Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Chickpeas

Mediterranean stuffed sweet potatoes with roasted chickpeas are my go-to when I am really hungry and want something scrumptious fast. A hearty and fresh meal perfectly suited to the Mediterranean Diet. Prepare this lunch or vegetarian main in 20 minutes from start to eating! I love to have this with a drizzle of olive oil. Did you know olive oil can actually help you lose weight?

Time Saving Tip

Usually when I am ravenous for a filling lunch it is because I have not planned ahead. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas will come to the rescue. This lunch can be made in twenty minutes. Bake the sweet potatoes up-to 1-3 days beforehand and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are putting this together crisp the potatoes in the oven while the chickpeas are roasting.

I usually eat this meal when I did not plan ahead and would need to prepare my potatoes. I use the microwave. Using the microwave to cook the potatoes speeds up the preparation time of this meal. I have to have the roasted crispiness of baking them. Cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave they get toasty hot, and then I crisp them in the oven. They cook while the chickpeas are cooking to get that roasted quality. If you prefer to not to use the microwave it will extend the preparation time of the recipe. You will have to wait a bit longer to satisfy your hunger!

The best part of the Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potato with Roasted Chickpeas is the explosion of tastes in each bite. Fresh cilantro really makes it pop with its herbally-citrus flavors. Not everyone enjoys cilantro, so Italian, flat-leaf parsley is a great substitute. Paprika used to season the chickpeas adds the “wow factor” to the dish. Any paprika will do, but a quality Smoked Spanish Paprika will make you salivate for the next bite. Feta brings a nice salty creaminess to the sweet potato. Omit the Feta to make this a vegan recipe. The star of the show is extra virgin olive oil. You will never remember you used to use butter on a sweet potato.