Ahh the humble sweet potato – a seasonal favourite, making frequent appearances at holiday dinners and food-centric social gatherings alike. But is it a vegetable? Starch? Do it right and it might even be a dessert! It doesn’t matter so much how you categorize this nutritious food (though it is a starchy root veggie, for the record), what matters is that it is included (at least occasionally, but ideally fairly regularly) in your meals!
Offering a host of nutritional benefits (including antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory & blood sugar-regulating nutrients), sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of complex carbs and fibre. They are also high in B vitamins (namely, B6, 3, 2 & 1), vitamin C, and beta-carotene (which is converted to vitamin A in our bodies!). The intensity of the sweet potato’s yellow or orange flesh is directly correlated to its beta-carotene content – so I recommend choosing the deepest, darkest orange variety available. And as vitamin A is one of the fat soluble vitamins (ie. it is absorbed through the small intestine with dietary fat), to get the maximum benefit from this food include some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals – in this recipe I chose to use pecans.
As sweet potatoes are super versatile, readily available this time of year, and absolutely delicious, if you happen to find a good sale on these starchy root vegetables, why not buy extra! Consider trying them roasted, puréed, steamed, baked, or grilled. You could add them to soups or stews, bake small cubes as a salad topper, or purée the orange flesh to use as a crudité dip. Since cold temperature negatively alters their taste, if you won’t be using them right away, store your sweet potatoes in a cool dry place (such as in your pantry or below your stove).
Highlights of making this recipe:
- This recipe contains many ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen and the extra ingredients that you may need to purchase are typically inexpensive.
- Preparing this recipe takes under 15 minutes of prep time in the kitchen and the dish is ready to eat in under one hour.
- The recipe is made using a single bowl so very minimal clean-up is required. And as the majority of dishes can be cleaned while the casserole is baking, it can be enjoyed fresh out of the oven.
- This casserole stores well in the refrigerator covered in it’s baking dish for up to five days, or can be stored in the freezer for several weeks.
This dish would be a fantastic, nutrient dense addition to your holiday meal, contributing nicely to balancing your macros (the recipe is low fat and sugar, and high fibre). It is also a great dish to bring to potluck style gatherings – be it a sit down meal, or a stand and socialize type of do. This nourishing, veggie based, dessert-like meal addition will likely become a favourite at the dinner or buffet table – a favourite that you can feel really good about enjoying.
Macros per 1/9 Recipe Serving
Calories: 275
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 4.5 g
Carbohydrates: 53 g
Sugar: 2.5 g
Fibre: 8 g
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole
- 5 second spritz Olive Oil Cooking Spray
- 3 1/2 lbs sweet potato cooked* and peeled**
- 1/4 cup sugar-free syrup
- 1 egg large
- 1 cup egg whites
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp Stevia
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Garnish
- 1 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup pecan pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mist an 8 x 8-inch oven-safe baking dish with cooking spray.
- Using a potato masher, slotted spoon or large fork, roughly mash sweet potatoes.
- Add syrup, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, stevia and salt; stir mixture until fully combined (the potatoes should still be a little lumpy).
- Pour and evenly spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish.
- Mix the brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and pecans; sprinkle over the potato mixture. Bake casserole until it begins to brown around the edges, 40-45 minutes.
- Portion casserole 3 x 3.
Notes
