Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Chickpeas & Tahini

I N G R E D I E N T S

For the potatoes:

4 medium to large sweet potatoes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

For the chickpeas:

1 (15-oz) can chickpeas

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sriracha

1/2 tsp ground pepper

For the quinoa:

1/2 cup dry quinoa

1/2 medium (or 1 small) red onion

1/2 tsp salt

1 clove garlic (or 1 tsp minced garlic)

For the toppings:

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

2 tbsp tahini

2 tsp finely chopped parsley

D I R E C T I O N S

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Thoroughly wash the sweet potatoes (do not peel) and cut them in half lengthwise. Brush cut sides with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

3. While the potatoes bake, prepare the chickpeas and quinoa. Start by draining, rinsing, and towel-drying the chickpeas before placing in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with cumin and black pepper, then add the sriracha and and stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Place in an air fryer on 390 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until chickpeas have darkened slightly in color and appear crispy. Make sure to shake or stir the chickpeas every 5 minutes or so while cooking. If you don’t have an air fryer, don’t worry! You can bake them on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until chickpeas are crispy.

4. For the quinoa, chop one small or 1/2 medium red onion and mince one clove of garlic. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the 1/2 dry quinoa, chopped onion, and chopped garlic. Cover and let simmer for about 12 minutes (be sure to follow package instructions) or until quinoa has fully absorbed the water.

5. When the sweet potatoes are ready, use a spoon to remove the majority of the insides. (Do not scoop all of the potato out - leave about 1/4” thickness at the exterior to hold the stuffing mixture.) When the quinoa is ready, use a fork to mix it into the discarded potato, then use a spoon to fill the sweet potatoes with the quinoa-potato mixture.

6. Place the potatoes in the oven for 2 minutes on the highest broil setting, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and garnish with a spoonful of greek yogurt, crispy chickpeas, and tahini.