Jennifer Garner shares grandmother's sweet potato pudding recipe (2024)

WATCH: Jennifer Garner on new sweet potato pie flavor that gives back to hungry kids

By Kelly McCarthy & Eric Jones

Actress, businesswoman, mother and ambassador Jennifer Garner drew inspiration from an old family recipe for her latest sweet potato blend that will give back to feed hungry children.

Once Upon a Farm

Jennifer Garner rides a tractor to harvest sweet potatoes for Once Upon a Farm.

Garner joined "Good Morning America" on Giving Tuesday to discuss her new online exclusive product for Once Upon a Farm in partnership with Save the Children that was derived from her grandmother Exie Mae Garner's recipe.

"My grandma Exie always made sweet potato pudding and the flavors just taste like Thanksgiving," she said of the dessert that her family cooks all holiday season long. "I recreated the flavors with Cassandra Curtis, one of our co-founders, but we left out the sugar because we're a no-sugar company."

The seasonal cold-pressed, fruit and veggie blend is made with savory sweet potatoes, silky coconut milk, dates, a touch of vanilla and pumpkin pie spice to taste like pie-in-a-pouch.

Once Upon a Farm

The new sweet potato pie flavor for Once Upon a Farm that donates a portion of proceeds to Save the Children.

For every pouch of Farmer Jen’s Sweet Potato Pie that's purchased from the kid nutrition brand, 25 cents will be donated to the humanitarian organization for children up to $50,000.

Garner said she still spends lots of time on her family's farm in in Locust Grove, Oklahoma with her relatives who have now been folded into the business.

Once Upon A Farm

Jennifer Garner holds sweet potatoes on her farm for a new Once Upon A Farm recipe.

"I grew up with my cousin Brian taking me for rides on this family farm where my mom grew up," she said. "You know when you just have a place that just makes you happy? This farm is that place -- the tractor is my favorite place to be."

Garner has continued to keep it in the family after tapping her aunt and uncle to come work on the farm as well.

"After 40 years of being a plumber I asked Uncle Robert, 'Hey, I have this little company now and we would love if you would come and be a biodynamic organic farmer.' And sure enough, he did, and he's just the best out there. He and Aunt Janet are working the fields and this year we grew sweet potatoes to go into our sweet potato pie."

In her own family amid the pandemic, Garner has helped keep things positive by giving her kids an occasional "yes day" where, within limits, she will say yes to doing fun activities of their choosing.

Now the uplifting concept that she first borrowed from from a children's book, "Yes Day!" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, has turned into a screenplay, which the actress revealed has already started production.

"We shot the movie. It is coming out next year and I could not be more excited," Garner revealed. "Edgar Ramirez plays my husband, Jenna Ortega and Julian Lerner -- we have the most amazing cast, the best kids. It's just the sweetest most heartfelt fun kind of wish fulfillment movie ever."

The sweet starch is the star ingredient of the specialty flavor and her family's recipe below.

Exie Mae's Sweet Potato Pudding Recipe

Once Upon a Farm

Jennifer Garner's sweet potato pudding recipe from her grandma Exie Mae Garner.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3 eggs

Salt

3 tablespoons butter

One 16-ounce bag of mini marshmallows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot of water, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, lower the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer, break up the potatoes. At low speed add the sugar, milk, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, eggs, salt to taste, and combine.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and pour in the mixture. Smooth the top and bake until the pudding is set, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Cover the top of the pudding with marshmallows, change the oven temperature to the broil setting and cook until the marshmallows are brown and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Once Upon a Farm.

Jennifer Garner shares grandmother's sweet potato pudding recipe (2024)

FAQs

How does Jennifer Garner make sweet potatoes? ›

Garner explained that she always has sweet potatoes in the house. She buys small ones, cuts them in half, brushes them with olive oil, and roasts them till the bottom is nicely caramelized. Then they go into the fridge and are a highly versatile (and delicious) ingredient for meals throughout the week.

How to boil a sweet potato? ›

Cut into eighths and place in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes, and a pinch of salt. Boil sweet potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a fork. It will take less time if you cut the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces.

What salad does Jennifer Garner eat everyday? ›

Jennifer Garner recently told Women's Health that she eats the same "big, fat salad" every day. I made the recipe, which includes arugula, roasted sweet potato, and broccoli, for a work lunch. It helped me avoid snacking before dinner, but next time I'd cook some ingredients ahead of time.

What is the white milk in sweet potato? ›

A milky substance on your sliced sweet potato doesn't mean that your spud is rotten or spoiled. The ooze is actually referred to as "sap." It is made up of sugar and starch combined with the moisture found in the vegetable, and it escapes out of the damage made from the knife. The sap really equals the sweetness.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Carey Rath

Last Updated:

Views: 5745

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Carey Rath

Birthday: 1997-03-06

Address: 14955 Ledner Trail, East Rodrickfort, NE 85127-8369

Phone: +18682428114917

Job: National Technology Representative

Hobby: Sand art, Drama, Web surfing, Cycling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Leather crafting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.