Savory Indian Sweet Potatoes

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/3 cup water or 1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice or 1/3 cup orange juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh gingerroot
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 small minced fresh green chile, seeds removed for a milder hot
• 2/3 cup diced red bell peppers or 2/3 cup green bell pepper
• 4 tablespoons neufchatel cheese (low-fat cream cheese)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or slightly thawed frozen green peas
• salt and black pepper

Recipe

• 1 bake the sweet potatoes at 400*f.
• 2 for about 1 hour, or until tender (or microwave for about 8-10 mins.).
• 3 while the potatoes bake, combine the onions and water or juice in a medium saucepan.
• 4 cover, and simmer until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.
• 5 add the garlic, ginger, cumin, chile, and bell peppers, cover, and simmer until the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes.
• 6 remove from the heat.
• 7 cut the neufchatel into small peices and stir it into the hot vegetable mixture to melt.
• 8 set aside.
• 9 when the sweet potatoes are baked, cut them in half lengthwise.
• 10 hold each potato half with a heavy towel or mitt in one hand and scoop out the central part of the flesh with a spoon.
• 11 leave about a 1/4 inch shell so that the potatoes maintain their shape.
• 12 mix the potato flesh with the vegetable-cheese mixture.
• 13 add the lemon juice, peas, and salt and pepper.
• 14 lower the oven temperature to 350*f.
• 15 stuff the potato shells with the filling.
• 16 place them in a lightly oiled baking dish.
• 17 cover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until thoroughly hot.
• 18 enjoy!
• 19 note* if you are stuffing previously baked, chilled potatoes, they may need to bake an extra 5 to 10 minutes in the oven to heat through.