Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 279
Author: Chelsea’s Messy Apron

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes

• 4 (10-13 ounces EACH) medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Taco Meat Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup diced yellow onion (~½ of 1 onion)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (~2 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
• 1 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, paprika
• ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper
• ½ tablespoon beef bouillon powder
• 1 pound (16 oz.) ground turkey extra-lean
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
  
  Optional Toppings: black beans, sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, sour cream (fat-free or lite is great), fresh guacamole or ripe avocados, chopped cherry tomatoes, salsa or pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, fresh lime

Chili Lime Sauce (Optional)

• ½ cup (110g) full-fat regular mayo
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (and ¼ teaspoon lime zest)
• ¼ teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce

Instructions:

Sweet Potatoes

1. OVEN: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a very large, dark, sheet pan with parchment paper or a liner. Don’t skip this; it helps the potatoes cook evenly without the cut side burning.
2. CLEAN POTATOES: Thoroughly scrub and clean the sweet potatoes in cold water. Completely dry the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise.
3. PREP POTATOES: Drizzle oil over the potatoes and rub it over all the sides. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper over all the potatoes and rub into both sides.
4. BAKE: Bake potatoes, flesh-side down, for 30-37 minutes or until the skin looks slightly shriveled and potatoes are tender.

Meat Filling

1. TACO MEAT: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and once the oil is hot, add in the diced onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds; add in all the taco meat filling seasonings and season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add ½ teaspoon of each.) Stir the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Press seasoned onions to the side of the pan.
2. TACO MEAT Continued: Add the ground turkey to the center of the pan. Crumble the meat into small pieces and cook until no longer pink (about 5-8 minutes), incorporating the seasoned onions as you crumble. Add in the tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until meat is fully cooked through, and then remove from heat.

Toppings/Assembly

1. SAUCE: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Season to taste.
2. ASSEMBLY: To assemble, place baked sweet potatoes on plates, flesh side up. Mash the insides a bit with a fork. Top with spoonfuls of the meat filling; drizzle sauce on top and add any additional desired toppings.
3. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 279 kcal
Carbohydrates: 6g
Protein: 28g
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 62mg
Sodium: 367mg
Potassium: 498mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Vitamin A: 1684IU
Vitamin C: 3mg
Calcium: 23mg
Iron: 2mg