I love everything about fall. The colors, the need to start wearing layers, and that crispness that hangs in the air. It also means warmer, more comforting dishes as we start to use our ovens a bit more.
This is how I came about creating this recipe. It was last year when that fall crispness was in full force and I was craving good comforting food.
Sweet potatoes are one of my favourite veggies. They’re like dinner and dessert all in one. If that isn’t reason enough to include them in your diet, they’re really good for our bods too. Loaded with fibre – helping to regulate blood sugar levels and slow down digestion. This fibre also keeps you feeling full longer - bonus.
Annd, they’re an excellent dose of vitamin A + beta-carotene – super important for our eyes, skin and immune health. An excellent fall staple for sure.
I ended up re-shooting this dish for today’s blog post. Bites might have been enjoyed before the shoot was finished, as I forgot how good this recipe was. ;)
I hope you enjoy. This dish is meant to come together pretty quickly. Most of the steps can be done in advance - herbed sour cream, cleaning and chopping of veggies. Potatoes and garlic can even share oven space. Awesome right?
I want to know how you enjoyed the recipe. So tell me in the comments below.
Baked Stuffed Sweet Potato
Serves 4
4 medium sized sweet potatoes, cleaned
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped leeks
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
1 small celery root, cleaned, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
¾ cup vegetable broth or water
½ cup sundried tomatoes (if using oil packed, drain off excess oil)
½ cup walnuts
½ tsp. Himalayan or sea salt
salt and pepper to taste
How to:
· Preheat oven to 400F.
· Pierce potatoes several times with fork or knife. Place on a shallow baking sheet in oven. Bake for approx. 45-60 minutes or until soft when pressed.
· Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
· Once oil is warm, add in minced garlic and chopped leeks. Cook for about 5 minutes until leeks start to soften, stirring occasionally.
· Add in ground coriander and celery root. Cook for another 5 minutes to flavor celery root. You can add in a bit more oil to keep this from sticking.
· Add in vegetable broth or water. Increase temperature to medium-high heat, bringing to a soft boil.
· Reduce heat to simmer, add in ½ tsp. of salt + a few generous grindings of pepper. Cover for about 10 minutes or until the celery root has softened but is not mushy.
· In the meantime, add sundried tomatoes and walnuts to food processor. Pulse a few times to break them down slightly. Add in the celery root mixture. Pulse until everything is well combined but still keeping a bit of a chunky texture.
· Taste to see if more salt and pepper is needed. Season to taste.
· Pull open cooked potatoes lengthwise down the centre, exposing cooked interior. Pile in the celery root mixture.
· Serve warm. Garnish with Herbed Sour Cream (recipe is below).
Herbed Sour Cream
Makes approx. 1 cup
2/3 cup unsalted cashews, soaked (ideally for 2-6 hours)
1/3 cup water
1 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh
1 ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp. Himalayan salt
2 cloves roasted garlic*
½ Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
How to:
· Drain and rinse cashews.
· Blend first 6 ingredients together in a high-powered blender.
· Stir in fresh thyme.
· Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Will keep for up to 5 days.
* Roasting garlic is super easy. Preheat oven to 400F. Make a few slits on the outer skins. Place garlic in a custard cup. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Cover the cup loosely with foil. Place covered cup on a shallow baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes or until soft when pressed. This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.