MEATLESS MONDAY: baked sweet potato with grapes

For someone who loves vegetables as much as I do, well, it's a constant endeavor to come up with new, creative ways to consume them. Not always easy: the vegetable palette might be large but, let's be honest, the things we consume the most can probably be narrowed down to 3-5 different vegs that are on constant rotation (at least in my household, I admit): i.e. potatoes, cauliflower (since I discovered how lovely it is when roasted),  broccoli and aubergines for me. Means i have to be pretty creative in the preparation. Or, and sometimes that's the easier alternative, I just opt for a different vegetable. Like this dish: it's kind of a staple in our house for cauliflower. Roasted, dressed up with spiced yogurt and topped off with some herbs. Here, I made the same thing with sweet potatoes and added a handful of halved grapes for fun and fruitiness. There isn't always a need to invent the wheel; a tiny change of routine will do to perk things up.

BAKED SWEET POTATO WITH GRAPES

 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup grapes, halved & deseeded
• 1 handful dried cranberries
• 1 handful cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp. ras el hanout (an arab spice mix with cumin and rose petals)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. Maldon sea salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 drizzle lemon juice

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the potatoes into sixth lengthwise. Put them in a bowl, add the olive oil and a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt and toss to coat well. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
3. Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the sweet potato wedges are slightly golden and partially charred. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.
4. Prepare the yogurt: sweat the ras el hanout spice mix in a frying pan for a minute or two, until a strong nutty flavor develops. Put aside and let cool.
5. Combine the toasted ras el hanout with the yogurt, a generous pinch of salt, the minced garlic clove and a drizzle of lemon juice. 
6. Arrange the wedges on a large plate, drizzle the spiced yogurt in the middle and sprinkle with the grapes, cranberries and cilantro leaves.