Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

I've never really been a huge fan of sweet potatoes. NEVER would I order sweet potato fries over regular fries - those people can't be trusted! But apparently they are really really good for you, so I'm trying to get more into them. I love a twice baked potato so I figured why not try it with a sweet potato? It works! This recipe is sort of happenstance, based on the ingredients we had, but it turned out so yummy we keep making it this way! The fresh "salsa" really adds to it, bringing a vibrant pop to an otherwise creamy dish. You can mix this up however you like - the potato is your vessel! Just be warned that sweet potato skins are much thinner than regular potatoes, so you have to be very gentle when handling them. I hope this dish turns you into a sweet potato fan!

2 Sweet Potatoes/Yams

1 cup cooked meat, chopped (I like using rotisserie chicken or leftover steak)

3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top

Chipotle Tabasco, or hot sauce of your choice!

 

For the "fresh salsa" topping:

1 avocado, diced

Small handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Small handful cilantro

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

2 tsp minced garlic

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse the skin of the sweet potatoes and dry with a paper towel. Prick the sweet potato with a fork in a few spots. Place sweet potatoes on a FOIL LINED pan (very important to prevent a sticky mess in your oven!) and bake for about 1 hour.

Take sweet potatoes out of oven and cut in half length-wise. Scoop out the inside into a bowl, while trying to keep the skins intact! They are much flimsier than a normal potato! Add the meat, cheese and hot sauce to the bowl and mix all together. Then stuff the mixture back in to the skins that are still on the same foil lined pan - and overstuff them a bit. Top with more cheese and return to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

While the potatoes are baking, make the fresh "salsa" in a medium bowl. Combine the avocado, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

When the cheese has melted on the potatoes, take them out of the oven and top with salsa! 

*Also great the next day if you have leftovers!