This gluten-free, dairy-free Sweet Potato Casserole is an easy, decadent, and nutrient dense side to serve with your favorite fall meal. Grab the recipe below!
The power that our food choices can have on our overall health has always been fascinating to me. Especially working with an older population in the hospital, I get a front row seat at seeing how diet plays a role in the development (or prevention) of many preventable chronic conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Many of my patients tell me “no use in changing how I eat now, I’ve been eating this way my whole life”. Which yeah, I get…but also — changing our diet, even if we are 80-something, can have a considerable impact on our quality of life!!
I get that it can be challenging or seem overwhelming for some people to make changes to how they’ve been eating. It might even seem futile! While I can’t change everyones mind, I do love being able to encourage healthy changes within my own family.
One way I do so? Putting healthier spins on classic dishes like this! I believe it provides a great opportunity to spark a convo about health with those you share it with. I’ve been able to show some of my family members that have conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes that dishes traditionally loaded with refined sugar and unhealthy fats can actually be super nutritious and delicious with just a few swaps.
I remember making this Sweet Potato Casserole for Thanksgiving one year with my grandmother, mom, and aunts. Due to my intolerance to dairy, I wasn’t able to enjoy the “normal” version that we’d had for years, so I threw together this alternative version that is lightly sweetened with a touch of maple syrup and topped with a crunchy pecan topping. The consensus? Everyone loved it, more than the “normal” version!
If you’re looking for a simple but classic dish to bring to Thanksgiving this year, I can assure you this one will be a hit! The mix of the creamy sweet potatoes with the crunch of the cinnamon pecan topping can’t be beat. If you have a nut allergy, you can easily sub in your favorite nut-free milk and top with some marshmallows (though I also feel like this would be good topped with granola…is that odd??).
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or ghee, melted
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
Topping
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13" dish with coconut oil.
- Peel and chop potatoes. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until soft. Once softened, remove potatoes from the water and transfer to a large bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash until smooth.
- Add in remaining filling ingredients, stir together until combined, then transfer to the baking dish and smooth out into an even layer.
- For pecan topping: pulse half of pecans in a food processor until coarse, then combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and mix together. Evenly layer on top of potato mixture, then transfer to oven to bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
