Tower Bridge unveils its new glass floor

For a view of London you've not yet seen, head to Tower Bridge - where the first of two new glass-bottomed walkways have been unveiled

Should you find yourself near the Tower of London this week, look across the river at the two upper walkways of Tower Bridge.

There’s a green bag dangling from one of them and in it is a bale of hay, the traditional signal to vessels that engineering work is under way.

London’s most recognisable structure has unveiled the first of two new 36ft/11m by 6ft/1.8m glass walk-on floors, one in each of its East and West walkways. The second, in the East walkway, is still under construction and will open on December 1 - hence the hay.

The half-ton/530kg reinforced glass panels, six per floor, not only allow visitors to see the tea-coloured River Thames racing 138ft/42 metres beneath their feet, but provide spectacular bird’s eye views of the famous bridge lifts, which take place most days of the week.

If a lift is not scheduled, a free augmented reality app launches later this month allowing visitors to lock their smartphones onto special floor graphics and initiate their own virtual bridge lifts, complete with interactive 360-degree views.Crouch down and it shows more of the riverbank, stand up and it shows swooping views of the bridge. Three interactive screens also show the bridge lift sequence.

The £1m project funded by the Bridge House Estates and the City of London Corporation has taken over two years in the planning.

The steel window frames were made in Sheffield, the glass panels were prepared in London, and the rectangles of oak flooring and Victorian carbon steel removed during the project have been carefully kept.

Tower Bridge, which is often confused with London Bridge, opened in 1894 in order to ease traffic congestion on either side of the river. It connects the City of London with Southwark and is the only bridge in London that opens, using the mighty see-saw mechanisms known as bascules at either end to raise and lower the road in around 10 minutes.

^{Photographers battle for the best shot}

This allowed lucrative shipping easy access to the Pool of London and turned the bridge into an instant tourist attraction.

^{The £1m project is two years in the making}

The upper walkways had a practical function: they were designed to allow pedestrians to cross the bridge while it was raised. But as most pedestrians preferred to stand and watch rather than climb up and down four storeys, they became neglected and later closed.

In 1982 the Tower Bridge Exhibition opened, allowing the public access for the first time. It included the walkways, an exhibition on the bridge’s construction and the engine rooms. There has been full disabled access since 2012 and there’s a Great Bridges of the World photo exhibition, but the one thing you couldn’t see was a bridge lift.

^{It is hoped the glass floors will attract more visitors}

"We used to see people trying to squint over the sides," says Chris Earlie, the new Head of Tower Bridge, "Now they won’t have to. We’re hoping the glass floors will attract more visitors – and Londoners."

^{The river lies 42 metres below the walkways}

Far below, the Dutch clipper De Walvisch slid beneath us: shutters clicked, TV presenters walked warily up and down doing pieces to camera and as the bridge began its descent a London pigeon could be seen perched on the underside, swivelling expertly as its giant perch swung through the air. Now that’s a new view of London.

Crossing the Thames

On November 10th a new glass walkway was unveiled in the upper part of Tower Bridge (pictured).

The floor enables visitors to view ships and traffic passing beneath from a height of 42m (140 feet). Proposals for a completely new “garden bridge” a mile upstream also came closer to becoming reality. Plans for the crossing were approved by Lambeth Council, which controls the south side. It now needs sign-off from Westminster Council, which controls the north. The bridge (see artist’s impression below) would be covered in plants and trees. It is designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who made the cauldron for the flame at the 2012 London Olympics and the “seed cathedral” for Britain’s pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Toyota’s ‘Mirai’ Fuel-Cell Car Gets 300 Miles to a Tank

A customer admires Japanese auto giant Toyota Motor's fuel cell vehicle which will go on sale end of this year at Toyota's showroom in Tokyo on November 5, 2014.

Toyota disclosed the vehicle's name, 'Mirai,' hours before a Honda news conference

Toyota unveiled its hydrogen-powered concept vehicle ‘Mirai’ on Monday, stealing thunder from a scheduled press conference on a hydrogen-powered vehicle from rival automaker Honda.

“The future has arrived, and it’s called, ‘Mirai,’” said Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda in a videoannouncement posted to YouTube (the word ‘mirai’ actually means ‘future’ in Japanese). Toyoda said the vehicle could travel 300 miles on a single tank of hydrogen.

The announcement went live several hours before Honda was scheduled to disclose new details of its own fuel cell vehicle, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The Mirai is expected to go on sale by the end of the year, once again getting the jump on Honda’s hydrogen-powered vehicle, which is expected to go on sale by spring of 2016 at the latest.

