Chances are as you sit down to your holiday meal this month, sweet potatoes may be somewhere on the menu. Usually baked in plenty of brown sugar and surrounded by marshmallows, this classic dish is a sweet celebratory treat. Sweet potatoes don't have to be limited to the holiday table, however.

Rich in beta-carotene (262% of your daily recommended dose!), vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are a good carb and a food that can do no wrong. Recent research even suggests they may help reduce insulin resistance, an important precursor to Type II diabetes, as well as reduce the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

But what do you do with a sweet potato? Just look at them sitting in the store -- they're oddly shaped, twisted, dull colored root vegetables. They hardly look tasty, let alone exciting. Never judge a veggie by its cover, I say, so here are a few quick and easy ways to enjoy this nutritious tuber:

• Wrap it in foil and bake it -- just like a white potato -- for about 30 minutes at 325. Top it with a little butter or yogurt for a tasty treat.
• Slice the potato into long, french fry style strips. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or even Cajun seasoning. Bake at 325 for about 15 minutes.
• Boil until soft and mash with a touch of cream, vanilla, and orange zest.
  
• Steam round slices of the vegetable until soft, and top with a mango chutney.
• Cut into quarters and soak in your favorite marinade, then throw them on the grill with your chicken.

Visit this website for more delicious (and more complicated) recipe ideas. While you're there, read up on the wonders of the sweet potato and other nutritious foods.