At Thanksgiving, many will serve up a dish of sweet potatoes for their dinner. And I encourage you all to shop your farmer’s market for the freshest sweet potatoes out there. They are in peak season and taste their best!

Sweet potatoes have fewer calories and more fiber than white potatoes. 

This vegetable is an excellent source of beta-carotene, and a very good source of vitamin C, both these nutrients have anti-inflammatory properties and can be helpful in reducing symptoms associated with arthritis.

Sweet potatoes are one of the oldest vegetables known to man. They have been traced back to prehistoric times. That’s a pretty good track record.

I’m sharing my favorite sweet potato casserole dish that I have used year after year. It’s been around so long, I don’t recall where I got it! But I have made a slight change to it over the years using Xylitol instead of sugar. Xylitol is only a 7 on the Glycemic Index making this dish diabetic safe.  If you prefer to use sugar, opt for the more nutrient dense version Coconut Palm Sugar. It's high in potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron and is a natural source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and vitamin C. It also has a glycemic rating of 35, which means it is slowly absorbed in the blood stream. Palm Sugar is safe for people with diabetes, as its energy is slowly released.  Click here for the best source for Organic Coconut Palm Sugar and Xylitol. It makes an excellent replacement for brown sugar in any recipe.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 lbs. Sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 Tbs melted butter
2/3 cup fat free half and half.
1/3 cup Xylitol or Coconut Palm Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
¼ cup dried coconut flakes (optional)
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the butter, half-and-half, Xylitol or Palm Sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl.

Spoon the potatoes into an 8” X 8” baking dish coated with olive oil. Pour the half-and-half mixture evenly over the potatoes and mash slightly leaving the potatoes somewhat lumpy. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with the coconut and walnuts. Return to the oven for 5 minutes until coconut browns.

Makes 10 servings.