First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers in the US.

Candied sweet potatoes have been a part of Thanksgiving dinner in many homes for generations. They were always part of both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner when we were growing up. Unfortunately, smothering sweet potatoes in butter and brown sugar takes a good vegetable, and turns it into a high fat, high calorie dieter’s nightmare.

We wanted to offer an easy recipe to replace candied sweet potatoes with a version that is tasty, with no added fat, and no added sugar (except a little naturally occurring sugar in orange juice.)

Sweet potatoes can be part of natural weight loss

Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Orange Zest

Wash sweet potatoes and pierce all over with a fork. Wrap in aluminum foil and roast in a 400 degree oven until tender. (Time will vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes, but figure 30 minutes to an hour for this step.) Allow potatoes to cool enough to handle.

Split potatoes lengthwise, and scoop flesh into a heat proof bowl, or a baking dish. Add freshly grated orange zest to taste. (Allow about 1/2 teaspoon of zest per large sweet potato, increase or decrease according to taste.) Mash the sweet potatoes to combine the zest thoroughly. If the sweet potatoes are too thick, add freshly squeezed orange juice, a little at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Cover and keep warm in 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

You can also add a little cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg, in addition to, or instead of the orange zest.

Preparing sweet potatoes gives them a very rich flavor, (in fact, we have had guests who swore they tasted butter in the sweet potatoes) and brings out the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes without adding empty calories. Try them, and you won’t miss the butter and brown sugar.