Thanksgiving Recipe // Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts

23 Nov Thanksgiving Recipe // Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts

The Thanksgiving meal is BY FAR my favorite thing to eat in the whole, wide world. So, you can imagine the sadness I felt when November came along the year that I was diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance… I’m actually, pretty sure I cried. Like, y’all… tears were legit shed. It was a culmination of frustration that I couldn’t eat whatever I wanted anymore and sadness that I couldn’t fully experience my favorite meal in its entirety!

As a child, I would make our Thanksgiving meal with my grandmother, who taught me all of our longstanding family recipes. It was my favorite part of the holiday! 6 years ago, I was diagnosed with a Gluten Intolerance and it transformed my life. I now focus on eating clean and natural and, of course, gluten free! But I still love Thanksgiving dressing, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese casserole and green bean casserole! I decided to create a way for others like me to enjoy a gourmet Thanksgiving meal without the worry of gluten contamination. I have adapted all of my grandmother’s recipes (and added a few of my own) to make this meal all-natural and gluten free!

I love love LOVE sweet potatoes, and I love love LOVE Thanksgiving. But there’s one thing I don’t like about traditional Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes… I’m not a fan of adding marshmallows and all that extra sugar that my family usually adds. So, I opted for a mashed sweet potato with an all-natural butter, walnuts and a little bit of brown sugar added. If you WANT to make this into a casserole with marshmallows, I’ve included an extra step for you!

MASHED SWEET POTATOES

Prep Time: 10 mins // Cook Time: 1+ hour // Yields: 12+ servings

Here’s what you need:
6 large sweet potatoes [washed]
1 cup all-natural, unpasteurized butter
1 cup almond milk
1 1/2 cup Organic, Raw Brown Sugar
1 cup Organic Walnut Pieces
6 Tbs olive oil
Aluminum Foil
*1 Bag of Organic mini Marshmallows [Optional for the marshmallow casserole]

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Pour 1 Tbs olive oil over each sweet potato and wrap in foil
3. Bake the sweet potatoes for an hour or until they are soft
4. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and allow to cool a little
5. Peel the skins off the potatoes and place the insides into a bowl [or baking dish for those making the casserole]
6. Toss the butter [in pieces] throughout the potatoes
7. Using a potato masher, mash the sweet potatoes
8. Pour almond milk, walnuts and brown sugar over the mixture and continuing mixing/mashing until the desired consistency is reached
9. Place in warming drawer until ready to eat and enjoy!

Optional Marshmallow Casserole Extra Step

1. Pour marshmallows over the top of the mixture until well-covered
2. Bake the casserole for 15 minutes or until the top is golden-brown
3. Enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this recipe! Let me know if you try it this Thanksgiving!

***Photos by the VERY talented Kristen Dee Photography***

about the author

Chandler Hatchett

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Born and raised the oldest of five in Austin, Tx, Chandler has always had a vibrant personality and zest for life. After completing her studies in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish at Baylor University, she moved to Dallas where she lives where husband, F, their son, B, and their two dogs, Pudge and Keira. She’s passionate about her family, cooking, exercise, home décor, traveling, relationships, music and making the most of each day!

At 21, Chandler was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and an autoimmune disease linked to her thyroid. This changed the way she looked at living and transformed her focus towards an all-natural lifestyle. While not everything she does is completely all natural, she strives to make it a priority and is learning as she goes.

As a Christian, Chandler aims to live as Jesus lived, growing “in wisdom, in stature, in favor with God and in favor with man.” She believes that living well is only achieved when you strive to grow spiritually, too. This blog focuses on making the most out of the lives we are given and striving to live well in all aspects of it.

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