Cranberry, Pecan, Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Bites

Skip the bread and crackers and trying using roasted sweet potato rounds instead! These Cranberry, Pecan, Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Bites are the perfect blend of sweet and savory and a wonderful holiday appetizer!

Happy Friday! Guess what? It finally got cold around here and it snowed! Wednesday it was nearly 80 degrees and Thursday 37. I was starting to think fall would never happen.

Less than a week until Thanksgiving and as promised I’m ending the week with another side dish or if you’d rather, an appetizer. Cranberry, Pecan, Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Bites. They’re highly addicting and full of holiday flavor!

This was my first time using a sweet potato round instead of bread or crackers to make a “crostini” type appetizer. It’s a brilliant substitution and a healthy one too.

The slices of sweet potato are tossed in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, then roasted in the oven. Since they are thin slices it doesn’t take long for them to roast and you don’t have to worry about burning them to a crisp like you do with bread.

Since the holiday season is here I decided to top the sweet potato rounds with some classic holiday flavors. Whipped goat cheese with fresh rosemary added in for a savory tangy bite. Then, dried cranberries, toasted pecans and a drizzle of honey for sweetness.

The combination of flavors is one I absolutely loved! I had a hard time not eating a whole tray of these bites. They’re the perfect size to serve before your big dinner or if you need another side dish they work great for that too.

A couple tips when making these sweet potato bites. When you whip the goat cheese make sure it’s at room temperature or just like cream cheese it won’t be smooth. Also, make sure you finely chop the rosemary. Most people don’t appreciate chewing on big pieces of rosemary, it’s sort of like eating a pine needle.

The whipped goat cheese can be made ahead of time, but let it sit out and come to room temperature while the sweet potatoes are roasting. It’s much easier to spread or dollop when it’s soft. These Cranberry, Pecan, Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Bites can be served warm or at room temperature, either way they’ll disappear fast!

Cranberry, Pecan, Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Bites

Yield: 20-24 Sweet Potato Bites

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Skip the bread and crackers and trying using roasted sweet potato rounds instead! These Cranberry, Pecan, Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Bites are the perfect blend of sweet and savory and a wonderful holiday appetizer!

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk, I used 1%
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Honey for drizzling

Instructions

1. Preaheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil.
3. In a large bowl toss together the sweet potato slices, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Lay the slices out on the baking sheet in a single layer, spray the tops with more cooking oil if necessary.
5. Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 10 minutes then flip them over and bake for another 8-12 minutes or until tender.
6. While the sweet potatoes bake, use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or handheld mixer to whip the goat cheese, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper until smooth and fluffy.
7. Spoon approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture onto each sweet potato round.
8. Top the goat cheese with a few chopped pecans and cranberries, then drizzle with honey.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• The goat cheese mixture can be made a day in advance, but make sure to let it come to room temperature before dolloping on the sweet potato rounds.
• No need to peel the sweet potatoes, just clean them well.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111 Total Fat: 6g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 120mg Carbohydrates: 13g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 8g Protein: 3g

More Holiday Appetizers

Prosciutto Wrapped Pears with Blue Cheese

Smoked Almond and Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Egg Rolls

Bourbon Apple Cider Glazed Turkey Meatballs