Sweet Potato Bake

You may be looking at this recipe thinking "really, Brit? It's June."  I know, I know. Sweet potato casseroles often make us think of the holidays. This bake, however, belongs on your table year round.  A true family favorite that is savory, can be made in minutes and offers wonderful nutrition. And while delicious enough to serve on the holiday buffet, this version is lightened up and pairs wonderfully with your summer grilling. 

When I say easy, I'm not just alluding to the handful of ingredients. I'm skipping the cooking, peeling, cooling and mashing of potatoes all together.  Open a can and save yourself an easy 30 minutes.  I'm also taking full advantage that canned yams are already sweetened in syrup.  Blending that flavor with vanilla and cinnamon creates that divine taste without requiring additional sugar.

The sweet and luscious filling is balanced out by greek yogurt and an egg. I love sneaking in that extra nutrition! It not only helps form the substance of this bake, but you enjoy creamy without the heaviness of butter or cream. This also means you can enjoy another spoonful.

Now, to top it off. And if you're like me, you love a special topping. While keeping a traditional feel, this satisfies without being overwhelming.  The combination of almonds, oatmeal, and brown sugar is splendid--sweet, crunchy and browns beautifully. The perk of almonds for me (aside from bursting with nutrition) is that I always have these in my pantry. For this purpose, I use slivered almonds found in the baking aisle. I then crush them a bit more with a fork. What once started as a substitution is now a staple. Have fun trying something new or swap for pecans if you prefer.

My favorite part of this dish goes beyond the taste, however.  I love how whipping this up magically turn any night into a special occasion. There are many nights that all my effort goes into this (which remember, isn't that much) and I quickly microwave something random for the main dish. My family still "oohs and aahs" over the meal. Perhaps there's something about that warm oven and this bubbling sweetness that not only serves comfort, but stirs up precious memories too. 

Sweet Potato Bake

Ingredients:

1 (40 ounce) can cut sweet potatoes

1/4 cup non fat greek yogurt

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

1/3 cup oatmeal

1/3 cup crushed/sliced almonds

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP brown sugar

cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly grease baking dish

2. Drain can of sweet potatoes (do not rinse) and mash/mix in bowl

3. Add yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon and beaten egg, mixing until well blended, spread evenly into prepared baking dish

4. In a separate bowl, mix the oatmeal and crushed almonds together. Drizzle with olive oil and mix until moistened. Add in brown sugar and mix until combined. Spread evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

5. Bake dish for 35-40 minutes, top will be golden brown and bubbling

Notes

• Any milk can be substitued for greek yogurt (almond milk is a great option!)
• For dairy free, you could also skip the egg--still delicious, just not quite as firm
• Use 4-5 fresh potatoes, along with some maple syrup in place of canned potatoes