healthy mediterranean stuffed sweet potatoes

These mediterranean stuffed sweet potatoes make the perfect healthy weeknight dinner. The sweet potatoes are cut in half and roasted face down, slightly caramelizing the flesh. The mediterranean salad is basically a lentil-based tabbouleh with refreshing mint and parsley, lemon, tomatoes, spring onions, dates and spices. All topped off with roasted walnuts, to add some crunch, and a drizzle of runny tahini.

This is also a great dish to bring to a spring BBQ as it can be served at room temperature. Here in London it’s still a bit cold so I’ll be living vicariously through you California folk, barbecuing and dining al fresco.

If you want to beef up the recipe a bit, you could add some mashed up avocado—cuz why not? Or, you could dollop some homemade hummus. Please share your experience with this recipe, or any substitutions you made, in the comment box below.

Bon appetit,

xo Mary

//Tools//

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Chopping knife

Serrated knife to dice tomatoes

Medium mixing bowl

Spoon

Tongs or spatula

Fork

//Notes//

• Here is a great example of how to do mint chiffonade. Basically, you just stack the mint leaves and roll them up lengthwise. Then, slice them into small ribbons. You want to avoid roughly chopping the mint as it will bruise. 

• Use a serrated knife to dice the tomatoes.

• If your tahini isn’t quite runny enough for a drizzle, use a fork to whisk in a tablespoon of lemon juice and some filtered water (one tablespoon at a time) until you achieve a smooth, runny consistency The lemon juice will thicken the tahini, but help maintain flavor with the addition of water.

Healthy Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Baked sweet pototoes lightly carmelized and stuffed with a fresh lentil-based mediterranean salad. Topped with walnuts and a drizzle of runny tahini.

Serves: 2-4 as a main course

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• High quality olive oil, about 1/4 cup divided
• 1 1/4 cups cooked black or green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 spring onions or scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup mint chiffonade (finely sliced)
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 3 pitted dates, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon all spice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted walnuts
• Runny organic tahini

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thoroughly wash and dry the sweet potaotes, then slice them in half lengthwise. Brush both sides (skin and flesh) with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt all over. Place the cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet.
2. When the oven is pre-heated, bake the sweet potatoes for 30-40 minutes, rotating after about 20 minutes and checking for doneness after 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the lentil mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cooked lentils, diced tomatoes and their juices, sliced spring onions or scallions, mint chiffonade, chopped parsley, dates, all spice, cinnamon, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sea salt and pepper to taste. Stir with a spoon and let the flavors marinate as the sweet potatoes bake.
4. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and turn them over using tongs or a spatula. Use a fork to gently rough up the flesh of the sweet potatoes, creating a small divet in the center for the lentil mixture. Spoon the lentils onto the sweet potatoes. Top with chopped walnuts and a generous drizzle of tahini. Serve immediately or at room temperature.