Sweet Potato Skins with Buffalo Chickpeas & Spinach

It's Super Bowl Sunday, which really means food. Lots and lots of food. Plus buffalo everything. I'm not complaining.

RECIPE

Makes 2-4 servings; 8 sweet potato skins total. | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 60-75 mins

Ingredients

2 medium or large sweet potatoes, washed and dried

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2-3 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Frank's RedHot original)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil

2 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 ounces cream cheese

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (I used Trader Joe's plain whole Greek yogurt)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh cilantro, extra hot sauce and garlic powder for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake sweet potatoes on a foil-lined sheet pan for 45-60 minutes until tender. While they're cooking, mix chickpeas, hot sauce and garlic powder in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

2. When the sweet potatoes are done, remove from oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes. While they're cooling, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large frying pan on medium-high heat. Sauté spinach and onions until the leaves start to wilt and onions become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Then add buffalo chickpeas to pan and cook until heated, about 2-3 more minutes. Turn heat off and leave in pan.

3. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop insides out and put into medium mixing bowl. Make sure to leave about a 1/4-inch of sweet potato along the skin so they retain their shape. Cut sweet potatoes in half again to make 8 potato skins. Brush or spray oil on potato skins and put back into oven for about 5 minutes to make them crispier.

4. Mash the sweet potato insides with a fork, and then mix in cream cheese and greek yogurt until combined. Use a hand mixer or blender if you want to make it creamier. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add buffalo chickpea and spinach mixture to the bowl with sweet potatoes; stir to combine.

5. Remove sweet potato skins from oven, and fill each skin with sweet potato-chickpea mixture. Place back in oven for about 10 minutes. Top with fresh cilantro, hot sauce and a sprinkle of garlic powder, serve and enjoy!

Note: if you have leftover sweet potato-chickpea mixture, you can put in small baking dish and bake for 10 minutes and eat as a dip!

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