Are yams and sweet potatoes the same?

No, yams are not the same as sweet potatoes. Yams have a white flesh and rough, brown skin. Sweet potatoes have an orange flesh and thin, reddish skin. Yams have a more neutral flavor, while sweet potatoes are more sweet.

Do sweet potatoes need to be peeled before cooking?

It depends! If you're making baked sweet potatoes or roasting sweet potatoes in the oven, you can leave the skin on. But, if you're making a casserole with sweet potatoes, you definitely want to peel the sweet potatoes before baking. If you leave the skin on, skin pieces will be in your sweet potato casserole.

Can I make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?

Yes! Just make the sweet potato casserole as instructed, but don't bake it. Cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Pull it out from the fridge when you're ready to bake it and let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours. Bake as directed.

Can I use canned sweet potatoes for casserole?

It's best to use freshly cooked sweet potatoes when making sweet potato casserole. Canned sweet potatoes have less flavor and are typically more liquidly, so the texture will be more soupy.

What sweet potatoes are best for casserole?

Sweet potatoes vary in their density, moisture, and sweetness. The best sweet potatoes for casseroles are the “moist” varieties, including Jewel and Red Garnet . Both varieties cook up tender and sweet, and are widely available at grocery stores. Other varieties, such as Hannah, Japanese, or Purple can also work, but they are a bit drier and may need slightly more milk or oil to become light and fluffy.

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

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Recipe

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Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

This healthy sweet potato casserole is a Thanksgiving show stopper! The sweet potatoes are light and fluffy, and the casserole is topped with an irresistible and naturally sweetened crispy pecan crumble. Best of all, it can be made a day ahead of time!

Prep: 25Cook: 40Total: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 6-8 1x

Ingredients

Casserole:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk (or other milk)
3 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs

Pecan Topping:

½ cup chopped raw pecans
½ cup blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons coconut oil or butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon maple syrup

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Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a medium baking dish (2-quart or 8×8 baking dish) with coconut oil.
Cook the potatoes: Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover the potatoes with water so that there is about 1-inch of water above the potatoes. Place the pot over high heat. Once the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 12-15 minutes, or until fork tender.
Make the pecan topping: While the potatoes are cooking, in a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot flour, coconut sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the coconut oil and maple syrup, and fold it into the dry mixture with the back of a fork until a crumble forms. Set aside.
Whip the potatoes: Once cooked, drain the potatoes and add them to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add the coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt. Using the beater attachment, whip the ingredients together until smooth. Fold in the eggs.
Transfer: Pour the sweet potato filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it so it sits evenly in the pan. Crumble the pecan topping evenly on top of the sweet potato mixture.
Bake: Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes prior to serving. Serve warm.

Notes

To make the casserole ahead of time, prep the entire sweet potato casserole as instructed, but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Pull it out from the fridge when you’re ready to bake it and let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours. Bake as directed.
To make this vegan, use 2 tablespoons egg substitute in place of the eggs like Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.

Recipe By: Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT

Find it online: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com/paleo-sweet-potato-casserole/