Spiced Chickpea & White Bean Smothered Sweet Potato

A slightly spicy chickpea and tomato stew plays off of a bright orange sweet potato in this flavorful recipe. This hearty dish is simple to throw together, packed full of goodness, and is perfect for keeping warm on a chilly night.

Gather

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, preferably rounder
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium shallots
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds*
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds*
• 2 whole cloves*
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes**
• 1 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup stewed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cups chickpeas and/or white beans, drained and rinsed if using canned
• Fresh parsley, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Scrub sweet potatoes with running water, pat dry, and pierce several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Sweet potato should be tender.
2. Add cumin and coriander seeds to a small dry pan. Over medium-low heat, lightly toast until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Place in a mortar along with cloves and grind until large pieces are broken down. Combine with red pepper flakes, paprika, and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Mince shallot and add to pan, sautéing until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in spices and cook for 1 minute more. Add stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/2 cup vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add chickpeas. Continue to simmer for at least 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are done. Add more vegetable broth if desired.
4. To serve, place a slit in the top of the sweet potato and gently squeeze open. Remove part of the insides of the sweet potato reserving for a separate use or stir into chickpeas. Ladle chickpea mixture over sweet potato and serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Notes

*To substitute ground spices for the whole, use 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

**If spicy isn’t your thing, simply leave out the red pepper and cut the paprika back to 1/2 tablespoon.

This delicious recipe brought to you by Erin Alderson of Naturally Ella where she shares seasonal, vegetarian recipes that promote a healthy and happy lifestyle.