Brussels Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Let me tell you - this is the easiest & most scrumptious Meatless Monday meal that’s been whipped up at my house in a long time, and confirmation that roasted sweet potatoes of any kind are the perfect go to dinner on a busy Monday. I was running around like crazy today - picking up the house, running errands, and trying to make a big dent in my to-do list to get this week started on a productive note. These Brussels Stuffed Sweet Potatoes were the perfect set it & forget it meal to keep me fed & happy & not a slave to meal prep. I mean I Pelotoned & sent work emails with ease while these bad boys cooked, and they were the perfect treat at the end of a very busy day.
Whenever we have meatless nights, I always say it’s a veggie heavy evening, and I commit to cooking with purpose. It’s like this fun challenge I give myself to see how many good for you things I can sneak in to one meatless meal, & this one didn’t disappoint. This meatless meal can be summarized as a veggie stuffed with veggies with a side of more veggies.
The thing to remember about sweet potatoes is that they’re just that - sweet. They can be overwhelmingly sweet for a dinner (in my opinion) if they aren’t paired with something savory, & they taste soo good with something savory. Brussels are the perfect match. The crisped up Brussels bring a bitter bite and a little crunch that tastes so good with sweet & creamy potatoes. It’s superfood on superfood in one main dish, & I’m here for it.
Twice baked potatoes are the BEST, & they’re one of those stupid good things that I typically only make during the holidays. They’re always rich & creamy & decadent, and they just feel special when you eat them. That’s essentially what this dinner is - twice baked sweet potatoes. The whipped potato mixed with just a dollop of butter, mascarpone, & salt in the food processor makes this pillowy & smooth filling that just tastes so much better than a whipped potato. Just a couple of creamy add-ins, and these bad boys are fire. They’re rich, but healthy, & which it’s a weird but awesome juxtaposition that can sometimes be challenging on a meatless Monday.
Dialed up the health factor one more notch with one more superfood - Beets. Yellow beets since that’s what looked the best at our local market, but red ones would do, too The cooking required is really just roasting them in the oven and letting them chill until they’re cool enough to handle, so still in line with the whole set it and forget it concept. I used just a drizzle of oil, vinegar, salt & pepper to get them seasoned to perfection, and the end result was Jordan telling me they were the best beets he’d ever eaten. Proof that just a solid roast, minimal seasoning, and letting veggies shine on their own is truly perfection.
Literally today was insane. Lots of time glued to our laptops & just mentally preparing for what is shaping up to be one hell of a week. Brew festival on deck this weekend is eating into that rest and relaxation time with our pups that we usually propels us through the challenges of the work week, and it’s on the tail end of a week full of deadlines and getting this cider house ready for biz. I think today we officially had the realization that it’s taproom crunch time, & this is our adult version of hell week that’s rolling for the next 6 weeks. I knew this was coming, and today I’m making the choice to not be overwhelmed with what sometimes feels like insanity, and instead recognizing these little weekday moments of ending the day in the yard La Croixs, something yummy to eat, and my sweet little fam are so meaningful. I’m like so many other people in this world - I’ve got a lot of shit going on. So much to the point I posted a quote on my Instagram that said “You’re bigger than the things that are making you anxious.” That’s where I was at 8am this morning (literally!), but ending the day with my favorite people in my happy home is something I’ll never take for granted. It’s sounds so lame, but it’s the simple fact that ending the day with the people that mean the most to me, and being present with them, is rejuvenating, I'm thankful that I have this group to take an end of the day breather with. So I’ll end with that, and the cutest picture of my dinner dates that was truly the peak of happiness today.
For the Golden Beet Salad
3 golden beets
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp parmesan
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Salt & pepper
EVOO
For the Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
3 sweet potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp mascarpone
10 shaved Brussels sprouts
1/4 c. goat cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp walnuts, chopped
Honey
Preheat the oven to 375. Pierce each beet once with a sharp knife. Wrap the beets in foil. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let them cool 45-60 minutes.
Crank the heat up to 425. Stab each sweet potato several times with a fork. Place on a foil lined baking sheet, and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let the cool on the pan.
Move back your beets. Cut off the end and peel off the skin. Cut into large bite size chunks, and place in a small bowl. Add in the vinegar, cheese, and parsley, and toss lightly with a spoon. Add in a light drizzle of EVOO and a pinch of salt and pepper. Give the beets another toss and place in the fridge.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half. Scoop out the flesh to create little sweet potato boats - scooping out the middle and leaving a thin border of sweet potato around the edges. Put the scooped out potato in your food processor with the butter, mascarpone, and a pinch of salt and pepper Blend until smooth, and distribute evenly back into the sweet potato boats. Place back in a 200 degree oven.
Place a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in a tablespoon of EVOO and your Brussels to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt & pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Remove the potatoes from the oven, & top with the Brussels. Distribute the goat cheese and walnuts evenly amongst the potatoes. Drizzle them all with a bit of honey, and serve with a spoonful of chilled beets.