The Best Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe Ever

When I asked my friend, Vanessa—a rising personal chef in California's Bay Area scene—about some of her go-to dishes that she makes at home for herself and new husband, Julian, she barely got through the first one before I was convinced I needed to recreate them in my kitchen. (And she does some amazing culinary crafting, y'all, so if you're in Cali...)

I'm all about new recipes or reinventing the same foods in a different way, and her versions even incorporate low-carb ingredients. Perfect, I thought. I don't really do diets but I like opting for healthy foods and the whole "less carbs, more fruits and veggies" mantra. My weekly grocery list is predominantly fresh foods and produce as it is.

I got the chance to make this loaded sweet potato deliciousness yesterday afternoon for myself and my friend, Jo Ann, who came to visit us for the morning. The quads had gone down for naps and I immediately went to work in the kitchen since I was eager to try this out. It got rave reviews from Jo Ann, who also intends to make it at home again soon, and I loved how fresh and flavorful it was. Vanessa and I both tend to cook without measuring and just eyeball ingredients, so her recipe she sent me came with no precise amounts. I've done my best to approximate what to add, but feel free to use less or more as you prefer. And yeah, there really is a sweet potato under there.

(Psssst! I've got a handy new printable recipe option available, the link is at the end of the post.)

Ingredients
Half or whole sweet potato per person
1 lb ground turkey or beef (85% lean)
1 can black beans
1/3 cup diced cherry tomatoes or whatever you have on hand
1/4 cup diced purple onion
Juice of 1 lime
Dollop of Greek yogurt
14 - 1/3 cup shredded cheese per person
1 tsp cumin
1 small can tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Cayenne
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 avocado, diced
Chopped jalapeño to taste
Chopped cilantro to taste

Instructions
1. If you aren't baking the potatoes ahead of time, wash and poke potatoes and stick them in the microwave, checking every 4 minutes or so.
2. Heat up canned black beans. Add a couple spoons of tomato paste, cumin, salt and some cayenne.
3. Brown the meat in a skillet with some oil. Add smoked paprika, salt, pepper, remaining tomato paste and 1 to 2 chipotle peppers with some of the sauce. Just mash up the chipotle pepper with the spoon and mix it in. The tomato paste should cook a few minutes to caramelize and enhance in flavor.
4. Make a quick "salsa" with diced red onion, jalapeño, cherry tomatoes, lime and cilantro. Add some of the chopped cilantro to the beans.
5. Assemble: Slice potatoes down the middle (can serve 1/2 or whole potato to each person) and mash the inside slightly with a fork. Add some meat and top with black beans, salsa, avocado, cheese and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

This can be as spicy or mild as you want it by reducing or eliminating the peppers. You can also add to or take from the veg in whatever way you want.

For the printable version of this recipe, click here.

Thanks to Vanessa for sharing one of her favorite meals with us! You can follow her on Instagram where she shares tons of mouthwatering foodie photos, scenic travel shots and more. 

Happy eating :)