WILD RICE HERB STUFFED SWEET POTATOES with BERBERE SPICED SQUASH & GARBANZO CONFETTI

by | Dec 4, 2021 | Citrus, Gluten Free, Health Benefits, Potatoes, Recipes, Vegan, Wild Rice | 0 comments

Everyone knows sweet potatoes are a great source for beta carotene, fiber and potassium and with that comes Vit A, Vit C and magnesium to mention a few benefits. But regardless of how good they are for you, we like them because they taste good and there a gamut of ways to use them. This recipe is a favorite stuffed sweet potato.  We use bigger potatoes and serve this an an entree with a cup of soup or salad.  It’s beautiful, textural, delicious ~ and if you don’t eat the whole thing, the leftovers make for the best sweet potato tacos with the addition of salsa and cheese!

MAKES FOUR PORTIONS

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 good sized whole organic sweet potatoes, washed, peels left on
  • 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garbanzos and stuffing
  • 1 cup wild rice, not wild rice blend.  (Trader Joe’s is fantastic!)
  • 3 whole bay leaves
  • 1 T kosher salt, plus more for garbanzos and stuffing
  • 1 C organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and thoroughly dried
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T lemon zest
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp organic sugar
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 C white onion, diced
  • 1/4 C shallot, diced
  • 1 T fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
  •  1 C organic yellow squash, diced
  • 2 T Berbere
  • 1/2 C yellow or red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 T fresh organic thyme, chopped
  • 3 T organic Italian parsley, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 400 °F.
With a sharp knife, poke a few holes in each sweet potato.  Rub potatoes with olive oil and place potatoes poked side upon on parchment lined sheet pan. Roast for approximately 45 minutes.  Potatoes should be very tender when fork tested.
Toss garbanzos in 1 tablespoon olive oil, and then toss again with lemon zest, garlic powder, smoked paprika, thyme, sugar and teaspoon of salt. Place on parchment lined sheet pan (or in a cast iron pan) and roast for 15-18 minutes along side potatoes. The garbanzos should be on the dry side and have a bite to them. Once done, remove from oven, set aside and continue to let potatoes roast.
Bring 6 C of water to a boil, add salt and bay leaves and wild rice.  Cook according to directions. I usually cook wild rice without a lid and stir often, adding water if needed. Once cooked (rice grains will open up a bit when done), drain any water off and set aside until vegetable ingredients are done.
Stuffing can be made while potatoes are roasting.
In a large sauté pan, add olive oil, diced onion and shallots and cook for about 3 minutes, add in garlic, sage and cook for another 3 minutes.  Once aromatics are slightly tender add in squash and berbere, cook for about 7 minutes until squash is slightly tender.  Add in bell peppers and cook for another 3-4 minutes. You don’t want mushy vegetables for this stuffing, so watch cook time for each stage. Take all sautéed ingredients and toss with fresh thyme, cooked wild rice and roasted garbanzos.
When sweet potatoes are done, cool them just enough to handle.  Cut a slit in the top of each potato and open the potato so you have room to work to get stuffing inside. With a fork, fluff the flesh a bit and mix a few tablespoons of wild rice stuffing into flesh of each potato.  Finish by mounding more stuffing on the top and garnish with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil for each.  Let people season their own potato with cracked black pepper and more salt if desired.  Serve with a green salad and/or a cup of your favorite soup ~ a cream of mushroom soup with the potatoes is to die for!!

COOK’S NOTES :

Adding butter to the cooked sweet potato at the point of “fluffing” flesh make this dish even more delicious.  We didn’t add this to our version just to keep it vegan.

For even more decadence, garnish stuffed sweet potatoes with toasted nuts, like a pecan or walnut.

Seriously, if you have any left over stuffed sweet potato, they can be reinvented into the best tacos.  Simply crisp up corn tortillas in oil and into a fold.  Drain on paper towels.  Scoop all your potato ingredients out of skin (or leave the skin in the mix – it’s fine to do that!) and gently warm in a saute pan with a little olive oil and/or butter. Seasoning isn’t necessary, but if you wanted to add a teaspoon or two of cumin to the mixture, it will welcome it. Fill warm crisp taco shells with potato and wild rice mixture. Top with your favorite salsa, chopped green onion, Monterey Jack cheese and slices of avocado. It’s so damned good!  Sometimes I make the sweet potatoes just so we can have the tacos with the leftovers!!

If you had more wild rice mixture than you required for the potatoes, use in salads and soups as a garnish. The colors and textures add an elegance to any salad or soup.

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