Purple Sweet Potato Loaf...That's Green!

I am a firm supporter of eating a rainbow of food. Whole foods to be exact. Not only does it make any dish look more appealing and impressive, it's also an effective way of consuming many essential nutrients. It's easy to incorporate reds and greens, oranges and yellows. But what about blue and purple? Those two colours are probably the hardest to even find.

Purple Sweet Potato

We are probably familiar with orange yams and yellow sweet potatoes. Their purple cousin is just as delicious! I am not an expert at differentiating species of sweet potatoes. Or what the differences between a yam and a sweet potato are. (I suppose I could just Google it now...) During my visits to the supermarket, I have seen a few varieties of purple sweet potatoes. Some have a more grey skin, others have deep purple coloured skin. There are Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes, Korean ones, and Filipino ones... The type used in the recipe doesn't matter, so the decision is up to you or what is available to you. 

It's green!! :(

Today I have used my bought-a-week-ago purple sweet potato in place of canned pumpkin in my favourite pumpkin bread recipe. After making my own adjustments to this recipe about a year ago, I feel I have perfected it. Just the colour today threw me off, really off. The batter went in purple, and came out green. Not quite sure why...maybe it's the flax seeds? Oxidation? I know the photo looks completely unappealing, but I promise you the flavour is absolutely fine! The loaf itself is super moist and spongey, also it's not to sweet. It's just not 100% to my expectations this time. All because of the colour..

I will likely share the pumpkin version later on. For now, I encourage you to try this unique purple bread! Perhaps you can figure out how to make it a beautiful purple shade, and not an odd green colour. Please comment below on your results! 

Purple Sweet Potato Loaf

Adapted from Skinnytaste

Yield: 1 8"x4" loaf

Ingredients

• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup ground flax seeds
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup purple sweet potato puree*
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• Large flaked shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flours, flax seeds, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a larger bowl, whisk together egg, melted coconut oil, honey, vanilla, purple potato, and yogurt.
4. Add all the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of yogurt if the mixture is a bit too thick.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the loaf pan. Top with shredded coconut.
6. Bake tented with aluminum foil for 40 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes.
7. Cool on a cooling rack before lifting out of pan and slicing.

*To make sweet potato puree: Peel the potato and chop into cubes. Place on a heat safe dish (such as ceramic, glass, or stainless steal) on a wire rack in a pot or deep pan. Fill water halfway up the wire rack. Cover with a lid and turn the heat onto high. When the water starts boiling, start timing 30 minutes. When potato is cooked, mash with a fork or puree in a food processor.

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