Sausage Spinach and Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1 lb. sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed, crumbled (use spicy or pork sausage, if you prefer)
1 tbsp. olive oil*
2 tbsp. unsalted butter*, divided
1 yellow onion*, chopped
2 cloves of garlic*, minced
Kosher salt*, freshly ground black pepper*
6 cups fresh baby spinach*
1 package cooked lentils (Trader Joe’s has this item)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth* or water
Brown sugar*
Parmesan cheese*
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes, then dry throughly. Pierce each potato with a fork several times. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tender.
Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain and set aside. In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and 1 tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the melted oil and butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until the onion softens, 3-5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, turn the heat up slightly, and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked lentils and heat until the lentils are warmed through. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the spinach. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Stir to combine, until the spinach is wilted. If the mixture seems too dry add ¼ cup chicken broth or water at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add the cooked sausage back to the mixture and stir to combine.
Cut a slit in the top of each cooked sweet potato. Place ¼ tbsp. of butter in each potato, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Top each potato with the sausage, spinach, and lentil mixture. Add a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!
Wine Pairing
Viognier, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel
Kid Version
If you think your kids will go for it, serve them this recipe as is! If not, serve the ingredients deconstructed. Give them a portion of sweet potato, with a small pat of butter and a little sprinkle of salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Reserve a bit of the cooked sausage and cooked lentils (before combined) to serve as well, or serve a scoop of the sausage, spinach, and lentil mixture, if you think they’ll enjoy it. Don’t forget to top the mixture with parmesan cheese (or a sprinkling of shredded cheese that your kids like). Lastly, if your kids don’t like spinach, serve this meal with a side of cooked broccoli, peas, or another kid friendly vegetable you have on hand.
