PS Sweet Potato Presents With Veggie & Cranberry Filling

Chef: Debra Walter, ChefVeggie.com

Makes: 8 Servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes for Sweet Potatoes, 30 minutes for Veggie Stuffing

Total Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c cooked quinoa (white or tri-colored quinoa)

• ½ c dried or fresh cranberries

• 1 lg shallot, chopped fine

• 2 celery stalks, chopped fine

• 2 carrots, chopped fine

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained

• 1 6 oz bag baby spinach

• 1 t Italian seasoning

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 4 roasted sweet potatoes

DIRECTIONS

Sweet Potatoes

1. To roast, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Scrub, clean and dry 4 sweet potatoes

3. Put the sweet potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet, pierce each potato a few times and roast in the oven for 45-60 min or until soft.

While baking, cook the quinoa, sauté veggie filling, and steam spinach.

Quinoa

1. 1 c quinoa, rinsed and drained

2. 1 ¾ c water or vegetable broth

3. Mix the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover pan. Simmer for 15 minutes and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.

Vegetable Stuffing

1. In a large skillet sauté shallots, celery and carrots in 2 T water until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add fresh cranberries and sauté until they pop open adding 1 T water if needed. Add the fresh spinach and cover and steam for 2-4 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

2. Add the chickpeas, Italian seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper to taste and mix together. Stir into the cooked quinoa.

Spinach

1. Put about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of a pot big enough to hold a basket steamer. Once water comes to a boil, place spinach in basked and cover. When spinach turns bright green and wilts, remove cover and remove from heat

Assembly

1. Cut open the cooked sweet potatoes, (The skins hold the ingredients.) With a spoon remove flesh and mash lightly with a fork. Line skins with the wilted spinach with spinach protruding over the sides a bit. Divide the stuffing between the four roasted sweet potatoes.

2. Place stuffing with cranberries atop the sweet potato flesh.

3. Serve immediately. Or store in the refrigerator for later.

TIPS

1. You can make these ahead of time and reheat in a low 250 degree oven with a piece of aluminum big enough to cover the potato presents folded in half to make a tent. Sprinkle with water so the lovely flavor packed sweet potatoes do not dry out.

Debra Walter is a personal chef, cooking instructor and owner of Max’s Granola. Debra has been working in the field of food for over 30 years. Debra specializes in vegan, gluten free and baking of any kind! She attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York. and completed an intensive Vegan Baking Bootcamp. Debra teaches adults and kids giving them the skills they need to tackle all kinds of cooking and baking. You can email Debra at chefveggie.com with any questions.