6 cooking tips you should follow when cooking yams

For years, there has been an ongoing debate regarding yams versus sweet potatoes. After a little more digging, I have to admit that I'm not entirely clear about the difference with so many contrary definitions out there. But this is what I know.

I grew up thinking that the long root vegetable with rust-colored skin and bright orange flesh was a sweet potato. While yams, on the other hand, are root vegetables too, they're usually white (although color may vary), always less starchy than sweet potatoes, and can even be eaten raw. So, this is the distinction I'm sticking with, and yams are the veggies featured in the following cooking tips.

Unlike potatoes, which are super starchy, require a longer cooking time, and are usually eaten tender, the yam makes a remarkable addition to stir-fries. They can be thinly sliced into rounds and added at the same time as the other vegetables until they're crisp-tender. Don't worry about peeling them, either. Unlike sweet potatoes, the skin of a yam is very thin and definitely edible. When tossed with other veggies, it will crisp up beautifully.

Like sweet potatoes, yams can be mashed. They can even be mashed with other potatoes, such as sweet, white, or Yukon Golds. But they can also be mashed all on their own and served as a side dish.

Mashing yams is like mashing any kind of root vegetable. Peel and dice the yams, place them in a large pot, and cover with heavily salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until soft and drain. With a potato masher, mash the yams, seasoning them with salt and pepper as you do. Delicious!

3. Roast them
Yams are slightly sweeter than sweet potatoes, and definitely sweeter than other potatoes. This can be played up nicely by roasting them with a bit of honey.

Toss halved yams with olive oil, salt, and pepper and lay them cut-side down in a roasting pan. Drizzle them with honey. Place in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven and roast for about 30 to 35 minutes until they're soft and caramelized.

Perhaps the best thing about yams is that, unlike other types of potatoes, they can be eaten raw. Again, wash the skin thoroughly -- you don't need to peel it. Grate the yam into a salad and enjoy the crunchy texture it brings to the dish. Adding some carrot to the dish will help enhance the yam's natural sweetness, and a lemon vinaigrette will bring a light and refreshing balance to the sweetness.

Yams with pasta? Again, the differences between yams and sweet potatoes are what make this work. Roast seasoned yams in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven with red onion wedges and diced pumpkin for about 30 minutes. When done, toss them with your favorite cooked pasta. It's healthy and scrumptious. Don't like pumpkin? Swap it out with butternut squash or zucchini.

Yams don't always need to be boiled or roasted, even if you need to get them a bit softer. While these methods don't take long, on some days you're crunched for time.

Luckily, yams will cook quickly in the microwave. It takes only about five minutes total for one yam, but be sure to turn it about halfway through to ensure even cooking. Then, use the yams to add to mash, or serve them on their own with a bit of butter for a quick, light lunch.