Sweet Potato Bake with Maple-Cinnamon Pecans

Serves 8 / Ingredient tip: Using frozen sweet potatoes cuts down the work, but you can also use fresh sweet potatoes—peeled, cubed, and steamed—if you like.

1/2 cup pecan pieces
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 6-ounce can mandarin oranges
2 10-ounce bags frozen sweet potato cubes, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce

1. Lightly coat a small skillet with cooking spray. Place pecans in skillet over medium heat and drizzle with maple syrup and cinnamon. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. When cool, break up large pieces.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Drain mandarin oranges, reserving liquid. In a large bowl, mash together mandarin orange sections and thawed sweet potatoes, moistening with 1–2 tablespoons reserved mandarin orange liquid. Stir in melted butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and egg. Fold in cranberry sauce.
3. Transfer mixture to a 11/2-quart casserole dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes. Top with maple-cinnamon pecans and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

—Elisa Bosley

PER SERVING: 223 cal, 33% fat cal, 9g fat, 2g sat fat, 34mg chol, 3g protein, 36g carb, 3g fiber, 133mg sodium