Sweet Potato casserole

It was Easter Sunday and I wanted a sweet potato casserole I could feel good about.  I like to use dates in place of sugar so I decided to use date paste to mix in the sweet potatoes.  When I thought about the topping I figured the traditional raw pie crust using dates and pecans would work and it really did!  I have only made this once so this recipe has some altercations that I think will work better so I may be updating this as I make it again..

Pre-Prep work
Sorry, I hate the recipes that require things I need to do hours before because I typically don't read recipes hours early so if you are like me I'm sorry..  Make the date paste first and the good news is you can use this in other recipes too!

Date Paste
1/2 lb dates, pitted
1/2 cup water
Soak the dates in water for a few hours. Blend in a food processor until smooth.


Sweet Potato Casserole - you can feel good about!
5-6 sweet potatoes (5 large or 6 medium)
1/2 cup date paste
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Topping
1/2 cup oats, can easily use gluten free
2 c. pecans, toasted on 350 for 20 minutes
1 1/2 c dates, pitted
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 TB plant based butter                                                                                                         

Preheat oven to 350.  Get a 8x8 casserole dish nearby.  This can work in a 9x13 but you may not have enough topping to have a thick layer all the way across.  If you have an instant pot you can use it to steam the potatoes while you are getting the topping together.  Peel the sweet potatoes and place it on the rack, add a cup of water and choose Manual for 16 minutes.  Or you can peel and steam in a steamer pot.  You can also bake them and peel. 
In a medium mixing bowl, add the sweet potatoes, date paste, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and either mash with a potato masher or mix with a hand mixer until combined.  Spread out into the dish.

For the topping, process the oats in a food processor until ground into flour.  Pour flour into a small mixing bowl and whisk in the baking powder.  Next process the pecans in the food processor for a few seconds.  Remove the lid and add the salt and cinnamon.  Replace the lid and while the processor is going add the dates a few at a time from the opening in the top.  Remove the lid and S-blade and stir in the dry ingredients.  Last, stir in the melted butter.  Spread topping evenly over the sweet potatoes and bake for 20 minutes.