Dairy-Free Sweet Potato Pie

I was a skeptic of the "Sweat Potato Pie" idea until I actually tried it. I thought-sweet potatoes in a pie?! You have to be joking, right? To my great surprise, I could not believe how much it tasted like a pumpkin pie. I made this recipe up during a dinner party. I was making a bunch of pies and someone requested a sweet potato pie (I think it was because we had a bunch of sweet potatoes that someone had brought to the dinner). I agreed to try making a dairy free version. All the while, thinking, "sweet potato pie....what a strange concept" I was not at all sure that the recipe would turn out to make a edible pie but to my surprise it turned out great! Everyone loved it and there wasn't a piece left.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours (cooking at higher altitude makes things take longer)

2 C cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (approx. 3 sweet potatoes)

1/2 C "butter" softened

2 eggs separated

1/2 tsp ginger and nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp (or more) Cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt (or do as I do and just add a pinch)

1 C rice milk (or nondairy milk of choice)

1/4 (+/-) sugar

1 pie shell

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, egg yolks, spices, and salt. Mix until light and fluffy (you can do this by hand, as I did, or use a beater to make things go faster). Add milk slowly- still mixing as you go.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/4 (+/-) C sugar and beat some more. (Note the sugar is +/- because 1/4 cup is just about right but depending on your sweet tooth you can add more and if you are trying to cut back you can add a bit less- not much less though!)

When sugar is fully incorporated into the egg whites and they begin to feel a bit stiffer (you are not trying to make a meringue so don't worry about this part too much!) slowly fold mixture into the sweet potato mix. Place entire mixture into an uncooked pie shell and cook!

Remember that you need to start out at 400 degrees and bake the pie for 20 minutes. Then lower the temp. of the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. You will know the pie is done when a knife stuck in the middle of the pie comes out clean.

Cool then serve!