Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

At the end of a busy day, sometimes you just want a nutritious and simple meal to satisfy you. This stuffed sweet potato is just the thing! It’s a vegetarian dish that you can prepare, and it’s so simple. 

Sweet potato nourishes your body by providing nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium — these vitamins and minerals help to keep your heart, muscles and nervous system healthy!  

I’ll have this if I am cooking lunch at home just for myself, but it also works as an easy dinner — just increase the ingredients to prepare this easy, delicious meal for your family or friends. 

Easy Stuffed Sweet Potato

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients: 

2 medium sweet potatoes

2 oz (60g) quinoa (or wild rice)

Oil spray

2 small brown onion

2 garlic clove

2 tsp ground paprika

2 small handful baby spinach (or kale)

2 medium zucchini (or carrot)

1 oz (20g) walnut halves (or pecans)

10.5 oz (300g) canned cannellini beans

2 oz (60g) currants (or dried cranberries)

Sea salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped to garnish

3.5 oz (100g) low fat plain yogurt (or non-dairy alternative)

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 392F/200C (356F/180C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Lightly prick the sweet potato all over with a fork. Place on the prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, slice down middle, ensuring you don't cut all the way through.
3. Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and 11 fl oz (320ml) water to the boil in a saucepan over a high heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Drain off excess liquid. To save time, the quinoa can be cooked the night before and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
4. Lightly spray a non-stick fry pan with oil spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it starts to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the spinach and zucchini and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
5. Lightly mash the cannellini beans with a fork and add to the spinach mixture along with the quinoa, walnuts and currants. Season with salt and pepper, and mix gently to combine. Top the sweet potato with the mixture and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the filling is hot.
6. To serve, place the stuffed sweet potatoes on a serving plate and top with the parsley and yogurt. Enjoy!

One thing I love about this meal is that you can really substitute the ingredients you have available to customise it. Plus, if it’s been a really busy day, you can put the oven on with a timer and squeeze in an Express PWR workout while it cooks!

Nourish your body with healthy carbs

I’ve been choosing to eat vegetarian food more frequently lately, and there are so many delicious recipes that you can try. If you like this meal, I highly recommend this Thai vegetarian curry. 

The food that you eat is fuel for your training — so always nourish your body with the foods it needs to become stronger and feel your best! Finding recipes that you really enjoy can help you to make the small changes that add up to you feeling your best.