The world's smallest sculptures - in pictures

Jonty Hurwitz, co-founder of Wonga.com, has created nanosculptures of human forms that are invisible to the naked eye and can only be viewed on the screen of a powerful scanning electron microscope

Norovirus outbreak sickens Princess Cruises ship passengers

 by USA TODAY NETWORK 

(Photo: VINCENZO PINTO, AFP/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES - Officials investigated an outbreak of Norovirus on Sunday found in cruise ship passengers who traveled across the Pacific Ocean.

According to the Princess Cruises Media Relations Department, the 28-day cruise originated in Los Angeles, and traveled to Hawaii and Tahiti, reports CBS Los Angeles.

Officials explained about 170 people on board the Crown Princess reported having symptoms of the virus.

Over the last few days, crew members said an increased number of gastrointestinal illnesses caused by Norovirus were reported.

"In response, we have enacted our stringent disinfecting protocols developed in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)," media relations officials explained in a written statement. "This includes extensive deep cleaning of the ship, and the terminal in Los Angeles on Sunday before the ship embarks on its next voyage."

According to the CDC, Norovirus is very contagious and can be transmitted from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces.

The virus causes the stomach to become inflamed, which leads to stomach pains, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, officials explained.

The ship arrived at 7:00 a.m. in Los Angeles.

Ready to quit smoking? Here's what works best

(Photo: (Photo: Adam Gault/OJO Images, Getty Images))

It's always a good time to quit smoking. But if smoking cessation has a season, it's about to begin.

Thursday is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout, a day on which all smokers will be encouraged to abstain or start making a plan to quit. In coming weeks, even more people will make resolutions to quit as New Year's Day approaches.

Sadly – with smoking causing 480,000 deaths each year in the United States – most will not succeed, at least this time.

One reason: most people try to do it alone, and just 4% to 7% of those people manage to quit on any given attempt, according to the cancer society. Getting help can raise quitting rates to 25% or more, at least in studies, the society says.

But what kind of help?

"We have a gold standard, and it's a combination of counseling and medication," says Yvonne Hunt, a program director at the National Cancer Institute's tobacco control research branch. But just 4% of potential quitters use such combinations, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are several methods to choose among, Hunt says: "People can mix and match and find a combination that works best for them."

Among the proven methods:

• Counseling. One way to start planning a quit attempt is to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to reach counselors on your state's quit line. In-person counseling is available through many clinics and hospitals. Increasingly, counseling also is available through text messages (such as the cancer institute's SmokefreeTXT program). Some websites and apps offer advice too, but quality varies.

• Varenicline (Chantix). This prescription pill is the most effective smoking-cessation drug in studies. It can ease withdrawal symptoms and make smoking less satisfying by blocking the effects of nicotine. The pills carry warning labels – which a Food and Drug Administration panel recently voted to keep – saying they have been linked to mood swings, depression and suicidal thoughts. But those side effects are rare "and generally it's accepted as a safe medication," says Lee Westmaas, director of tobacco control research at the cancer society.

• Bupropion SR (Wellbutrin, Zyban). This is another prescription pill. It is best known as an antidepressant but it also can decrease cravings and withdrawal symptoms in those quitting smoking. Common side effects are dry mouth and difficulty sleeping.

A package of nicotine gum. Nicotine replacement therapy can help people quit smoking.(Photo: (Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images))

• Nicotine-replacement therapies.

Nicotine from a patch, gum, spray, inhaler or lozenge can ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings in the first weeks and months without cigarettes. Some require a prescription and all are considered medications. They can be combined with non-nicotine medications. They have various side effects. For example, patches can cause skin irritation and nicotine gum can cause mouth sores.

Not on the list of proven methods: hypnosis, acupuncture and laser therapy. "You will certainly find people who swear by these methods, but they do not have a solid evidence base behind them," Hunt says.

Some smokers also may be surprised that electronic cigarettes – e-cigarettes – are not listed as quit-smoking aids by groups such as the cancer society or the National Cancer Institute. The increasingly popular devices contain nicotine, but unlike nicotine-replacement therapies, they are not regulated and have not been thoroughly studied as quitting aids.

"The sale of e-cigarettes is going 100 miles an hour and the science is going five miles an hour," says Jonathan Bricker, a psychologist specializing in smoking cessation at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle.

Bricker's own research focuses on improving counseling methods. It is clear smokers need more and better help than is available now, he says: "We are not helping 65% to 75% who want to quit."

