Easy recipe for sweet potato casserole that contains no added sugar with no loss of taste and overall deliciousness! Perfect as a holiday side dish or even as a healthy baby food.
When my first child was a young toddler, I didn’t know about the importance of serving wholesome fats with vegetables. Science has shown that doing this significantly improves nutrient absorption. A healthy fat mashed in with baby food also greatly improves satisfaction from the meal. This means the child feels full much longer.
Consequently, when I made baby food, I simply steamed the organic vegetables in a bit of filtered water. Then I pureed them with a small amount of bone broth without adding anything else before serving.
The problem with this approach is that my son didn’t seem to get filled up very well. He was always hungry again within a very short time. He also ended up eating way too much – so much so that he developed carotenaemia. This condition is an orange coloration of the skin from excessive beta carotene in the diet.
Doctors say that carotenaemia is a benign condition that resolves on its own. Fortunately, my son didn’t seem to suffer any ill effects from it. He just looked like he spent a lot of time in the sun which was a very strange look for a young child! But it did seem to indicate very clearly to me that large amounts of organic baby food were less than ideal.
By the time my second child was born and ready for homemade baby food, I had learned all about ancestral diet and Traditional Foods. This primarily involved adding generous amounts of healthy fats to my family’s diet.
I noticed that my second son, who also was capable of eating large amounts of my homemade baby food, ate much less when I included these healthy fats in the veggie puree. Â He never came close to eating the massive amounts of veggies that my first son did at the same age and he stayed full between meals and was much more satisfied after eating too.
To my great relief, he never developed carotenaemia either! You can learn more about the beta carotene Vitamin A myth in the linked article.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Below is the sweet potato casserole recipe which was my second son’s favorite baby food dish. Â It is made with organic sweet potato and loads of healthy fats. Â Ensuring that homemade baby food always includes some healthy fats is very important so that baby can absorb all those wonderful nutrients and stay happy and full afterward until the next mealtime rolls around!
Love sweet potato? Â Check out this recipe for sweet potato pasta too!
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Sugar-free recipe for sweet potato casserole that is wholesomely sweetened with healthy fats and makes an ideal holiday side dish. It is perfect for baby food too!
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds sweet potato preferably organic
- 1/4 pound butter preferably grassfed
- 2 cups coconut cream
- 1/4 cup cream
- 3 egg yolks preferably pastured or free range
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg optional
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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Bake (do not microwave) or boil sweet potato until tender and peel while hot. Place in a casserole dish and mash until smooth. Melt coconut cream and butter together over low heat on the stove.
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Mix butter/coconut mixture, cream, egg yolks and optional spices with mashed sweet potato in the casserole dish. Whip until mixed well. Sprinkle sweet potato casserole with additional freshly ground Ceylon cinnamon on top if desired.
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Place sweet potato casserole in a preheated 350 F/ 177 C degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly on top.
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Cool for 10 minutes on the counter and then serve. Refrigerate leftovers. Reheat as needed for later meals.
Recipe Notes
You may use sour raw cream in place of the fresh cream if desired.
Can you give an alternative to using eggs in this recipe? Thankyou
I was wondering how to take sugars out of foods I already love , but needs that sweet taste . I will look into more foods that can be replaced with coconut oil cream. Thanks
Now I understand the reason behind my putting butter on my families cooked veggys. Handed down from my Grandmother I guess. My mother always did it too. She taught me to cook. Love that butter in my mashed potatoes. Thanks Sarah. Love your blog. I have learned a lot from you. My daughter, new Mom, has learned and still learning from you.
Is Margarine a healthy fat ?
No … it is processed factory fat.
Wow dis is reaLly grt my baby is 14months old I hope this recipe will be grt for her cus she is actually chubby
Adriana,
I believe Sarah would say, and correct my if I’m wrong – I am curious to know as well, to avoid sweet potatoes for as long as possible, perhaps to 2 years old ??
Here is a link to another article titled, “The Right Way to Feed Babies.”
https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/right-way-to-feed-babies/
In this article she states, “Best also to avoid high starch veggies like potatoes and sweet potato, which contain very complex starch molecules which are much more difficult to digest for baby than non starchy vegetables.” She goes on to say, “I would recommend delaying any introduction of grain based foods and starchy vegetables for as long as possible. Some experts advise that the child be 2 years old before being given these foods to eat.”
I also have a 5 month old. We have started the soft-boiled egg yolk and I add coconut oil to that, but I’m curious as to what I should add next to his diet (after the liver). He seems to have a bad allergy to avocados, in which bananas are often included in that. Since bananas may not be an option right now I’m hoping to try pears or apples within a few months.
Megan
I had the same fears when my baby was that age, especially because I was a first-time mom. Read these books, they are excellent guides for me, together with Dr. Weston Price’s teachings: Super Nutrition for Babies: The Right Way to Feed Your Baby for Optimal Health [Katherine Erlich, Kelly Genzlinger, David Brownstein M.D.] and Gut and Psychology Syndrome [Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride]. Trust your gut for everything.
Best of luck to you and your baby 🙂
At what age did you introduce this recipe? My baby is 5 months and we are introducing fruits and veggies. I breast feed exclusively but he seems to be hungry all the time