Candied pecans for a sweet New Year

I like to save sugar for dessert, but sweet potatoes topped with candied pecans are a festive (and delicious!) addition to the Rosh HaShana spread. I first tried this version at my sister, Julie’s house–the pecans don’t require much brown sugar to coat them, and the sweet potatoes are so packed with flavor, they don’t need the extras that many other kugel-type dishes require. All in all, it’s a healthy alternative to many traditional Yom Tov side dishes.

SWEET POTATOES & PECANS
4 sweet potatoes
T Earth Balance
T honey
t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t salt
2T brown sugar
3/4 cup pecans

Peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes and boil them until soft (you should be able to easily pierce it with a fork). While they’re boiling, place the brown sugar and pecans in a frying pan over medium heat. Continue to stir the mixture as the sugar melts and the pecans roast (at least 3 minutes). Strain the potatoes and mash with a fork. Add the Earth Balance, cinnamon, ginger and honey to the potatoes and stir until smooth. Place the potatoes in a 8-in. Pyrex that you can use for serving and top with the pecans. Serve immediately. (You could also make this ahead and skip the pecan step. Just mix the pecans with the brown sugar in a bowl and add it to the top of the potatoes. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.)