Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

"Eww, gross. They are all orange and mushy with brown stuff on top."

Direct quote from Yours Truly. This was my sweet potato mentality from as early as I can remember until the ripe age of 23. TWENTY-THREE. That was during my days of: if it looked questionable, it was not edible. The Thanksgiving of 2006, as I was helping set the spread, I decided to stick my finger in there and try that sweet potato casserole. I then had a revelation - this is so %$@! good.

Ever since, I've been trying to make up for lost time. We finally found each other, like star crossed lovers. Yes, I'm still talking about sweet potatoes, it's not weird. I've made the typical sweet potato casserole for the family at the last four Thanksgivings and in the last two years, I've accepted that it's not just a Thanksgiving food - I can do all sorts of fun things with them! Sweet potatoes, while better for you than regular potatoes, can easily be a wash when it comes to trying to eat well around the holidays. They are usually loaded up with butter, sugars, and marshmallow galore - how is this not on the dessert table? But are we forgetting that they are called sweet potatoes? They are already naturally tasty, just need a few of the right ingredients to easily enhance them, not smother them.

This year, I'm trusting a Cooking Light recipe that was also recently featured on SkinnyTaste, for my sweet potato contribution. It's lighter, healthier and you don't have to feel as guilty for consuming or going back for more. Comparing the two recipes, I liked what Gina did in her adaptation but I wanted to shave a little more off the butter and sugar. I brought this to our monthly "family" dinner and it was very well received. Those that said they don't usually care for sweet potatoes, Mr. Max included, went back for more and asked for the recipe. If they could be flipped, it's worth a shot so this Thanksgiving, this is your sweet potato dish!

Nutritional facts were adjusted based on my measurements from SparkRecipes.com, serving size is 1/2 cup: Contains 102 calories, 1g fat, 1.8g protein, 15.2 carbs, 2.9g fiber, and 11.3g sugars per serving.

Grocery List:

• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until soft
• 1/2 cup fat free, skim or 1% milk
• 2 tbsp. light butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. gound nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unpacked light brown sugar

Boiling 5 cubed up potatoes takes about 20 minutes, at most. Keep an eye on them and drain when they are soft enough to mash. You can use a mixer or a potato masher, I used an immersion hand blender to get the potatoes in perfect form. In a large bowl, mix in the milk 1/4 at a time - the original recipe called for 3/4 cup milk but I only used 1/2 cup after mixing it in a little at a time.

When the milk is mixed in, add the butter, salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together with a spoon until well combined.

Grease a casserole dish and spoon the sweet potatoes in to a 9x9 or 11x7 baking dish.

Set the oven to broil and allow it to heat as you complete the last step. Take the final 1/4 cup brown sugar and either sift it or carefully spread it evenly over the top. The first layer you sprinkle over top will be absorbed but it's there, don't you worry.

Broil for just two minutes, careful not to let it burn, to allow the sugar to melt over top. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 3-5 minutes, as the melted sugar hardens to form a crisp layer - like a brulee!

Set out with your spread and dig in. Enjoy your lightened and healthier sweet potato casserole!

 Tastefully Yours,