Recipe Highlights: Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Eating a baked sweet potato alone is already amazing in itself, add the butter and sour cream, it becomes a delicacy! But this recipe makes the sweet potato a meal, and it is so filling it will hold you over until snack time or even dinner! The protein, healthy fats, and nutrient dense carbs are balanced in this meal and perfect for a bulk prep for the week! So, what exactly do we get out of these recipe highlights? Find out below:
Sweet Potatoes (Not Yams)
High in beta- carotene (vitamin A form), vitamins B6 & C, Potassium, and fiber, the sweet potato contains many more nutrients when compared to it’s counterpart, the white potato. The white potato has come under scrutiny for containing potential toxins and causing weight gain. The weight gain of course is due to our nations over eating of the white potato, not necessarily the potato it’s self. But I would definitely recommend the sweet potato over the white potato. What the white potato doesn’t have is the beta-carotene and phytochemicals found in the sweet potato. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that give sweet potatoes their beautiful orange color. These phytochemicals are currently in research studies, as are many other plant chemicals, for their potential role in health promotion and disease prevention.
When we talk about sweet potatoes we are not including Yams, although yams do contain some benefits, they are less nutritious when compared to the Sweet Potato.
- Prior to cooking you must:
- Scrub the skin very well with a vegetable brush/sponge (consider scrubbing with salt water)
- Best Ways To Cook: (Best to “Least Best”)
- Boiling
- Steaming
- Baking
Boiling and steaming seems to keep more nutrients intact within the potato. While baking reduces some of the vitamins, most nutrition professionals would recommend you consume sweet potatoes in the form you love, because eating this nutritious food is best no matter how it is cooked.
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Chickpeas are high in antioxidants and protein! Chickpeas are one of the highest in antioxidants when compared to other beans – but the lentil always wins the battle. Studies have show eating chickpeas not only increases antioxidant intake, but it delays gastric emptying.. this means you feel full longer! Research has also found chickpeas may decrease “bad bacteria” in the gut, which can help regulate bowel movements, and potentially improve chronic gastrointestinal conditions!
This recipe has other highlights such as agave, broccoli, pepita (pumpkin) seeds, and sunflower seeds – and each of these toppings contains their own antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and protein! Consider adding this recipe to your frequent flyer list, because I think we may have found something special here!
Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potato
Equipment
- oven
- baking sheet
- air Fryer (optional)
Ingredients
- 4-6 halves of a medium (4-5 inch width) sweet potato (If you use a whole potato add 50 calories to your meal)
- 1 tbsp earth balance butter (start with half and taste before adding other half)
- 1/4 cup roasted/air fried chickpeas
- 1/4 cup fresh roasted/air fried broccoli florets
- 1.5 tbsp Toffuti sour cream, or homemade plant based sour cream
- 1 tbsp mixed nuts – pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sunflower seeds in this recipe)
Instructions
- Cut sweet potatoes in half. Rub with avocado oil or olive oil. Place on baking sheet flesh up, skin down. Poke center with a fork 2-3 times. Bake on 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until you can slide a fork or knife into the center with ease.
- After 20 minutes of the sweet potatoes baking, place chickpeas in an air fryer for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, stir chickpeas, add broccoli florets and air fry for 8 more minutes. (Adjust time based on preference) – If you use the oven place chickpeas in the oven on a baking sheet separate of the sweet potatoes, spray with avocado oil, allow chickpeas to bake for 10 minutes, then mix and add florets for 8 more minutes. Then remove from oven.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven when soft, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, you will want the center warm but not hot.
- Use a fork to mash the potatoes flesh. Add butter, and mash until butter is dissolved.
- Create a tunnel in the center with your fork, place chickpeas in the tunnel. Then place broccoli florets over the chickpeas, you may need to press the broccoli and chickpeas into the center.
- Place sour cream over over the mixture.
- Sprinkle mixed nuts over the top.
- Drizzle 1/2 tbsp or less of agave over the top! Enjoy!
Notes
*I am in no way affiliated with the companies/brands mentioned in this recipe. These are recommendations based on my own opinions and consumption of these products.
