Creamy, cheesy sweet potatoes served with a no-fuss salsa, this dish is packed with fibre, vitamin C and lots of flavour.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 red pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt, pepper to taste

Salsa
1 15oz can black beans
1 cup corn
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup red onion, small diced
1 tsp cumin
½ tbsp olive oil

Method

Bake sweet potatoes for approximately one hour at 375°C, or until soft to the touch. In the same oven, roast the red pepper and garlic until soft and skin is charred. Remove the stem and seeds from the red pepper before roasting. While the sweet potatoes are in the oven, make the salsa. Drain and rinse the beans and combine with other required ingredients. Doing this step in advance allows more time for the flavours to come together.

When sweet potatoes are cooked and still hot, make a slit along the middle but not all the way through and not to the edges. Carefully scoop out the inside, leaving about ¼ inch all around so that the sweet potatoes keep their shape. Mash the sweet potatoes and mix in red pepper puree and ½ cup cheese. To make the puree, remove the skin and blend red pepper with garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper until smooth.

Stuff mixture back into sweet potato skins and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes at 375°C, then switch to broil for 5 minutes more or until desired golden-brown colour is achieved. Top with salsa before serving or serve on the side.

Note: If using this recipe as a side dish, cut each sweet potato in half after baking and prepare accordingly. For a little heat, add chopped jalapeño or poblano pepper to the salsa.

With bold flavours influenced by her West Indian background, Naseema Ali uses her personal cooking style to recreate recipes using textures and combining cultures in many of her dishes. Keep an eye out for more Meatless Monday creations to come!