Kendra's Treats

I was craving sweet potato casserole for dayyyssss before I decided to make myself this healthier version. I had planned to use sweet potatoes, but then I spotted a butternut squash in my fridge – veryyy near the end of its life. So I changed my mind and decided to use butternut squash instead. I don’t think sweet potato would have been any better! The squash had just the right amount of natural sweetness after it was roasted that the only sugar I added was in the topping – and only 1 tablespoon at that! Considering most recipes for traditional sweet potato casserole have a cup (or more) of sugar, this was quite a decrease! It’s definitely more of a side dish than a dessert mascarading as a side dish now, but I found it perfect for my adult palate. It hit the spot! Give it a try. I know you’ll love it…and so will your jeans! 😉 Enjoy!

Healthy Butternut Squash Casserole with Pecan Topping 

for the squash mixture:
1 small butternut squash, cut in half with seeds removed (~2-1/2 cups cooked flesh)
3-4 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

for the topping:
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp chopped pecans
3 tbsp quick oats
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
dash salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spraying baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place prepared squash cut side down onto greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for an hour or until flesh is soft. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using a large spoon, scrape the cooked flesh from the skin and place in a large bowl. You should have about 2-1/2 cups.
2. Add almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and vanilla to cooked squash. Using a potato masher or hand mixer, mix until smooth. Pour mixture into greased 9 inch baking dish.
3. In small bowl, prepared the topping. Combine the butter, pecans, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir until evenly coated. Spread over squash mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Nutritional Info (per 1/4th): 108 calories; 4.1 g fat; 18.5 g carbohydrates; 4.6 g fiber; 1.8 g protein.