Glazed Sweet Potatoes (1-Pot )

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 400F, and peel the sweet potatoes, if desired.
2. 2
   Cut them into 1-inch pieces, so they will cook evenly.
3. 3
   Place the potato pieces in a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish, or something similar in size.
4. 4
   Add in the maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt, and toss well to coat the potatoes.
5. 5
   Place them in the oven to bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
6. 6
   When the timer goes off, take the potatoes out of the oven and give them a stir. Return them to the oven to bake for another 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, repeat the process, stirring every 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender and the maple syrup is no longer very liquidy looking. (It will disappear even more as the potatoes cool.) This should take about 1 hour total, but yours might be done in 50-55 minutes total, so keep an eye on them towards the end of the cooking cycle.
7. 7
   If you'd like to add the pecans, stir them in as soon as the potatoes come out of the oven.
8. 8
   Add a squeeze of lemon juice over the top, and stir again, to brighten up the flavor and cut some of the sweetness. (Highly recommend the lemon juice-- not orange juice, which I also tried.)
9. 9
   Serve warm, as a side dish with your favorite holiday main course. Leftover sweet potatoes can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.