Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Leeks, Peas, and Walnuts

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• rice milk or soy milk
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
• 2 large or 3 medium leeks
• white part only
• chopped and well-rinsed
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

1. Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until tender.
2. When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into large chunks and place them in a serving bowl.
3. Mash well, then stir in the margarine and milk (heat briefly in the microwave if the potatoes are no longer hot enough to melt the margarine).
4. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cover and set aside.
6. Heat the oil in a skillet.
7. Add the leeks, then cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes.
8. Stir in the peas, ginger, and walnuts.
9. Continue to saute just until everything is well heated through.
10. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving container.
11. Serve the sweet potatoes plain to anyone who wants them that way, and pass the leek mixture as a topping to embellish individual portions.