Roasted sweet potatoes have to be one of my most favourite side dishes of all time. I'll take them over fries, rice, or anything other dressed up dish you can give me. Gently toss some sweet potatoes with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper, then roast them until they are softened and sweet with some charred bits on the outside, and I'll love you forever. I found a hummus recipe recently that called for sweet potatoes, but wanted them to be steamed-which felt like an insult to the sweet potato if you ask me, so I re-vamped the recipe. This is a really generous recipe, so if four cups of hummus is too much for you, I strongly suggest you half it. Don't worry, chick peas freeze well so just put that other half of the can in the freezer for another day.
Just to clear up confusion; there are different kinds of sweet potatoes out there. The kind I am referring to have orange flesh and are often marketed as yams here in Canada.
Ingredients:
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
1 lb sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper
Hummus
19 oz can of chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 lemon, juiced
up to 1/3 cup water
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
Pre-heat your oven to about 400 F and place a baking sheet in the oven.
In a large bowl, toss the cubed and peeled sweet potato with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper. If you have it, smoked paprika is a wonderful addition here as well.
Toss the sweet potato cubes onto the hot baking sheet and give it a shake so they are all sitting in a single layer. Roast, watching carefully, for about 15 minutes. They will become softened and browned-you will need to check and stir them every now and then so they don't burn. You'll know they are ready when they are soft on the inside, and on the outside look like this.
* Try not to eat them all now. However, you could make extra and they make a fantastic snack or side dish.
Pull out the food processor and load in the chick peas, cooled roasted sweet potato cubes, the juice from one lemon, tahini, cumin, garlic cloves, and olive oil. On the pulse setting, begin to process the mixture-it's going to be pretty thick. With the motor running, add about half of the water. Continue to add the water to loosen the mixture up if you feel it needs it. You may not need it all, but that's up to you.
Taste the hummus and add salt and pepper to taste, or a little more lemon juice if you think it needs more acid. Serve with veggies or slices of pita bread. You can also use it as a spread in sandwiches or wraps.
Makes 4 cups
Adapted from Whole Living
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