One bite of these and you'll forget that there's no bacon or cheese!
A potato skin swimming with melted cheese and piled high with crisped bacon is some of the best game-day food there is, but it's definitely not the best thing for you. Enter the plant-based sweet potato skin, seasoned to perfection, crisped in the oven or the air fryer, and filled with healthful food packed with so much flavor. Cashew Queso from The Granola Bar is the creamy, dreamy, cheese-like base. Black beans, diced tomatoes and avocados, and sliced scallions complete these nutritious and delicious sweet potato skins. Serve them as an appetizer, side, or vegan main dish. Try to eat just one...you won't need to feel guilty when you eat three!
Equipment: cutting board; chef’s knife; paring knife; measuring spoons; small mixing bowl; spoon; dry measuring cups; rimmed sheet pan; air fryer (optional); spatula or tongs
Ingredients:
6 small sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
1 cup plant-based queso
1 cup black beans
1 tomato, diced and seeds removed
½ an avocado, diced
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on bias
ILOC tip: if you have a nut allergy and wish to keep the recipe vegan, use a vegan nut-free cheese instead.
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the sweet potatoes (whole) on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Increase the heat to 425°F (if you are not using an air fryer to make the sweet potato skins), or preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
"The sweet potatoes can be baked up to three days in advance of making the stuffed skins, stored in the refrigerator once cool."
2. Once cool enough to handle, slice the sweet potatoes in half. Leaving a ¼-inch border around the edge and bottom, scoop the flesh from each half with a spoon. Reserve the scooped flesh for later use. Set aside the sweet potato skins.
ILOC tip: if the skin tears at all when slicing the sweet potatoes in half, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim clean edges.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Sprinkle the sweet potato skin flesh with the spice mixture. Brush each seasoned sweet potato skin lightly with oil on the inside and outside. If returning to the oven, place on a rimmed sheet pan, flesh-side up. If cooking in the air fryer, place in the basket/try flesh-side up.
4. Cook the sweet potato skins for 10-12 minutes, until the flesh and skin are crisped. Remove from the oven or air fryer and set aside.
5. Fill the cavity of each sweet potato skin with a dollop of cashew queso, sprinkle with black beans, diced tomatoes, avocado, and top with sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
Makes 4-6 servings.
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