But it's also important for smokers who fail one -- or many -- quit attempts to keep trying, Westmaas says. "Each attempt gives them more information about what to do differently next time."

More information on quitting is at the federal government's smokefree.gov site and the cancer society's cancer.org site.

Benefits of quitting:

For those who need reminders about why they should quit, here – according to the cancer society – are some benefits after:

20 minutes: heart rate and blood pressure drop

12 hours: carbon monoxide levels in blood drop to normal

2 weeks to 3 months: circulation and lung function improve

1 year: excess coronary heart disease risk cut in half

5 years: risk of mouth, throat and bladder cancer cut in half

10 years: risk of dying of lung cancer cut in half

15 years: risk of coronary heart disease same as non-smokers'

Pier 55 gets $130M bid to create an ‘island oasis’

For once, “Hollywood on the Hudson” is not an exaggeration.

A spectacular new public park out on the Hudson River off West 13th Street will feature entertainment “programmed” by top showbiz talent led by Oscar-winning producer Scott Rudin.

More remarkably, most of its estimated $130 million construction cost will be funded by a $100 million-plus gift from the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation. The city is putting in only $17 million, and the foundation is responsible for any cost overruns.

Pier 55 will look more like an island than a pier. Mounted 186 feet offshore, its rolling landscape is to include small groves, open grass and spots for lounging. Two pedestrian walkways from a widened West Street esplanade will take visitors to the free-to-all park.

A 700-seat amphitheater will host arts events and performances under the direction of a team headed by Rudin, whose screen credits include “The Social Network” and “Moonrise Kingdom.”

The 2.7-acre park and performance space is designed by British firm Heatherwick Studio and landscape architect Mathews Nielsen.

It will replace rotting Pier 54, where the steamship Carpathia brought survivors of the sunken Titanic 102 years ago. The park will sit atop 341 stilt-like, concrete piles, compared with the old pier’s more than 3,400 piles.

Its surface will rise like a gently undulating carpet from 15 feet above the water at its lowest point to 71 feet at its southwest corner — an “innovation to give the fish more sun,” said Hudson River Park Trust President/CEO Madelyn Wils.

The project is a partnership of the trust — the state body that manages the 4-mile-long park from Battery Park City to 59th Street and the piers astride it — and the foundation headed by IAC media company Chairman Barry Diller and fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

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Its $100 million-plus donation is a remarkable commitment even by today’s high-profile philanthropic standards.

The state, meanwhile, will kick in $18 million to extend the narrow West Street esplanade 50 feet farther over the water, from Pier 53 to West 14th Street.

The plan drew praise from elected officials, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo and, perhaps most interestingly, Mayor Bill de Blasio. The mayor has previously suggested peeling off donations to glamorous Manhattan parks to help rundown ones in other boroughs.

But he was effusive without qualification about Pier 55, saying, “We are deeply appreciative of the generosity of great New Yorkers like Mr. Diller and Ms. von Furstenberg without whom this visionary project would not have been possible.”

Diller said, “We are so lucky as a family that we get to do this.”

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Photo: Heatherwick Studio

Von Furstenberg added, “New York has always reminded me of Venice, so I am happy the time has come to properly honor its waterways.”

Pier 55 is the latest bauble in the West Side waterfront’s string of jewels — a procession of public and private developments including Chelsea Piers, luxury apartment towers and the High Line.

Hudson River Park boasts 13 newly rebuilt piers. It’s also home to the Intrepid Air & Space Museum and the Circle Line, and to facilities for cycling, tennis, beach volleyball and watersports.

The once-forbidding waterfront environs have drawn thousands of new residents and even new office buildings — including the Frank Gehry-designed headquarters of Diller’s IAC.

Diller is chair and Rudin vice chair of nonprofit Pier55 Inc., which will run the pier’s programming and fund day-to-day operations under a 20-year lease with the park trust. The trust will maintain the park as it does all the public piers in Hudson River Park.

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Photo: Heatherwick Studio

Most entertainment events will be free or low-cost, Wils said. Works commissioned for local and global artists will create “one of the city’s premier venues for music, dance, theater and public art” and community events.

The Hudson River Park Trust is updating a previous environmental assessment but no city approval is needed. The trust will undertake a 60-day public review and comment period.

The trust board is expected to green-light the plan in early 2015. Esplanade construction is to start in 2015 and on the pier in 2015, with completion in late 2018 or early 2019.

