Yams for Health

These glazed sweet potatoes prove you don’t need butter or marshmallows to make yams worth eating. The glaze is built on orange juice and zest, a tablespoon of brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. That’s it. No added fat at all.

Simmer the peeled, sliced yams in water until tender, drain, then pour the orange-spice mixture directly over them in the same skillet. As the sauce bubbles and reduces for 5 minutes, spoon it over the yams repeatedly. This basting step is what builds the glaze, coating each slice in a sticky, fragrant layer.

The orange zest is doing more work than you’d expect. It adds a bright, floral citrus note that the juice alone can’t deliver. Finely shred it so it melts into the glaze rather than sitting on top in visible strips.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the yams to a uniform thickness so they cook evenly. About ½ inch thick works well.
• Don’t skip the basting during the last 5 minutes. That repeated spooning is what concentrates the glaze and gives the yams their shine.
• The brown sugar amount is intentionally small. The yams and orange juice bring plenty of natural sweetness on their own.
• Serve alongside roasted turkey, baked ham, or grilled pork chops.

Variations

• Maple glaze: Replace the brown sugar with a tablespoon of maple syrup for a deeper, more complex sweetness.
• Ginger kick: Add ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger to the spice mix for a warm, zingy note.
• Pecan topping: Scatter toasted chopped pecans over the finished yams for crunch.