A GOOD RULE TO LIVE BY is that if you don’t love it, don’t eat it. Don’t like that mushy, overwrought grain dish you picked at the hot buffet in an attempt to be healthier? Don’t eat it. It’s your body; treat it well. When most people hear the phrase “treat yourself,” they think about pigging out on a pint of ice cream or taking a “splurge day.” But a big part of treating yourself is treating yourself
right—taking care of your body, and enjoying foods that will help you thrive. Treat yourself by taking the time to prepare delicious, wholesome food that you actually want to eat—don’t just eat throwaway “diet” food because you think you’re supposed to.
Rice and grits can be part of a healthy eating meal plan. Both are staples that have a long legacy in traditional Southern cuisine. Ground corn in the form of grits is simple country food. Most Southerners love grits and I am no exception. When I was a little girl, my family would travel from our home in Louisiana to Georgia for holidays to visit our family. My father would drive through the night as my sister and I slept in the back of the big, green Oldsmobile with its expansive back seat. It was a production moving a family across four states; the car was packed to the gills and even had a bulging cargo box on the roof. My sister and I fought sleep—and each other—for as long as we could. As the sun rose, we would stop for breakfast at a truck stop on the Georgia-Alabama border.
I remember Mama rousing us from our deep sleep and kneeling over the backseat to dress her drowsy brood. My sister and I twisted and turned, trying to get the right arm in the right sleeve and our knotty heads brushed. Eventually, we were appropriately clothed and entered the doors next to the flashing neon sign. The bright florescent lights in the diner caused me to squint after the long, dark night. Tall, weathered men in baseball caps sipped coffee and smoked cigarettes at the counter. It was another universe. My sister and I squirmed in the shiny green vinyl booths trying to see as much as possible of this strange, foreign
world. Soon enough, a lady with big hair would come along and say, “Here ya’ go, honey” and place a steaming hot bowl of cheese grits on the worn Formica table in front of me. Suddenly, the alien landscape would disappear and I was home. Grits mean home to me.
Of course, those grits were swimming in cheese and melted butter—a delicious but unfortunately decadent detail that doesn’t make sense for a healthy eating plan. But grits are important to me and many Southerners; I just had to find a way to lighten them up. My recipe for a Southern Style Shepherd’s Pie with Grits uses whole-grain grits, chicken, and spinach for a healthy, savory layered casserole. I’ve also included a little side note for a basic recipe on how to cook grits.
Rice plays a huge part in the Southern diet, especially in Louisiana, where rice farms dot the bayou, and in the South Carolina Low Country. White rice is the most common choice; however, white rice has had the bran removed and is not as nutritious as whole-grain brown rice. For that reason, I’ve tried to focus mostly on whole grains for the recipes in this book. Whole grains are high in fiber and have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and other health problems. It’s exciting to see so many options on the grocery store shelves—and if you see a whole grain you’re not familiar with, I encourage you to experiment.
SERVES 8 TO 10
I asked my friend Pableaux Johnson, New Orleans native and Creole food authority, about adding finely chopped collard greens to the classic Cajun dish red beans and rice to up the nutritionals. He replied, “Beans and greens sounds like a Virginia Willis original. It’s like adding curry and fish to a gumbo and saying ‘It’s a Curry-Fish Gumbo!’ Somewhere in there, the natural DNA of the dish has been changed.” Serving it on top of quinoa might get me chased out of N’awlins! But it doesn’t mean this dish is wrong. One bite and I’m sure you will agree.
1 tablespoon canola oil
12 ounces chicken or turkey andouille sausage, sliced
2 sweet onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 poblano chiles or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1 pound red beans, soaked overnight
10 cups water
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 cup coarsely chopped collard greens, finely chopped (about 4 ounces)
3 green onions, trimmed and chopped
Hot sauce
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked quinoa, for accompaniment
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and chiles. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.
Drain the soaked red beans and add the beans to the pot. Cover with the fresh water. Add the cayenne, white pepper, smoked paprika, bay leaves, and collard greens. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 1 to 1½ hours. When the beans are tender, using a potato masher, mash in the pot to break up some of the beans. Stir in the chopped green onions and season well with hot sauce to taste. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, ladle into warmed bowls with cooked quinoa with additional hot sauce on the side.
Calories 256
Fat 6 g
Carbs 35 g
Fiber 9 g
Protein 16 g
NEW SOUL CREOLE DIRTY RICE
MAKES 4 CUPS TO SERVE 6
This old-school Louisiana rice dish is traditionally made with giblets, liver, and ground pork. It’s simple country cooking, using up any spare bits and pieces of meat. It’s also typically very rich and fatty. This recipe achieves those same meaty flavors, but is far healthier, lighter, and nutritionally dense with a cup of collard greens added for even more savory flavor.