One link to the past will remain: Wils said the ghostly, rusted Cunard arch that stands at the foot of Pier 54 will be restored.

Vegetables hit school lunch trays, but most kids don't bite

Offering young children a healthy school lunch doesn’t mean they’ll eat it.

While nearly 7 out of 10 school kids put a vegetable on their lunch trays, only about half of them took even one bite of it, according to a new study of 274 kindergarteners through second-graders at 10 New York City public schools.

But reducing noise and making other changes to the menu and cafeteria environment can make a big difference, suggests the study from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Shutterstock

Most kids helped themselves to vegetables, but only a little more than a quarter of all the kids took a bite.

“I was surprised by how much of an impact environmental factors had on healthy eating,” lead author Susan Gross, a research associate at the university, told TODAY.

These young students were much more likely to finish their veggies when the cafeteria was quieter and to consume more of all their food if a teacher ate with them in the cafeteria, the lunch period was longer, and their food was cut up.

“If you’re a first-grader and you’ve recently lost most of your teeth, it’s very hard to eat a whole apple,” says Gross.

A study of middle-schoolers last year estimated that students could waste as much as $1.2 billion annually of their school lunches, which have been overhauled in recent years to be more healthy. Students threw away almost half of their fruit, three-quarters of their vegetables and a quarter of their milk.

Gross adds, “There are plenty of studies out there showing how important good nutrition is to learning, so if we want our children to be ready to learn, then the cafeteria environment is incredibly important.” 

What It's Like to Be a Professional Cuddler

An Oregon woman has turned cuddling into a full-fledged brick-and-mortar business in Portland, adding to the growing list of U.S. entrepreneurs with cuddles for sale.

For $1 a minute, Samantha Hess cuddles with clients in one of four themed rooms, a method of self-taught therapy she says helps people feel loved and grow more comfortable with physical touch.

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The snuggle sessions are strictly platonic, Hess told ABC News today, explaining that she makes customers sign an agreement first to be clean, courteous and keep their clothes on.

"There are no upgrades, no additional services," said Hess, 30. "I'm not interested in that. It's about making people feel worthy for who they are today. ... I love knowing that people know that they are accepted, and they aren't going to be alone anymore."

Courtesy Samantha Hess

PHOTO: Cuddle Up To Me in Portland, Ore.

Hess' independent store, Cuddle Up To Me, opened Saturday, but she has been working as a professional cuddler since June 2013.

"I've done hundreds and hundreds of sessions," she said. "My clientele varies greatly. I have clients who are obese, who have ALS, or missing limbs. Some people just got out of relationships or are divorced. It's sort of anybody and everybody."

A typical session lasts an hour, but customers can book appointments as short as 15 minutes. Hess and the customer usually settle on four to six different positions on a bed -- or couch, for people who are particularly nervous about physical contact.

"We also help guide people who are against touch and don't understand how to incorporate it into their world," said Hess, who is also a certified physical trainer. "Sometimes, I'll read out loud and sit close to them. Each person gets to guide their own session in that way."

KPTV

PHOTO: Samantha Hess owner of Cuddle Up To Me cuddles in one of the themed rooms in her business in Portland.

Some customers talk nonstop; sometimes they don't say a word, she added.

Hess, who only accepts customers at least 18 years old, has hired three other cuddlers -- all women -- to help run the store. Every employee must undergo a 40-hour cuddle training program she designed.

Since opening, she said she's already had dozens of customers. "It's been crazy; people absolutely love it," Hess said.

But she's not the first person to make professional cuddling a career. A Rochester, New York, cuddler launched a business called the Snuggery, the "Snuggle House offers cuddles in Florida and a San Francisco man calls his similar service "cuddle therapy."

3 Chicago-area restaurants make list of Best Steakhouses in America‏

Three Chicago-area restaurants are featured on OpenTable’s list of the Top 100 Steakhouses in America.

According to OpenTable, which offers online restaurant reservations and reviews, the list is based on five million reviews of more than 20,000 restaurants across the country.

The list highlights restaurants that “deliver a high-end dining experience that is singular and soothing all at once.”

The three Chicago-area restaurants are:

• The Capital-Grille
• Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse
• Morton’s The Steakhouse

Click here to view OpenTable’s full list of the Top 100 Steakhouses in America.

10 Cyber Monday Must-Knows

Separating frugal fact from fiction and putting the most Cyber Monday deals in your hands.

I

In my continued search to save you time and money, we have some spectacular plans to put the most Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in your hands. While I can't divulge those plans yet which kick off right here on Monday November 24th, here's what you need to know now.

