The holidays are literally around the corner, which means lots of food, fun, and family gatherings! As a Registered Dietitian, I try to keep my recipes delicious and nutritious! This can be a little tough during the holiday season, but I’m here to show you two healthy, easy appetizer recipes that includes everyone’s favorite Fall veggie… sweet potatoes!!
The first appetizer is my Honey Cream Cheese & Pecan Sweet Potato Rounds! This recipe is a great appetizer to satisfy any sweet tooth without packing on the calories! I used reduced fat cream cheese and no added sugar; only natural honey for sweetness! To add an element of freshness, I topped these rounds with fresh mint for the finishing touch! Check out the full recipe below!
Honey Cream Cheese & Pecan Sweet Potato Rounds
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into potato rounds
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup whipped cream cheese, reduced fat
- 2 tbsp natural honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pecans, crumbled
- Optional: fresh mint
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Arrange sweet potato rounds on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.
- In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, honey, and vanilla extract. Top each sweet potato round with about ½ tsp of the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle pecans on top and drizzle with honey. If desired, sprinkle a little fresh mint on top!
- Enjoy!
The next recipe is my Sweet Potato Turkey Sausage Meatballs. You will be surprised how much flavor is in each meatball! The ingredients are very simple and include plenty of veggies! I placed these meatballs on a baking sheet and baked them for about 35-40 minutes. The mixture may be a little soft when forming the meatballs, but they hold up just fine! Check out the full recipe below!
Sweet Potato Turkey Sausage Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground turkey sausage
- 2 medium baked sweet potatoes, cooled & skin removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Salt/pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine turkey sausage, sweet potatoes, onion, bell pepper, parsley, and garlic powder. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add salt/pepper to taste.
- Roll mixture into 2-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until meat is cooked throughout.
- Serve with toothpicks and Enjoy!
For more healthy holiday recipes, visit www.beautifuleatsandthings.com
Andrea Mathis is an Alabama-based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and owner of the healthy food blog, Beautiful Eats & Things. After completing her graduate studies at the University of Alabama, Andrea worked in several different healthcare settings including clinical, public health, and long-term care. Andrea believes in achieving optimal health by incorporating healthier eating habits into your lifestyle and making healthy eating fun! When she’s not running after her two toddlers, she’s going on exciting foodie adventures with her husband!
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