I am a white rice lover. I can’t help it. I know I’m supposed to like brown rice. I eat it because it’s good for me and I am supposed to, but the truth is that I really prefer white rice. Maybe it’s my grandmother’s South Carolina blood rolling through my veins. So, with most of my rice recipes, I try to make it healthier in other ways. If you want to use brown rice, you go right ahead.
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 poblano chile, cored, seeded, and chopped
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
4 ounces chicken livers, finely chopped, or chicken andouille sausage, casings removed and finely chopped
1 cup long-grain white or jasmine brown rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups water
1 cup coarsely chopped collard greens, finely chopped (about 4 ounces)
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Hot sauce, for serving
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and poblano and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the chicken livers and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, the 2 cups water, and chopped collard greens. Season with ½ teaspoon of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until the rice is tender, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cover and decrease the heat to simmer. Cook until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes, or for brown rice, about 35 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. No peeking! Add the green onions and fluff with a fork to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm with hot sauce on the side.
Calories 194
Fat 4 g
Carbs 33 g
Fiber 3 g
Protein 7 g
BROCCOLI and CHEESE “RICE GRITS”
MAKES 7 CUPS TO SERVE 6
Rice “grits” are simply broken grains of rice, a by-product of milling Carolina Gold rice, the fragile long grain rice that’s been cultivated on the South Carolina coast for centuries. The broken pieces of rice take on a creamy, risotto-like texture when simmered. This retro-remake is my lightened-up interpretation of the traditional broccoli-rice casserole, without a sodium-laden can of soup in sight.
1 cup long grain white or brown rice or jasmine brown rice
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
1 head broccoli, chopped into florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Place the rice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulverize until broken, 3 to 5 minutes. (Rice is astoundingly sturdy.)
In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the stock and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pulverized rice and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, almost like creamy oatmeal or, well, grits, about 20 minutes for white rice and 25 to 30 minutes for brown rice.
Add the broccoli stems and stir to combine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the florets and stir to combine. Cook until the broccoli is tender, about 7 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and add the Parmesan, nutmeg, and butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Ladle into a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.
Calories 206
Fat 5 g
Carbs 31 g
Fiber 3 g
Protein 11 g
HOPPIN’ JOHN and LIMPIN’ SUSAN
MAKES 7 CUPS TO SERVE 8
Hoppin’ John, an old-fashioned country dish traditionally served on New Year’s Day, is made with peas, rice, and most often flavored with a hunk of pork such as salt pork, fatback, or hog jowl. Legend has it that Limpin’ Susan was the wife of Hoppin’ John. There seems to be little known about the origin of the name for Limpin’ Susan, but the one constant is that it typically consists of rice, bacon, and okra. Both are one-pot, inexpensive meals. In this recipe, I have reunited the happy couple. It seems to me if one is hopping and the other is limping, they probably need each other to lean on. I’ve lightened things up and reduced the amount of bacon so that it’s just a flavoring. You could substitute pure olive oil instead for a completely vegan—and even lighter—dish.
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cups freshly shelled black-eyed peas (about 1½ pounds unshelled) or frozen black-eyed peas, thawed
2 cups water
1 dried chile, such as chipotle or ancho, halved and seeded, left whole, or torn into bits for more heat
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup long grain white rice or jasmine brown rice
8 ounces okra, stemmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, trimmed and chopped
1 small fresh red chile, such as bird’s eye or Thai, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Hot sauce
Place a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and pour off all but a teaspoon or so of the bacon grease. Return the bacon to the pan. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add peas, stock, the 2 cups water, and the dried chile. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, until the peas are just tender (almost al dente) and about 2 cups of liquid remain, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Add the rice and okra to the pot, and stir to combine. Cover, and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. (If using brown rice, add the rice, but do not add the okra at this point. Let the brown rice simmer for 10 minutes, remove the lid and quickly add the okra. Cover and continue to cook until the rice and okra are tender, an additional 25 minutes.) Do not remove the lid during this part of cooking.
Remove the pot from the heat and allow the rice to steam, still covered, for another 10 minutes. Remove the cover and remove the dried chile. Fluff with a fork; taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve immediately with the green onions, fresh red chile, and hot sauce.
