This week I gave in to my girlfriend’s pleas to put away the fryer and make something a little healthier this holiday season. Twice backed yams had been on my list of to do’s for the season anyway, so I decided to reexamine my plans for the recipe. I used plain so yogurt rather than margarine or vegan sour cream, and orange juice and carmelized onions lend sweetness and depth of flavor. Add a little chopped pecan for some texture and we have a delightfully rich side dish sure to please. Try to choose larger more “potato shaped” yams as opposed to the longer skinny ones as they will hold up to the scooping and refilling process better. Also, start with a few more yams than you anticipate needing to serve, as inevitably a few skins may break. This is fine as the extra filling makes the ones you serve look nicer.
Twice Baked Yams
3 lbs. yams (sweet potatoes will work as well)
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup caramelized onions
1/2 cup chopped pecans
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 375°. Wash the yams well and pat dry with a clean towel. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake 45 min to and hour, or until soft. Let cool until they can be handled. Split the yams in half and scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl. Leave about 1/4 inch of flesh on the skins to give structure to your shells for later. Add the yogurt, orange juice and spices and mash with a fork or potato masher until well mixed and mostly smooth. Stir in onions and pecans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the hollowed yam halves on a baking sheet and spoon the filling into each one (or you can scoop the filling into a large zip top bag, cut off the tip of one corner with scissors, and pipe the filling into each shell). Bake at 375° for about 15 min until heated through.
