Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Chili

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes pair wonderfully with this simple chili recipe. Add one more chipotle pepper if you want to spice up this healthy sweet potato recipe.

2 small sweet potatoes (about 8 oz. each)

1 tablespoon canola oil

8 ounces 95%-lean ground beef

2 scallions, sliced, green and white parts separated

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

1 tablespoon paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup canned low-sodium kidney beans, rinsed

½ cup water

¼ cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

4 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream for garnish

Directions

1Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2Prick sweet potatoes in several places with a fork and place on the prepared pan. Bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and scallion whites. Cook, stirring and breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, chipotles to taste, paprika, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add beans and water; cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute more. Cover and keep warm.

4Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Leaving the skins intact, carefully scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the chili mixture and stir to combine. Fill each potato skin with the sweet potato-chili mixture (the skins will be full). Return to the baking sheet and top with remaining chili mixture and cheese.

5Bake until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with scallion greens and garnish with sour cream, if desired.

Originally appeared: Diabetic Living Magazine, Winter 2020