Quinoa- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Quinoa- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 4 Medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds total), scrubbed clean
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
  • ½ teaspoon plus
  • 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
  • ½ cup chopped green onion (about 4)
  • ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced.
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 to 1 ½ lemons), or more if needed
  • Fine sea salt
  • ½ cup crumbled goat cheese (about 2 ½ ounces)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to catch any sweet potato drippings.

Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork to allow steam to escape while cooking. Place the sweet potatoes on the prepared sheet and bake until they yield to a gentle squeeze and are cooked through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all the water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

In a medium skillet, combine the pepitas and 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Pour the toasted pepitas into a large bowl.

To the bowl, add the chickpeas, green onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to combine. Add the fluffed quinoa to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary (I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon), and more lemon juice if you would like a tangier flavour.

Wait to add the goat cheese until you’re ready to serve, so it doesn’t melt into the quinoa. When it’s time, add the crumbled goat cheese to the bowl and gently stir to combine.

To assemble, use a small paring knife to slice down the middle of the sweet potatoes, leaving about 1 inch intact on each end. Squish the ends toward the middle a bit to open them up. Transfer each sweet potato to its own plate. Sprinkle the interiors of the sweet potatoes with a dash of salt and use a fork to gently mash up the insides a bit, which will make room for more filling. Fill the sweet potatoes with the quinoa mixture, letting extra filling overflow to the sides. Serve immediately.

Leftover stuffed sweet potatoes keep well, chilled, for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.