If you have never heard of sweet potatoes, much less tried them, you are missing out on a very good and healthy food.

It is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as minerals such as potassium and phosphorus. It also contains vitamin D and E, magnesium and iron. An excellent food for diabetics due to its low glycemic index, which ensures slower absorption of glucose.

A thousand reasons to include it in your menu. Stefanija Nestorovska which stands behind instagram profile and the blog snestorovska.com, prepared an interesting and unusual meal for us today, in which the sweet potato plays the main role.

Ingredients:

– 3-4 sweet potatoes, medium size
– 1 can (or jar) of chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin (spice)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil or oil of your choice (for cooking)
– A few sprigs of parsley
– Sesame for decoration

For the tahini dressing:

- 2 tablespoons of tahini
- juice of half a lemon
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
– water, if necessary

Method of preparation:

The oven is heated to 220 degrees and a baking pan is prepared.

All potatoes are thoroughly washed and any dirt removed. Since they will be served with the crust, care is taken to make them completely safe for consumption.

They are wiped with a cloth to absorb as much of the water as possible and pricked several times on all sides with a fork or a sharp object.

They are placed on the baking pan and coated with a little oil.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. They are ready when they are soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, while the potatoes are roasting, add a little oil to the pan and let it heat up.

Pour the water from the jar or can of chickpeas and rinse the chickpeas with clean, cold water.

Add the chickpeas to the pan with oil and add the spices.

Let them fry for about 7-8 minutes. The chickpeas should turn golden and have a crispy crust. Leave the pan with the chickpeas to cool slightly and add the chopped parsley

When the potatoes are baked and cool enough to handle, cut them into two equal halves, vertically.

Cut each sweet potato half down the middle and make room to add the chickpea mixture. It is equally distributed in all halves.

For the dressing, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until the mixture is combined. Add water as needed until the desired texture is achieved.
Add the dressing to the sweet potato and sprinkle some sesame seeds if desired.

Notes and tips:

→ If not to be consumed immediately, prepare all the ingredients, but store them separately. Before consumption, just serve them as above.
→ You can adjust the spices according to your own taste and what is available to you.
→ If you need a quicker meal, you can skip frying the chickpeas and serve straight from the jar, however, I recommend doing this step if you can because it really makes a difference.
→ It can be served as a main meal or as a side dish with an additional piece of meat or fish.