Participating in last week’s Ultimate Friendsgiving post motivated me to spend a little time organizing my holiday recipes. After all, Thanksgiving is only 9 days away and Christmas is around the corner…but who’s counting 😉 I want to be prepared and ready for the season!
When it comes to holiday cooking/eating my goal is to savor, yet maintain balance. There are some recipes I would never change, that are meant to be enjoyed as-is (hello, biscochitos!). But, there are others that could use an overhaul, to make them more healthy without compromising flavor. This sweet potato casserole recipe is one of them!
I wish I would have experimented with it sooner, because I think this version is even better than the original! My mother in law came over the day after I made this and confirmed it…it’s one of her faves too! I’ve been making this yearly, since the first thanksgiving we hosted. It’s light, and airy with a gooey/crumbly topping for a touch of sweetness. There are times I’ve had this for dessert instead of pie. It’s that good!
For this recipe I subbed out the half and half for nutpods french vanilla, reduced the amount/used maple sugar instead of brown sugar, almond flour in place of regular flour in the topping, and ghee (clarified butter) in place of butter. To cut down the sugar further you can go lighter on the topping. Our family loves topping in every bite so I’m more heavy handed on that! Note: You can taste the hint of vanilla from nutpods, so if that’s not your favorite, original nutpods are also a great choice! Save 15% on nutpods with code loubiesandlulu. I also used Dandies All Natural Marshmallows in place of the traditional variety….
- 2 1/4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (to save time, buy pre cut potatoes!)
- 1 cup nutpods french vanilla (or original)
- 1/4 cup maple sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- Tin Star Brown Butter Ghee (or regular ghee),
- melted to lightly "grease" baking dish
- 1 to 2 cups mini marshmallows (use more or less to your liking)
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 or 3 tbsp maple sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chilled ghee, cut into small pieces (I used Tin Star Brown Butter Ghee)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- First, preheat oven to 375
- Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with water.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until very tender.
- Drain; cool slightly.
- Place potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add nutpods, 1/4 cup maple sugar, 1 tsp salt, and vanilla.
- Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
- Add eggs; beat well (mixture will be thin).
- Scrape mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lightly brushed with ghee.
- Sprinkle miniature marshmallows over top of casserole.
- Combine almond flour, 3 tbsp maple sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Cut in ghee with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Stir in pecans, and sprinkle over potato mixture and marshmallows.
- Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Thanks for stopping by…have a wonderful day! xx
Photography: Kristen Massad
