Coconut Cardamom Sweet Potatoes

A creamy sweet potato casserole is a must-have on every holiday table, and we've put a new spin on the eye-catching orange-hued spuds with light coconut milk and various sweet and piquant spices.

Photo: Yvonne Duivenvoorden

By Julie O'Hara

Serves: 10
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 medium sweet potatoes (3 1/2 to 4 lb), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 2 tsp cardamom, ground
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup unsalted pecan halves, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add sweet potatoes, return to boiling and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and a hand-held electric mixer).
2. Add coconut milk, cardamom, vanilla, salt, black pepper and cayenne to potatoes. Mix on medium speed until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Transfer to a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle pecans evenly over sweet potato mixture.
3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and serve.

Nutrients per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 100, Total Fat: 3.5 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 15 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 2 g, Sodium: 120 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

Nutritional Bonus: The sweet potatoes in this dish boost the vitamin A content to over 200% of your daily need. Better yet, the vitamin A appears in its beta-carotene form, which promotes bone growth and teeth development. You’ll also get almost 10% of your fiber needs taken care of with just 1 serving, along with healthy doses of zinc and manganese.

TIME-SAVING TIP:
Sweet potatoes may be prepared through Step Two up to 2 days ahead of your big dinner. Cover and refrigerate. To heat, transfer directly from refrigerator to oven and add 10 minutes to baking time. And, because the turkey also cooks at 325°F, you can multitask by putting your potatoes in the oven along with your turkey
!