mexican sweet potato skins

*WARNING* This recipe contains sweet potatoes, which are considered a grain for those following the weight loss BLE plan and not eaten for dinner. This is a great option for a maintenance dinner that includes a grain.

Start by piercing 4 sweet potatoes with a fork. Roast them in a 375 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

While sweet potatoes are roasting, sauté 1/2 a finely diced onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 1/2 a finely chopped red bell pepper in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Next season with salt, pepper, 1 tsp of taco seasoning and 4 tbsp of salsa.

Add in 14oz each of rinsed and drained black beans and corn kernels. Remove the potatoes from the oven, split in half and scoop out the insides leaving a thin layer of potato inside each skin. Mix 16oz of the sweet potato into the stuffing mixture.

Divide the stuffing into 8 equal portions and fill the potato skins. Top with 8oz of cheese and return to the 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Top with sliced scallions and lime juice.

As I mentioned before, this is a maintenance portion dinner that includes. 1/2 protein, 1 fat, 1 grain, and 5oz of veggies. Add another half protein and a 9oz salad to make a complete meal!

*NOTE* This could also be made with a squash that would be considered a “starchy” vegetable. With the substitution this would be 1/2 protein, 1 fat, and 9oz of veggies. Adding another 1/2 protein and 5oz of veggies would make this a complete BLE women’s weight loss portion dinner. Recipe to follow.

mexican sweet potato skins

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (16 oz after baking and scooping out insides)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 14 oz black beans, rinsed and drained

• 14 oz corn, drained

• 4 tbsp salsa

• Salt and Pepper

• 1 tsp taco seasoning

• 1 cup shredded cheese

• Sliced scallions

• Squeeze lime juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. Roast 40-50 minutes or until tender.

While sweet potatoes are baking, heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions and bell pepper and sauté until roasted and softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and roast for a further minute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and taco seasoning.

When sweet potatoes are tender remove from the oven. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin layer of potato inside of the skins. Mash the soft flesh, add roasted onion mixture, beans, corn, salsa and mix to combine.

Scoop the filling inside and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Top with scallions and a squeeze of lime.

4 servings

2 half potatoes = 1 serving

Enjoy!