WELL IS MORE PLANT-BASED THANKSGIVING, PT. I

Menu

I. Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes, V, GF

II. A Healthier Thanksgiving Stuffing, V, GF

III. A Healthier Mushroom Gravy, V, GF

IV. Crispy Oven-Baked Tofu Nuggets, V, GF

V. No-Sugar-Added Cranberry Sauce, V, GF

[S]mashed Potatoes

Let me introduce you to the first item on the Well is More Plant-Based Thanksgiving menu - Vegan Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes! Why have mashed potatoes when you can have smashed potatoes, am I right?

I have to say, this is definitely not one of the prettiest dishes I’ve ever made. However, that doesn’t really matter very much when it tastes so dang good! Cooking time not included, this recipe is quick, simple, and straightforward with a total of 5 ingredients. Even without all the butter and cream, you’re going to love these potatoes.

Recipe Notes

• Potato size. I used 3 massive sweet potatoes in this recipe simply because that’s all I had at home. The consistency in the end was like that of mashed potatoes but with a slightly crispy skin. If you want to go for the more crispy smashed potato style, try to find the smallest sweet potatoes you can!

• Orange vs. White Sweet Potatoes. Either type will work for this recipe! I personally prefer the orange sweet potatoes but I had a white one sneak in the mix this time. Both are great, the orange is sweeter and a smoother texture than the white. Is the white technically a yam? Or vice versa? Someone please clear this up in the comments!

• Seasoning. I kept the seasoning really simple - generous sprinkling of granulated garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper. In my opinion it really doesn’t need anything else, but feel free to experiment with adding other herbs, spices, and seasonings as well. If you don’t have granulated garlic, garlic powder should work fine too.

• Fresh Herbs. If you choose to add fresh herbs to the mix (I’m thinking maybe rosemary, sage, thyme) I recommend adding them towards the end of the second half of baking to ensure they don’t burn. That goes for using fresh garlic too, if you choose to do so.

• Cooking oil. Since this recipe is cooked at a high temp, it’s best to use an oil with a higher smoke point for health reasons. However, it’s hard to beat the flavor that olive oil provides, so I went ahead and used olive oil for this recipe anyway. Another healthy oil option with a higher smoke point would be avocado oil, although it doesn’t offer a ton of flavor.

• Drizzling the oil. If you don’t have one of those fancy bottle tops that allow you to easily drizzle the oil, try just placing a finger over the top of the bottle instead. Leave enough space for some oil to escape and drizzle away. You can also use a spray if you have one.

Step By Step

Vegan Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetite’s crispy smashed potatoes

Makes roughly 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet potatoes, see recipe notes

• 1 tbsp kosher sea salt, plus more for seasoning

• extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil (see recipe notes)

• granulated garlic or garlic powder, to taste

• ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450°F

• Fill a large pot with water, add the sweet potatoes and 1 tbsp sea salt. Heat until boiling. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until easily pierced with a fork, roughly 20-50 minutes depending on size of potatoes. Do not overcook.

• Line baking sheet with foil and spritz with avocado oil. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet and allow to cool slightly.

• Use a second baking sheet to place on top of the potatoes, press down to “smash” until they are about 1 inch thick. You may want to use an oven mitt to protect your skin if potatoes are still slightly hot.

• Remove top baking sheet. Drizzle generously with oil. Sprinkle generously with granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes,

• Remove from oven, flip potatoes, drizzle other side generously with oil. Sprinkle generously with granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

• Serve hot and enjoy!