Mashed potatoes are a holiday classic. They are creamy, smooth and full of buttery overtones. However, they don’t do your body the best of favors.

You don’t want to miss mashed potatoes at the dinner table this year, no doubt, but you also want to keep yourself in shape and prevent overeating all those simple carbs. This is where the sweet potato shines. Not only is the sweet potato complementary to the holiday season, but it’s also a better choice in terms of your health and overall well-being.

Regular mashed potatoes contain about 214 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1.4 grams of saturated fat, 35 grams of sugar, and 741 milligrams of sodium in each cup. These aren’t the most dismal of stats, especially given the bounty of nutrients inherent in white potato. The stickler is more so the quality of the ingredients. Traditional mashed potatoes use white potatoes, which pale in comparison to the nutrient value of sweet potatoes. Additionally, mashed potatoes tend to involve the addition of butter and milk.

This mashed sweet potatoes recipe will give you the satisfaction of the traditional dish but with even more taste and nutrition. This recipe is also animal-friendly, which makes for even more reason to celebrate. Enjoy!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 6-8 large sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon thick coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans and walnuts, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork several times. This will allow for steam to release during the cooking process.

Place the sweet potatoes in the oven and let cook for about 1 hour. They should be cooked all the way through the center.

Remove from the oven, letting the sweet potatoes cool so they are able to be handled safely. Peel off the skin and place the potato flesh into a large bowl.

Add orange juice, coconut milk, maple syrup and salt. Use a masher to mash all the ingredient together until they are evenly distributed and the potatoes have reached desired consistency.

Serve topped with toasted nuts. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: michelle@tns

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