Sweet Potato Pie

This morning I woke up to a stuffy nose, milk left out on the table, little piles of actual dirt on the floor throughout the house, and the front door wide open. I am sure many of you are already thinking, “sounds like you’re going to have a good day!”  Sometimes it is so easy to look at the bad in things, and to get caught up in creating the rest of the day to go the same way; BAD. I like to choose a different route (most of the time.) Here’s the way I am choosing to look at my morning: Considering I woke up with a stuffy nose, I am WAY impressed and HAPPY that I slept through whatever happened this morning to create the little piles of dirt and the door being carelessly left open. And to top it off, I woke up in time to save the still cold milk and put it back in the fridge! So today, has definitely started off nicely  Everyone has a different view on things, and each view creates a whole different world to live in to. It’s funny how sometimes our views seem “fixed” or stuck. Like we have no control over them, and that that is just the way things are.  But don’t our views come from us? Aren’t we in charge of them? So why not choose the ones that get us the happiest outcome?  This is the game that I have been playing.

On another Happy note, today is my mother-in-law’s birthday! Happy Birthday L!! So today, I picked my recipe for her. This recipe is my husband’s favorite, it is pretty southern, and even though it is sweet it is still rather good for you!   In fact sweet potatoes are AMAZINGLY healthy!

According to nutitiondata.com, 200 g (a little under half a pound, the size of a small baked sweet potato) is a great source of fiber (6.6g!) , vitamin B6, Potassium(950mg more than a CUP of raw bananas!),  Vitamin A (38343 IU, 769% DV!!), Vitamin C and Manganese. In fact, In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables and the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value! It is strongly anti-inflammatory, has a low glycemic load, and Despite the name “sweet”, it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance!! Since finding out the great news on their nutrition data, I have been eating a few a week! I love sweet potatoes!! They are great for me, and help quiet my sugary sweet cravings.

Now, on to the recipe. You may still be asking, “Why sweet potato?” I had once asked the same thing. I have always been a huge fan of pumpkin, and thought that it just couldn’t get better than that, and then along came the sweet potato pie! I have never attempted to cook a fresh pumpkin, so I have always used canned. Have you ever tried plain pumpkin out of the can? It’s horrible! It is bitter and bland and tastes like an old shoe. But somehow when you combine it with a variety of spices, vanilla, and cream you get something pretty great. Imagine if you used the same idea with something fresh, sweet, and tasty! THAT is the sweet potato pie! Sweet potatoes are incredibly easy to bake, and the flavor is so superior, I now ask myself, “Why did I ever mess with pumpkin?” Now, this is coming from someone who has never had a pumpkin pie made from freshly baked pumpkin, maybe someday, huh? Don’t get me wrong pumpkin still has a place in my heart for pancakes, muffins, breads and cookies!

The filling for this recipe was inspired by a Sweet Potato Pecan Pie recipe Scott brought home that he had copied out of a cookbook he had found at the library, (the bottom of the copy says ”New Southern Baking“  To see the book that I assume it came from click the link) Although the original recipe is fabulous, I have been playing with this recipe to suit our family for years. When I make it for Scott, which is 99% of the time, I skip the pecan filling part all together (due to his allergies). I have modified it to use natural sugars and lowered the sugar content all together. I also pair it up with my Whole Wheat Spelt Pie Crust recipe. Here is the most recent draft of my recipe:

Sweet Potato (Pecan) Pie

 1/2 recipe Whole Wheat Spelt Pie Crust

 Sweet Potato Filling:

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large sweet potatoes)

2 T butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup sweetener (I use 1/4 c agave nectar and 1/4 c sucanat  sugar)*

1 packet stevia

1/2 t salt

whole nutmeg in a grater

1 t Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 T bourbon (or 1-2 t. Mexican Vanilla)

1/2 c half and half (or full fat coconut milk)

 Optional Pecan Topping:

1 egg

1/4 sweetener (I use agave or sucanat)

salt

3 T butter, melted

1 T bourbon

1 1/4 cup broken pecan pieces

*You may use any sweetener you like. I prefer agave nectar because if it’s low glycemic index and excellent flavor. I added the sucanat last time for the brown sugar-like taste as an indulgence.  Sucant is a source of iron and potassium because it is not seperated like regular brown sugar.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Scrub the sweet potatoes under cool running water. Use a fork to pierce the potatoes a few times, rub lightly with butter (you can skip this, I usually do) and place them on a baking sheet. Bake the potatoes until they are soft, about 1 hour. Set them aside until they are cool enough to handle, but still warm.

2. Prepare the pie crust by rolling out the dough and lining a pie pan. Use a fork to prick the bottom well. 

3. Peel the warm sweet potatoes (you can just remove the skins with your hands very easily). Place the potatoes in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl and mash them well with a fork or potatoe masher. Add the butter and stir until it is melted and absorbed. Stir in sweeteners, salt, a generous grating of nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and cream. At this point you may taste it to test the sweetness level and adjust to your liking. Then add the eggs and the bourbon. Beat until mixture is smooth.

4. If not using the pecan topping skip to step 5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, sweetener, a small pinch of salt, the melted butter and bourbon. Stir in the pecans.

5. Pour the sweet potato pie filling into the pie crust and smooth with a spatula. Then spoon the pecan topping over the sweet potatoes, being careful to spread it evenly without mixing it into the sweet potatoes.

6. Bake pie in the center of the oven for 15 minutes at 475° if using the pecan topping. Reduce heat to 375° until the filling is set, about 30-35 minutes longer, or 45 minutes total at 375° if not using the pecan topping.  A knife or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when pie is done. Cool and enjoy!

 

As always, feel free to alter the recipe to your own needs and wants, leave a comment to let us know how it goes! If posting, a link back and would be appreciated.

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