Glazed Sweet Potatoes

I'm honestly not sure what to call these. In May I started Whole30 with my girlfriend. Whole30 is an eating/cleansing program. No added sugar, no grains, and no (insert long list of delicious things you can no longer enjoy). Regular roasted and baked sweet potatoes were getting boring and I needed something to pair with the collard greens I was making for a filming. Candied yam like, but with no added sugar. She suggested 100% apple juice, and I got excited. She gives me ideas all the time.The apple juice creates a sweet glaze without adding endless amounts of brown sugar. Added sugar is one of the main vehicles to drive flavor in a dish, and sometimes an unhealthy cop out. We get away from that with this recipe.

The first time I made these sweet potatoes, I elected to go stovetop instead of the oven and used a saucepan that wasn't quite big enough. The texture was okay, but the flavor was great. Everyone there for the filming that day thought so too, and the sweet potatoes stole the show from the collard greens. I knew then this dish was a recipe I needed to share. There isn't some super secret special ingredient for this recipe. Rather, sound technique to produce the ideal texture and flavor for a familiar favorite being brought back down to practicality. You'll learn the patience the patience of developing a sweet glaze without added sugar. 

Recipe serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 tbsp ghee*
2 cups 100% apple juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of kosher salt
*clarified butter available for purchase in most markets. Whole30 doesn't allow the use of regular butter. Ghee originated in India

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 400℉. Wash your sweet potatoes clean or dirt and debris with gently running water. Peel the skin with a paring knife or vegetable peeler
2. Chop the sweet potatoes into inch thick cubed shaped pieces. I like mine slightly imperfect, having cubes is boring for this recipe. It has more character than that and candied yams don't come in perfect cubes either.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Place in a square baking dish. Break the ghee into small pieces and place all over the square baking dish. 
4. Pour the apple juice into the baking dish along the sides and place the dish into the oven to roast for an hour or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Give the sweet potatoes a gentle stir every 15 minutes so they won't dry out and you can check their progress. If you notice your glaze is getting too thick too quickly add a touch of apple juice to loosen things up. 
5. During the last 15 minutes, after the glaze has formed pour most of it off into a small bowl and baste it back onto the sweet potatoes to ensure each bit is covered. 
6. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes so the glaze can set, then serve immediately!

You should be getting reminders of apple pie filling, and experiencing what its like to have a 'candied yam' without feeling like you're drinking sugar. Your patience was rewarded, and you have a Whole30 friendly side dish to make anytime you like.