Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Easy & satisfying.
The filling in these bad boys is simple: chickpeas, tomatoes, feta, parsley and a healthy dose of lemon juice. I dig this veggie filling in everything from salads and burrito bowls to lettuce wraps, but stuffed in a roasted sweet potato, is where it really shines.
Scary good (for vegetarians & meat lovers alike).
The sweet potatoes will take about 30 minutes to roast (breathe), but you can use that time to leisurely prep the chickpea filling, and/or text a friend or fire off a few emails. Once the sweet potatoes are done, you just gently mash up their insides, add the chickpea mixture on top and pop them under the broiler for a minute to let the cheese brown a bit. Vegan friends can ditch the cheese and drizzle the potatoes with cashew cream. Spice addicts? Drizzle Sriracha sauce over your potatoes. Oh, and if you have an avocado on hand, simply dice it up and serve on top.
A pretty festive weeknight meal.
Loaded Sweet Potatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes, about 8 to 10 oz each and scrubbed clean
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 oz goat’s milk feta cheese, cut into small cubes (omit for vegan option)
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (about 1 handful) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice sweet potatoes in half and place on the baking sheet. Place them directly on middle oven rack. Bake until the sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and cooked through, about 30-40 minutes depending on size and strength of your oven. Remove from oven.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the filling. In a large bowl, mix together chickpeas, feta, tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside until the sweet potatoes are done cooking. When sweet potatoes are cooked, gently mash filling with a fork and top with the filling and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese slightly melts and browns.