(Healthier) Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole

For better or worse, this month is shaping up to be a holiday season like no other. With so many traditions needing to be adapted or set aside for this year's season, the ones involving traditional foods and special recipes may be some of the only ones we can celebrate. Whether it's wrapping your bacon in turkey, cranking out a double batch of shortbread, or indulging in an extra ounce of rum in that homemade eggnog, lots of us have some holiday traditions that involve buttery, rich, sweet and comforting food. Lindsay Mustard's delicious sweet potato casserole is a slightly-less-sinfully-sweet reimagining of a dish that's a staple at many a Thanksgiving and Christmas table, and sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins and minerals (just like Ener-C), so YES you deserve that extra butter cookie! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

For the potatoes:

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 small sweet potatoes)
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp ghee, melted
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1/3 cup organic (gluten-free) rolled oats
• 1/3 cup packed coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons melted ghee

DIRECTIONS

Sweet Potatoes:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash sweet potatoes and use a fork to poke holes in sweet potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 45-60 minutes or until very fork tender. Allow potatoes to cool for 5-10 minutes. Lower oven heat to 350 degrees F.
3. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish with ghee and set aside.
4. Cut open sweet potatoes and discard the skin, place sweet potato flesh in a large bowl and add in maple syrup, ghee, almond milk, vanilla, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and sea salt. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.

Lindsay Mustard is a Holistic Nutritionist, Yoga Instructor and recipe-wizard with a burning passion for health and fitness. In her nutrition practice, Lindsay works with clients to craft a unique plan that is tailored to their specific health goals using a natural, whole food and supplement approach.