Roasted Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Salad

Article written and reviewed by Tara Kemp, PhD
Published January 23, 2025

Satiating Sweet Potatoes

There’s something so satisfying about sweet potatoes. Maybe it’s their soft texture, or maybe it’s the sweet-savory combination they often bring to a meal. Either way, sweet potatoes are not just satisfying in the moment as you eat them, but also in the hours post-consumption. In 1995, a study was conducted that tested and ranked the satiety of various foods – that is, how full a person feels after consuming a fixed amount of calories of those foods. Boiled potatoes were the clear winner, with a satiety index 7x higher than the lowest-ranking food (croissants). This recipe doesn’t have boiled potatoes specifically, but baked sweet potatoes are the close cousin. You can be sure that if you have this meal for lunch, you won’t be looking for a snack an hour later!

They Aren’t Sprouts and They Aren’t From Brussels…

But they are very good for you! One cup of brussels sprouts contains 107% of your daily recommended intake for vitamin C, and 270% of the daily recommended intake for vitamin K. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is well-known to improve immune function as well as cardiovascular health – both of which are often compromised in people with diabetes. Vitamin K is also associated with improved cardiovascular health.

When roasted, brussels sprouts take on a subtle sweetness that balances their earthy and slightly nutty flavor, further enhanced by the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.

The “Second-Meal Effect” (Legumes’ Diabetes Superpower)

The second-meal effect is a term used to describe the ability of certain foods, namely beans and legumes, to improve blood sugar control not only in the meal in which they are eaten, but also for the next meal you eat later that day. How this works is that legumes are high in resistant starch and fiber, both of which slow digestion and carbohydrate consumption. This results in a more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream–and the effects last hours, lowering the glycemic load of future meals too. Basically, lentils are superfoods for blood sugar management in diabetes! They are also full of fiber and add a heartiness to the meal, which again creates satiety for lasting fullness.

A Dash of Tahini

Tahini is high in fat, so we keep the quantity to Mastering Diabetes standards – 10g of fat per serving. But tahini is also delicious, so we include it! A little bit can go a long way in adding some creaminess to the dish. In addition, the fats in tahini are primarily mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, which reduce inflammation.

This dish is best eaten fresh out of the oven, when everything is hot, toasty, and caramelized. Enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Salad

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 497 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups Sweet Potato Sliced into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 cups Brussels Sprouts Washed and halved
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper To taste
  • 2 tbsps Tahini
  • 2 tbsps Water Warm
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper Less if you don't like it spicy
  • 1 cup Lentils Cooked, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups Baby Spinach Chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
  • Combine the diced sweet potato and Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Add black pepper to taste. Toss well then spread across the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until both vegetables are cooked through and starting to brown.
  • While the vegetables roast, combine the tahini, water, and cayenne pepper in ajar. Seal with a lid and shake well to mix. Set aside.
  • Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and place back in the mixing bowl. Add in the lentils. Mix well.
  • Divide spinach between bowls. Top with lentils and roasted vegetable mix. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

  • No Brussels Sprouts: Use broccoli instead.
  • Lentil Varieties: There are many different ways to buy lentils. You can buy lentils precooked in a can or dried to make from scratch. There are many different varieties. This recipe calls for brown lentils because they are hearty and dense. Green lentils and orange lentils will also work for this recipe, but are more delicate and therefore more likely to become mushy.
  • Lentils: To cook dried lentils, use a 3:1 liquid-to-lentil ratio. So for example, if you are cooking 1/2 cup of dried lentils, you would use 1 1/2 cups of water. Lentils get mushy if overcooked with too much water, so be sure to follow this ratio closely. Lentils cook on the stovetop in about 15-20 minutes so watch them closely.

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 91gProtein: 17gFat: 9gFiber: 17g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

+ References

About the author 

Tara Kemp, PhD

Tara Kemp, PhD is a contributing writer for Mastering Diabetes. She is a mental health coach, researcher, and writer. Tara received her PhD in Psychosocial Health from Northern Arizona University and has a background in nutrition education with previous positions at organizations like Forks Over Knives, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and Plant-Strong. Tara is also the founder of Reconnect Collective.

Tara’s research specialization is the foundations and mechanisms of a healthy relationship with food, body, and self. She was the principal investigator and lead author of the groundbreaking INFINITE study, which explored the role of food and nutrition in recovery from substance use disorders. During her doctorate program at Northern Arizona University, she was involved in the Nutritarian Women’s Health Study, and her dissertation research focused on how a plant-based diet influences individuals’ recovery from disordered eating.

Tara’s work combines evidence-based practices from various disciplines to support people in addressing the root cause of their challenges while also building the foundations and skills of mental health to cultivate lasting well-being.