Calories 253
Fat 1 g
Carbs 49 g
Fiber 6 g
Protein 14 g
SERVES 6
Farro is one of those “new” grains you’ve seen on the blogs and in the food magazines. But recent culinary exposure is simply a resurgence in popularity of a very ancient grain. It is toothsome with a slightly nutty taste. One distinct plus with farro is that it doesn’t get mushy or rock hard after it’s cooked. I will often cook a couple of cups of farro at the beginning of the week and use it in salads or as a side dish, like this one, for the next few days. The cooking time is the same if you decide to double or triple the amount of farro in this recipe.
4 cups water
1 teaspoon pure olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ green cabbage, cored and chopped
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the farro and decrease the heat to simmer. Cook until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Decrease the heat to medium. Add the chopped cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain the farro and add to the cabbage. Add the thyme and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook for a minute or so until the flavors have combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Calories 108
Fat 1 g
Carbs 21 g
Fiber 4 g
Protein 4 g
Keep this in mind if you are new to this grain: whole-grain farro is hulled using a gentler process that leaves the germ and bran intact; it requires overnight soaking before cooking. Look instead for perlato, or, preferably, semi-pearled. Pearling is a process that removes the inedible hull that surrounds the grain. If semi-pearled, some of the germ and bran are removed; if perlato, all are removed. Semi-pearled is quick cooking and has the nutritional germ and bran mostly intact. Even though it is not a complete whole grain, I prefer it for convenience. If your container isn’t labeled, just consider that, if your package says it will cook in less than 15 minutes, it’s probably pearled; if it takes around 30 minutes, it’s probably semi-pearled. And if it takes 60 to 80 minutes, or suggests overnight soaking, it is whole or unpearled.
SOUTHERN STYLE SHEPHERD’S PIE with GRITS
SERVES 8
Nothing nails comfort food like a meaty casserole, as this recipe proves. When someone tells me that they don’t like grits, I try to convert the uninitiated with evangelical fervor. If the only grits you’ve ever had came out of a brown paper packet and were cooked in a microwave with a cup of water, well, those are instant grits and I don’t blame you for not liking them. The best grits are stone-ground from whole-grain dried kernels of “dent” corn.
I have altered my basic grits cooking formula to use less water, so that the grits are thick and more appropriate for layering. This rib-sticking dish could also be made ahead and frozen, for great make-ahead meal.
6 cups water
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup yellow stone-ground grits, fine to medium grind
1 teaspoon pure olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 pound ground chicken
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2¼ ounces)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 by 11½-inch ovenproof baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium pot over high heat, bring the 6 cups water to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and pepper. Stir in the grits and return to a boil. Decrease the heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until thick, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until soft and starting to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the spinach and wine. Cover and let wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the oregano and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Add ¼ cup of the cheese to the grits. Stir to combine and taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover the bottom of the prepared pan with the chicken mixture. Top with the grits. Using a wet rubber spatula, smooth out the grits over the top of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle over the remaining tablespoon of cheese. Bake until set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Calories 224
Fat 8 g
Carbs 24 g
Fiber 4 g
Protein 15 g
White dent corn produces white grits and yellow dent corn produces yellow grits. Grits are further defined by how they are prepared and ground. There are hominy grits, stone-ground grits, and various grades of commercially ground grits.
• Stone-ground grits are made from dried whole corn kernels ground between two stones, just as it has been for centuries. Whole-grain grits are more perishable because they contain the bran and germ and should be refrigerated or frozen. They must also be simmered very slowly for 45 minutes to an hour to coax out their tender, creamy texture. You’ll find grits sold under the Anson Mills, McEwen & Sons, and Hoppin John’s labels. Bob’s Red Mill corn grits are widely available in grocery stores and while the grind is not quite as large, the grits still have their germ and maintain a good corn flavor.
• With large-scale commercially ground grits, the germ and hull are removed to prevent rancidity and improve the product’s shelf life. The grits are finely ground and produce a smooth, bland porridge without a whole lot of corn flavor. Also, corn varieties used for artisan stone-ground grits are traditionally left in the field to dry completely, a practice known as field ripening. Commercial milling typically demands that the corn be harvested unripe and dried with forced and sometimes heated, air. Instant grits have the germ and hulls removed and are cooked, then the paste is spread in large sheets. They are then dried and reground. They are virtually a pot of starch with no flavor and very little nutritional value.
• Hominy is made from corn kernels soaked in an alkaline solution of water and lye to remove the kernel’s outer hull. When hominy is dried and coarsely ground, the result is hominy grits.
SERVES 8
I would argue that the potato—be it baked or boiled, simmered, or stewed—tops the list of comfort foods par excellence. As a matter of fact, there is some honest-to-goodness science that explains our deep desire to feast on spuds. Carbohydrates, in the form of glucose, are the preferred source of energy or fuel for muscle contraction—and potatoes are loaded with carbs. When we’re down or feeling poorly, our bodies yearn for our favorite fuel. Once eaten, the carbohydrates break down into smaller sugars that are absorbed and used as energy, fueling muscle contractions. (Any extra eventually gets stored in the body as fat, which is where Americans typically get it wrong because our portions are often too large.)
