Wash the sweet potatoes and peel them. Remove any dark spots as these will turn black when cooked. Dice them.
Throw them into the slow cooker and pour ¾ cup of water over. Close the lid and cook them on HIGH for 3 hours or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through. I recommend mixing them 1 or 2 times while cooking.
Meanwhile: In a food processor, combine the oats and pecans. Process until coarse-like texture. Transfer this mixture into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Set aside for later.
When the sweet potatoes are ready, drain some of the excess water (if you feel there is too much) and puree them using a potato masher or electric mixer/blender. Smoothen them and top with pecan mixture.
Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 30-60 minutes (the time can be adjusted to your needs. Taste it after 30 minutes to see, if the topping is hot enough. If not, leave for a further 30 minutes).
Serve warm.
Notes
I got about 6 cups of peeled and diced sweet potatoes out of 2 pounds. You can use slightly less if you want but I don’t recommend using more.
The larger the sweet potato cubes, the longer they take to cook.
For the gluten-free version, you will have to buy gluten-free oats.
This sweet potato casserole is a healthier version of the classic dish. It’s sweet but not overly sweet. I like to serve it with extra maple syrup or honey either drizzled on top or served aside so each person can decide if they want to add the extra sweetness to the dish.
This recipe was developed for a 4-quart (3.5-liter) slow cooker. You should get 6 portions out of it.