stuffed sweet potatoes

husband and i do what we can to eat healthy during the week, as we never know what sort of debauchery the weekend may bring. this meal was a welcome change from the usual one pot stews we (...hmm, i) have been whipping up in the recent busy hubbub of things. i admit, i was a wee bit inspired by justin timberlake's recent cameo on snl. this week i made a tofu dish followed promptly by a sausage goulash of sorts. what can i say...he has a way with the ladies. very convincing man, that one. 

these stuffed sweet potatoes pack a punch, both with flavor and spice...husband kept sayin "that's a spicy meatball," while coming up for air between bites. you can certainly leave out the jalapeno if you are not one who prefers the fire, but don't let anything scare you from making these delicious devils.

>> tofu and black bean stuffed sweet potatoes <<

ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed, rinsed and poked with a fork

1/2 red onion, diced

olive oil

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red pepper, chopped,

handful of cilantro, chopped

1 12-14 oz. block of firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 jalapeno pepper diced (seeds removed if you want a more mild heat, we used canned)

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder (we used penzey's ancho ground chili pepper)

1/2 tsp paprika

lime juice

for the avocado salsa verde:

1 cup mild or medium salsa verde, jarred

1 ripe avocado

juice from one lime

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

dash of salt

instructions

preheat oven to 400 degrees. place sweet potatoes on top rack and bake for about 40 minutes or until potato is soft to the touch. while potato is baking, prepare the filling and avocado salsa verde. to a blender or food processor, add the avocado flesh, salsa verde, garlic, and lime juice. blend. add the cilantro and blend again. if mixture is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water and continue to blend until smooth. set aside.

heat one-two tablespoons of oil in a skillet and saute the red onion for about 3-5 minutes. add red pepper and jalapeno and cook for another 5 minutes. red pepper should still have a bit of a crunch to it. add 1 1/2 teaspoons of both cumin and chili powder, juice from half a lime, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro,  and the black beans. cook until beans are heated through. place bean mixture aside. 

drain firm tofu and place on a thick stack of paper towels on a plate. place another stack of paper towels on top and push down firmly to soak up some of the liquids. change paper towels and repeat this step two times. heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and add crumbled tofu. saute for about three minutes. add 1/2 tsp each of paprika, cumin and chili powder. continue cooking until the tofu reaches your desired consistency. 

once potatoes are done in the oven, cut a slit in the potato and top with the tofu and black bean mixtures. add a mess of avocado salsa verde and you are well on your way.  grab your favorite cerveza or the nearest margarita and you are headed to healthy, comfort food heaven. 

don't mind if i do.

serves 4.