Spicy Sweet Potato Fishcakes
This recipe is prefect for a quick mid week dinner. It’s delicious and filling, with a healthy serve of protein, fat, vegetables and my favourite, fibre.
As a naturopath, fibre is my favourite because it keeps our guts happy, healthy and balanced. When our guts are happy, the rest of our body has the best opportunity to thrive.
Sweet potato contains both soluble and insoluble fibre, which play beneficial roles in digestion. Fibre cannot be broken down or absorbed, which means it makes it all the way down to our colon where the majority of our gut bugs live.
The difference between the two type of fibre is that soluble fibre dissolves in fluid and insoluble fibre does not.
When soluble fibre reaches the stomach it dissolves in water and digestive fluid, creating a gel like substance. This moves through the small intestines undigested until it reaches the colon where it becomes food for our beneficial gut bacteria. It also helps to reduce fat absorption, lower cholesterol, stabilise blood sugars and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Insoluble fibre binds together with waste and bulks up the stool to make elimination easy, preventing constipation. It helps us to do a nice healthy 💩 and stops waste sitting in the bowel, allowing toxins to be reabsorbed into the body.
Fibre keeps us fuller for longer as it takes up physically room in the gut and helps us to digest our food properly. This can be beneficial for people trying to loose weight as staying fuller for longer reduces cravings and the need for snacking.
High fibre and prebiotic supplements are a great way to ensure you are getting enough fibre every day BUT try getting it from your diet first. Eating 5 handfuls of vegetables daily can provide you with fibre as well as vitamins minerals and antioxidants.
Start by trying this recipe, if you need extra support book in a naturopathy appointment. I can help with all the conditions mentioned here - diet, digestion, gut health, weight loss, cholesterol, as well as help you to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Spicy Sweet Potato Fish Cakes
Ingredients:
2 tbs coconut oil plus extra for greeting
415g canned or jarred tuna, mackerel, sardines or red salmon
2 Spring onions finely chopped
1/2 shallot henley sliced
1 tbs coriander leaves, finely chopped
250g sweet potato, peeled & chopped
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 long green chilli halved, deseeded and finely chopped
3 eggs
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Steam sweet potato until soft. Mash and allow to cool slightly.
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 fan forced).
3. Grease a 12 hole standard muffin tray.
4. Add coconut oil, fish, spring onions, shallot, coriander, sweet potato, lemon zest, chilli, eggs, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix until well combined.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tray.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm and cooked through.
7. Allow to cool in tray for 2 minutes and then turn out on to wire rack.
8. Serve with a side of salad or vegetables and enjoy!
Let me know if you do make this. Sending me an email or tag me on social media @kirstykingnaturopathy.