              1. Cyber Monday will be better than Black Friday this year for the first time ever.I've                      been hunting deals for more than decade and while we saw the start of this trend last year,                    Cyber Monday will bring steeper discounts to the table this year.

2. More people will shop Cyber Monday which means bigger deals. Based on my deal lists last year, I saw a 105% increase on Cyber Monday over Black Friday. Last year 92 million people shopped on Black Friday while 131 million people shopped Cyber Monday. That trend is expected to continue this year.

3. Cyber Monday is not just for tech. Last year stronger, better, store-wide clothing sales appeared on Cyber Monday, for one of the first times beating out the Black Friday offerings. Stores that were offering 40% off site-wide Black Friday had 50% off Cyber Monday. Many other shopping categories will see similar discounts.

4. You need a strategy to save money on Cyber Monday. Aimless browsing and google does not get you the most deals. If you want access to the most deals in the country before anyone else, you need a strategy and for that, check out the next point.

5. SIGN UP HERE TO GET THE DEALS FIRST.I'm working with a team of deal bloggers and giant team of coupon hunters around the country. As soon as humanly possible, before Cyber Monday, you'll get access to every big Cyber Monday deal first.

6. Cyber Monday does not have the same Black Friday stock issues. Since stores are not tied to ad-scans, they can shift merchandise and offer great reductions throughout the day.

7. Appliances, gaming bundles and television deals are all better Black Friday.While we will see deals from all of these categories, Black Friday in-store or online is your better way to go.

8. Cyber Monday brings savings that are 10% - 14% better than Black Friday.That's based on my findings from last year and the trends we expect this year. Obviously there will be exceptions, but this is my prediction for many major categories.

9. Shoppers will spend more on Cyber Monday and it's something retailers notice. Last year the average shopper spent around $310 Black Friday and around $470 Cyber Monday according to an AOL Survey.

10. We see three important sale spikes on Cyber Monday. 12:01am EST when a good chunk of the deals are live. The next spike is 12:01am PST when certain West Coast retailers join the mix and the next spike is just before those office lunch breaks local time - usually between 11am and 12:30pm when most shoppers are making the most of Cyber Monday from their desks. Additional incentives sometimes appear during these three spike periods.

A reminder, if you want to get the biggest deals first for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and every day of the week, subscribe hereand feel free to follow @MattGranite on twitter.

Video shows disabled Brisbane man being punched by Queensland police

The video shows a woman screaming at police that she is the man’s carer, and putting her body between police and the man. Video: YouTube

A disabled Brisbane man has been repeatedly punched by police in an arrest that has sparked an outpouring of anger on social media.

Police say they are looking into the circumstances of the arrest after footage of the weekend incident at a Sunnybank shopping centre was posted online.

The footage shows police pinning an agitated disabled man, who has no legs, to the ground and one officer punching him at least four times in the head.

It also shows a woman screaming at police that she is the man’s carer, and putting her body between police and the man.

The pair are shown screaming at the three officers involved to get off them.

The footage has sparked outrage about how police dealt with the man in the middle of the shopping centre’s crowded food court.

Queensland police say they are aware of the incident and are looking into the circumstances, but could not say whether an ethical standards investigation had been launched.

Police also said the man and woman are facing a range of charges, including entering a premise with intent, stealing, seriously assaulting police and obstructing police.

Haters gonna hate, but Billy Joel defends Taylor Swift's love for New York

Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, but Billy Joel is shaking off critics who are tweaking Taylor Swift for her love of the Empire State.
A fellow spokesperson for New York tourism, the "Piano Man" fired back at those who've have mocked Swift's title of Global Welcome Ambassador to the city.
  

Taylor Swift, "Welcome to New York"

“I see the New York press going, 'Taylor Swift is going to be the new New York representative?'” he told USA Today last week. “You snoots. Let her in. That's what New York is all about. I say, 'Welcome.'"

Joel went on to commend Swift for her skill as a song scribe. “I think she's a talented songwriter,” Joel added. “She catches a lot of junk, maybe because she's so popular with young girls. But I like what she's projecting. I respect what she's doing.”

With 13 combined Grammy Awards — six for Joel and seven for Swift — the singer-songwriters even could collaborate on some mash-ups of their previous tunes. Perhaps:

• “Welcome to a New York State of Mind”
• “Style, Highland Falls”
• “Miami 20-22 (Feeling the Lights Go Down on Broadway)”
• “We Are Never Ever Starting the Fire”
• “Just the Way You Were Trouble”
• “It’s Still You Belong with Me”

Perhaps “State of Grace” might make for the most difficult mash-up, as both artists already recorded different songs by that name.

