Quinoa Stuffed Baked Sweet Potato

Serves: 4

• Costs $1.65
• Hands-on cooking time 15 minutes
• Cooking time 55 minutes
• Low in kJ, fat and sodium
• High in fibre and iron
• Provides 3 serves of vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 small sweet potatoes
•  2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 small onion finely sliced
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons of cranberries
• 50g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
• 2 cups of steamed greens to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Scrub sweet potatoes and pat dry with paper towel; prick all over with a fork. Place sweet potatoes on try and bake, turning after approximately 20 minutes, for 40-45 minutes or until soft.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat, add onion, stirring occasionally until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

3. Add quinoa to separate saucepan with ¾ cup water, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan; simmer for 12 minutes or until quinoa absorbs water and becomes al dente. Remove from heat, add to onion and garlic. Stir in remaining ingredients (except steamed greens).

4. Slice potato lengthways, to open up sweet potato. Open potatoes and gently mash with a fork. Spoon ¼ of the filling into each potato and return to oven for a further 5 minutes, or until heated through.

5. Serve stuffed sweet potato with steamed greens.

Note: Recipe adapted from Australian Healthy Food guide http://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au