Sweet Potato Boats with Chickpea, Spinach, and Lemon Maple Dressing

Ah, sweet potato boats. The overstuffed, bursting with good for you (or just good looking) ingredients that have been dominating my Instagram feed. As per usual, I will confess, I really thought these were just the output of the “camera eats first” (and potentially alone) Instagram and Pinterest mentality.

Then I made these sweet potato boats with toasted chickpeas, spinach, and a lemon maple tahini sauce. I have been converted and will be repenting for my judgement and hypocrisy for quite some time. Add these to your weeknight dinner rotation and you will be winning weeknights in no time!

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Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Wash your sweet potatoes, stab the outsides with a fork, and roast for 55 minutes (till slightly tender). Put on lined baking sheet.
2. Once they’re in the oven, switch to the chickpeas. Drain, rinse, and pat them try, then toss in small bowl with salt, pepper, oil, and cumin. When the sweet potatoes have 30 min left, add the chickpeas with them on the baking sheet.
3. In the final 10 min, work on the spinach and tahini dressing. Put all tahini ingredients in bowl and whisk with fork. Set aside (it will thicken with time).
4. Heat 1/2 tbs oil over medium heat, and sauté spinach until it starts to wilt (2 min). Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 more min.
5. Check on your potatoes and chickpeas after 30 min. Remove once potatoes are tender, and chickpeas are crispy perfection (this may be slightly staggered). Let potatoes cool for 5 min, then cut them in half.
6. Do the scrape test. If you cannot scrape the insides of the halved sweet potato- stab a few more deep holes in the centers and put in microwave till you can (~2-4 min)
7. Carve out some of the sweet potato flesh, and top each half with chickpeas and spinach, then drizzle with tahini. Enjoy!

Inspired by The Last Ingredient with my own tahini sauce twist!

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What should I listen to as I make these? “Buttercup” by Jack Stauber

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Next up is #winningweeknights with an easy & healthy Friday Eve dinner: sweet potato boats with toasted chickpeas, spinach, and a lemon maple tahini sauce. Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes 1 can chickpeas 1 tbs avocado (or olive) oil Sprinkle of salt and pepper 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp paprika 2 cups spinach, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced For tahini dressing- 1/4 cup tahini 1/2 tbs maple syrup 1/2 medium lemon, juiced 2.5 tbs hot water 1/8 tsp cumin Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. Wash your sweet potatoes, stab the outsides with a fork, and roast for 55 minutes (till slightly tender). Put on lined baking sheet. Once they’re in the oven, switch to the chickpeas. Drain, rinse, and pat them try, then toss in small bowl with salt, pepper, oil, and cumin. When the sweet potatoes have 30 min left, add the chickpeas with them on the baking sheet. In the final 10 min, work on the spinach and tahini dressing. Put all tahini ingredients in bowl and whisk with fork. Set aside (it will thicken with time). Heat 1/2 tbs oil over medium heat, and sauté spinach until it starts to wilt (2 min). Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 more min. Check on your potatoes and chickpeas after 30 min. Remove once potatoes are tender, and chickpeas are crispy perfection (this may be slightly staggered). Let potatoes cool for 5 min, then cut them in half. Do the scrape test. If you cannot scrape the insides of the halved sweet potato- stab a few more deep holes in the centers and put in microwave till you can (~2-4 min) Carve out some of the sweet potato flesh, and top each half with chickpeas and spinach, then drizzle with tahini. Enjoy! — Inspired by @lastingingredient with my own tahini sauce twist!

A post shared by The Carmel Kama'aina (@carmelkamaaina) on Apr 30, 2020 at 6:02pm PDT