Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

One of our favorite ways to welcome autumn is with vibrant, fall-colored dishes that are loaded with lots of warming spices and delicious textures. Our stuffed sweet potato recipe is a cozy, scrumptious and nutritious meal to keep you warm on those brisk days. A tender and fluffy sweet potato is stuffed with crispy chickpeas, hearty greens, tangy sundried tomatoes and topped with a perfectly sweet, nutty, creamy, delectable curry maple tahini sauce. You can’t go wrong with this protein-packed dish that is easy to prepare and delivers a flavorful combo of good-for-you ingredients.

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 tbsp oil (avocado or coconut work great)

Sprinkle of salt

Sprinkle cinnamon

Sprinkle paprika

Filling

• 2 tbsp oil for high heat (avocado, coconut, sunflower)

• 2 cups chickpeas (try to find them in a glass jar or box instead of a can), drained, rinsed and dried

• 3 cups greens (collards, spinach, chard or kale), finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes (can be replaced with ½ cup of fresh tomatoes or ¼ cup tomato sauce)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Curry maple tahini sauce*

½ cup tahini (can replace with a different nut or seed butter)

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp salt

¼ cup water

Garnish options: feta or goat cheese, fresh herbs, lime or lemon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Poke holes in sweet potato with a fork. Drizzle oil over sweet potatoes and rub into the skin. Then season with salt.
2. Wrap sweet potatoes with parchment paper or place in a baking dish with a cover. Bake for 45-60 minutes. They are fully cooked when you poke them with a fork and there is no resistance.
3. While sweet potatoes bake, prepare the filling.
4. Pat and roll chickpeas in a kitchen towel to dry. Remove any skins that have fallen off and discard.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chickpeas, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and sauté for 8-10 minutes until golden and starting to blister. Remove from pan and add the greens, garlic and sundried tomatoes. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until greens have softened and garlic is fragrant. Add the greens to the chickpeas.
6. Make the sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a bowl or placing in the blender.
7. Once sweet potatoes are done baking, remove from oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes for juices to redistribute. Unwrap and down the middle lengthwise to create two halves. Mash flesh on each side with a fork and sprinkle with cinnamon, salt and paprika.
8. Stuff with chickpea filling and drizzle with sauce.
9. Enjoy!

*The sauce recipe will make extra so you can save it and use if for other dishes or as a dressing.

Nutrient highlights

Sweet Potato: Packed full of beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A). Vitamin A is integral for vision and immune function, as well as skin and bone health. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that can reduce inflammation and boost immune function by increasing disease-fighting cells in the body and assist cells in protection against viruses. Scientists have also reported that carotenoid-rich foods (orange foods) can help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer (especially in the lungs, esophagus, and stomach), and can improve immune system function. Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps destroy free radicals and support the body’s natural immune response, by reducing oxidative stress.

Chickpeas: Areas around the world that have been identified as places where humans live the longest (Blue Zones), are places where chickpeas are commonly found in the diet.  These versatile and affordable beans contain folate, fiber, iron, phosphorus and healthy fats. Their high amounts of soluble fiber and plant sterol support a healthy gut microbiome.  Chickpeas increase feelings of satiety and have been associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

Tomatoes: A great source of lycopene that helps reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease and protect skin integrity. Cooking tomatoes in a healthy fat increases the amount of available lycopene that the body will absorb.

Greens: Greens such as kale, spinach, collards, mustard greens, arugula, and chard have been shown to protect bones from osteoporosis. They can reduce inflammation, support a healthy gut, strengthen the immune system, protect cognition and supply a high amount of antioxidants.

Garlic: Considered a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the “good” bacteria in our gut and promotes a healthy digestive system. Research supports that the compounds in garlic, such as allicin, have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardio-protective properties. If you chop your garlic 10-15 minutes before using, it will have the maximum amount of active allicin.

Tahini: Great source of plant-based protein made from sesame seeds. Packed full of fiber and healthy fats, which can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve overall health.