We’ve all been tempted by comfort foods at some point in our lives.
With these Loaded Sweet Potatoes, you get the comfort food feeling and flavour, while still maintaining solid nutrition that helps you feel satisfied and energized!
This recipe is easy to prepare, and one the whole family is sure to enjoy. Whether you’re putting together a quick weeknight meal after a long day of work, a fun weekend dinner for the family, or a game day treat for some friends—this recipe is sure to impress. Try it yourself tonight!
Beans are a powerhouse food when it comes to satiety. Beans are loaded with soluble fibre that helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Beans are also a good source the B-vitamin, folate. Folate is the natural form of Vitamin B9, while folic acid is the man-made form of B9 that we use to fortify foods. There is solid link between folate or folic acid and mood. One such paper states that “The incidence of folic acid deficiency is high in patients with various psychological disorders including depression, dementia and schizophrenia.”[1]
Sweet potatoes are complex-carb rock stars here. They are high in beta-carotene, which is what gives them their beautiful orange colour. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that helps to protect the cells of the body, including the brain, and our DNA from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can be used as a biomarker for many psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety. So, sweet potatoes are not just feeding our bellies, but our brains too!
References
Loaded Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 4 Small Sweet Potatoes
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 cups Black Beans cooked, from the can
- ½ cup Water
- 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
- ½ cup Vadalia Onion chopped
- 1 tbsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin ground
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- 1 Avacado mashed
- 1 Lime juiced
- 2 cups Spinach
- 2 Tomatoes sliced
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 - 30 minutes, until fork tender.
- While sweet potatoes are baking, warm olive oil in a small pan. Add black beans, peppers, onion, chili powder, cumin, garlic and sea salt. Stir well to combine.
- Add ½ cup of water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
- While beans are simmering, in a small bowl use a fork to mash avocado with lime juice. Set aside.
- Slice tomatoes. Set Aside.
- When sweet potatoes are ready, remove from oven. Slice each most of the way through. Divide sweet potatoes between serving plates.
- Top with warm bean mixture, fresh spinach, tomato slices and mashed avocado. Enjoy!
