Nutty Sweet Potato Balls With Sliced Pineapple

Ingredients

* 4 large sweet potatoes
* 1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and crushed
* 2 tablespoons gfcf margarine
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* Pinch nutmeg (freshly grated)
* Pinch cinnamon
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 tablespoon orange juice
* Olive oil spray
* 12 slices cored pineapple (fresh or canned)


Directions

1. Bake sweet potatoes in a 350°F oven for 1 hour or until soft. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Alternate, you can cook in microwave or buy canned. Fresh is the best, though.
3. While potatoes bake, place pecans in a strainer and rinse under running water. Drain.
4. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat, add drained pecans and, stirring constantly, dry roast nuts for 3 to 5 minutes (until they release a nutty fragrance).
5. Remove from heat and cool. Place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Set aside.
6. Cut cooked potatoes in half and scoop flesh from skins and place into a bowl.
7. Discard skins. Add "butteror vegan "butter",kosher or sea salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, maple syrup and orange juice to the bowl and mix well.
8. Turn mixture onto a clean work surface and divide into 12 even portions.
9. Roll each portion into a ball approximately 2 inches in diameter. (Wet hands with water or oil to make it easier.)
10. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Place cored pineapple slices on sheet.
11. Roll each ball in crushed, roasted pecans and place a coated sweet potato ball in the center of each pineapple slice.
12. When done, lightly spray top of each ball with olive oil.