What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
Traditionally topped with marshmallows and containing upwards of a stick of butter this decadent side dish can become too decadent in a hurry. I want to indulge, but not at that fat-and calorie-laden price. I think this healthier recipe makeover of sweet potato casserole (see recipe below) is even more delicious than traditional recipes and will leave me room for pumpkin pie too.
Here’s how our Test Kitchen cooks gave sweet potato casserole a healthy recipe makeover:
- We added honey and orange zest to liven up the flavor so we could cut back on less healthy ingredients like butter. This saved us 7 grams of fat per serving and 4 grams of saturated fat.
- We skipped the marshmallows and made a topping of our own with pecans and whole-wheat flour. It boosts fiber and shaved off nearly 200 calories a serving.
Here are two more favorite classic Thanksgiving recipes made healthy:
Green Bean Casserole This healthy revision of green bean casserole skips the canned soup and all the fat and sodium that come with it. Our white sauce with sliced fresh mushrooms, sweet onions and low-fat milk makes a creamy, rich casserole. So good.
Creamed Onions A holiday staple in many households, creamed onions are usually bathed in a rich white sauce made with heavy cream. In this version, we roast the onions for an added layer of flavor and lighten up the sauce with low-fat milk. The result is a luxuriously silky sauce with a sweet roasted onion flavor for far fewer calories and less fat. We like the smaller size of pearl onions, but boiling onions also work well.
Sweet Potato Casserole
This scrumptious sweet potato casserole gets fabulous flavor from
honey and freshly grated orange zest rather than the traditional
stick of butter. To complete the healthy makeover we sprinkle a
crunchy pecan streusel spiked with orange juice concentrate over
the top. You can save the marshmallows for s’mores.
To make ahead: Prepare through Step 4; cover and refrigerate for up
to 2 days.
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (3 medium), peeled and cut into
2-inch chunks
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1. Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with
water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until
tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well and return to the pan. Mash
with a potato masher. Measure out 3 cups. (Reserve any extra for
another use.)
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (or similar
2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Whisk eggs, oil and honey in a medium bowl. Add mashed sweet
potato and mix well. Stir in milk, orange zest, vanilla and salt.
Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish.
4. To prepare topping: Mix flour, brown sugar,
orange juice concentrate, oil and butter in a small bowl. Blend
with a fork or your fingertips until crumbly. Stir in pecans.
Sprinkle over the casserole.
5. Bake the casserole until heated through and the top is lightly
browned, 35 to 45 minutes.
Makes 10 servings, about 1/2 cup each.
Per serving: 242 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 46 mg
cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 170 mg
sodium; 351 mg potassium.
By Hilary Meyer
EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
Related Links from EatingWell:
- Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Pumpkin Pie & more delicious Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts recipes.
- Have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less with our Quick Healthy Dinner Recipes.
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