These are no ordinary sweet potatoes! Loaded with tender kale and strips of naturally sweet carrots along with bell pepper, red onion, sesame seeds and fresh parsley, this simple and nutritious meal can be made in less than an hour. They’re ideal for families with young kids who love to “build their own meals.”
My trick to a perfectly roasted sweet potato is to rub it with extra virgin olive oil before baking. Feel free to swap yellow or red bell peppers with green for an extra touch of sweetness. Whichever peppers you prefer, you can expect lots of nutrients such as vitamins A, C and K as well as B6 and potassium, all of which are needed to keep your immune system healthy, especially as the weather gets cooler this fall.
The fresh herbs, sweet potatoes and kale in this recipe are loaded with fiber, which is key to keep our digestion happy and moving along (detoxification). You can also use fresh basil or cilantro to switch up the garnish depending on what your tastebuds are craving. Lastly, the Garlic Tahini Drizzle is a terrific source of calcium. If you’re like me and can’t eat dairy, this is a great way to get your calcium fix as well as a good dose of magnesium and potassium.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes
- 4large sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
- 1 tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil for the sweet potatoes
- 1 large headdinosaur flat kale
- 2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil for the kale
- Large pinchsea salt
- 2large carrots, peeled or thinly sliced with ends trimmed
- 1large green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cupred onion, diced
- 1 teaspoonsesame seeds
- 2 teaspoonsfinely chopped fresh parsley
- Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Garlic Tahini Drizzle
- 1/3 cuptahini, well-stirred
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 3 tablespoonswater, warm, plus more as needed
- 2medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoonsea salt
- 1/4 teaspoonpepper
- Large pinchground cumin
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rub the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until completely coated.
- Poke potatoes with a fork and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are very tender. Note: Roasting time will depend on how large your sweet potatoes are.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil with the kale and gently massage the kale with your hands. Add a pinch of sea salt and continue to massage for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the kale is dark green and tender. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the Garlic Tahini Drizzle ingredients until smooth. Add more tahini as needed.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and slice them lengthwise about three-fourths of the way through. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the massaged kale on top of the split potatoes, followed by the peeled carrot strips, green pepper, red onion, sesame seeds, and parsley. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and drizzle with the Garlic Tahini Drizzle. Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers, either preassembled or ingredients separately, in a sealed container(s) in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Yield4 Servings
By: Amie Valpone
Photography by Amie Valpone
Stuffed Tomatoes with Brown Rice & Vegetables
These stuffed tomatoes look impressive, but they are simple to make and can be prepared up to a day ahead as an easy side dish for weeknight meals. Plus, it’s an easy way to pack a variety of vegetables into one meal, as the tomatoes are stuffed with zucchini, onion, spinach, and carrot along with fiber-rich brown basmati rice. For more details about how to make this dish watch a video demonstration here.
Ingredients
- 4large tomatoes, with tops cut off and pulp removed
- 1zucchini, grated
- 1/2onion, grated
- 2 clovesgarlic, grated
- 3 clovesgarlic, whole
- 1/4 bunchparsley, chopped
- 1 handfulbaby spinach, chopped
- 1carrot, grated
- 1/3 cupbrown basmati rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix the chopped and grated ingredients together with the rice. Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes so each one is about three-quarters full. Put the tops back on the tomatoes.
- In a 9-inch dish, add tomato pulp, 2 cups water, and whole garlic cloves. Put tomatoes in the dish and cover with foil. Place the dish in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes.
- Before serving, let the tomatoes sit covered for about 20 minutes.
Nutritional Information
Calories
117
Total Fat
1g
Saturated Fat
0.2g
Cholesterol
0mg
Sodium
59mg
Carbohydrates
25.5g
Dietary Fiber
5g
Sugars
7g
Protein
4.5g
YIELD:
4 servings
By Andy Clay
Healing through Art 