Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Sneaky Nutrition - Sweet Potato Pie


What wonderful weather we've been enjoying for the past few days! I even was thankful for the rainy day yesterday because of the drought watch in our area. Ahh, days of low humidity and temps in the mid to upper seventies. My favorite kind of days. And best of all, thoughts of the coming of fall. Summer stickiness leaving, limited days for mosquitoes, and the gentle and cool breezes flowing through the open doors and windows of our home. These are the days I love best.

Now comes the the time for baking the good stuff. Love, love, LOVE fall baking, especially with apples and pumpkin. And NOW sweet potatoes come into season, even though I eat them all year long. Do you eat them in your house? Does your family like them? Do you have ANY idea how nutritious they are? I was thinking this morning that it has been AGES since I've done a Sneaky Nutrition post, so it's high time that we have one.

Believe it or not, though, this sneaky post recipe is sweet and tasty. As always, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOUR FAMILY BE TOLD THAT ANY OF THESE INGREDIENTS ARE GOOD FOR THEM. Okay, so the sugar and butter (and milk fat) make this post suspect to say the least, but at least while you're attacking the arteries and vital organs, you're serving up Vitamin A, C, & D, carotenoids, potassium, fiber, and calcium. Doesn't that make you feel a little less guilty? And if you want to sacrifice taste to offset the bad stuff, try it with canola oil in place of the butter and non-fat canned milk. I've never done that, but it may be worth a try. Now, we won't talk about the crust, but you could always make it without it and call it a sweet potato casserole. I have a crust recipe with oil which may be worth trying and may sometimes try using whole wheat flour some day, we'll see.

So here goes a favorite from my culture. Even though I like pumpkin pie a lot, for us there is nothing that can top sweet potato pie. No holiday celebration would be complete without it. And in all seriousness, you would be better off serving this powerhouse vegetable just as it is, baked in the skin and like us, with a glob of applesauce for extra moisture instead of butter. Oh, and by the way, our family uses yams instead of actual sweet potatoes. They are usually richer in flavor and more moist and colorful.

SWEET POTATO PIE

2 pounds yams
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 tsp. mace (opt.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
4 large eggs

1. Place yams in boiling water. Lower heat and cook until done. Drain and peel. Mash yams thoroughly. Add butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace. Stir well.

2. Add vanilla and lemon extract, milk and water. Stir well.

3. Beat eggs until fluffy and pour into potato mixture. Stir well.

4. Pour into two unbaked pastry shells. Place in preheated 375 F. oven and bake for ten minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and cook until center of pies are firm, about 30 min.

On a cool day, this is a wonderful aroma to have in your house. It's one of those smells that take me back to childhood. And really, there is nutrition.

14 comments:

Laurie said...

This sounds wonderful, Maxine! I think I will go all the way and make the recipe as you gave it - we can always cut back in other areas, but this calls for yummy! I know my husband will love this. He isn't a big sweet potato fan but I am, so we have them often and he will eat them with butter. With all of the yummy ingredients, he might not even know; hence, sneaky nutrition!!

Patti said...

My mother-in-law always made a sweet potato casserole that was so delicious it would put you in mind of dessert. I would definitely say it was sweet potato pie...without the crust...though she put crunchies on top, so perhaps I could call it "upside down sweet potato pie."

Anyhow, serving your pie, you could actually allow the family to eat it for breakast, knowing that they were getting more vitamins from the yams than they would probably get in a bowl of oatmeal.

Thank you for sharing the recipe.

Have a lovely day.

Love,
Patti

Susan said...

We love sweet potato. I've never made a sweet potato pie, but I don't make a lot of pie's period. This sound delicious and I'm sure I would love it. Can I just drop by for a piece? :o) Oh, wouldn't that be fun?!!!!!

Linda said...

We love sweet potatoes here Maxine, and that recipe sounds wonderful.
I envy you that great fall weather. It's still summer here with no end in sight. sigh... Longing for that first cool front.
Thanks for sharing your nutritiously delicious recipe.

Maxine said...

It sure would be, Susan! I would so love that! And we could invite Laurie and Patti and a bunch of our other blogging buddies. Oh well, we can dream, can't we?

Maxine said...

Ooops. Linda's comment came in as I was posting mine. You're invited too, Linda.

Barbara C. said...

My boys love my sweet potato pie! We have always wondered if we're supposed to eat it for dessert or with the meal. We always eat it right away, because we can't wait... do you serve yours with the meal too? (Oh, and we add whipped cream too - that's boys for you.)

Maxine said...

Always, always for dessert, Barb. My sister in law makes a casserole that is served with the meal. Basically, it's like the pie, but more fluffy and no crust. We have a nephew who eats her casserole for dessert instead of the pie. I have had it with the whipped cream but for some reason prefer it without.

LisaShaw said...

Mmmm good! I grew up on my Grandma's Sweet Potato Pie. I never gleaned just the right way to make it but I love it! I eat sweet potato baked in the oven during the year.

I will have to try your recipe! Happy Baking!

Love and blessings!

Maxine said...

Hi Lisa,

I have no doubt that your grandma made it too too good! Mine never seems to taste as good as some of the older folks who made it when I was younger.

Debra said...

I love sweet potato pie!

I envy your fall like weather and low humidity. Still kinda hot here. It was 100 degrees coming into work this afternoon at 6:00 pm.

Was wondering if the trees in your area are turning there yet?

Blessings,
Debra

Maxine said...

Today (Sunday) it's warmer than it's been all week, but nothing like the hot & humid we've been suffering with all summer. No, Debra, no leaves turning colors yet. Usually that starts in two to three weeks from now I think.

TO BECOME said...

Maxine, thank you so much for posting this recipe. Jim and I both love Sweet Potato Pie. Can't wait to try yours. Will think of you with each bite. love you, connie

P.s. loved your post.

Karen said...

I AGREE!! We always had sweet potato pie in GA, hardly ever did we have pumpkin pie. We had sweet potato cobbler on occasion, too. Thanks for the recipe!