Happy almost Turkey Day!!! Have you been stumped on what to make this season that’s actually healthy for you? We have the answer: sweet potatoes!
Sweet potatoes are known for being incredibly high in antioxidants! Not only do they help to protect cells against aging and disease, they also help with fighting illness and infections! The large amounts of vitamin A and C also assist with supporting immune function, which is especially important during cold and flu season. Tis the season of colds… Vitamin A is also key for maintaining healthy skin, vision, and organ function.
If you’re a high impact athlete who has a lot of joint pain, this super food is perfect for you! Sweet potatoes are known for their anti-inflammatory properties which assist in easing joint pain and limiting your risks for heart disease. In turn they help regulate a healthy blood pressure- making your future workouts even easier!
This tasty potato isn’t only great for your body, it’s also great for a side and in casseroles- which happens to be one of the recipes we’ve prepared for today! Dive in to this tasty dish and don’t feel so guilty about going back for seconds!
INGREDIENTS
Maple Pecan Topping:
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
- 3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Sweet Potatoe Casserole
- 3.3 pounds sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 6 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Maple Pecan Topping:
While sweet potato is boiling or right before, mix all the ingredients for the maple pecan topping together and set aside until needed.
Casserole:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a casserole dish. Set aside.
In a 4 QT pot of boiling water, boil the sweet potato for 20 minutes until fork soft.
When the sweet potato is finished boiling, drain and mash. Add the rest of the ingredients and using the potato masher, mix all the ingredients together until they are incorporated, about 2 minutes of mashing.
Spoon sweet potato mix into the casserole dish and top with the Maple Pecan topping.
Bake for 30 minutes (check that nuts don’t burn – if they are browning too quickly cover with foil) then remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then serve.