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Say, 'Kat's pregnant!' Creative baby announcement catches friends off-guard

Family and friends of Kris and Katharine "Kat" Camilli weren't surprised when the San Francisco couple asked them to pose for photos recently. Kat's always taking photos, she told TODAY.

But what did surprise them was the couple's creative replacement for "say 'cheese.'"

"1, 2, 3, say, 'Kat's pregnant!'" the couple announced time after time, catching their loved ones' surprised reactions on video.

"I had been looking online for (pregnancy announcement) ideas, and I had seen a video kind of like this, where they did the '1,2,3, whoever is pregnant," Kat told TODAY. "But it was only one surprise, and I thought it would be fun to do a whole bunch of family and friends."

The Camillis caught their parents' reaction first before surprising their friends, and that started them off with a bang. Kris's parents react with stunned confusion, asking, "Why would we say that? Is she?" After Kris confirms the news, they exclaim: "What?"

"Our parents' reactions were the best," she said.

The Camillis then made an announcement on Facebook before releasing the video on YouTube. Kat said she was hesitant to post the video on YouTube, but says she figured only people they know would watch the video.

Now the video, artfully edited by Kat's brother Michael, has over 750,000 views, and BuzzFeed said it "might be the best way to let friends and family know you're pregnant."

"I never thought so many people would watch it," Kat said. "Strangers have left the nicest comments."

The Camillis, who have been married for five years, won't find out the gender of their first child for a few more weeks, but Kat said it is going to be amazing to share the video and the feedback with the child someday.

As far as having more tricks up her sleeve, Kat doesn't know if she'll be able to plan another announcement for the baby's gender — or a second child, if they have one.

"I don't know if I could top this," she said.

We can add this to our list of other cute pregnancy announcements.

Show-stopping sweet potatoes: 5 easy new recipes for this Thanksgiving standby

The classic marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole graces many holiday tables for a reason. But think about what you might be missing out on. This nutritious tuber, packed full of vitamin A and beta-carotene, is far more versatile than most Thanksgiving spreads would suggest. Sure, its naturally sweet flesh lends itself to more dessertlike preparations, but it also plays off savory and even spicy flavors beautifully. 

Ready to branch out this year? We’ve collected an array of sweet potato recipes to satisfy any taste. Go on: Try one. Who knows? You just might find a new classic for your holiday table. 

Averie Sunshine / Averie Cooks

Honey-roasted sweet potatoes with honey-cinnamon dip: These sweet potatoes couldn’t be easier to prepare: Simply toss chunks of sweet potato with honey, cinnamon and coconut oil (or sub canola or vegetable oil) and roast. But their flavor is anything but ordinary, thanks to a tangy-sweet yogurt-based dip. You can stick to cinnamon as your primary spice, but ground ginger, cardamom, nutmeg or any combination thereof will work just as well. 

Kim Rosenberger / Kim’s Healthy Eats

Rosemary sweet potato stackers: If you prefer your sweet potatoes a little on the savory side, this rosemary- and Parmesan-inflected recipe just might be your new go-to. The layered, almost architectural look of the stackers will add a little drama to your holiday plate, but don’t worry about any fussy construction — they’re baked in muffin tins to hold them in place. 

Elizabeth Stark / Brooklyn Supper

Curried sweet potato soup: If served as a first course, this spicy sweet potato soup will really help knock out that November chill. The low burn comes courtesy of Thai red curry, poblano peppers and a little cayenne. Plus, the swirled yogurt garnish and bright sprinkling of Hungarian paprika gives it a festive look.

Ian and Mariana McEnroe / Yes, More Please

Sweet potato, kale and quinoa fritters: Need a side that can also stand in as a main for your vegetarian guests? Quinoa, the only grain that’s also a complete protein, give these wholesome fritters a nice crunch, but the sweet potato lends a little creaminess, too. Vegetarians, you’d better lay claim to these quickly.

Tiffany Johnson / Creme de la Crumb

Candied pecan sweet potato casserole: We know. Some of you will simply not be able to give up your beloved sweet potato casserole. That’s why we offer this twist: A crunchy, candied pecan topping lies hidden between the toasty marshmallow top and the creamy sweet potatoes at the base. Best of all, it can be made in a slow cooker. You’re welcome. 

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