Protein Sweet Potato Muffins

Submitted by Cindy D., a Trimester 4 student at Logan.

2 large sweet potatoes skinned
1 cup egg whites
3/4 cup dry quick cook oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup splenda/stevia (or favorite sweetener)
1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)

Boil sweet potatoes until fork tender, mash or mix into smooth consistency and let cool. Temper in egg whites, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar while mixing. Fold in oats by hand.

Use ice cream scoop to evenly distribute mixture into muffin tins prepared with paper muffin cups and lightly sprayed with oil. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins.

Nutritional Information
Sweet potatoes may be one of nature's unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes to raise our blood levels of vitamin A.

Anthocyanin and other color-related pigments in sweet potato are equally valuable for their anti-inflammatory health benefits. Another color-related sweet potato phytonutrients is their impact on fibrinogen. Fibrinogen is one of the key glycoproteins in the body that is required for successful blood clotting. With the help of a coagulation factor called thrombin, fibronogen gets converted into fibrin during the blood clotting process. Balanced amounts of fibrinogen, thrombin and fibrin are a key part of the body's health and its ability to close off wounds and stop loss of blood.
 
Oats via their high fiber content, are already known to help remove cholesterol from the digestive system that would otherwise end up in the bloodstream.
 
Egg whites in the muffins contain 25 grams of lean protein.

The muffins are a very quick, portable, satisfying snack. Each muffin is less than 125 calories, low fat, and high protein