MAPLE YAMS WITH APPLES & CRANBERRIES

Maple Yams With Apples & Cranberries image

I had some beautiful organic jewel yams from my store that just begged for some love, and I searched all over the internet for a yam recipe that was just right. I didn't find anything that was exactly what I wanted: something with less sugar and more flavor, no nuts, and definitely no marshmallows! This is what I came up with.

Provided by strphanie

Time 1h35m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

4 lbs jewel yams, baked (or sweet potatoes)
2 apples (preferably Granny Smith)
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup sucanat (can also use turbinado, rapadura, or brown sugar)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Steps:

Scrub yams thoroughly, place on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F until cooked but still somewhat firm, about 30-40 minutes.
Set yams aside to cool.
Slice apples thinly. Leave the skin on, for its color, its wonderful nutritional value, and so the apples keep their shape. I used Granny Smiths because they have a nice tartness and don't fall apart in baking, but Golden Delicious or similar would also be good.
Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside.
Combine all remaining ingredients EXCEPT for cranberries in small saucepan, and cook until sugar is dissolved, creating a thin sauce.
Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice sweet potatoes into thick slices, or cut into chunks as desired, leaving the skins on. (Remember--fiber is good!).
Assemble casserole in a greased 9x13x2-inch baking dish (stoneware or glass), layering the yams, then apples, then the cranberries. There should be enough for two layers of each.
Pour sauce over the top of the casserole.
Bake uncovered casserole for 30-45 minutes, basting intermittently with its own juices (or with extra fruit juice for a more moist casserole--I used some apple cider I had on hand) until apples are tender and dish is hot.
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving, if possible, so the juices can thicken up a bit.
Variation: Drizzle lightly before serving with some warm maple syrup and/or flax oil.
Alternatively: if you're preparing it ahead of time, cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight, and bake as usual the next day.
Note on the "maple syrup": you must use natural maple syrup, not pancake syrup! I used Grade B--it has a higher nutrient content and a richer flavor. If you don't have maple syrup on hand, just use honey instead. The taste won't be as rich, but it will still be yummy.