November 3, 2015
Greetings! Please remember – we will be in the gym this week, reachable via E. 90th St.
Only two weeks left before we say good-bye and batten down the hatches for winter. I’ll miss seeing you every week!
Any doctor will tell you that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest eating plan for all of us. This week’s recipe uses sweet potatoes to make a zingy Mediterranean-style dish. It is so delicious!
SWEET POTATOES WITH CHICKPEAS AND GARLIC HERB SAUCE
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked (or regular) paprika
Optional: Pinch of sea salt or lemon juice
GARLIC HERB SAUCE:
1/4 cup hummus (or tahini)
juice of 1/2 lemon (~1 Tbsp)
3/4 – 1 tsp dried dill (or sub 2-3 tsp fresh)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Water or unsweetened almond milk
Optional: Sea salt to taste
TOPPINGS: (Optional)
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley, minced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
hot sauce
za’atar
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil.
2. Rinse and scrub the potatoes and cut in half length wise. This will speed cooking time.
3. Toss the rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on the foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Rub the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil and place them cut side down on the same baking sheet (or another baking sheet, if this one is too small). Roast them in the oven for approximately 25 minutes.
5. While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sauce by adding all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, only adding enough water or almond milk to thin it enough so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Also prepare the parsley-tomato topping by tossing tomato and parsley with lemon juice and setting the mixture aside to marinate.
7. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown – roughly 25 minutes – remove them from oven.
8. For serving, flip the potatoes flesh-side up and smash down the insides a little bit. Then top them with chickpeas, sauce and parsley-tomato garnish.
Additional side ideas might include hummus, pita chips, rice or quinoa.
NOTE: If you don’t have hummus, tahini will make a great base substitution for the sauce – just adjust the seasonings to accommodate the milder flavor of the tahini.
Enjoy! Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi