Healthy Holiday Appetizers

SWEET POTATO ROUNDS, HERBED RICOTTA & WALNUTS - Serves 12

You probably have a bunch of holiday engagements coming up! Offer to bring something healthy that tastes amazing so you know you can stay on your healthy eating journey! These are delicious and pretty healthy. They also look festive with the beautiful red cranberries on top!

Ingredients

· 1 large sweet potato, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

· 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or an avocado or olive oil spray to cut fat)

· 1 pinch Ground cinnamon

Herbed Ricotta:

· 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

· 1-½ tsp Italian seasoning

· 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp honey

· ¼ tsp sea salt, or to taste

For Serving:

· 1 cup raw walnuts, roasted and chopped

· ¾ cup dried cranberries

· honey

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients for the herbed ricotta to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add the sweet potato slices to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with avocado oil. Sprinkle sea salt and ground cinnamon over rounds. Use your hands to rub the oil and seasoning on both sides of the sweet potato rounds. Arrange rounds on a large baking sheet (or two if necessary). Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the rounds, then bake for another 17 to 20 minutes, or until rounds are cooked through and crispy on the edges

3. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet. 10 minutes before the potato rounds are finished cooking, place the walnuts in the oven to roast.

4. Remove sweet potato rounds and walnuts from the oven. Place walnuts on a cutting board and chop.

5. Place oven on high broil setting and move the oven rack second to the top shelf. Place a dollop of herbed ricotta on each sweet potato round and place in the oven for 2 minutes, just until ricotta is melty and warm.

6. Add walnuts and cranberries and enjoy!