Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens

Sweet potatoes are soooo yummy and soooo good for you. I am trying to incorporate them into my diet more often and found this delicious recipe to get me going. First off, here are some reasons why sweet potatoes are a great addition to your diet. 

Sweet Potato Nutritional Benefits:

• Contains lots of fiber
• Heart healthy- contains vitamin B6 which helps blood flow freely
• Rich in beta-carotene (antioxidant great for skin and eye health)
• High in Vitamin C and E- help protect your skin from free-radicals and sun damage
• Rich in magnesium and iron

In other words, sweet potatoes are a "beauty" food. For all you ladies out there looking to have great skin, the sweet potato is a great source of nutrients that will help protect your skin cells from damage and keep you looking fabulous!

Recipe: 

This recipe said the sweet potatoes would take an hour to cook in the oven. I was at home, cooking with my mom, and we were both starving and too impatient to wait for a whole hour. My mom proposed the idea of cooking them in the microwave. I didn't know you could cook sweet potatoes so fast in the microwave but we did and they came out great! So if you're on the go and need to cook a healthy meal fast, try popping these sweet potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes (3-5 on each side) until soft. While they're cooking, start preparing the greens and use already cooked white beans. If you're not in a rush, follow the recipe below exactly as written. 

Here is the Recipe from The Kitchn:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups (or 1 can) cooked and drained white beans
6 cups kale, trimmed and sliced into ribbons
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them in a few places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Start the beans and greens about 15 to 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done.

In a wide, deep saucepan with a cover, heat the olive oil over low-moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary sprig, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the kale is soft. Remove the rosemary sprig, stir in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice each sweet potato lengthwise and push on the ends to open up the middle. Spoon the beans and greens into the center.

Then it is ready to eat!!!! If you need more of a kick, I recommend drizzling some Sriracha (only the best hot sauce ever) on there. I did and it was delicious. Can't wait to make it again!