During the holidays, my favorite dish on the table is always the sweet potatoes, preferably baked and caramelized with maple syrup, pecans, and tons of cinnamon. Every year, I find myself wondering "Why am I not eating this on a regular basis?"
I'm sure that if I did make this dish on a regular basis, two things would happen: I would likely need to exercise a lot more and I would probably get tired of it and not like it as much as I do. Knowing this doesn't change the fact that I wish I could eat this dish every day for the rest of life (or just, like, once a week).
A week after Thanksgiving, when I was still having this urge, I came up with a brilliant plan. I eat a tiny bit of homemade peanut butter each day, before my morning workout (I'm out of my muffin phase). I have been wanting to make Caitlin's pecan butter for a couple of months, so once I finished my jar of homemade cashew butter and licked the jar clean, I planned on making pecan butter, with pecans leftover from making the aforementioned favorite holiday dish. Then it occurred to me: I should add roasted sweet potato to my pecan butter. Then it would be like eating a little spoonful of this amazing dish every day without having to increase my workout schedule. I mean, that's the dream, right?
So I roasted my sweet potato with cinnamon, nutmeg, a dash of salt, and a pinch of coconut sugar. While it cooled, I began turning my pecans into butter in the food processor. Once the sweet potato had cooled enough, I threw that in with a half-teaspoon of maple syrup and the rest is history. It's mashed sweet potatoes. It's pecan butter. It's both, wrapped into one decadent spread. This stuff is pure gold.
It's time to live the dream. This decadent dip begs to be made and spread on toast, english muffins, apple slices, your fingers, and whatever else that would taste good with sweet, cinnamon, maple sweet potato pecan butter. Then you can smile to yourself because you know you won't need to spend any extra minutes at the gym. Now that's what I call holiday cheer!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, melted (or canola oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- a few dashes of nutmeg
- a few dashes of salt
- a pinch of coconut sugar (or other vegan sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
- salt to taste (optional, if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potato cubes on the baking sheet. Drizzle with melted coconut oil and sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and coconut sugar. Toss to fully coat. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Place your pecans in the bowl of a food processor. Process until it becomes a smooth butter, scraping the sides as necessary.
- After the sweet potato has cooled enough to touch, add to the food processor and process until smooth. Add the maple syrup and process. Taste and if needed, add a bit of salt. Remove from food processor and store in an airtight container. Refrigerate between uses. Enjoy!
Caitlin
omigosh, girl!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are a GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is pure gold. i am drooling right now.
keepinitkind
Thank you! Your pecan butter is pretty heavenly too, lady!
Annie
My partner has toast w/ nut butter every morning - - I think I need to spice things up with this beauty!
keepinitkind
I'm telling you, Annie- his toast will never be the same. 😉
Somer
Get out. What I wanna know is how long does it keep? I guess that probably wouldn't be a problem though..... Those are some hefty schmearings. I'll bet it gets gobbled up quickly.
keepinitkind
I would say it would keep about a week. Ours didn't last that long, but then again, I did make cookies with the last bit of it (I wish I took pictures- they were insane!).
Bridget @ The Road Not Processed
This looks delicious..Splendid idea! I'll have to make it soon
Gabby @ the veggie nook
This looks amazing Kristy! I love how you took a traditional holiday treat and made it possible to eat it everyday 🙂 I love sneaking sweet potato into everything 🙂
Melissa
Wow, this is such a great idea! I love sweet potatoes too. 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you! If you love sweet potatoes, then this one is for you! 🙂
Heather
This looks crazy good! I would have never thought to add in a veggie to any nutbutter - sweet potato & pecan butter is a match made in heaven, you should totally market this to Whole Foods or Trader Joes'!!
keepinitkind
It's seriously good enough to be sold in jars. I recently used the last of it to make cookies, and Oh. My. God. Insanity! They were sooooo good! 🙂
beth
can this be hot water bathed and given out throughout the year as gifts? would love to can or preserve this for a later date
keepinitkind
I wish I could say yes, but I don't really know anything about canning/preserving. So sorry I can't be of more help!
debbiedisco
What to do with a hefty helping of sweet potatoes and pecans from my farmer's market box? THIS! I was especially inspired because my fiancé made whole wheat english muffins this week. Yes, it was pure destiny. Now, can I coax you to share that cookie recipe??
keepinitkind
Sadly, the cookies were good but not up to my standards to share on the blog. Perhaps I'll have to craft a new recipe? 🙂
Laura
I realize I'm 7 years late to this party, but this stuff is insanely good. Let us count the ways I've eaten it: on its own by the spoonful; on toast; as a filling for cinnamon rolls; and processed with dates/walnut and oat flours/cocoa and rolled into energy bites. Next up - apple slices as suggested. It also freezes and defrosts really well, meaning that I have a good excuse to double the recipe 🙂
Linda Bradley
I was going to buy a $16 nut butter by Jenee Claibourne who has a blog called Sweet Potato Soul but am goingTo try to make this. It looks like the same ingredients almost.