Pumpkin Nut Mix? Well, I decided to use the same seasoning to flavor these….

BIG ORANGE Sweet Potato Fries

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 egg white
• 1 T Splenda for Baking
• 1/2 t seasoning salt
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice sweet potato into thin wedges. Beat the egg white until fluffy. Coat the sweet potato with the egg white. Place remaining ingredients into a small bowl and blend well with a fork. Add spice mixture to the sweet potatoes and stir to combine everything well. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet and bake until crispy for approximately 20-25 minutes, turning half way.

Sweet potatoes make a great addition to a post-workout meal. Speaking of which, I could use a workout partner today…any Volunteers?