Here I’m using a well thought-out measure of real butter and a split of full-flavored Gruyère cheese paired with reduced-fat Cheddar to trim down the fat. Lastly, instead of crème fraîche, sour cream, or heavy cream, I’m using low-fat buttermilk for the typical mild tangy taste often found in scalloped potatoes.
1¼ cups 2 percent milk
¾ cup low-fat buttermilk
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese (2 ounces)
½ cup freshly grated 75 percent reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2 pounds medium Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square ovenproof baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, buttermilk, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and allow to rest and the milks to infuse with flavors for about 5 minutes. (Take that time to slice your potatoes.)
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook until foaming but not browned, about 1 minute. Place a strainer over the saucepan and strain the infused milk into the butter-flour mixture. Whisk to combine. Add the mustard and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Once it is at a boil, continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until combined and smooth.
Add the potatoes and stir to combine and coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until bubbly and golden brown, an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.
Calories 175
Fat 5 g
Carbs 26 g
Fiber 2 g
Protein 8 g
MAKEOVER BROCCOLI MAC and CHEESE
SERVES 10
From the familiar blue and white box to fancy eight-cheese combinations, Americans can’t seem to get enough of mac and cheese. It’s rich, simple, and satisfying, friendly and familiar, but never dull. I’ll tell you a secret. For years, I didn’t have a microwave, but if I felt down in the dumps, my food sin was frozen Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese. I would go to the store to buy it, remove the pasta Popsicle from the plastic container, transfer it to a baking dish, and bake it in the oven for the suggested hour. I knew how ridiculous it was and that I could have made far better in the same amount of time. Let me just say that macaroni and cheese will make you do crazy things. Instead of making a béchamel, I whisk flour into low-fat milk to make a slurry, and I sub out some of the cheese with low-fat cottage cheese. The end result is that this macaroni makeover is equally creamy and comforting, but without the crazy calories.
1 cup shredded 50 percent reduced-fat extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
¾ cup shredded 75 percent reduced-fat extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
½ teaspoon paprika
1 ¾ cups 2 percent milk
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces (2 cups) whole wheat elbow macaroni
12 ounces (4 cups) broccoli florets and stems
Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the two cheeses. Mix ¼ cup of the cheese mixture, the bread crumbs, and paprika in a small bowl. Set aside.
To make the cheese sauce, heat 1½ cups of the milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. Whisk remaining ¼ cup milk and the flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1½ cups of the cheese mixture and the cottage cheese until melted. Stir in the dry mustard, and nutmeg, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets. Drain well and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread the pasta-broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.
Calories 182
Fat 4 g
Protein 14 g
Carbs 24 g
Fiber 3 g
SWEET POTATO GRATIN
WITH HERB CRUMBLE
SERVES 8
Earthy, rich sweet potatoes are one of fall’s most delicious vegetables and pair wonderfully with pecans, one of fall’s most delicious nuts. You’ll be shocked when you take a bite of this dish. Everyone always assumes they will be hit with a rush of sugar, and yet this sweet potato dish is distinctively full-flavored and savory, a welcome departure from typical marshmallow-topped and bourbon-drenched sweet potato dishes. This recipe utilizes whole wheat pastry flour, which is more nutritionally dense than refined all-purpose flour but also is not as dense and heavy as regular whole wheat flour. Look for Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour in well-stocked grocery stores. I know Thanksgiving can be tricky. No one wants to give up a favorite dish, but slip this one into the mix and it’s certain to become a family favorite.
If you want to take a serious shortcut for this dish, you can substitute one 29-ounce can of pumpkin puree or canned sweet potatoes. The herb-pecan topping tastes equally great with both.
3 large sweet potatoes
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for your hands
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for seasoning
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
3 tablespoons 2 percent milk
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. (This will help with cleanup.) Spray a 2-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Using a fork, pierce the sweet potatoes in several places and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until fork-tender, about 50 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.
When the potatoes are almost tender, prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, flour, Parmesan, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the milk, oil, and sage. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, discarding the skin. Place the pulp in large bowl. Add the brown sugar and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Smash the potatoes with a potato masher until chunky.
Transfer the sweet potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Lightly flour your hands and crumble the topping in small, cherry size pieces on top of the sweet potatoes. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Calories 98
Fat 7 g
Carbs 7 g
Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 g
